Pencil Things

Ask Mr. Pencil: the Perfect Test Pencil

Jacqueline from Los Angeles, CA, writes:

Hello Mr. Pencil,

I am hoping to learn from your pencil expertise.  I am currently looking for the "perfect test pencil."  I have discovered that I will have to sit for the hardest test of my career that only allows "regular pencils" (i.e. no mechanicals) and I am used to writing with only mechanicals/pens.  This test is 4 hours long and I will need a pencil that is good for bubbling, doing complicated math problems, and drawing complex diagrams.

Thus, I am looking for a pencil that is:

• Good for endurance in weight/shape/lead
• Good for crappy thin fibrous test paper (won't break through or smudge paper)
• Easy to erase
• A #2
• Smooth and easy to write

Good sharpening is not key because it is suggested to bring 10 pencils to each test and to practice/study with them because there will be no time for sharpening.

Could you please suggest a pencil type/shape/weight that would be perfect for this?  Can you also suggest an eraser and grip attachment since I have heard the eraser unbalances the pencil?

Can you also suggest a place/supplier of those pencils so that I can buy in bulk?  I estimate needing at least 200 or so (hopefully affordable).

Thanks!

Jacqueline,

Thanks for your question!

Ah, you gotta love those crazy standardized tests that have so many different requirements. Technically, there is absolutely no difference in the lead of a #2 woodclinched pencil and that of #2 mechanical, but I understand that you want to stay within the letter of the law, so to speak. Although the mechanical is more comfortable for you, it's not worth risking this big test over a small matter like that.

But wow — 200 pencils! That's a huge test. Are you passing these out to others? You're right, you'll need a good pencil. I could just tell you that it makes more economic sense to go to Office Depot and get some plain ol' yellow pencils, but in reality, those Office Depot brand pencils are not comfortable to hold, hard to erase, and aren't smooth. Although your wallet will thank you (they're about $3.99 for 72 of them), your hand will not.

My primary recommendation the Palomino by California Republic. (Product Page) Here are the main reasons why:

• It has a smooth, glossy lacquer on it, making it comfortable for extended periods of clutching it in terror.
• There is no eraser on the end, so it is extremely lightweight (though not unsubstantial-feeling!)
• The graphite (you need to buy a hardness of HB to equal #2) is thick and dark.

My only concern is the price. It is a high-end pencil, so it is expensive. If you were going to buy less than a dozen, it would cost you about $1.19 per pencil. I talked to Don, our glorious PencilThings.com leader, and he says if you want to buy a quantity as large as 200, he can get you a significant discount.

If price is indeed the breaking point for you, a close second is the Mongol 482 Natural-finish pencil.(Product Page, Review) It has a really nice graphite that rubs off smooth and dark and stays sharp longer than most. It also has an unlaquered surface, so although it isn't glossy and won't cushion your hand as you hold it, your skin's oils will condition it as time goes on. You know what I like most about nice unlaquered pencils? They smell good. Mongols are made out of an incensed cedar, and when you sniff it, it has a scent of cedar chips.

Mostly, the benefit over a Palomino is the price. It is $.41 instead of $1.19, and if you order a gross (144) or more, the price goes down almost by half.

One more thing: if you decide to go with the Palomino, make sure to buy an eraser or two! Since it doesn't have one on the end, you'll want one to erase those mistakes. Plus, individual erasers are superior to the ones at the end of your pencil, and will erase more evenly, comfortably, gently, and cleanly. I recommend the Mercur original eraser, one of the best erasers I've ever used. Actually, I'd recommend this even if you go with the Mongol. I'm not impressed with their erasers.

I'm afraid I can't honestly give advice on a pencil grip, because I don't use them. I find them to be cumbersome and uncomfortable. Plus, the extra bulk makes my already bad handwriting WAY worse. I've used these, and they weren't awful. Honestly, though, if you get the Palominos, I don't think you'll need a grip — the lacquer is nice and thick and cushions your fingers nicely.

Anyone else have any recommendations? Post them in the comments, and Jacqueline — let me know what you decide, and good luck with your test!

—Andy, er, Mr. Pencil

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See that button at the bottom of the sidebar to the left? Click on it, and it will take you too the widget's page. You can post a PencilThings feed to your page on any of these sites:

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And comment here if you do it -- I'd love to see it!

