# Pencils



## Cheshirechappie (24 Jul 2014)

We've had one or two rather 'heavy' topics of late, so I thought I'd bring things back to basics by asking the forum's opinions on pencils and other mark-making devices for use in the workshop.

Just to kick things off, I have two types of pencil that I turn to regularly. 

For rough marking on sawn timber, the chunky carpenter's pencil, medium grade. Not very accurate (sort of plus or minus a sixteenth) but makes a good visible line on even quite rough timber. 

For finer work - joint marking and the like - an ordinary HB pencil is my favourite. I find this gives a fine line dark enough to see on the lighter woods I usually work, without losing it's sharpness too quickly. Pencil sharpening is by whatever edge tool happens to come to hand - chisel, knife, whatever. I quite like the old draughtsman's chisel edge on the pencils; it seems to give a finer line.

Years ago, I bought a box of white pencils for marking darker timbers, on which a normal black line barely shows. They work rather well, but as I rarely use darker timbers these days, they tend to slumber in their box most of the time.

Mechanical pencils, I find, are great for drawing boards, but less so in the workshop - the leads just don't hold up to bench use.

Well - hope it's not a pointless discussion. That could lead to a sharpening debate, forcing the Mods to draw a line.....


----------



## marcros (24 Jul 2014)

I agree on the mechanical pencil- the leads just crumble, much as I like the idea. 

I tend to use a decent quality b pencil. I try to use a marking knife for fine work but to be honest most stuff I make isn't that critical as long as components are the same so I tend to set a stop on the saw and use that. 

I do have this bookmarked but haven't quite got around to buying one yet. Ideally one will have pencil lead and another a white lead. Then I think 30 quid on pencils and it remains bookmarked for a bit longer! http://www.cultpens.com/i/q/CD03904/car ... xpencil-22


----------



## carlb40 (24 Jul 2014)

I use HB pencils on site even on rough timbers, and i carry a pencil sharpener in my pocket as one comes with the set i get from tesco. 
In the workshop i use either a HB or more often than not a mechanical pencil. I too have a box of white pencils somewhere, purchased many years ago from axi and never used :lol: 

But i now try to use a marking knife on my joints in the shop.


----------



## Spindle (24 Jul 2014)

Hi

This is my 'best' pencil:







Pentel Graphgear 1000 - its a thing of beauty and a lovely weight / in hand feel - a bit of a luxury but I love it   

Regards Mick


----------



## Cheshirechappie (24 Jul 2014)

Marcros - Of the mechanical pencils, I quite like the idea of the clutch type, because you can sharpen the point to how you like it. I've got a selection of clutch pencil leads, but I bought those for my draughtsman's compasses. I agree that £30 or so is quite a stretch for pencils - but you'd never need to buy any more!

Carlb40 - I agree entirely about using a marking knife whenever appropriate, but sometimes a pencil does the job. Dovetails - tails marked out with pencil, sawn and chopped, then transferred to the pin board with a knife, for example. That said, running a (sharp) pencil down a knifed line can help making it more visible, I find; used lightly, the point of the pencil runs along the knife line perfectly.

Spindle - phew! That's the Clifton of pencils! My mechanical ones are mostly Pentels, too (apart from a couple of Rotrings) - I've been using one of them for 35 years, and apart from being a bit worn on the outside, it's going strong. Still prefer the old-fashioned wooden sort in the workshop, though.


----------



## Chip shop (24 Jul 2014)

Black and red Staedtler HB for me. I much prefer a woodie to these modern metal contraptions :lol:


----------



## Racers (24 Jul 2014)

I have lots of pencils all different colours, but I can't find one of the little blighters.

Pete


----------



## RobinBHM (24 Jul 2014)

Ive bought cheap pencils in the past but Ive found I prefer the classic red and black Staedtlers are the best -as Chip shop above.

HB for general work and 2H for fine marking out.


----------



## Graham Orm (24 Jul 2014)

Yep Staedlers only for me, the others break way to easily. I carry a pencil sharpener too, and for a really crisp chisel point sharpen with a sharpener then lie almost flat and give one pass on fine sand paper.


