I got a 0.5mm black in the holiday drop. I've never invested in more than the cheap mechanical pencils you find in walmart or a campus bookstore. I really like this pencil and now carry it with me every day. I kind of wish I had a back up, because it isn't as easy to replace if I were to lose it. If you are looking for a mechanical pencil that is more solidly constructed and will keep you from having to constantly replace cheap pencils - this is a good solution.