-Andy Welfle

...A few of my favorite things

Despite the myriad of pencils I try out, there are few that I use every day for writing at work, home, and so on. Some of them are too specialized, and some of them (like the Blackwing) are too expensive to risk losing. So I keep those in my awesome Frank Sinatra cigar box full of pencils, and just keep a choice few around to use. Here's a quick list of my reliable ol' standbys:

• On my desk California Republic Palominos with eraser
(Product Page)

Actually, everyone in my office uses these because I bought them all a box for Christmas.

They are smooth, dark, and feel great in your hand with their heavily-lacquered barrel. And the bright colors of the orange and blue make them easy to spot on a cluttered desk.

These are where I keep around to update my to-do list, write in my calendar, and take my various and assorted notes at work.

• In my pocket: A Zebra #2 mechanical pencil

GASP -- I know, I am a traitor! Here I am, using this blog as a mouthpiece to profess my love of woodcased pencils, how the writing process is so pure, so sensual, blah blah bah. And then I go and tell you that a (shudder) mechanical pencil is one of favorite writing instruments.

Well, this little guy is a lot different than your standard mechanical. First of all, look at it! It looks like a woodcased pencil. Sort of.n You press on the eraser to advance the lead.

Secondly, the size is perfect. Unlike a standard 7" long pencil, this comes in at just under 5 inches, making it perfect to slip into your pocket. You can put it in your shirt pocket without it peeking out the top, you can put it in your pants pocket without it poking you in the thigh, and ladies, you can put it in your purse without it blocking everything from naturally shifting as you move. And it won't poke holes in the lining.

Yes, sometimes for the sake of convenience, we have to make sacrifices and compromises. In order to be mobile, I will use a mechanical pencil so I can retract the graphite tip. This is the perfect pencil for the job.

I'm afraid Pencil Things doesn't carry it, but you can buy a dozen of them at Office Depot for less than five dollars.

• For my meetings and tasks: A Moleskine Planner + Notebook

As you probably already know, I am somewhat obsessed with office supplies. I spend way more time reading and writing about them than is normal. Going hand-in-hand with that obsession is an obsession for personal organization and time management. Because of that, I love 43 Folders. It's a site dedicated to the GTD (Get It Done) mentality and tricks people use to stay organized. In December, I posted a plea on the forums to find what I consider to be the perfect weekly planner. I won't repost the whole thing here, but here's a snippet:

For most of my adult life (well, high school and beyond), I have been on the search for the perfect weekly planner. For a while, I was convinced that I found it in the mid-sized Gallery Leather weekly planner, but as I switched jobs, and realized that I need to keep an active to-do list for myself, I've realized that it doesn't do for me what I want it to.

See, I've tried and tried and TRIED to computerize my planner and to-do list. I have a Mac at home and at work, and I love them! I even love Apple's software (especially the Leopard OS X upgrade) iCal and the Mail app. But I have found that as I start out updating it diligently, I just fall out of the habit of using it if it is on the computer. I also love the Google Calendar interface, but I run into the same thing. I just need paper.

Here's where I need your help -- below is a list of requirements. Do you use a planner fitting these criteria? Are you looking for the same thing I am?

Link

And then I go on and on with my — dare I say it? — anal retentive requirements.

It was a hit, apparently, with 60 comments written back to me, most of them telling me that I pretty much described the Moleskine Planner + Notebook, a weekly planner on the left page and a blank lined page on the right to put my to-dos. So I went out and bought one, and they were right — it is perfect. Well, almost. Unlike most Moleskine notebooks, the cover isn't rigid. It is nice and soft, but fairly pliable, so I pretty much have to write with it on a hard surface.

I do use it everyday, since in my job I am often bombarded with meetings. I keep my to-do list on the blank page, along with shopping lists and what-have-you. It's a great tool.

I got it at Barnes and Noble for about $20, which would be considered to be a lot in some people's perspective, but I totally think it was worth it. You can probably find it online if you do a Google search for "Moleskine Planner + Notebook".

I hope that you were able to take away some inspiration for some valuable scribomechanical tools in my array of ever-burgeoning supply of office products.

Tell me, what are some pencil things you use every day? Use the comments to share!

—Andy Welfle

A piece about paper

Hello, friends! Sorry it's been so long. It seems like we've all been out of commission for a while.

