What is your opinion of the quality of this item? There is no question about the quality for the Retro 51 products. I have purchased several of these pencils (crossword style) so I obviously appreciate the overall design. The issue is that I hadn't anticipated the ultra smoothe texture of the stainless. With the arthritis in my fingers, I am having difficulty getting a firm grasp on the barrel. Yes If I find I cannot grip the pencil, I will replace it with another version of the same pencil.