----------



## Paul Chapman (24 Jul 2014)

I prefer very soft leads, usually 2B in 0.5mm or 0.7mm mechanical pencils. I like the consistent width of line that these pencils give.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


----------



## Chip shop (24 Jul 2014)

RobinBHM":2sdj68kw said:


> Ive bought cheap pencils in the past but Ive found I prefer the classic red and black Staedtlers are the best -as Chip shop above.
> 
> HB for general work and 2H for fine marking out.



[Nerd]Worth pointing out that 2H is yellow and black.[/Nerd]


----------



## G S Haydon (24 Jul 2014)

Very similar to you CC, soft carpenters pencil for the rough. I fine HB a little soft although anything between a 2H & an HB is just fine. Now where did I put my ..................


----------



## RogerP (24 Jul 2014)

I've one of these bolted to a shelf ... and dozens of pencils scattered about the place.


----------



## Phil Pascoe (24 Jul 2014)

I cleared my bench one day and found 7 Stanley knives 11 tape measures and 41 pencils.


----------



## Scottdimelow (24 Jul 2014)

Just started using the steadtler tradition too, I think they're Hs. I got sick of cheapo pencils where the graphite slides out in dowel size pieces!
I'd recommend the above, good consistent quality.


----------



## jimi43 (24 Jul 2014)

I have a really old Staedtler Mars..






Nice pencil!

I also found a silver plated Eversharp with loads of old leads...all HB...at a bootfair...that was a great find too.

For rough site stuff...the red woodie pencil is probably the best bet.

Jimi


----------



## Chip shop (24 Jul 2014)

jimi43":3bw2x63u said:


> I have a really old Staedtler Mars..
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You calling my joinery rough?...you may have a point :lol:

Is that an infill?


----------



## doctor Bob (24 Jul 2014)

My pencil sharpener


----------



## Graham Orm (25 Jul 2014)

doctor Bob":35n6q7mv said:


> My pencil sharpener



Impressive Bob, do you ever lose it amongst the other debris in your pocket?


----------



## undergroundhunter (25 Jul 2014)

I also use staedtler HB or 2H, although this is defiantly not a sharpening thread I just use a sharp chisel but I like the look of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharp-end-c...=1406268380&sr=1-20&keywords=pencil+sharpener. 

Matt


----------



## Phil Pascoe (25 Jul 2014)

We were always sent into drawing exams with 1" chisels for pencil sharpening. I doubt that happens now.


----------



## Lons (25 Jul 2014)

doctor Bob":1xnqeur3 said:


> My pencil sharpener



Is this one of your pencils then Bob?


----------



## KevM (25 Jul 2014)

I've ditched carpenter's pencils in favour of 'solid' carpenter's pencils I picked up a couple in the US - they seem to last forever and are effectively unbreakable in normal use!
Like Jimi43 I use an old Staedtler Mars 2mm clutch pencil completely overbuilt, nice and solid.
I've got some of these Ohto Comforcil 2mm clutch pencils in a rather fetching orange which helps to keep them visible; the Ohto's are a bit unusual, unlike the traditional clutch pencils where pressing the button releases the lead so it slides with gravity, the Ohto is like a hybrid mechanical pencil where it advances the lead with each click.
All my 2mm pencils have 2H leads and make fantastic marking tools - like a knife/pencil hybrid - you can also advance the lead an inch or so for marking in tricky corners, dovetails, etc.
I've got several 0.5mm mechanical pencils, all with 2B leads for marking bold lines and highlighting knife marks, I find the leads are too fragile for more general use.

Oh, and Sharpies, lots and lots of Sharpies.


----------



## ColeyS1 (25 Jul 2014)

Here's my rig :lol: all 2h lead. Rough marking I use normal wood pencil, everything else 0.5mm mechanical. I use to use 0.3 but it just kept snapping. Recently attacked mechanical pencil to fit compass' s. Makes scribing on site soooo much easier !!!


----------



## John15 (25 Jul 2014)

I use mechanical pencils with HB lead mainly because they don't need to be constantly sharpened but I agree, they do break easily especially the finer ones. 

