--- title: "Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C: 2 mm Lead Holder" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/staedtler-mars-technico-780/" description: "Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C lead holder explained: 2 mm leads, sharpener in the push-button, metal clip and grip, 150 mm and 13 g, lead refills, origin." category: "Pencils" type: "Mechanical pencil" published: 2026-10-23 updated: 2026-10-23 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 8 products: - name: "Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C Lead Holder, 2 mm (blue)" brand: "Staedtler" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "ABS barrel (STAEDTLER Japan); metal clip, push-button and grip zone (Staedtler)" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG (Nuremberg)" model: "780 C" gtin: "4007817737866" url: "https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/products/pencils-and-accessories/mechanical-pencils-and-lead-holders/mars-technico-780-leadholder-m780/" --- # Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C: 2 mm Lead Holder > The Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C is a 2 mm lead holder, or clutch pencil: press the button and the jaws release a full-length lead. Staedtler Japan lists it at 150 mm (5.9 in) and 13 g, with a metal clip and grip, an HB lead and a small sharpener hidden in the push-button. It's made in Germany. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/staedtler-mars-technico-780/ - Category: Pencils - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-23 - Updated: 2026-10-23 ![Blue Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C lead holder drawn to scale at 150 mm, with an inset of the sharpener in the push-button](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/staedtler-mars-technico-780-16x9.png) *The Mars Technico 780 C, to scale at STAEDTLER Japan's 150 mm.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C Lead Holder, 2 mm (blue) | Staedtler (by Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG (Nuremberg)) | Germany | Germany | ABS barrel (STAEDTLER Japan); metal clip, push-button and grip zone (Staedtler) | – | $$: $5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C Lead Holder, 2 mm (blue)): Germany. Staedtler's German product page carries a Made in Germany mark, and STAEDTLER Japan's lead-holder page lists the 780 C as ドイツ製 (made in Germany). Source: https://www.staedtler.com/de/de/produkte/bleistifte-und-zubehoer/druckbleistifte-und-fallminenstifte/mars-technico-780-fallminenstift-780-c-pr5/ ## Key takeaways - Staedtler Japan lists the 780 C at 10 × 150 × 8 mm (5.9 in long) and 13 g, with an ABS barrel. - It takes 2 mm leads such as Staedtler's Mars carbon 200, which come 130 mm long, 12 to a tube. - A lead sharpener sits inside the push-button cap, and the clip shows the lead grade. - On Amazon US the single 780 C had 4,613 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars, on October 23, 2026. - Staedtler's German and Japanese pages both say it's made in Germany. ## What is the Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C? **It's Staedtler's 2 mm lead holder, a mechanical pencil that grips a full-length lead in metal jaws.** Staedtler's German page describes it for drawing, sketching and writing, with a metal clip, push-button and grip, and a lead sharpener built into the push-button. It's widely reviewed on Amazon US: the single 780 C had 4,613 ratings on October 23, 2026, and a two-pack another 2,655. On Reddit's r/mechanicalpencils it turns up in many collection posts, often as the one lead holder in the set. ## Mars Technico 780 C specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Staedtler, Germany | | Model | 780 C; EAN 4007817737866 | | Lead | 2 mm, HB included | | Size | 10 × 150 × 8 mm; 150 mm (5.9 in) long (STAEDTLER Japan) | | Weight | 13 g (STAEDTLER Japan) | | Barrel | ABS (STAEDTLER Japan); blue | | Metal parts | Clip, push-button, grip zone (Staedtler) | | Sharpener | Built into the push-button | | Grade indicator | In the clip | | Japan list price | ¥1,540 (about US$9.70) incl. tax | STAEDTLER Japan sells a lighter 788 C with a plastic grip: also 150 mm, but 10 g and ¥880 (about US$5.60). ## How does a lead holder work? **Press the button and the jaws open, so the lead drops forward as far as you let it; release, and they clamp again.** Unlike a 0.5 mm pencil, nothing advances a fixed step per click. You set how much lead sticks out, then point it on the built-in sharpener or a lead pointer. A 2 mm lead is four times as thick as a 0.5 mm lead, so it stands up to heavier pressure and broad shading. Our [drawing pencils roundup](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-drawing-pencils/) compares wood pencils for the same job. ## Which leads does it take? **Any 2 mm lead; Staedtler's own are the Mars carbon 200, 130 mm long and 12 to a tube.