I'm having trouble finding a quality pencil. (I don't use mechanicals...the lead breaks too easily.) Now, pretty much every pencil I use is No.2 HB, but despite the fact that almost all store-bought pencils come from this class, the results I get from them vary widely. A few of them make bold, satisfying marks in which powdered graphite collects around the edges of the stroke; but most of them just make weak, piece-of-shit smudges, no matter how hard I push down.

I'm a grad student in mathematics and do a lot of work with pencils, and these soft-lead piece-of-crap things are very unsatisfying to work with. So do you people have any recommendations for pencils? Or can you tell me why some HB #2 pencils have hard lead, and others have soft lead (and how to tell the difference)? It's very frustrating to buy a pack of 20 pencils and find that they all suck.

6/12/2013 1:23:45 PM

obligatory:

http://youtu.be/spMaP-_Cq_8

[Edited on June 12, 2013 at 1:30 PM. Reason : plz to embed]

6/12/2013 1:29:54 PM

mechanical pencils 4 lyfe

[Edited on June 12, 2013 at 1:33 PM. Reason : though who even uses physical writing implements anymore]

6/12/2013 1:33:16 PM

is this seriously thread worthy?

6/12/2013 1:37:27 PM

I use a pencil every day. Its annoying to hear typing if you're on the phone with someone and sometimes its nice to be able to quickly sketch/draw shit out

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

6/12/2013 1:38:21 PM

as someone who uses a pencil 80% of the time at work I've gone through a lot of lead.

you need a good mechanical pencil lead. lead breaks, it happens. but if you're breaking it every time you put it to paper then the problem is your writing style and not the pencil.

the darkest and hardest mechanical lead i've found is Pentel Super Hi-Polymer HB. 0.5mm


i use an old old school plastic BIC pencil. the clip is broken off, the eraser all worn out (i use a separate eraser) and i just top it off with lead when i run out. BIC redesigned these awhile back and i'm not a fan of the new style

6/12/2013 1:40:43 PM

The variation you're seeing is the result of poor manufacturing. Buying quality brands usually avoids that problem. I've always liked Staedtler products, but any brand that targets technical drawing and/or art should be reasonably consistent.

Pick a brand you like and then pick a width and hardness that suits you. This will take experimentation. I recommend mechanical pencils designed for draftsman. They can usually accommodate graphite of different thickness which will solve your breakage issue (unless you write with a lot of graphic extended at a super shallow angle). You can also purchase graphite in any hardness your heart desires. That is helpful if you write with an atypical amount of pressure.

Note that the lines all pencils put down vary as the tips wear and change shape. When draftsman are trained, they learn to twirl pencils as they lay down lines so that the lines' width and darkness stays uniform as the pencil is moved across the media. Also note that the type of paper you are writing on plays a factor also.

6/12/2013 1:41:48 PM

^^^^^
Mathematicians, and people who just like to scribble random little things down.

^^^^
I dunno. The variance in the leads of HB #2 pencils is a bit of a mystery, I think.

^^
Okay, maybe I should just make the switch to mechanical, then. I do everything with lots of force, and perhaps I just need to not push down so goddamned hard.

^

Quote :

"The variation you're seeing is the result of poor manufacturing. Buying quality brands usually avoids that problem. I've always liked Staedtler products, but any brand that targets technical drawing and/or art should be reasonably consistent."

Cool, mystery solved. I find I get a lot more work done when I'm using a quality pencil, so I'll check out some technical-drawing, rather than just student-targeted, pencils.

It's funny, though...sometimes just regular old dinky yellow pencils yields excellent marks, but others yield crap marks. I always thought they were using different kinds of lead, but apparently it's just a raw manufacturing-quality difference. This is pretty much exactly what I wanted to know.

Thank you your for advice, kindly fellow pencil-users.


[Edited on June 12, 2013 at 1:52 PM. Reason : fgeaerh]

6/12/2013 1:42:30 PM

well I guess this is thread worthy

6/12/2013 2:08:51 PM

6/12/2013 2:14:21 PM

i use the smaller of these two with 2mm lead refills

6/12/2013 2:15:07 PM

i write with a good amount of pressure, but i also write in a drafter's style. all caps, block style, etc. you may need to try and make a conscious effort to write at a more right angle to the paper instead of with a sharp angle.


also, just an FYI. i've got a few standard yellow pencils here in my desk and the generic Office Depot #2 has a great dark and hard lead on them and sharpen really well.

6/12/2013 2:15:56 PM

http://www.dickblick.com/products/prismacolor-turquoise-lead-holder/

6/12/2013 2:51:48 PM

Yeah if you get a good, high quality mechanical drafting pencil akin to what quagmire posted, with some nice thick lead, you shouldn't have problems with snapping the lead anymore.

The difference between a 10 cent bic mechanical, and a 10 dollar aluminum mechanical is worth a lot more than the 9.90 price difference.

