POLL: Pencil? - long

Long story; I was discussing with my computer science teacher the subject of pencils...

If you do use a pencil...

If you use a wood pencil, skip this question...

Don't look at me that way... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Dan

hmmmm...

it depends of course, but i voted for my utinsil of choice...

btw...mind expanding? this thread is just too wierd to not be explained /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Check out "The Pencil" by Henry Petroski. A big fat book with everything you ever wanted to know about pencils and then some. Actually the history of the pencil is a fascinating read.

Here's the long story:

Day 1:

I went to Staples to buy stuff (my weekly rounds of Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart) and noticed the 12 pack of Staples pencils for $0.75. I said, "Why not?"

Day 2:

Returning to school after the spring break, I decided to sharpen all my pencils at once. I use only ONE sharpener in the school - namely, my computer science teacher's one. He saw me with 12 pencils in my hand sharpening them one by one. He then struck up a conversation with me on pencils - yes, my teacher is weird that way. (He's a VERY good teacher, although he's a bit harsh on the grading - if you want to see his personality, goto Amazon.com and look for his book "Twenty Years before the Blackboard" by Michael Stueben) He then showed me his choice of pencil - a #2 1/2 pencil. I never knew such a thing existed! Now I'm hooked...

Dan

wow...sounds like you're a little wierd too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

but, we all our..some of us [me] more than others /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Imagine, someone devoting thier time to pencils instead of useful things...like flashlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Next thing you'll be talking about those weird people who collect even more useless things, like baseball cards /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

-Jason

Any hobby is as valid as flashlights...

Anyway, as an artist, I typically carry around fifteen different types of pencils, sometimes more, when expecting to work on a project. Mostly wooden ones and some mechanicals. Even got colored lead.

Once, I was in a Genovese (a pharmacy-stationary chain store) looking for different types of pencils. I asked one of the employees there if they had such and such pencils. He said no, there's no such thing. I asked him again, expaining briefly about how I have used them for my artwork. He repeated loudly,"NO! THERE IS ONLY #2! THERE IS NO B, H..." He sounded so sure of himself! Who is he trying to fool?

I use a Stanford (Excuse me, this particular line of Pencils was just acquired by Papermate) Clickster Grip 0.5mm exclusively. As far as Pens go I have a full color set of Pilot P-700s in my backpack for when I need pens. I have this obsesswive compulsive thing about having a sharp point (In fact I think I want to switch to 0.3 mm) so when I use a wood pencil I spend more time sharpenign than writing. There...you know my character quirk.

I like to use the black bodies on the Pencil (A pack comes with dark Red,Blue,Green,Black). If the lead advancing mechenism fails on me (I wear out about 2 a year) I'll trash it and canazalise another pencil, leaving behind the colored body in favour of the black.

This week I ordered a 4 in one stylus for my Axim which is rather fortunate as I lost mine today. It uses .5mm lead, this may be the end of an era for me (Clickster Grip)

Odd as this may sound, considering my persuit of point perfection, if I went to a larger lead (Scuse me, graphite) size I'd probably have to go to something huge like 1.5mm or whatever size they use in those nice Drafters pencils.

[ QUOTE ]
Saaby said:
I have this obsesswive compulsive thing about having a sharp point (In fact I think I want to switch to 0.3 mm) so when I use a wood pencil I spend more time sharpenign than writing. There...you know my character quirk.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, you sound just like me... I have that same obsessive compulsiveness; I always sit near the electric sharpener. But I found one solution: have multiple pencils all sharpened - when one gets blunt (my definition of blunt is kind of like Saaby's - giving a line thicker than 1.5 times the original point) I switch to another one. That's why my teacher struck up that conversation - why have many pencils that break easily when you can have less pencils that don't?

Dan

I don't think I have any traditional sharpenable pencils around here anymore. I like mechanical ones, they have a good feel on the paper. I also like good ink pens, also for the way that they feel on the paper.

I do have a really good and really old iron crank pencil sharpener. My grandfather was a drafter (draftsman?) (architech drawing guy?) and it's left over from him. It makes a long and sharp point, almost makes using regular pencils OK.

I use mechanical pencils too, and they both are equally good, but now I can't find #2 1/2 lead for my clickie pencil.

Dan

Hmmmmmm ... My only use for a pencil this year has been to push the reset button on the back of my cable modem while setting up at my new apartment.

I keep one around to use on the "vote by mail" ballots I get come election time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(When I was engineering I used to use an assortment of mechanical pencils, usually with a plasticized, high-strength "HB" lead. Mine were sized 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 0.9mm. My pens were in 0.3 and 0.5mm. Most of my larger work, however, was done at my workstation with a Wacom pen and tablet.)

How can you call 0.3mm lead obscure?

I love it for detail work.

But you need to develop a soft touch to prevent lead breakage.

Wahoo! I love Wacom tablets! My brother is a graphic artist so when he got his second one he sold us his first one cheap. I think it's a 6x9, so not huge--but nicer than the Graphite series.


Anyway on the subject of mechanical pencils, the other reason I like them is that with the Clickster grip I can load like 20 pieces of lead in (Package says don't load more than 5 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif) an then I dont' have to worry about it for like a term.

My stylus arrived today and the stylus is great but I don't know if I like the pencil or not, it'll only take 3 pieces of lead at a time and you have to like break them in half...I know because I tried to load about 8 pieces in and then spent literally an hour unjamming it (Doh!)

Pencil schmencil. Carbon and graphite slapped between some wood. Big deal.

I've just got to get the latest Pencil Lovers magazine to see what I've been missing. [Drives to Barnes & Noble] /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Holy smokes this is exciting! The centerfold is a lovely .5mm clickie model with a dark lead that even gives the word sultry quivers in The Danger Zone. An extra firm clip shows the world that this pencil is playful but means serious business. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It's time to hijack this thread and talk fountain pens! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Pencils take the little bus to school; fountain pens have their own cars. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

i'm sorry, but i must say you guys are wierd... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've had the same 2 or 3 Pentel 0.7 mechanical pencils around the house for years..each one loaded up Saaby-style with at least a couple dozen leads each; haven't bought more lead since..(this Pentel pencil doesn't have a name, but it does reload itself and advance the lead with a click of the finger grip.)
My most used pencil is the fat, wooden, loaded to the max with (6) 1.4 mm leads, Faber Castell..
Most used pen is the Sensa, (both regular and roller ball styles) loaded with Fisher Space refills.