Simple wood # 2 pencilss

[GING GING]

Which is your favorite old timey pencil? When I was I kid we'd collect pencils and erasers. If you had a big collection of nice # 2 pencils that was a thing of prestige. The Dixon Ticonderoga soft was my fav. Don't use it much at all but I keep a few15305

[Farmboy]

I'm a fan of the Blackwing 602 but only the original version, not the recent copies.

A close second is a good Mongol in a #1 and if you can find one, a Mongol Blackstreak

If you are an Eberhard Faber fan you might try an old Van Dyke or a Microtomic.

If you are a fan of the American Pencil Co., grab a Venus Velvet

The Dixon Ticonderogas are good but I prefer to use the early ones (made before 1945) as they are from old-growth cedar and write much straighter.

[HOLE N ONE]

I remember those. We would sharpen them every morning at the teachers desk.

[GING GING]

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[Neo]

I'm a fan of the Blackwing 602 but only the original version, not the recent copies.

A close second is a good Mongol in a #1 and if you can find one, a Mongol Blackstreak

If you are an Eberhard Faber fan you might try an old Van Dyke or a Microtomic.



If you are a fan of the American Pencil Co., grab a Venus Velvet

The Dixon Ticonderogas are good but I prefer to use the early ones (made before 1945) as they are from old-growth cedar and write much straighter.


How about a Mirando Warrior pencil?

[Farmboy]

How about a Mirando Warrior pencil?

Mirado and Black Warrior pencils were originally made by the Eagle Pencil Company. Early on the Black Warrior was part of the 'Chemi-Sealed' line. Berol took over the Eagle Pencil Company in the 70s and now they are made under the Paper Mate name. Not tried the modern version, have used the vintage ones. There was also a Black Chief.

The ones I have used certainly pass the test.

[gweddig]

I remember those. We would sharpen them every morning at the teachers desk.

I too remember using the classroom shared sharpener but I was always trying to get my hands on a much more fiddle-worthy mechanical pencil.

[mmahany]

[QUOTE=HOLE N ONE;107984]
I too remember using the classroom shared sharpener but I was always trying to get my hands on a much more fiddle-worthy mechanical pencil.

Ah yes, the mechanical beaver.

By the time I was in school, the generations before me had abused those things so bad they were basically useless. Most were barely hanging off the wall and they'd "mangle" pencils rather than "sharpen" them.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

The Dixon Ticonderogas are good but I prefer to use the early ones (made before 1945) as they are from old-growth cedar and write much straighter.

That was worth the price of admission all by itself. Gave me a good laugh. Thank you.

[Cob]

It was a very long time ago that I took my 11+ examination. For the "furriners" this was an English system that allowed one to qualify for a state scholarship to a half-decent grammar school (one had then to pass another exam to get into any particular school).

Asked for his advice as to what to take to the examination, my tutor told me to "Take three pencils and your brains."

I can answer still about the pencils. I told my mother of the advice and she bought me three pencils - yellow and named "Eagle Mirado."

I passed by the way...

Cob

[Bart Willems]

In college we had to use 2H (#4) 2mm leads for drawing (and 4H for compass and lighter lines -- would that be a #6 lead?). Sharpening was done with a piece of sandpaper stapled to a block of wood. Old school maybe, but once you're used to it you don't want to use mechanical pencils -- those 0.5mm are way to thick!

And nobody ever had the guts to whip out wooden pencils -- our drawing teacher would likely do a lot of unpleasant things to you.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

0.5 mm leads are way too thick but 2 mm are not? Hmmm... maybe I'm just chanelling my inner Ent today... but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Bart Willems]

0.5 mm leads are way too thick but 2 mm are not? Hmmm... maybe I'm just chanelling my inner Ent today... but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

With sandpaper you can sharpen a 2mm lead to a really, really sharp point. A .5mm would disintegrate if you try that.

[Avalona]

My current favourite is Palomino's ForestChoice. Not as fancy as their Blackwing big brothers, but writes smoothly enough.

[Neo]

Anyone used the Field Notes cedar pencils?

[DaveBj]

A few years ago I wrote a novel, 600+ pages, all in pencil. Part of the time I used a blue 0.5 side-click pencil, but then I got a few dozen Papermate Mirada Classic wood pencils in the B (#1) hardness. I do prefer the softer leads, because I have a light touch, but I still like a dark line. When I was on a roll, I could go through a whole pencil in a day :D