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Keuffel & Esser “Leroy” Pencils
Leroy* refers to a system for lettering that uses templates and special scribing tools to create machine-perfect lettering. These tiny pencils are designed to fit a Leroy lettering scriber. As far as I know the only pencils Keuffel & Esser actually made within the company were the short “020”s for use with the Leroy lettering system line. In the 1960s they made a screw feed Leroy mechanical pencil. In 1970 the Leroy pencil was redesigned as a push button model. Both of these were made in-house – that is, the parts were produced for K&E by various vendors and then assembled in K&E’s Salisbury Products Division in Lakeville, CT, which also produced all the plastic slide rules, the entire Leroy line, along with various sheet stock templates and triangles. Late in the 1970s K&E decided to purchase completed Leroy pencils from Pilot Pen of Japan since ordering them in quantity from Pilot was less expensive than doing the assembly in house. Pilot also supplied the lead containers.
*Leroy is always capitalized (LEROY) in K&E literature. I am unsure if it is an acronym or what the story is. |
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 Illustration from the 1970 Keuffel & Esser Leroy catalog. |
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Thin Lead Drafting Leadholder Thumbnail Index |
direct link http://www.leadholder.com/lh-thin-ke-leroy.html |
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lead diameter mechanism composition variations production date origin |
2 mm twist lock clutch all metal none circa 1950 USA |
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| see also |
Keuffel & Esser “Leroy” Pencils – Notes Keuffel & Esser Trupoint lead pointer with Leroy clutch adaptor Keuffel & Esser Leroy Lettering Equipment catalog, 1970, p 37 |
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Thin Lead Drafting Leadholder Thumbnail Index |
direct link http://www.leadholder.com/lh-thin-ke-leroy.html#leroy-020 |
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lead diameter mechanism composition variations production date origin |
0.020 inches (0.5 mm) continuous twist action advance plastic barrel, metal mechanism none circa 1960s-1970 USA |
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| special features | nose shaped to fit in a Leroy scriber | ||
| see also |
Keuffel & Esser “Leroy” Pencils – Notes Keuffel & Esser “020” Pentel Graph Pencil Keuffel & Esser Leroy Lettering Equipment catalog, 1970, p 7 Keuffel & Esser Leroy Lettering Equipment catalog, 1970, p 37 |
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Thin Lead Drafting Leadholder Thumbnail Index |
direct link http://www.leadholder.com/lh-thin-ke-leroy.html#leroy-022 |
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lead diameter(s) mechanism composition variations production date origin |
0.020 inches (0.5 mm) plastic barrel, metal mechanism pushbutton incremental advance none circa 1971 (USA) |
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| special features | nose shaped to fit in a Leroy scriber | ||
| see also | Keuffel & Esser “Leroy” Pencils – Notes |
This improved Leroy pencil has a pushbutton action and longer leads.
A knowledgeable source told me that this model was made in the USA by Keuffel & Esser, but I now have my doubts. Another US company, Koh-I-Noor, at one time had their model 5619 thin lead pencils made in Japan and the design of that model is very similar to this K&E branded example.
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Thin Lead Drafting Leadholder Thumbnail Index |
direct link http://www.leadholder.com/lh-thin-ke-leroy.html#leroy-pilot |
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lead diameter mechanism composition variations production date origin |
0.5 mm all metal pushbutton incremental advance none circa 1978 Japan |
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| see also | Keuffel & Esser “Leroy” Pencils – Notes |
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| © 2001 to 2008 Dennis B. Smith |
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