Zebra DelGuard: The Pencil Built Not to Break Lead
The Zebra DelGuard is a mechanical pencil from Japan's Zebra Co. with two springs that protect the lead: one lets the lead give way under straight-down pressure, the other pushes the sleeve out to shield it from angled pressure. The plastic Standard model is about 137 mm long and 10 g, in 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm.
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Product facts
- Product
- Zebra DelGuard mechanical pencil, Standard (P-MA85, 0.5 mm)
- Brand
- Zebra
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan*
- Material
- Plastic (resin) body, metal tip
- Released
- 2014
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Zebra Pen Corporation. Made in Japan: per Noble's government-supply listing for a DelGuard 0.5 mm 3-pack (country of origin Japan). Zebra's Japanese product page doesn't state a country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Zebra's Japanese site lists the DelGuard Standard at 137.3 mm (5.4 in) long, 10.3 mm at its widest and 10 g, for ¥495 (about US$3.10).
- Zebra Japan sells three lead sizes, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm (P-MAS85, P-MA85, P-MAB85); US stores mostly stock 0.5 and 0.7 mm.
- Zebra warns that 2B and softer leads in 0.3 mm, 3B and softer in 0.5 mm, and colored leads can still break.
- Clicking 4 or more times from a fully retracted lead can break it, per Zebra's own product page.
- A US government-supply listing gives Japan as the country of origin for the 0.5 mm DelGuard.
What is the Zebra DelGuard?
The DelGuard is a mechanical pencil from Zebra Co., Ltd. of Tokyo that is designed so the lead doesn’t snap, however hard you press. Zebra sells it worldwide, and Zebra Pen Corporation distributes it in the US, where grocery and office stores stock the 0.5 mm with a tube of bonus lead.
Zebra’s Japanese company history dates the launch to 2014, and Japanese business magazine Toyo Keizai reported that Zebra spent five years developing it. Zebra’s Japanese site lists the Standard at ¥495 (about US$3.10). Our best mechanical pencils roundup names it the pick for heavy-handed writers.
How does the DelGuard keep lead from breaking?
Two mechanisms share the work: one lets the lead retreat under straight-down pressure, and one pushes a metal sleeve out to shield the lead from angled pressure. Zebra’s Japanese page says that when strong vertical force hits the paper, a spring inside the barrel releases the lead upward instead of letting it snap.
When strong pressure comes at a slant, Zebra says the metal part at the tip comes out automatically and wraps around the lead, and the two mechanisms share the load to match the angle and force. Zebra adds an internal part that guides the lead so short pieces don’t slip and jam.
US packaging calls the design a double-spring mechanism and suggests clicking twice before you write.
Zebra DelGuard specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) |
| Model | P-MAS85 (0.3) · P-MA85 (0.5) · P-MAB85 (0.7), Japan model codes |
| Lead sizes | 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mm |
| Length | 137.3 mm (5.4 in); Bungu Store lists 138 mm |
| Diameter | 10.3 mm at the widest |
| Weight | 10 g (0.35 oz) |
| Refill eraser | Zebra G (pack of 5) |
| Launched | 2014 (Japan) |
| List price (Japan) | ¥495 (about US$3.10) including tax |
| Body | Plastic (resin), metal tip |
| Made in | Japan (per a US government-supply listing) |
| Price band | $$ ($5–20 a pencil) |
Size, weight and price are from Zebra’s Japanese product page and are the same for all three lead sizes; Minimaru’s spec sheet agrees on 137.3 mm and 10.3 mm.
Which leads can break in a DelGuard?
Soft and colored leads can still snap: Zebra’s Japanese page warns about 2B and darker in 0.3 mm, 3B and darker in 0.5 mm, and colored lead. The springs are tuned for ordinary graphite, so very soft lead can give way before the mechanism does.
Zebra also says clicking 4 or more times from a fully retracted position can break the lead. US packaging suggests two clicks.
Which DelGuard model should you choose?
For most people the plastic Standard is enough; the other models change the grip and the weight, not the protection.
| Model | What’s different |
|---|---|
| Standard (P-MA85) | Plastic body, 137.3 mm, 10 g, ¥495 (about US$3.10) |
| Type-Lx (P-MA86) | Metal grip and lower center of gravity; 146 mm, 20.5 g, ¥1,100 (about US$7) |
| Type-ER (P-MA88) | Eraser slides out when you turn the pencil upside down; 143 mm, 11.3 g, ¥770 (about US$4.90); launched 2017 |
Figures are from Zebra’s Japanese product pages; the Type-Lx comes in 0.3 and 0.5 mm, the Type-ER in 0.5 mm.