John


----------



## Cheshirechappie (25 Jul 2014)

Pencils are clearly a very personal preference!

Quite a few votes for Staedtlers, I see. (From my drawing office days, the Staedtler Mars plastic eraser is almost unbeatable, by the way.)

A couple of other brands worth considering are Berol Turquoise (drawing office days again!) which have a little plastic end-cap on the non-pointy end for those who enjoy chewing their thinking-sticks, and Derwent Graphic which can be had in grades from 9B to 9H, and the rarer these days F grade. I can't think of any reason why a woodworker would want either 9B or 9H, but the usual HB, H, 2B etc are readily available from W H Smiths, apparently. They're made by the old Cumberland Pencil Company in Cumbria, which is a nice bonus if you like buying British. They've got a museum in Keswick, too - http://www.pencilmuseum.co.uk/ - with an interweb shop. The range of pencils they make (mainly for artists) is enormous!


----------



## Lons (26 Jul 2014)

For rough general use I use the oak workshop clutch pencil. 6mm lead and virtually unbreakable.
I also use these labled "the worlds best pencils" from the USA (Costco) which are pretty good and for everything else I just reach for the nearest of the dozens lying around - mostly Ikea (did I admit to that #-o )


----------



## Mark A (26 Jul 2014)

I use some mechanical pencils I got free from hotels in the States last year. 

I can't remember who makes them, but those turquoise-coloured pencils made from recycled materials Tesco sell have also lasted pretty well.


----------



## Peter Sefton (26 Jul 2014)

Staedtler traditional 2H for marking out accurate work, HB for face side and face edge marks. The 2H is sharpened with the chisel and honed to a chisel shape with a bit of old 320 grit.
I use a 0.5mm mechanical pencil when using my Incra rules and a piece of crayon when selecting and marking up rough sawn boards, but apart from that I am not fussy


----------



## Harbo (26 Jul 2014)

In my workshop I have a couple of old coffee mugs full of an assortment of pencils including Rotring and Pental clutch ones and use whatever comes to hand.
I prefer HBs as I find H types can be difficult to remove if you've made a mistake?

For Drawing on paper, I us 2H and 4H again Rotring and Pental clutch ones in various thicknesses.

Rod


----------



## KevM (26 Jul 2014)

Forgot to mention my combo compasses/scribing pencil/pencil, very compact and they work a charm once you get used to the elbow joint on the pointy leg; I use this with 2B leads, the softer lead/bolder line means less pressure to draw an effective line and thus fewer breakages. As a bonus the point folds away safely when not in use to give you a pocket safe pencil.


----------



## chippy1970 (27 Jul 2014)

KevM":2zgszpfl said:


> Forgot to mention my combo compasses/scribing pencil/pencil, very compact and they work a charm once you get used to the elbow joint on the pointy leg; I use this with 2B leads, the softer lead/bolder line means less pressure to draw an effective line and thus fewer breakages. As a bonus the point folds away safely when not in use to give you a pocket safe pencil.


Looks good how do you find them for scribing are they stiff enough ?


----------



## KevM (27 Jul 2014)

I've found them plenty stiff enough, and the joint can be tightened up. The dog-leg on the point means that you can't get the point right up against the vertical reference for smaller offsets, but I find that the little moulded lump on the fold-out compass leg serves quite well. The minimum offset you can scribe with these is ~5mm, not been a problem for anything I've needed to do.


----------



## oakfield (28 Jul 2014)

Good old screwfix pencils - and lots of them scattered around, in various tool boxes, behind my ear and in my pocket.


----------



## Cheshirechappie (29 Jul 2014)

Thanks for all the contributions, everybody. Quite a range of preferences.

May your pencils always have lead in them!


----------



## midnightlunchbox (29 Jul 2014)

I use Staedtler 2h, the same ones I use for technical drawings. They leave a visible line but don't dirty the timber.


----------



## Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) (30 Jul 2014)

The following is from my website dated 2010:

These days I use 2mm clutch pencils. The ones I prefer are the metal-bodied Caran d'Ache Fixpencil 22. These have become something of a cult as it was the daddy of clutch pencils.











I keep both dark- and white-leaded clutch pencils at the ready. White is especially useful for marking dark woods.

The lead is sharpened with a Gedess Lead Pointer, which I believe once won an award for design in the 1930s. The one I have dates to the 1950s. Insert the pencil and swivel it around the abrasive stone inside.

This combination creates a fine point, one that is easy to maintain.











Recently I managed to repair my father’s electric sharpener. Well electricity is OK here because it is vintage (I’m guessing about 50 years old) and it brings back memories of visiting my dad in his architectural practice when I was a youngster. He used Faber Castell clutch pencils, and the sharpener is made by Faber Castell and constructed of Bakelite … insert the pencil and a pressure point starts the motor, which proceeds to sharpen the pencil.






Well they are handtools! 

Regards from Perth

Derek


----------



## carpenteire2009 (30 Jul 2014)

I trained as a draughtsman in the late 80s- early 90s and I was instructed in the use of the traditional pencils and Rotring ink pens, T square and drawing board etc. I started my working life just as CAD was emerging and I still have a fondness for the manual draughting equipment of that time, especially wooden and mechanical pencils! For any marking or sketching now I tend to use Staedtler black and yellow pencils or one of my old school Staedtler Mars 2mm propelling pencils. As already said the Staedtler Mars is the best eraser, bar none. I have carpenter's pencils by Hanson USA for rough work and being a bit of collector of all things I have a number of special marking pencils by Lyra and others (white pencils for dark materials, soft wax pencils for glass, ceramics and plastics, other special pencils/ craytons for steel etc).


----------



## KevM (6 Aug 2014)

I'm surprised nobody uses these Festool pencils

Yes , £3.60 for 4 pencils does sound expensive but you can't argue with the features:


Amazon":33b5sfpy said:


> - For drilling and countersinking in a single work step
> - Adjustable depth stop
> - For all Festool drills


----------



## chippy1970 (7 Aug 2014)

KevM":url1rs3b said:


> I'm surprised nobody uses these Festool pencils
> 
> Yes , £3.60 for 4 pencils does sound expensive but you can't argue with the features:
> 
> ...


----------



## Random Orbital Bob (8 Aug 2014)

did you hear about the constipated mathematician........


----------



## owenmcc (8 Aug 2014)

Chip shop":g0ij8kxp said:


> RobinBHM":g0ij8kxp said:
> 
> 
> > Ive bought cheap pencils in the past but Ive found I prefer the classic red and black Staedtlers are the best -as Chip shop above.
> ...



Well if we're going to be nerdy about things, the difference between red and black or yellow and black is the specific Staedtler branding. The red and black is the 'Tradition' range. The yellow and black is the 'Norris' range.  

I have the same principle as above "HB for general work and 2H for fine marking out" but use the Norris range with colour coded crown caps, where HB = red and 2H = green. Very useful for the at-a-glance pick up.

Great chat by the way!


----------



## Cheshirechappie (8 Aug 2014)

Random Orbital Bob":2p5mln3g said:


> did you hear about the constipated mathematician........



Now, come on, Bob. Keep it clean, or we'll have to get the Mods involved.

Oh, hang on....


----------



## theartfulbodger (8 Aug 2014)

I might be the only one to admit such a thing but I do like my Ikea pencils.

I have 'a few' and there always seems to be one within reach.

I wish I had the kind of ears that would hold a pencil behind them. Not just because it would be a handy place to store a pencil, but because people with a pencil behind the ear always give off the air that they know what they are on about.


----------



## DTR (25 Oct 2014)

Time for a new one?


----------



## n0legs (25 Oct 2014)

I use crayons, I'm not trusted with anything sharp.


