I'm a Pentel man but the one pictured doesn't look very comfy. I'd want something closer to #6.

Wtf is this shit? No Rotring. No Alvin. No Koh-i-Noor. I guess I have to take the GraphGear, but it's under duress.

5 all the way

I do all my art with 5.

This is the real personality tests, fuck Myers-Briggs and astrology. I need to know your choices for stationary.

Staedtler 35-05B but I guess 3 looks closest so I'll take that

Come on, where is the Pentel P200 series?

Edit: I'll take the koh-i-noor 2mm of available

I would suggest that the Dixon Ticonderoga is the most reliable, most cost-efficient, and easiest-to-use writing utinsil in the history of humanity.*

Each other option has more points of potential failure and additional complexities over the Ticonderoga. While more complicated tools may net you some improvement in writing style or sharpness, they are massive trade-offs in more basic areas.

This would be much the same question if it were "what car would you drive for the rest of your life" between fancy ones like Ferraris and Lambos to cheaper, more reliable ones like Corollas and Civics. Everyone likes the look of the Ferrari -- but the only car for the rest of your life? It's got to be reliable, or you're going nowhere. You want to be able to keep driving.

The Ticonderoga guarantees you can keep writing.

*intentionally overselling it for humor. But it is a nice, simple, good-quality pencil.

Rotring rapid pro 0.7mm

3

No carpenter's pencil?

Pentel.

Always.

I prefer the p20x series personally but just about every mech pencil I've ever used from them has been excellent

A pen.

7 all the way. Though a nice metal mechanical pencil does sound nice.

No pencils. Let the record stand, cross off mistakes with a single strikethrough like a gentleman.

Five, but I want the 0.9mm and not the 0.7.

5

6 was what I ended up with after considering all options before I went fully digital.

Better grip and easy to refill

Definitely 2. Sharpening is such a nice break from writing.

If I'm only allowed one type of pencil it's good old #2 (I'm more of a pen snob)

I got a Pentel with a tip like #3, so if #1 had the #3 tip I'd absolutely say #1.

My 0.7mm Pentel pencil has been the best pencil/mechanical pencil I have ever used, for the most part. It was definitely overpriced, like everything at a college bookstore, but it's been such an amazing pencil. Only problem is that I can't have it loose in the pockets of my spring jackets or it will try to poke through the cheap fabric.

Edit:

I have used 2, 5, and 7 (alongside ones of basically same design but different brand) as well, so I have no idea how good the others are.

Erasable pen. Just because I'm contrary.

0.5mm for #1 or #3.

Get that grubby ugly 0.7mm lead outta here.

2

I guess I'm the only one but 7 is underrated

I have been using 3 for the last 6 or so years. I also like 1 and 4. Can't go wrong with 2.

Zebra M-402, which I've used exclusively for at least 20 years. (The same one.)

Followed closely by the Ticonderoga.

If I am somehow without my 0.9mm Graphgear 500 then I would have to go with 1.

Honorable mention: at one of my D&D sessions they had non-mechanical D&D pencils where each side had a number, effectively turning it into a d6.

Not sure I've ever seen #5 with the clip still intact.