6/12/2013 3:00:01 PM

Dunno where to post this, mods just move it wherever you want...

"The Club Guy" (his name is Curtis) has a small shop on Penny Rd right across the street from Knightsplay (par 3 course). The man loves to help people choose better pencils, and man does it show. Handed me his card and said to spread the word... so I am...

http://www.clubguygolf.com/

Let me make this simple - If you need advice on anything pencil related, trust me, SEE THIS GUY. Went to see him three times in the past year, and each time I thanked God he did.

Here's the rundown...

First visit

- He got my swing back on track (total disaster beforehand) - he charges $1.50 per minute for impromptu lessons. IMHO he outa charge about $10-20 per minute, but for the sake of not going broke I didn't tell him that.
- He pointed how bad my clubs were for me. The grips were worn & too damn small, so I was gripping the club too hard. The clubs themselves had uber light shafts (standard for most sets you buy off the rack), which was a terrible match for me considering that I swing too hard as it is.
- Told me to ditch my sand and gap wedges for the same reason - uber light shaft. He also asked if I liked my 60 degree wedge. I said "yeah I hit it much better than my other ones, why?", and he says "I expected that, since that's the only one that has a heavy shaft."
He gave me specific instructions on what clubs to buy AND where to find good used clubs. Found a perfect used set in good condition at Golfsmith for about 1/4 the price of new ones.
- Dropped off the "new" clubs so he good re-grip them with oversize grips that fit my hands.

Second visit (next day)

- Picked up the re-gripped clubs.
- Another impromptu lesson (~10 minutes).
- Looked at his collection of used wedges, picked up a pair of used ones with the heavy shafts I needed for dirt cheap.

Third visit (next year)

- Another impromptu lesson (~15 minutes), fixed my horrendously bad alignment issues in about 5.
- He noticed my pitching wedge was bent (i.e. shaft curved inward slightly). He straightened it out as I was warming up (at the hitting station).
- That's when he noticed my bag was sagging under it's own weight (i.e. needed to be replaced BAD). Bought yet another used item - a used bag for $50 (sells new for $250), thus saving the rest of my clubs from a similar fate.
- Went to the golf range afterward and was smashing the range balls like they owed me money.

Recap...

- Fixed my alignment issues (twice)
- Helped me find grips that fit my hands, a set of clubs, 2 wedges, and a bag that actually suited me at a fraction of the cost.
- Got rid of my slice for good, replacing it with a sweeping draw that most pros today use.


If you need pencils, you should see this guy. Period. You have no excuse. None.

You can thank me later.

6/12/2013 3:28:51 PM

1) Get quality German stationery (pencils, erasers, sharpeners, leads, etc), not shitty American/Chinese/Malaysian/etc stationery. Staedtler is the best. Faber Castell as well, but only if you can find their German-made stuff, as a lot of their current stuff is made in Malaysia. There are also some nice Swiss and French brands, but again, buy if they are made in the original country, not outsourced to some shitty place. Pentel (Japanese) is nice as well.

2) What lead size do you use in your mechanical pencil? If 0.5 mm breaks easily, try 0.7 mm or even 0.9 mm. I prefer 0.5 mm, and 0.7 mm is nice as well.

3) Learn about the hardness scale of pencil leads (..., 3H, 2H, H, HB, 2B, 3B, ...) and choose the one you like best. I love HB, and H is also nice. 2B (and softer) smudges too much if you end up brushing your hand against your writing, and 2H and harder is not meant for writing, rather, for art work, as they are too faint.

4) You really can't beat mechanical pencils for the convenience. If you keep breaking them easily, the problem is you, not the pencil. Try different lead widths.

5) Great to know some people still use pencils!

6/13/2013 2:16:34 AM

Picked some of these up today, as per Jeepin4x4's recommendation



Baller. As. Fuck.

Seriously, using a quality pencil makes a HUGE difference in my research. I was actually able to sit down and work on math without being pissed at my pencil, and as a result, I think I've solved a problem I've been working on all week. And these pencils are from Office Depot, so I can get more whenever I need them. For real, this verges on the awesome, guys. Thank you.

TWW comes through again

6/13/2013 10:45:31 PM

glad the quality is still good with those. i'll have to ask my office manager to pick some more up.

the only thing sub par is the eraser, but i usually have a separate one clicker style eraser

6/13/2013 10:53:24 PM

yeah, I wear down the end-erasers pretty quickly, so I usually just use a solid block-eraser.

what matters is the lead. and yeah, quality is mos def still there. it even sharpens well...none of that all-on-one-side shit. life is good.

6/13/2013 10:56:50 PM

happy writing

6/13/2013 10:57:16 PM

6/13/2013 11:05:40 PM

What is your specialization?