----------



## Self Taught (26 Oct 2014)

Hi all,

The only pencils I use are Dixon Ticonderoga 1388-2/HB, soft. Very useful for marking, drawing, and making notes, to be forgotten on the kitchen island !!. Jamey


----------



## Fromey (26 Oct 2014)

I use any odd pencil at hand. With children in the house, there's never a lack of them. For fine accurate work, I'll use a no frills mechanical pencil. The one I lust after is the Rotring 800

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001L1QV8M/r ... 6LDA8B1I36

When I first put this in the wishlist, it was £80 so it's encouraging it's now half the price.


----------



## IHc1vtr+ (9 Dec 2014)

I have one of these, 

http://www.cultpens.com/i/q/OH31057/oht ... 0-aps-750e


----------



## woodpig (9 Dec 2014)

I've got a Koh-I-Noor.


----------



## whiskywill (10 Dec 2014)

woodpig":zfaeo7mt said:


> I've got a Koh-I-Noor.



A visit to the doctor would be advisable. :shock:


----------



## Carl P (12 Dec 2014)

woodpig":g1qtptjy said:


> I've got a Koh-I-Noor.




Bet it's not as good as the Queens!


----------



## woodpig (12 Dec 2014)

whiskywill":kxdrxb23 said:


> woodpig":kxdrxb23 said:
> 
> 
> > I've got a Koh-I-Noor.
> ...



:lol:


----------



## KevM (3 Feb 2015)

Re-animating an old thread, but I just saw an ad for some rather fine pencils in exotic woods, quite the bargain at £28 for a set of 4...



> Luxury pencils come in all shapes and sizes, but none perhaps are as intriguing as the 'Les Crayons de la Maison Caran d'Ache' collection.
> Created by the expert craftsmen at Caran d'Ache, this pencil collection uses rare and exclusive woods of only the best quality.
> This, the fourth set in the range, is a set of 4 pencils and includes one each of the following woods:
> *African Ayous* - A precious variety with a deep black shade containing fine white veins. A firm character with natural appeal.
> ...








Also available,edition no.3, 



> This, the third set in the range, is a set of 4 pencils and includes one each of the following woods:
> *Grey Poplar* - The veining in this species follows an unusually regular sand-coloured pattern. Its gentle shades bring out all the simple beauty of the wood.
> *Green Zebrano* - A precious wood striped with unexpected colours. Alternating beige and dark brown stripes are split by striking olive green stripes.
> *African Azobe* - Light marbling enhances a chocolate coloured body warmed by the African sun, bringing out the personality of this king of the tropical forest.
> *Silver Aspen* - Its tanned body is touched by streaks of silver. This veining creates a magnificent play of contrasting dark and light.


----------



## JohnPW (3 Feb 2015)

Seems to me like a stupid and wasteful use of such woods.


----------



## marcros (3 Feb 2015)

I bought a couple of these things, mainly for rough marking out but I think that they have potential for finer work. Insult I'll prefer a knife for fine work. 

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... l+m_dk7114

I bought them mainly for the unbreakable feature and to be fair they have proven to be so. If you are ordering from rutlands, it is worth putting one on the order.


----------



## worn thumbs (3 Feb 2015)

For general use I use any old HB.For accurate lines I use a red and black Staedtler 4H with a chisel point and since it can be a bit pale on dark wood,I sometimes use a dab of Tippex to make the lines clearer.Not sure where to find a bottle of Tippex when the current bottle runs dry.


----------



## Scouse (3 Feb 2015)

Can't help feeling that the forum might be losing it's rough and ready, flybytheseatofyourpants, rock 'n roll edge...

Derwent Graphic 2B, just in case...


----------



## Penny (3 Feb 2015)

I must have a couple of dozen Ikea Specials around my wee workshop. I know, I'm bad. I just grab 3 or 4 each time I visit...


----------



## Sawyer (4 Feb 2015)

I use H2 as standard, or H3 or 4 for finer work; always sharpened with a chisel. Strangely, it's a good test of chisel sharpness; as soon as a chisel begins to dull, its pencil sharpening performance drops off radically!


----------



## DennisCA (22 Jun 2015)

I went out and looked at pencil prices after having confirmed that I am terrible at keeping track of pens, I can put a pencil down next to me and not find it again, I'll spend minutes looking and it was right there, just rolled under something like a file, plane or piece of wood.

