Having mentioned this eraser in an earlier post (2006 July 3, “The Dixon Ticonderoga Pencil”), I thought it necessary to give it a home of its own. I actually bought this eraser because of how awesome it looks. It’s so ‘80’s Japan. But then I used it. Honestly, I didn’t know an eraser like this existed. Even having used a Dixon to make my test marks, the Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser totally deleted the lines. I thought, “Surely that’s not possible; I’ve never seen that happen before.” So I tested it with an old Sanford American No. 2, and it erased the line even easier! I was hooked. This was without question the best eraser I’d ever used.
The Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser is a pure-white, plastic eraser. It comes encased in a thin, cardboard sleeve. At first I thought this was purely aesthetic, but I realized later that the purpose of the sleeve is to prevent the eraser from breaking in half. The plastic is extremely soft, which is the characteristic that gives it such great erasing ability. This same characteristic keeps it relatively clean, too. Most pencil erasers turn nearly solid black after three or four uses. But the Hi-Poly cleans itself off after each use; you slough off the old, black plastic and reveal a fresh layer that’s ready to go.
I honestly don’t think I’ll find an eraser that’s better than the Pentel Hi-Polymer. I’ve yet to run across an instance where I couldn’t completely rid the paper of markings. Even old marks come off quickly and easily. Please note, though, that the softness of this eraser causes it to grab the paper pretty well, so a firm hand on the page is necessary to keep from ripping it. However, a single use is all that’s required to master the technique. And that single use will leave you all-smiles, as you too will have concluded your search for the perfect eraser.
~Jonathan
Bibliography:
- The Pentel Hi-Polymer Eraser
- Article on “The Writing Utensil Geek”: The Dixon Ticonderoga Pencil (Posted 2006 July 3).
- Paper Mate American No. 2 pencil, the replacement of the Sanford American No. 2 and the reason I switched to the Dixon Ticonderoga; I’ll have to test the Paper Mate to see if this switch was necessary.
This product is also available in office supply stores and general stores (like CVS) in a 2-pack under the name “ClicEraser.” Each of the two is a retractable pencil-shaped eraser encased in a barrel with a pocket clip. Perfect, for example, for choral singers who have to erase marks in their music. The polymer eraser is a truly great product!
Comment by proofrdr — October 25, 2007 @ 12:16 pm |
I’m highly intrigued by the idea of a writing utensil blog! Got here because we were sitting around the office wondering exactly what ‘Hi-Polymer’ meant on a Pentel eraser. Can you enlighten?
Comment by island1 — November 7, 2007 @ 10:25 am |
Ha ha! Thanks. I had to do something with my passion. I cannot enter a store without visiting the school supplies section! As I understand it, “Hi-Polymer” refers to the plastic compound the eraser is made of. To be sure, though, I’ve emailed their customer support. I’ll post their response here.
Comment by Jonathan — November 8, 2007 @ 12:16 pm |
I’m highly impressed by this level of commitment! I know what you mean about the stationary department though; very compelling.
Comment by island1 — November 8, 2007 @ 4:44 pm |
Thank you! I’m equally impressed by how quickly Pentel customer service replied to my email:
She was understandably vague concerning the recipe, but it does at least answer the question. :o)
Comment by Jonathan — November 8, 2007 @ 5:35 pm |