- Small handwriting: pick 0.3 mm, but keep to HB or B lead.
- School and heavy pressure: 0.5 or 0.7 mm. Thicker lead is less likely to snap in the first place.
How does the DelGuard compare to the Pentel Orenz and Kuru Toga?
The DelGuard absorbs pressure, the Pentel Orenz hides the lead inside a sliding sleeve, and the uni Kuru Toga rotates the lead to keep it sharp. All three are plastic, about 10 g and made in Japan, per retailer listings.
| Pencil | Mechanism | Lead sizes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| DelGuard Standard | Two springs | 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mm | 137.3 mm |
| Pentel Orenz | Sliding sleeve | 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mm | 142 mm |
| Kuru Toga Standard | Rotating lead | 0.3, 0.5 mm | 142 mm |
Choose the DelGuard if you press hard, the Orenz for very fine lead and the Kuru Toga for an even line.
Where is the Zebra DelGuard made?
A US government-supply listing (Noble) gives Japan as the country of origin for the 0.5 mm DelGuard. Zebra doesn’t state it on the pages we found, so check the packaging if it matters to you. Zebra also makes the Sarasa Clip gel pen.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Zebra DelGuard really stop lead breaking?
It stops most breakage from normal and heavy writing pressure, which is what it was designed for. Zebra itself says soft grades, colored leads and clicking out too much lead can still cause breaks.
How does the DelGuard mechanism work?
Zebra's Japanese site says a spring inside the barrel lets the lead slide back when you press straight down hard, and a metal part at the tip slides out to wrap the lead when you press hard at an angle. US packaging calls it a double-spring mechanism.
What lead sizes does the DelGuard come in?
Zebra's Japanese site and JetPens list the Standard DelGuard in 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm. The 0.5 mm is the size most US grocery and office stores carry.
Can I use 2B lead in a DelGuard?
In 0.5 mm, yes: Zebra's caution starts at 3B. In 0.3 mm, Zebra says 2B and softer may still break, so HB or B is the safer choice.
How many times should I click a DelGuard?
Zebra's page says the lead may break if you click 4 or more times from a position where no lead shows. US packaging suggests clicking twice before writing.
Where is the Zebra DelGuard made?
A US government-supply listing gives Japan as the country of origin. Zebra Co., Ltd., the maker, is based in Tokyo.
Is the DelGuard good for heavy-handed writers?
That is who it is for. The Journal Shop's guide recommends it for heavy-handed writers, and the springs are meant to absorb hard pressure that snaps lead in an ordinary pencil.
What is the difference between the DelGuard and DelGuard Type-Lx?
The Type-Lx has a metal grip and a lower center of gravity. Zebra's Japanese site lists it at 146 mm and 20.5 g, about twice the 10 g of the plastic Standard, with the same lead-protection mechanism.
Sources
- ゼブラ株式会社: シャープペン デルガード (Zebra Japan product page, read in full: 0.3/0.5/0.7 mm, 137.3 mm, 10.3 mm, 10 g, ¥495, model codes, soft-lead and clicking cautions)
- ゼブラ株式会社: デルガード タイプLx (Zebra Japan: metal grip, 146 mm, 20.5 g, ¥1,100)
- ゼブラ株式会社: デルガード タイプER (Zebra Japan: eraser slides out when inverted, 143 mm, 11.3 g, ¥770)
- ゼブラ株式会社: 沿革 (Zebra company history: DelGuard 2014, Type-ER 2017)
- Zebra (global): DelGuard (lead protection; soft and colored lead caveats; clicking caveat)
- Zebra Pen: How to refill the DelGuard mechanical pencil
- JetPens: Zebra DelGuard, a comprehensive guide (models, lead sizes)
- JetPens: Zebra DelGuard series
- Minimaru: Zebra DelGuard 0.5 mm (137.3 mm long, 10.3 mm max diameter)
- Bungu Store: DelGuard mechanical pencil (138 mm, about 10 mm, resin body)
- Unsharpen: Zebra DelGuard mechanical pencil (about 10 g, plastic body)
- Yoseka Stationery: Zebra DelGuard Type-ER (double-spring mechanism)
- Yoseka Stationery: DelGuard Type-Lx 0.5 mm (metal grip)
- Toyo Keizai: how Zebra developed the DelGuard over 5 years (in Japanese)
- The Journal Shop: Best mechanical pencils guide (DelGuard for heavy-handed writers)
- Noble: DelGuard mechanical pencil 0.5 mm, 3-pack (country of origin Japan)
- Kroger: Zebra DelGuard 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with bonus lead
- Fry's Food: Zebra DelGuard 0.5 mm with lead refill (double-spring, click twice)