So I think it's best if I have lots pencils to strew around the workshop, so I went price shopping and the best price per pen was found with a 96-pack of HB Dixon ticonderogas, yeah it was cheaper to buy bulk & ship from the US. But this gives me a butload of pens to last me many, many years and it was the cheapest price per pen.

Also it's just a pencil, doesn't need to be the pen of pens, the kind of pen you'd take home to show your mother. No, if I had a fancy pen I'd just be that guy with a fancy pen somewhere under the table saw or workbench, where it'd remain the next 20 years.


----------



## Andrewf (22 Jun 2015)

I always use 2B pencils, not because they are best, but because in my normal job we use hundreds of them a year. The occasional box finds it way home. Infact i have used them for so long i just can't get on with harder pencils, they just feel wrong.


----------



## Sporky McGuffin (25 Jun 2015)

I have a bit of a mechnical pencil habit. The Incra micro rules take 0.5mm so I have about a dozen various 0.5mm ones dotted around the workshop.

For the day job I have a nice Ohto multipen that includes a 0.5mm pencil, red, black and blue pens:







...a few nice 0.3mm pencils...












...and a careful-handling-required 0.2mm pencil I imported from Japan (now available via Cult Pens):


----------



## Jacob (26 Jun 2015)

I had the mechanical pencil habit for years. They are brilliant - different colours, zingy names, different leads, sharpeners and rubbers in the ends - you are so in control! I had a drawer full of them eventually - and boxes of different leads etc . Most of them had lost the rubber, or the cap, or I hadn't got the right lead and so on.
Then I realised that they were just STUPID GADGETS!!! They don't even work very well - the leads break etc.

I now don't use them at all*. I buy old fashioned pencils in bulk (dozens) 2H HB and 2B but different brands so each grade is a different colour and easy to spot in a drawer. Sharpening isn't an issue - freehand with a sharp knife (or a chisel, plane, whatever happens to be on the bench) though of course this can been gadgetized too!

*except for just one thing - drawing arcs with a lath; pin at one end, countersunk holes for pencil at desired distances. A clutch pencil is easier to fit in a matching hole accurately.


----------



## DennisCA (26 Jun 2015)

I tried one and the leads broke all the time, it was frustrating. I only use pencils now. I should have a proper knife too.


----------



## custard (26 Jun 2015)

For laying out a rod the best system I've found is a sheet of heavyweight draughtsman's tracing paper taped to a sheet of melamine coated MDF. The rod's laid out with a 0.3mm mechanical pencil (although I like the look of Sporky's 0.2mm pencil). After the project's done the rod can be stored either rolled up in a tube or flat in an art bag.


----------



## iNewbie (26 Jun 2015)

Jacob":1dnkid5f said:


> I had the mechanical pencil habit for years. They are brilliant - different colours, zingy names, different leads, sharpeners and rubbers in the ends - you are so in control! I had a drawer full of them eventually - and boxes of different leads etc . Most of them had lost the rubber, or the cap, or I hadn't got the right lead and so on.
> Then I realised that they were just STUPID GADGETS!!! They don't even work very well - *the leads break etc.*



Not that you'll give a toss, Jacob. If you'd checked out that pic above your post that 02 pencil has a support:

Supporting Mechanical Pencil



> I now don't use them at all*. I buy old fashioned pencils in bulk (dozens) 2H HB and 2B but different brands so each grade is a different colour and easy to spot in a drawer. *Sharpening isn't an issue* - freehand with a sharp knife (or a chisel, plane, whatever happens to be on the bench) though of course this can been gadgetized too!



How about a Self Sharpening Mechanical Pencil


Thanks to Sporky for at least making me have a look into these others - I have an Incra.


----------



## Jacob (26 Jun 2015)

iNewbie":20cedtw8 said:


> Jacob":20cedtw8 said:
> 
> 
> > I had the mechanical pencil habit for years. They are brilliant - different colours, zingy names, different leads, sharpeners and rubbers in the ends - you are so in control! I had a drawer full of them eventually - and boxes of different leads etc . Most of them had lost the rubber, or the cap, or I hadn't got the right lead and so on.
> ...