I've been meaning to share with you a  new innovation in the world of quality paper. I ran across this from various websites and sources, and although Pencil Things isn't selling them, I thought this would be the perfect forum to share them.

As connoisseur of fine pens and pencils, I'm sure you are already well-versed in the finer points of what makes paper good. Thickness of each sheet, the smoothness which allows you writing instrument to glide across its surface smoothly, the whiteness, etc. I also look at the innovation of the design, size, and layout of the lines (if it is lined paper).

We all are familiar with Rhodia notepads (see my review here), Moleskine, Clairefontaine, etc. Some of you even may have read the awesome Black Cover blog, a search for the perfect little black notebook, and are itching to get your hands on a Stifflexible notebook (I know, it sounds dirty, but read the saga here, here and here.)

Meanwhile, I've been on the lookout for the perfect pocket notebook. Of course, there is the Rhodia cahier pocket notebook that Don sent out with the most recent Pencil of the Month club, but before I got that, I discovered Field Notes.

Created by Coudal Partners, makers of a wide variety of cool and random products and online services, and the Draplin Design Company, these small notebooks are inspired by "the vanishing subgenre of agricultural memo books, ornate pocket ledgers and the simple, unassuming beauty of a well-crafted grocery list."

Well said, Field Notes guys.

I love it because it is simple, attractive, and really durable. I've made a habit of keeping it in the back left pocket of my pants, and I pull it out to jot down lists, memos, phone numbers, emails, and anything other little information bytes I know I won't remember but will need to later recall.

You can buy a 3-pack off their site for $9.95.

But wait, I say in a voice sounding like Billy Mays and his annoying Oxi-clean commercials, that's not all!

To be true to this blog, primarily about pencils, I have to mention the extremely good-looking and good-feelin' pencil that's included with it. An unvarnished round cedar wood casing holds a nice dark stick of graphite. And the lime-green rubber eraser works like a champ. I sorta wish the barrel was hexagonal instead of round, but eh, it is an extremely clean-looking instrument the way it is.

It also includes a somewhat blah-looking Bic-clicky pen with the logo on it. Personally, I think they should gussy it up to look like the old-school Skilcraft pens the US Government buys by the millions. Now, these are retro-rific. Check this out for more info about that (or just steal it from your local post office. But you didn't hear that from me).

 

So this notebook is really durable. I mean, really. Durable. It has to be, since I sit on it every day at work when it is in my back pocket in my trousers. And, well, as absent-minded as I am, I ran it through the wash. Here's what happened:

Yeah, it was destroyed, but it didn't break apart and disintegrate like other paper does. Those generic old Mead notebooks used to disintegrate right in my bag after a semester, without being sent through the spin cycle! I was still able to (carefully) pick out my notes and transcribe them to a new notebook.

Finally, I have to talk about the graph paper. I know I already talked about the benefits of graphs instead of lines in the Rhodia review (see link above), but it is worth mentioning again. Not only can you more easily sketch illustrations or graphs with it, and properly plot out proportions, but you can write portrait  or landscape. This is handy because, well, it  is  a smallish notepad, and sometimes you need to turn it sideways to get a proper grip on it.

Check out Field Notes (fieldnotesbrand.com) for more information.

—Andy Welfle

Going from a digital- to a paper-based organizational system

Hello! I hope everyone had a happy new year. I hope to get back to you soon with new and exciting pencil reviews, but in the meantime, I read this and thought I should share it. I know this isn't a personal productivity how-to site, but judging by reader comments, I think the majority of our vested readers will appreciate it.

From D*I*Y Planner:

Real Life Experiments: Going from Digital to Analogue (Part 1)

Al is technology/gadget obsessed nut with more PDA's, keyboards, mice, PC's etc than would normally be considered sane. He is obsessed with books, writing, organisational tools and has an ingrained belief that some things will always be better done the "old fashioned" way because it's still the best way to do them. He also has an iPod loaded with music from Mozart to Motorhead and he has a wonderful, tolerant girlfriend he doesn't deserve; and two cats that politely humour him.

