This is just a quick comparison of these two fine vintage Pentel pencils. Like siblings, they have some similarities and differences. Here’s a pic of them both:

I rather like the clean black and chrome aesthetics of both pencils. The s55 is on top and the Pentel ML5 is on the bottom. The Pentel ML5 proportions are reminiscent of a certain kind of Japanese fountain pen, called a “short pen,” notable for having a very long cap:

The Pentel S55 is more balanced in terms of the barrel proportions. This is noteworthy difference between the pencils, because the Pentel ML5, with all of the metal in the back, makes the writing experience more back-weighted, whereas the Pentel S55 is very evenly weighted in comparison.

The Pentel S55 is a longer pencil in comparison to the Pentel ML5, and this is difference is apparent in the pencils’ grip sizes:

The Pentel S55 has a much longer grip in comparison to the Pentel ML5. The S55’s grip is contoured with ridges, while the Pentel 5 has a smooth grip. In my case, I prefer the larger grip area. Here’s both pencils at work:

As the sheet says, sleeve lengths are the are the same, at a fixed 2mm. Both pencils strike me as writing penils versus technical pencils – and I enjoy writing with both, with the edge going to the Pentel S55.

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