The Faber-Castell TK-Matic ia a highly collectible mechanical pencil that was sold in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a drafting pencil that was designed to be a professional tool, but it also a pleasure to write with.
The Faber-Castell TK-Matic is an automatic mechanical pencil, which feeds lead out as the user writes.
The Faber-Castell TK-Matic has a plastic body — usually green or black — but the pen had a luxury variant known as the TK-Matic-L which has a fully metal body. There was also a pencil called the Alpha-Matic was even more expensive than the TK line. The Alpha-Matic was designed for writing, not drafting, and had has a difference front assembly.
While the Alpha-Matic is generally the most expensive pencil, mechanical pencil users tend to prefer the TK-Matic as its design as a drafting tool generally makes it more usable then the Alpha-Matic.
The pencil tends not to age particularly well from a aesthetic sense, as the ornate knurling tends to collect grime and even surface oxidation. Additionally the plastic body is prone towards light scratching and the name and lead diameter disappearing from the side. The writing on the side wears out over time and the original silver lettering inside is rarely visible given the pencil’s age.
Faber-Castell TK-Matic Mechanical Pencil Information
| Street Price | Check Price |
| Manufacturer | Faber-Castell |
| Pencil Models | 0.5 mm |
| Barrel Color | Green, Black, Red |
| Barrel Material | Plastic |
| Body Diameter (mm) | 8.3 |
| Grip Color | Silver |
| Grip Material | Metal |
| Knurled Grip? | Yes |
| Grip Diameter (mm) | 8.3 |
| Body Shape | Cylindrical |
| Lead Grades | HB |
| Capped or Retractable | Retractable |
| Lead Advance Style | Push Button |
| Lead Color | Graphite |
| Lead Size (Diameter) | 0.5 mm |
| Similar To: | |
| Eraser? | Yes |
| Eraser Refillable? | Yes |
| Clip | Yes |
| Clip Material | Metal |
| Length Capped | 14.5 |
| Length | 14.5 |
| Body Length | 11.2 |
| Weight | 14.0 |
| Pipe Color | Silver |
| Tip Material | Metal |
| Tip Replaceable? | No |
| Pipe Type | Fixed |
| Lead Pipe Length | |
| Pipe Retractable? | No |
| Cleaning Rod? | Yes |