This is my story. Of how I came to use digital gadgets and then how I got myself out of using them. As far back as I can remember I've always kept a diary. At first, it was all paper based. Then one day, I saw my first Palm Pilot and decided that I couldn't live without one. This simple moment started my quest to discover the perfect electronic planning solution. Of course, in the beginning I didn't own a computer, so that complicated my use of the Palm. That and the fact that I decided I could live perfectly well without the new toy. So into “the drawer” it went and I didn't think anything more about it and returned to my trusty diary and notebook. Peace was restored in the form of a brown leather, personal Filofax...

(Read more at diyplanner.com.)

I find his story to be really true to my experience. I want to post my organizational systems confession soon! After trying all the computerized planners I could get my hands on, I am now happily using a Moleskine Weekly Planner + Notebook, and it suits almost all my needs.

How about you? Please share your organizational systems.

-Andy Welfle

A Very Pencil Things Christmas

If you're like me, holiday shopping doesn't come until you can see the whites of Father Christmas's eyes. When December 20 rolls around, I look at my planner and realize, "Holy #%*&," Christmas is in less than a week!"

If you want a little bit of advance warning, however, have I got the blog post for you! In the spirit of a list-lovin' American capitalist, I am presenting, from cheapest to most expensive, the TOP FIVE PENCILTHINGS.COM GIFTS.

5. The California Republic Graphite Sample Pack    -    $2.25

For a mere two Washingtons and a, um, Washington coin, you can purchase the following top-quality pencils:
 
Palomino. Orange. #2 HB.
Golden Bear w/eraser. Blue. #2 HB.
Prospector w/eraser. Green. #2 HB.
Forest Choice w/eraser. Natural. #2 HB.

This is perfect for when you want to introduce a quality pencil to a plain ol' Office Depot-brand pencil user. This very sampler pack was what I ordered when I first discovered Pencil Things and my love for woodclinched pencils.

4. Pencil of the Month Subscription    -    $6.00 to $9.00 per month

An extremely innovative idea, Don has had nothing but positive responses to this. See this post and this post to get an idea of what your giftee would get each month. And trust me -- pay the extra three bucks to get the limited edition pencil, too. The sheer history behind the vintage pencil picks are worth it.

3. A Rhodia Notepad or two    -    Price varies: from $2.00 to $10.00

As I pointed out in my review of Rhodia notepads, when you use it, you know you've reached "notepad nirvana." Think that's an overstatement? Go ahead and buy the 3" x 8.25" notepad ($3.00) for yourself. It's perfect for grocery lists and on-the-go note-taking. I've personally converted two newspaper reporters to this product. And its only three bucks. Do what the Europeans do and get the graph paper for portraite or landscape writing.

2. California Republic Palomino 12-count with gift box    -    $16.95

Two of my close coworkers and my best friend all have a birthday two days apart from each other. This year, I bought all of them one of these little babies. Uninitiated as they are to quality scribomechanica, each of them told me what a fine gift these pencils made. And how cool is the wooden box it comes in?
Take your pick from a variety of colors, styles and hardness. Personally, I bought the HB orange barrels with erasers, but that's the way I roll. What sort of pencil would your giftee like?

...And finally, the number one gift for someone very special in your life...

1. A Zimmbro Handmade Wooden Clutch Pencil    -    $125.00

Now, I haven't had the pleasure of using one of these beauties yet, but believe me, I can't wait. Gaping at the price? Well, think about this: You can't find this anywhere else. Don from PencilThings commissioned these EXCLUSIVELY for this website. Only two craftsman produce these, a mechanical engineer specializing in prototype design, and a world-renowned pen turner and inventor. These just happen to be brothers. With a variety of exotic hardwoods to choose from (Bubinda, Tiger Maple, Bloodwood, Cocobolo and Red Flame Box Elder), you feel like you're in a Harry Potter novel getting a customized wand made at Ollivanders. (Sorry, geeky moment.)

Read the product page for more information, or email Don. He can explain it much better than I.

I hope I planted some ideas in your head if inspiration for the perfect gift has not yet struck, and have a happy holiday!

-Andy Welfle

Save a tree, write with a newspaper

I went to school to be a journalist, with every intention of writing for a newspaper. It wasn't until after college, when I worked part time as a copy editor at my hometown paper, that I realized maybe I didn't want to work at one after all.

I know there are those who will disagree with me, but newspapers are a dying industry. Well, dying is a harsh word. I'll say declining. It's tough to work there, and plus newspapers are wasteful. Look at all that paper they produce, just to be kept for a day or two.