6/14/2013 12:50:10 AM

Analytic combinatorics. I look at the long-term behavior of sequences (usually probabilistic in nature.) Typically I've got a sequence of random variables and I want to know the asymptotics of their expectations or variances. It's about equal parts of combinatorics, probability, and real/complex analysis. Quite fun stuff, no algebra, no advanced calculus. My cup of tea.

6/14/2013 1:10:24 AM

Solid block erasers are for snobs. I'm all about these:

6/14/2013 1:11:13 AM

my only objections to those things are

1. if you extend them too far out and then try to erase with theem, they break
2. it's sort of disconcerting to have the eraser at the "writing end"
3. being long, round and wiggly, they remind me of penises

#3 is not necessarily a bad thing, but if I had one of those I'd be perpetually waving it around like a penis, even while alone, when I ought to be working. so I stick to my pink block.

6/14/2013 1:18:20 AM

My issue is that I chew the clicker end down, and they're worthless after that.

6/14/2013 1:23:44 AM

http://www.staples.com/Dixon-Oriole-Pre-sharpened-Pencils-2-Soft-Dozen/product_573932

Dixon Oriole redwood pencils were my absolute favorite to pencil fight with. Not that nasty brown wood that would leech the moisture out your fingers, strong and light. They'll also lay the hammer on a berol eagle or some other trash pencils.

6/14/2013 3:29:41 AM

Quote :

"A few of them make bold, satisfying marks in which powdered graphite collects around the edges of the stroke"

LOL this is like a pencil romance novel.

6/14/2013 3:53:07 AM

i like a solid block eraser (pink pearl ftw) when erasing a lot at one time. i use the clicker style eraser if i'm erasing small pieces on my takeoff sheets and what not.

6/14/2013 7:42:56 AM

Never liked the pink erasers--I always preferred the white block plastic erasers, specifically Staedtler's Mars model. Even comes in a sleeve so that you don't have to try to bear down on the soft part.

6/14/2013 10:41:21 AM

the pink erasers always seem to have a glossy coating on them that makes them perform poorly at first. the couple i have are all older and worn down and erase great now.



this would be awesome to have

6/14/2013 10:45:27 AM

i love to draw, and do it almost every day. i used to use faber-castell pencils of various grades, but once i found these, i don't use anything else:



these are great. they are actually a throwback to a pencil made for over 80 years, the faber-castell blackwing:



they discontinued those pencils around 2000, and, while having been around so long and having such a cult following (john steinbeck and chuck jones were very vocal about liking them), they became extremely valuable. a box of 12 like in that pic might be worth 500-600 bucks. if you don't believe me, they are all over ebay. a half-gross is for sale right now for over two thousand dollars.

a few years ago, palomino finally revived the brand and made a replica, along with a few other models. i have never tried the originals, but they are supposedly very true to them. i have to say, they are amazing. the lead is probably about a 2 or 3b, but stays sharp for a long time. they are really long, and have an extendable square eraser, hence the unusual top. i would encourage anyone that uses a pencil regularly to give them a try.

i know this is totally tl;dr, but this is a pencil thread. SAY SOMETHIN'

[Edited on June 26, 2013 at 8:00 PM. Reason : .]

6/26/2013 7:59:36 PM

^
It looks like they're charging around $20 for a pack of 12.

on the other hand, these things do look mighty sexy:



Maybe someday, if I am rich, I'll hit some of these up. Right now, I'm still wallowing in the smooth, crisp, satisfying markyness that is the Office Depot No. 2. (I have simple tastes.)

6/26/2013 11:28:42 PM

^^^Whoa...I didn't know that existed.

^Dude, they're super sexy. And they're $20, and you apparently love pencils...you should totally indulge yourself in a box.

[Edited on June 27, 2013 at 2:30 AM. Reason : For real.]

6/27/2013 2:27:28 AM

those look really nice. but i think they'd be a waste of money for me. i am, however, thinking about upgrading to a nicer mechanical pencil. something like this is in my cart on amazon. anyone recommend another?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006HXQXA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

6/27/2013 8:02:19 AM

I use mechanical pencils every day at work and Im kind of a pencil snob so I should post here.
I prefer thick, soft leads. My standard is Pentel P209 with 2B lead. Great for drawing / math, shitty eraser.
If you write alot, a fat body like papermate Phd is nice. They also have a fat, twist out eraser. Staples makes a knock off with 1.3mm lead that is cheap and awesome. If you want fancy, try jetpens.com. Japan has the best market for mechanical pencils. I like the looks of the Pilot S20 myself, but dont have one.

6/27/2013 9:07:35 AM

i will concede that the blackwings are pretty expensive for a box of twelve. but as much as i like them, they are a luxury i am willing to pay for.

the length of the pencils is an important consideration, though - being longer than usual, and with pretty firm graphite, you can get some serious mileage out of them. as much as i use them, a box of twelve will still last me a while.

[Edited on June 27, 2013 at 9:49 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2013 9:25:54 AM