Fed up sharpening pencils

[Rodpr]

I have drilled pencil size holes in shelves, walls and everywhere around workshop and try to remember to put pencils back in one after use - does save a bit of time.

Zebra Delguard propelling pencil (Zebra Pen Delguard Mechanical Pencil, Fine Point, 0.5mm, Black Barrel, Refillable, 1-Pack: Amazon.co.uk: Office Products) is also good -protects lead against snapping off and gives a good fine line

 

[HamsterJam]

I think your use of the singular highlights the root of your problem. I buy packs of pencils on a regular basis, but the pencil-picking-pixies still sneak in and misappropriate them.

Work out the square footage of your workshop, multiply by ten and then buy that many pencils. Law of averages will mean you are never far away from a pencil - unless they escape the workshop or all hide together.

 

[hairy]

Would that be one way to define infinity; how many pencils do you need to buy and then lose so everywhere you could lose one had a pencil in it already, so, no more lost pencils and one always to hand

When I was on site with a level book I always had a decent 0.5mm propelling job, plus of course a machete to sharpen it. Maybe. The cheaper 0.5mm mechanisms never lasted very long and were not worth it, a decent one would only stop when I either lost it or dropped it outlet down on concrete. But protected the rest of the time in the book.
I pretty much didn't ever buy a carpenters pencil. All the chippies would usually have one in their pouch worn down to too small to fit behind their ear so discarded but not thrown away. An inch long would do me, sharpened both ends and stuck in the adjustment fixing at the back of a hard hat. Carried with a Sharpie, a section of a yellow and a black crayon, a pen that has line marking spray type paint in it and insulating tape. Black crayon for concrete, insulating tape wrapped around rebar away from the point you're marking (with a sharpie arrow pointing to that point) which even works in the rain if you stretch it and stick it back to itself.

 

[JobandKnock]

Pencils are always a problem, never find one when needed and then when you find one the lead is broken, it then has to be sharpened and you end up with a stubb because the lead keeps falling out as you sharpen it.

Don't be a cheapskate - buy yourself some decent pencils. Even our local newsagent sells the red and black Stadler Noris pencils I use (90p a pop) - W H Smith sell them as well. Don't often break the leads in them

And stick it behind your ear - I can manage that even when wearing glasses, but when wearing ear defenders and/or an FFP3 mask there are a couple which live in the pencil pocket of my work trousers

 

[Ollie78]

I have some of the pentel graphgear 0.5mm pencils for certain stuff but my favourite is a Japanese one just called "drafting" it's very well made.

For normal workshop pencil duty I have a Pica Dry pencil.
I bought it on a whim at a hire shop. It's brilliant, firstly because it has a little holster thing that clips in the corner of your pocket so you just don't lose it secondly it has a built in mini sharpener if you need a finer line.
Also you can swop to a yellow lead for marking on Walnut and stuff.

I used to have loads of pencils and lose them all the time but for some reason I don't lose the pica one at all.

Ollie

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I've no comprehension at all of how all you folks that constantly lose pencils must work. I guess I'm old school or something because when I start working wood the first thing I do is pull on my joiner's apron, and there in the pockets are my tapes(2), 150 mm rule, rubber, blob of candle wax, safety glasses, calculator and, crucially ... a selection of pencils (carpenter's, three or four standard pencils in the HB and H range, and a couple of 0.7 mm mechanical pencils loaded with B and HB lead). There's also usually a nice collection of wood chips and dust in the pockets at the end of the day, and perhaps a few screws or nails and other oddments, but I don't really have a good use for that accidentally collected additional stuff so I tend to chuck it away on a regular basis. I can't recall when I last lost a pencil, but I do bin them when they get too tiddly to be useful.

On a side note, I can't recall when I last bought a standard wooden pencil, primarily because I find there's a ready made supply of free ones lying around on the floor of workshops, and under machinery, in piles of crapola in bench tool wells, etc, that other woodworkers seem happy to dispose of on a regular basis as surplus to their requirements, ha ha. Slainte.

 

[mikej460]

Tesco sell Staedtlers by the pack - good value. I bought a pack of these to stick on the side of my drill, router table, tablesaw etc. after seeing them used by Dennis at Hooked On Wood. They work very well and are stainless steel.