Marvellous! I'll order a crateful immediately :lol:


> ....
> How about a Self Sharpening Mechanical Pencil.....


Better and better!
It's good to know that at last "Uni's fabulous Kuru Toga solves a problem that afflicts all those that take their mechanical pencils very seriously". :lol:
I was one myself (almost) until I joined Pencils Anonymous


----------



## woodpig (26 Jun 2015)

Five times the price of any other brand but it must be more accurate, must'nt it? :lol:


----------



## MartinCox (26 Jun 2015)

Reference laying out rods, I use wallpaper lining paper. It's cheap, good quality and, being in rolls, is handy to store


----------



## Jacob (26 Jun 2015)

I use white MFC shelving. My rods get heavy use during the marking up process - paper would be no good at all.


----------



## Ollie78 (26 Jun 2015)

Good old Rexel black edge. I prefer the red ones sharpen with a chisel or belt sander or whatever is handy. 

Rotring Tikky mechanical for Incra rulers.

However I do want one of these. http://www.rotring.com/uk/mechanical-pe ... 23096.html but I can`t justify 30 quid for a pencil.

Ollie


----------



## Sporky McGuffin (27 Jun 2015)

custard":2qiigdxu said:


> I like the look of Sporky's 0.2mm pencil



It's pretty good, though a 0.3 is more practical as the leads are much cheaper. I've not broken a lead with the 0.2 yet, but then I've not tried to reload it...


----------



## whiskywill (30 Jun 2015)

jimi43":ykp8maqr said:


> I have a really old Staedtler Mars..



And it has a built in sharpener in the top end.


----------



## Tony Zaffuto (1 Jul 2015)

Here in the States (don't know if you can get them in the UK), the brand "General" still makes very well made traditional pencils. "Tools for Working Wood" (web dealer located in NYC) seems to have a special deal with the maker. Price is very reasonable for the quality. I believe the pencils are also available on Amazon, so you may want to search the AmazonUK site.

I had several Staedtlers, but my architect daughter "borrowed" them. Up until a year or two ago, the "Mars" was readily available, though I haven't seen it at the local office supply store lately (maybe they were old stock?).


----------



## KevM (14 Jul 2015)

This tells you pretty much all you'll ever need to know on pencils and their pointing.


----------



## Cheshirechappie (14 Jul 2015)

KevM":1q954ft3 said:


> This tells you pretty much all you'll ever need to know on pencils and their pointing.



*chuckle*

It didn't take long for the Gurus to make hard work of a simple job, did it? :lol: 

Still, never mind; Paul Sellers will be along shortly to show us all how to sharpen a pencil using only our teeth. Indeed, he'll probably show us how we can manage without pencils at all, but make marks with a lump of clay from the garden and a fingernail.


----------



## novocaine (15 Jul 2015)

yer thanks for that, I knew about the book, I hadn't seen the video. I cringed the moment I opened it, prayed it wasn't going to be by David Rees, then gave an exaperated breath when it was. why? because I share the name and have friends who aren't funny. 

because I know about the book I can't decide if he is being deadly serious or taking the pish. 

oh the book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Sharpen-Pen ... en+pencils

oh and he's done more. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCL68XuXWs8


----------



## Phil Pascoe (15 Jul 2015)

Unbelievable! :lol: Nothing like making hard work of something. We used to sent into TD exams with a freshly honed 1" chisel to sharpen the pencils. Probably some law against it now.


----------



## Adam9453 (15 Jul 2015)

I've just bought 500 HB pencils off amazon for the princely sum of £12.49 including delivery!!!
that works out to £0.02498 per pencil which I think is amazingly cheap 
I just hope when they arrive, that I receive what i'm expecting and not an awful picture of 500 pencils instead


----------



## CStanford (15 Jul 2015)

Some of the old drafting textbooks have quite extensive coverage of how to sharpen pencils for different jobs. Moot, for casual marking of wood but perhaps not so moot for those who still draft by hand every now and then.


----------