A while ago, Don from Pencil Things turned me on to pencils made from discarded newspaper broadsheets. Apparently these are manufactured from a single broadsheet which has been cut and rolled up over a glue-covered piece of graphite. It's then dried in a hot over for several hours. Pretty awesome if you ask me, and environmentally friendly. Granted, pencils are so small and compact there is hardly any wood used up anyway, but I like to do my part for a sustainable future.

The first pencil I tried was a O'BON "Protect Wildlife" recycled newspaper pencil. (Product Page) It's pretty stylish with a bright green barrel and a little picture of a turtle at the end (which is, I am assuming, where the "wildlife" part comes in. While sharpening it, I noticed that it felt drastically different than conventional wood-clinched pencils. In fact, it was almost easier to sharpen! The shavings came off in one piece and didn't crumble, leaving a dusty mess on your blade. I think we can thank the dozens of layers of newsprint for that.

You may notice that the barrel says "2B" on it, so recalling your amazing respository of scribomechanical knowledge, you'll know that this means it is somewhat softer lead than a regular HB pencil. Still well within the boundaries of normal writing pencils, however.

I was impressed. I initially thought that maybe since it wasn't made of the finest California incensed cedar like, oh, a California Republic Palomino, the writing experience might be somewhat diminished. But I was wrong. It was nice. The newspaper gave it a slightly heavier feeling in my hand, which I liked. The white-as-a-ghost point is speckled with ink, and every now and then, you can make out a bit of a character. You can't see it in the picture above, but I see the ascender on an "a" near the edge of the paint and the point.

Although it is very attractive, it is lacking a ferrule and an eraser, which is always a drawback, at least for me. And it felt a little too light and whippy (because of said lack of eraser). Still, very usable and very cool. And, at $1.90 for two pencils, you don't have to break your bank to save your environment

I also checked out the other O'BON, a slightly garish clown-like one with an unfinished back. It wrote almost identically to the Wildlife pencil, but without the panache. It felt like an afterthought, sort as if a regular pencil company said, "Oh, let's make this one out of newspaper," and this was the prototype.

The last pencil in this series is the TreeSmart HB. (Product Page) It defnitely looks the way a pencil should look, should your pencil be made out of newspaper. The unglossed barrel is tipped by a brass ferrule and a good-quality rubber eraser. What's more, you can make out the characters on the outside of the barrel! My pencil was made from Chinese newspapers (as I believe all of them are), and if I had the ability to read Chinese, I could have probably made out the words!

The writing quality is a different story. It wasn't bad,  but it definitely wasn't as good as the O'BONs. the lead wrote as if it were much harder than the mid-line HB it was. The line was definitely gray and not black, and you had to press harder to make it strong. Again, it's better than your house brand big-box-mart pencils, but not like a Palomino or even a Ticonderoga.

You can't beat the price, though. At $4.10 a dozen, you are getting a definitely awesome deal.

IN A NUTSHELL:

If the novelty of a recycled newspaper pencil is what you're looking for, get a TreeSmart. If you are looking for a regular, good-quality pencil but want to lessen your ecological footprint while doing it, get the O'BON. It doesn't have a metal ferrule and a rubber eraser, so it is more biodegradable.

I wonder if Al Gore uses one of these...

-Andy Welfle

Pencil of the Month Club, Vol. II, No. 2 -- Dec. 2007

Jack Boles Wood Spirit hand carved pencil.
Jack Boles is a wood carver living deep in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. His passion for wood carving started as a 5-year old lad at the Silver Dollar City County Fair. While the other boys were on the amusement rides, Jack was propped against a tree, fascinated by the woodcarvers! Now a grandfather, Jack loves to carve for the little ones. At the fairs, the adult folks are by the tables browsing his high dollar woodcarvings. But Jack is over yonder, fascinating the children sitting all about him.  He’s carving something they can afford to have as their own -- a Jack Boles wood spirit pencil!

Bridge Scoring and  T I N Y  pencil.
Musgrave Pencil Co. (Tennessee) manufactures these pencils. I don’t get it. What does one do with the tiny pencil, and why do bridge players favor a shorter, smaller diameter pencil? Musgrave’s sales manager, Vicki, despite having over 20 years in the pencil business, is just as puzzled! She advised us, however, to stock up on them because they are becoming popular again. We will, but we would like to know why? Well, have fun – and if you know something we can write about when we post them in the shop, please speak up. We’re pencil stumped!