12 PCS Stainless Steel Pen Pencil Holder Clips with Adjustable Spring Loop I1W9 194982853027 | eBay

 

[Ttrees]

Do any of you folks who use a pencil marking gauge use carpenters pencils?

Possibly a bit off topic, but thought this was worth a mention regarding compass lead from Jack Forsberg's channel.
Was looking for a good time to post it, bloomin took ages to find again on instagram, glad to see him posting on the searchable youtube.
hope this works for ye

 

[okeydokey]

Another quick way to sharpen a pencil (or 6) is to rotate slowly against a working bench grinder.

 

[clogs]

has anyone noticed the rubbish wood used in the manuf of pencils.....
still looking for the OLD type rotary pencil sharpener from my school days.....
you know the one clamped to the teachers desk.....please Miss.....hahaha......

 

[Distinterior]

I'm bound to get a hard time from some over this statement,.....But, a few years back, my wife bought me a pack of 4 Festool pencils as a "stocking filler" as part of my Xmas presents. I kid you not, they are by far the best quality pencils I've ever used. The wood they are made of cuts really cleanly and no matter how many times I've dropped them, they always seem to have intact leads inside......Please dont give me a hard time,...as they are not just cheap and nasty brand merchandise like some may expect.

 

[Nelly111s]

I use Zebra Delguard mechanical pencils. They have a spring in the mechanism which means far less breakages than a standard Pentel one.

you can get metal barrel ones, which feel nice to use, but for the workshop the plastic barrel ones are good
eBay Zebra Delguard

 

[wolfrace]

I'm bound to get a hard time from some over this statement,.....But, a few years back, my wife bought me a pack of 4 Festool pencils as a "stocking filler" as part of my Xmas presents. I kid you not, they are by far the best quality pencils I've ever used. The wood they are made of cuts really cleanly and no matter how many times I've dropped them, they always seem to have intact leads inside......Please dont give me a hard time,...as they are not just cheap and nasty brand merchandise like some may expect.

Can you buy a dedicated Systainer for them, otherwise I’m oot.

 

[JobandKnock]

I'm bound to get a hard time from some over this statement,.....But, a few years back, my wife bought me a pack of 4 Festool pencils as a "stocking filler" as part of my Xmas presents.

4 years? My pencils don't last 4 weeks...

 

[NormanB]

It's behind your ear

I find it’s best to put a pencil behind each ear - works wellfor at least 30 minutes.

 

[MarkDennehy]

I can't believe lads don't just make their own to be honest

 

[TRITON]

If you really want to push the boat out you could try one of these

https://www.makerscabinet.com/produ...MIr_mf0uj_8AIVlKjVCh2xCg4lEAQYASABEgJ4-_D_BwE

That looks not too different in size to a Veritas miniature block plane, which is 60mm long by 19mm wide.
And the veritas is cheaper, and probably more reliable.

 

[Spectric]

I've no comprehension at all of how all you folks that constantly lose pencils must work. I guess I'm old school or something because when I start working wood the first thing I do is pull on my joiner's apron,

Not sure if this is better or worse, I always think you don't put all your eggs in one basket so now you lose your apron and everything stored in the pockets unless your have a spare identical apron or always hang it in the doorway so you cannot lose it.

 

[Adam W.]

I'm bound to get a hard time from some over this statement,.....But, a few years back, my wife bought me a pack of 4 Festool pencils as a "stocking filler" as part of my Xmas presents. I kid you not, they are by far the best quality pencils I've ever used. The wood they are made of cuts really cleanly and no matter how many times I've dropped them, they always seem to have intact leads inside......Please dont give me a hard time,...as they are not just cheap and nasty brand merchandise like some may expect.

Will they work with my domino jointer or are they just a gimmick ?

 

[Inspector]

Another quick way to sharpen a pencil (or 6) is to rotate slowly against a working bench grinder.

My father used to use the stroke sander to do his. Once in a blue moon I'll use the stationary belt/disc sander but cranking the one screwed to the wall is still more likely to be used.

Pete