[Pen/Pencil Review] KUM Scribble Tip Top Pencil Cap and Sharpener
I’m a huge fan of the Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil. No bones about it. That little sucker is the thing I’ve always needed that I never knew I needed. So when I was on JetPens last, I found something similar but different and decided to try the KUM Scribble Tip Top Pencil Cap and Sharpener.
The KUM Scribble Tip Top Pencil Cap and Sharpener works like the Perfect Pencil but is cuter and more child-like. But the price was okay for a trial for a different and extra pencil extender and sharpener (and cap to keep the point from breaking.
The Scribble Tip Top cap is about 2.25″ long and comes with a white stubby pencils, so the initial length is about 5.0″ long – with the cap posted to the non-sharpened end, it makes the pencil itself about 6.5″ long. The cap is thick plastic with a blue plastic clip and a flip cap that covers the sharpener that’s nested inside. There are doodles decorating the cap for a whimsical appearance.
The sharpener pulls out of the cap with ribbed edges that secure the sharper to the cap. The sharpener works pretty well for being about an inch long. However, there’s a bit of an issue with the sharpener – the grip is really close to the blade, so my fingers catch graphite dust and shavings making the sharpener dirty to work with.
Then there was a further test – I tried the cap with generic pencils – both round and hex. The round pencil that are generally used as promotional giveaways was tight, but you can get the cap on – barely. The Berol Mirado hex pencil fit well. Capping it on erasers was tight, so maybe not that. But definitely use the slightly narrower of the typical pencil.
I still love the idea. This thing works as it’s supposed too. It doesn’t cost a lot, and there’s something to be said about having a pencil sharpener always available – and being able to protect the points. But honestly, it’s not as good as the Faber-Castell. I’ll keep this one around, for back up uses, but it’s not my first choice
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It’s one of those things that if you love wooden pencils, it is a must have. The cap is secure. The sharpener does a good, tight point.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – There’s no real “grip”. It does make shorter pencils easier to use and regular pencils a bit long – but the plastic is a bit bulky and the sharpener is a bit short.
3. Material – 1 It’s strong quality plastic with a decent metal-bladed sharpener that seats securely. Clip feels strong and unlikely to snap off.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – The cap needs to be a touch wider to better accommodate round pencils, and I would desperately love a slightly different design to the sharpener to keep the graphite dust of my fingers. I don’t want to have to clean my fingers all the time.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s not outrageous. It’s $4 on Jet Pens. That’s cool. Nothing to break the bank over – but being the same price point as the Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil – I’d spend the money on that one instead. But it’s still a good price.
3.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