** Staedtler names the 780 C on the Mars carbon 200 page and offers seven hardness degrees. ![Staedtler Mars Technico 780 C and a 130 mm Mars carbon 200 lead drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/staedtler-mars-technico-780-lead.svg) *A full 130 mm refill nearly spans the 150 mm holder; a 2 mm lead has 16 times the cross-section of a 0.5 mm lead.* Parkablogs adds that any brand of 2 mm lead works, including colored leads. Change the grade marker in the clip when you switch leads. ## How do you sharpen it? **Pull off the push-button cap and twist the lead in the small sharpener inside.** Staedtler lists it as an integrated lead sharpener in the push-button. For a long, needle point, STAEDTLER Japan sells the Mars mini technico 502 lead pointer for 2 mm holders including the 780 C, at ¥1,980 (about US$13). KUM's AS2M version of the [KUM long point sharpener](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kum-long-point-sharpener/) adds holes for 2.0 mm and 3.15 mm leads. ## How does it compare with a drafting pencil? **The lead holder gives you a thick, strong lead you point yourself; a drafting pencil gives a fixed line width.** | | Mars Technico 780 C | [Staedtler 925 25](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/staedtler-925-25/) | |---|---|---| | Lead | 2 mm | 0.3 to 2.0 mm | | Length | 150 mm | 143 mm | | Weight | 13 g | 17 g | | Sharpening | Needed (built-in) | Not for 0.3–0.9 mm | | Price band | $$ | $$ | The 925 25 figures are from its guide. For everyday writing, a 0.5 mm pencil such as the [Pentel Orenz](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-orenz/) is easier. ## Where is the Mars Technico made? **In Germany.** Staedtler's German product page carries a Made in Germany mark, and STAEDTLER Japan lists the 780 C as made in Germany. ## How much does it cost? **It's in our $$ band, $5–20 per pencil, in the US listings we checked in October 2026, such as Amazon US.** STAEDTLER Japan lists it at ¥1,540 (about US$9.70) including tax. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a lead holder? A mechanical pencil for thick leads, usually 2 mm, that grips the lead in metal jaws. Pressing the button opens the jaws so the lead slides out, instead of advancing a few millimeters per click. ### How do you sharpen the Mars Technico? Pull off the push-button cap and use the sharpener inside it, or a separate lead pointer such as Staedtler's Mars mini technico 502. STAEDTLER Japan lists the 502 for 2 mm holders including the 780 C. ### Can you use colored leads in the 780 C? Yes, any 2 mm lead fits. Parkablogs, which reviewed it, says you can use any brand of 2 mm lead, including colored leads. ### What is the difference between the 780 C and the 788 C? The 788 C has a plastic grip and weighs 10 g, against the 780 C's metal grip and 13 g, per STAEDTLER Japan. Both are 150 mm long and take 2 mm leads. ### Which lead grade comes in the Mars Technico? HB, according to Staedtler. The clip has a small grade indicator so you can mark a softer or harder lead when you change it. ### Is the Staedtler Mars Technico made in the USA? No, in Germany. Staedtler's German product page and STAEDTLER Japan both say so. ## Sources - [Mars® technico 780 Fallminenstift, Staedtler Germany (2 mm, metal clip, push-button and grip zone, sharpener in the push-button, HB, grade indicator in the clip, 780 C PR5, Made in Germany; read October 23, 2026)](https://www.staedtler.com/de/de/produkte/bleistifte-und-zubehoer/druckbleistifte-und-fallminenstifte/mars-technico-780-fallminenstift-780-c-pr5/) - [Mars® technico 780 Leadholder, Staedtler International (English page; article 780 C, EAN 4007817737866 in the page data)](https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/products/pencils-and-accessories/mechanical-pencils-and-lead-holders/mars-technico-780-leadholder-m780/) - [芯ホルダー・芯研器, STAEDTLER Japan (780 C: ¥1,540, ABS barrel, HB, 10 × 150 × 8 mm, 13 g, made in Germany; 788 C; Mars mini technico 502)](https://www.staedtler.jp/products/pencil/r03.html) - [Mars® carbon 200 drawing lead, Staedtler US (2 mm, for the Mars 780 C, 130 mm long, 12 per tube, 7 degrees, made in Germany)](https://www.staedtler.com/us/en/products/pencils-and-accessories/pencil-leads/mars-carbon-200-drawing-lead-m200/) - [Amazon US: Staedtler Mars Technico Lead Holder (780 C) (4,613 ratings, 4.7 stars, GTIN 4007817737866, October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WL4WEC) - [Amazon US: STAEDTLER Mars Technico 2 mm lead holder, 2-pack (2,655 ratings, 4.8 stars, #94 in Mechanical Pencils, October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YQEFGU) - [Parkablogs: Review, Staedtler Mars Technico 780 lead holder](https://www.parkablogs.com/node/14313) - [Reddit r/mechanicalpencils and r/pens: collection and recommendation posts naming the Mars Technico 780 (top-of-year and search RSS, read October 23, 2026)](https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanicalpencils/search/?q=mars+technico)