Clutch Pencils

Clutch pencils, or leadholders, are one of the oldest forms of writing instruments around, dating back hundreds of years. The modern spring clutch push-button type was pioneered by Caran d'Ache in 1929 with the Fixpencil. Caran d'Ache still make a number of Fixpencil versions, which are probably our absolute favourites.

It seems suprising, but there is still a great variety of clutch pencils available, and we have a huge range of finishes, prices, and lead sizes. Most of our clutch pencils have a lead size of 2mm, but we also have 3mm, 3.15mm and 5.6mm pencils.

Clutch Pencils have a useful property over traditional wood-cased pencils - their balance doesn't alter over time as the lead is used up. This can be great advantage, especially for more rapid and expressive work. There's a great range of lead available to suit technical or art endeavours. Many clutch pencils have a little lead pointer hidden in the push-buttons, which also helps portability and convenience.

A complete list of clutch pencils follows. Use the filters to home in on your ideal clutch pencil. The main points to consider will be Tip Size and Item Material (wood or metal are popular) - you can select some of the most common lead sizes with these buttons: