--- title: "rOtring 800: The Retractable All-Metal Drafting Pencil" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rotring-800/" description: "rOtring 800 mechanical pencil explained: the twist-and-click retracting 4 mm sleeve, 0.5 and 0.7 mm models, size and weight, how it compares to the rOtring 600." category: "Pencils" type: "Mechanical pencil" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 12 products: - name: "rOtring 800 retractable mechanical pencil (0.5 mm, 1904447; 0.7 mm, 1904446)" brand: "rOtring" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Japan" material: "All-metal hexagonal body, knurled metal grip, brass mechanism" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "rOtring, a Newell Brands company" model: "800" mpn: "1904447" gtin: "3501179044477" --- # rOtring 800: The Retractable All-Metal Drafting Pencil > The rOtring 800 is an all-metal mechanical drafting pencil whose 4 mm lead sleeve twists back into the body, so it can ride in a pocket. It has a hexagonal barrel and knurled grip, in 0.5 and 0.7 mm. Unsharpen lists it at 13.2 cm retracted and 25 g; Japanese and US listings give Japan as the origin. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rotring-800/ - Category: Pencils - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Black all-metal hexagonal rOtring 800 mechanical pencil drawn to scale, about 135 mm (5.3 in) with the sleeve retracted, with knurled twist grip and clip; inset: the 4 mm sleeve retracts](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/rotring-800-16x9.png) *The rOtring 800 with its sleeve out, drawn to scale.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/rotring-800-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | rOtring 800 retractable mechanical pencil (0.5 mm, 1904447; 0.7 mm, 1904446) | rOtring (by rOtring, a Newell Brands company) | Germany | Japan | All-metal hexagonal body, knurled metal grip, brass mechanism | – | $$$: $20–75 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (rOtring 800 retractable mechanical pencil (0.5 mm, 1904447; 0.7 mm, 1904446)): Japan. Newell's product records (Salsify) list Country of Origin JP for the black 0.5 mm (1904447) and 0.7 mm (1904446). ADI Global Distribution gives Japan for 1904446 and notes that it is subject to change; the Japanese retailer Maruzen Junkudo lists 原産国 日本 for 1904447, and Peyton Street Pens says made in Japan. rOtring's own site blocked our reader. Source: https://sites.salsify.com/41c9c255-1884-40e0-bc05-ad8dd5617744/b2dae3b8-7a2e-4ca6-8428-8273de608721/product/SAP_1904447/rOtring-800-Mechanical-Pencil-or-0-5-mm-or-Black-Metal-Barrel/ ## Key takeaways - Twisting the knurled grip retracts the whole 4 mm lead sleeve and the lead, which rOtring calls its "Twist and Click" mechanism. - Four main versions are listed: 0.5 mm black (1904447), 0.5 mm silver (1904449), 0.7 mm black (1904446) and 0.7 mm silver (1904448). - Retracted, it measures about 132–135 mm (5.2–5.3 in), per Unsharpen and Peyton Street Pens; Unsharpen gives 25 g, Architecture Lab 31.8 g. - One Amazon-tracking report shows the black 0.5 mm with about 4.5K ratings averaging 4.6 stars. - Newell's own product record, ADI Global Distribution and the Japanese retailer Maruzen Junkudo give Japan as the country of origin; it sells in our $$$ band ($20–75). ## What is the rOtring 800? **The rOtring 800 is rOtring's top all-metal mechanical drafting pencil, and the only one in its line whose lead sleeve retracts.