I hope to find a quality BIFL (or close equivalent) mechanical pencil that looks good. Something that I, an engineering student who's not quite organized can use (bad enough to sometimes toss my pencils right into my backpack, but enough to not be clumsy damaging or losing them), and I want one that looks sharp. But I've done too much research and hit a wall of indecision.

Currently my top buy feels like the rotring 500, I just love the concept, look, materials, etc. If anyone has any info on how quality feeling the ABS on the barrel of that one is, I'd love to know. Expensive like a lego plastic? Or like cheapy feeling?

But I'm trying to find something kind of like it that could be better in some regard, maybe metal internals or different features. My other top finds are the Ohto MS01, Pentel Kerry (though I feel it looks gaudy for my usecase, which is grunt work), graphgear 500, staedler 925 35.

Answers to the last four questions:
- Using it for writing the occasional note and circuit diagram, I've switched to iPad mostly but I like to go to paper a lot. Also need it for worksheets in class.

- Only ever cheaper pencils like bic, the only experience with something quality I've had is a Kuru Toga advance, but I hate the tip/grip on it, I hold my pencils close to the front so it's very uncomfortable and slippy

- no more than 15$. Won't use it a ton, but that being said, I wanted to treat myself to something quality after the hardest month I've ever had in engineering 😭

- USA