Snowflakes & Trees pencil.
Twist this attractive pencil in your fingers by a bright light. See the twinkling falling snow! Most pencils are rather plain. Yet, it is a particular pleasure to view and use a picturesque pencil. They attract your eye at the drug store, although you pass them by for quality reasons. But, this is a well-made school/office grade pencil, one of over 800 special enhanced graphics pencils en route to PencilThings. It’s the kind of pencil that, when you take it out around others, you will receive nice comments. So, being the pencil ambassador you are, enjoy it for a brief time. Then brighten another person’s day with a nice pencil gift!

Rhodia 3 x 4 ¾ notebook. Gift to Club Members from Exaclair, Inc.
Here’s a simple staple-bound notebook. And yet, with its characteristic eye to quality, Exaclair uses their extra white, 80 g., acid free, pH neutral smooth finish paper. The 12 sheet folio (48 pages) is set between coated and waterproofed card covers. I always keep one on hand to supplement my photographic memory. (Yeah, right!) By the way, RhodiaDrive.com is a classy BLOG that may interest you. I found the November 21st feature a pleasant reminder of the first Thanksgiving. I’m also trying out a few of the techniques featured on the GTD+R (Getting Things Done + Rhodia) blog mentioned at RhodiaDrive.com.

Limited Edition Subscription:
Staedtler yellow pencil 134-HB. You’re holding one of only 288 of these pencils in the United States. This is a staple school and office pencil in Germany. Staedtler doesn’t sell them in the United States, probably calculating that there is not a sufficient market for another yellow school pencil. I’m not so sure about that. Look at the beautiful finish – a little brighter than “school bus yellow” and definitely sporting more lacquer coats than typical school/office pencils. The eraser works well, and the black ferrule is distinctive. This pencil, in its elegant simplicity, is a nice companion to the flashy Staedtler Cadet.

Pencil of the Month Club, Vol. I, No. 2 (Dec. 2007): Mystery Solved?

I know what the T I N Y pencil is for! We used to get them when I was a child (1960s), and I saved them because they were cute, not because I was interested in pencils. Advertisers used to include them in direct mail envelopes with their business reply cards as a "gift" to make it easier for you to fill out the BRC for their offer then and there. They are tiny to fit into flat #10 and other envelopes without adding weight or width that would increase postage or prevent the piece from being processed by the postal service equipment. I'm sure a lot of people missed them, but I could always feel them in the "junk mail" envelopes, and sometimes the piece would mention the included pencil. The idea, I'm sure, was really just to get your attention and to throw the pencil out. Interestingly, I have seen them only in red.

Pencil of the Month Club, Vol. I, No.1 (Nov. 2007)

Let me say that the first POTM package I received was BRILLIANT. I LOVED it.

Times haven't been much fun lately, but those pencils pasted a grin on my mug you could not have jackhammered off.

It's pure personal opinion, but I immediately had several favorites: the O'Bon recycled newspaper pencils are perhaps the first of the first, because I do so enjoy the smoothness and darkness of the line that lead lays down. Then, of course, there's the black Ticonderoga, an old favorite in a genius color. I know; some may feel the yellow is sacred, and that's perfectly cool. But I REALLY like the black one. The semi-matte finish just feels different—and better, I think—in the hand than the traditional gloss yellow. And the Venus Velvet, with the dark-blue ferrule band? Swoon.

Not that I didn't like the others! But those I've mentioned are just too cool.

I might have mentioned before—or not, can't recall—that I write almost all of my first drafts longhand, in pencil, before typing them out on the computer. That's almost entirely why I love pencils that feel so right in your hand, and whose leads have that elusive combination of a particularly ebony line, long-lasting points after sharpening, plus the strikingly sublime smoothness in scribbling (Ah! Cheap alliteration!) that comes not solely from softness of lead, but also apparently from the addition of wax to the graphite formula.

I live for this sort of thing these days. But, then, some people might tell me I need to get out more.

Anyway—I just wanted to express my large and grateful "Thanks!" for the first delivery from the POTM. You can't imagine how eagerly I await the next one.

Charles E., Beverly Hills, CA

Email correspondence. Lightly edited and used with permission.