** Unsharpen notes it is the only retractable pencil across the 300, 500, 600 and 800 range. It keeps the look of the [rOtring 600](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rotring-600/): a black or silver hexagonal metal barrel, a metal clip and a knurled grip. Unsharpen calls the highly sought-after rOtring 600G its predecessor, the source of its gold-colored parts. We didn't find a launch year for the 800 in a source we could open; rOtring's own site blocked our reader. ## rOtring 800 specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Brand | rOtring (Germany), part of Newell Brands | | Models | 1904447 (0.5 mm black), 1904449 (0.5 mm silver), 1904446 (0.7 mm black), 1904448 (0.7 mm silver) | | Lead | HB, 0.5 or 0.7 mm | | Sleeve | 4 mm (Unsharpen: 4.1 mm), retracts with a twist of the grip | | Body | All metal, hexagonal; brass mechanism (Newell) | | Grip | Knurled metal | | Length (retracted) | About 132–135 mm (5.2–5.3 in); Maruzen Junkudo lists 142 mm | | Weight | 25 g (0.9 oz) (Unsharpen); 31.8 g (Architecture Lab) | | JAN/GTIN (0.5 mm black) | 3501179044477 (Newell) | | Made in | Japan (Newell, ADI, Maruzen Junkudo) | Length comes from Unsharpen (13.2 cm retracted) and Peyton Street Pens (5-5/16 in, tip retracted). Maruzen Junkudo's Japanese listing gives 8 × 142 mm, the same figure as its 600 listing, without saying whether the sleeve is out; its 45 g is the boxed weight. rOtring doesn't publish a weight in any source we could open. ## How does the twist-and-click sleeve work? **Twist the knurled grip one way and the 4 mm sleeve and lead come out; twist it back and both slide into the cone.** Newell's product record calls it the "Twist and Click" retractable mechanism of the entire sleeve and lead, and describes it as pocket-safe. That matters because a fixed 4 mm sleeve is the part of a drafting pencil most likely to bend if it's dropped or carried loose. Unsharpen adds that the push button can't be clicked while the sleeve is retracted, so lead doesn't advance inside a pocket. ## rOtring 800 vs rOtring 600: which should you buy? **Choose the 800 if you carry your pencil in a pocket or bag; choose the [rOtring 600](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rotring-600/) if it lives on a desk and you'd rather save money.** ![rOtring 600 and rOtring 800 drawn to scale: the 600 at about 142 mm and 22 g with a fixed sleeve; the 800 at about 135 mm and 25 g with the sleeve retracted, and with the 4 mm sleeve twisted out](https://stationerytimes.com/images/rotring-800-vs-600.svg) *Retracted, the 800 is a few millimeters shorter than the 600 and a little heavier, per Unsharpen and Peyton Street Pens.* | | rOtring 800 | rOtring 600 | |---|---|---| | Sleeve | 4 mm, retracts | Fixed | | Grip | Knurled, twists to retract | Knurled | | Length | About 132–135 mm retracted | About 142 mm | | Weight | 25–31.8 g | About 22 g | | Lead sizes | 0.5, 0.7 mm | 0.5, 0.7 mm | | Price band | $$$ | $$$ | The 600's figures come from our guide to it. The Gentleman Stationer's comparison makes the same split: the 800 for carrying, the 600 for value. ## How does it compare to other retractable drafting pencils? **The [Pentel GraphGear 1000](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-graphgear-1000/) is the cheaper retractable alternative, at about 20 g with an aluminum barrel.** Pentel calls its mechanism a dual-action retractor; there is no twist, and it sells in our $$ band. If the weight of an all-metal pencil tires your hand, a light plastic drafting pencil such as the [Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-graph-1000-for-pro/) weighs about 11 g, less than half the 800. ## Is the rOtring 800 popular? **Yes. It is one of the most-reviewed premium mechanical pencils on Amazon US.** An ASINsight report shows the black 0.5 mm with about 4.5K ratings averaging 4.6 stars. ShopSavvy's September 2024 summary of reviews scores it 7.19 out of 10 and lists the weight, the price and a somewhat stiff lead advance as the main drawbacks. ## Where is the rOtring 800 made? **In Japan: Newell's own product records list the country of origin as JP.** ADI Global Distribution, a US distributor, the Japanese retailer Maruzen Junkudo (原産国 日本) and Peyton Street Pens agree; ADI notes that the origin is subject to change, so check the packaging if it matters to you. The brand itself is German: rOtring was founded in Hamburg in 1928 and is now owned by Newell Brands. Watch for the 800+, item 1900181, which adds a touchscreen stylus and is a different pencil. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between the rOtring 600 and 800? Both are black or silver all-metal hexagonal drafting pencils. The 800's sleeve retracts when you twist the grip, so it is pocket-safe; the 600's sleeve is fixed. The 800 also costs more. ### How does the rOtring 800 retract? Twist the knurled grip and the 4 mm lead sleeve slides out for writing; twist it back and the sleeve and lead disappear into the cone. Unsharpen notes the button can't be clicked while it is retracted. ### What lead sizes does the rOtring 800 come in? 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm, each in black or silver. Distributor item numbers are 1904447 (0.5 mm black), 1904449 (0.5 mm silver), 1904446 (0.7 mm black) and 1904448 (0.7 mm silver). ### How heavy is the rOtring 800? Unsharpen lists it at 25 g and Architecture Lab at 31.8 g. Either way it is heavier than the 22 g rOtring 600 and more than twice a plastic Pentel Graph 1000 for Pro. ### Is the rOtring 800+ the same pencil? No. The 800+ (item 1900181 in black 0.5 mm) is a hybrid with a stylus tip for touchscreens. Check the item number if you want the plain 800. ### Is the rOtring 800 worth it? If you want a metal drafting pencil you can carry in a pocket, the retracting sleeve is the reason to pay more than for a 600. ShopSavvy's summary of reviews lists its weight, price and a somewhat stiff lead advance as the drawbacks. ### Where is the rOtring 800 made? In Japan, according to Newell's own product record, the US distributor ADI and the Japanese retailer Maruzen Junkudo. rOtring itself is a German brand founded in Hamburg, now owned by Newell Brands. ## Sources - [丸善ジュンク堂書店ネットストア: rOtring 800 メカニカルペンシル 0.5㎜ ブラック (Maruzen Junkudo, Japanese retailer: item 1904447, 8 × 142 mm, boxed 45 g, origin Japan)](https://www.maruzenjunkudo.co.jp/products/3501179044477) - [ADI Global Distribution: rOtring 800 mechanical pencil 0.7 mm black, 1904446 (country of origin Japan, Twist and Click)](https://adiglobaldistribution.pr/Product/7D-1904446) - [ADI Global Distribution: rOtring 800 mechanical pencil 0.5 mm, 1904449](https://www.adiglobaldistribution.us/Product/7D-1904449) - [Newell product record (Salsify): rOtring 800 mechanical pencil, 0.5 mm, black metal barrel (1904447; GTIN, origin JP, brass mechanism)](https://sites.salsify.com/41c9c255-1884-40e0-bc05-ad8dd5617744/b2dae3b8-7a2e-4ca6-8428-8273de608721/product/SAP_1904447/rOtring-800-Mechanical-Pencil-or-0-5-mm-or-Black-Metal-Barrel/) - [Newell product record (Salsify): rOtring 800 mechanical pencil, HB 0.7 mm, black metal barrel (1904446)](https://sites.salsify.com/41c9c255-1884-40e0-bc05-ad8dd5617744/b2dae3b8-7a2e-4ca6-8428-8273de608721/product/SAP_1904446/rOtring-800-Mechanical-Pencil-or-HB-0-7-mm-or-Black-Metal-Barrel/) - [Architecture Lab: rOtring 800 mechanical pencil review (31.8 g, brass body)](https://www.architecturelab.net/rotring-800-mechanical-pencil/) - [Peyton Street Pens: rOtring 800 mechanical pencil 0.5 mm (5-5/16 in retracted, made in Japan)](https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/rotring-800-mechanical-pencil-matte-black-w-red-gold-accents-0-5mm-leads-mint-works-well.html) - [Unsharpen: rOtring 800 drafting pencil (only retractable pencil in the range; 13.2 cm retracted, 25 g, 4.1 mm pipe)](https://unsharpen.com/pencil/rotring-800-drafting-pencil/) - [The Gentleman Stationer: Which one to pick, rOtring 600 vs rOtring 800](https://gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2019/7/2/which-one-to-pick-rotring-600-vs-rotring-800) - [ASINsight: Best-selling rOtring 800 pen report (ratings for the 800 mechanical pencil)](https://www.asinsight.com/report/US/rotring-800-pen) - [ShopSavvy: TLDR review, rOtring 800 mechanical pencil 0.5 mm](https://shopsavvy.com/reviews-tldr/rotring-800-mechanical-pencil-0.5-mm.md) - [Onlinemantra: rOtring 800+ black mechanical pencil 0.5 mm, 1900181 (the stylus hybrid)](https://www.onlinemantra.in/fr/products/rotring-800-black-mechanical-pencil-0-5-mm-1900181)