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Thread: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

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    Default The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Hi all,

    Aside from the venerable Blackwing by Eberhard Faber (not that horribly gritty and toothy modern imposter); the #600 NEWS pencil by the Musgrave Pencil Company out of Tennessee; is without a doubt, the BEST pencil I've ever used.

    It does wear down easier than most, but once you use one, you won't care.


    https://musgravepencil.com/products/...pencil-company


    - Sean

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    Senior Member dfo's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    I don't know if I would call the newer Blackwing a toothy imposter. Eberhard made great pencils but not pencil saints. That said, I collect Eberhard Faber Mongol pencils.

    My perfect woorden pencil is the Mitsubishi 9850 Pencil with Eraser - HB.

    My perfect mechanical pencil is the Lamy 2000 .5mm
    Last edited by dfo; July 31st, 2020 at 04:21 PM.
    "Love is the final fight."

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Hi DFO,

    Well, idk, it's been 35 years since I used one of the originals, but I remember them being far "creamier" than the ones Palomino is making now. I would say their "Pearl" comes closest to the original.

    I like the 9850's, too, but prefer to buy locally when I can.


    - Sean 🙂

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Hi DFO, I couldn't find the Edit button to add this, but thanks for chiming in. 🙂

    - S.

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Toothy imposter compared to the real thing.

    The news is ok but would be better if they used OGF cedar.

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    Toothy imposter compared to the real thing.

    The news is ok but would be better if they used OGF cedar.
    Hi Farmboy,

    I concur. I love the cedar in their Harvest Deluxe, but I dont care for the Harvest's harsh edges and I wish its "lead" was more like the #600's.

    I've debated contacting Musgrave to ask about a custom order... make me a few gross of the 600 using cedar wood and put an eraser on it. Then you really would have the perfect pencil... or as close to it as you'll probably get in this day and age. 👍 (Like you, I can remember when even budget pencils were made from California Cedar).

    - Sean 🙂

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    You need to make sure they use OGF cedar

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    My favourite is the rotring tikky 0.5 but I replaced the hb lead with 2b. Also love the 0.35 version not expensive but really great to use

    Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by corniche View Post
    Hi DFO, I couldn't find the Edit button to add this, but thanks for chiming in. 🙂

    - S.
    Edit Post is in the grey bar below your post. To quote another member's post click on Reply With Quote in the grey bar below their post
    When you click on Edit Post, you also have the option to Delete Post on the edit page that comes up.
    Last edited by Chrissy; July 31st, 2020 at 12:14 AM.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by dfo View Post
    I don't know if I would call the newer Blackwing a toothy imposter. Eberhard made great pencils but not pencil saints.

    My perfect pencil is the Mitsubishi 9850 Pencil with Eraser - HB.
    I was just going to post about the 9850 being a very nice pencil. The eraser is excellent also. Like the original BW, the 9850 is doesn't require pressure to produce a dark scrtipt. I've read that's why Steinbeck like the original 602's.

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    For drawing I prefer the Staedtler Mars Lumograph because of their really dark black down to 9B, so these are my number one pencils.
    The Faber Castell 9000 are also not bad.

    Regarding mechanical pencils my favorite one is the Rotring 600 (0.5) because of itˋs excellent building quality, itˋs design and it‘s a bit heavier weight (as itˋs a metal one).

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    You need to make sure they use OGF cedar
    Hi Farmboy,

    What is this?? I googled it, but nothing worthwhile came up.

    - Sean 🤔

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by corniche View Post
    Hi DFO, I couldn't find the Edit button to add this, but thanks for chiming in. 🙂

    - S.
    Edit Post is in the grey bar below your post. To quote another member's post click on Reply With Quote in the grey bar below their post
    When you click on Edit Post, you also have the option to Delete Post on the edit page that comes up.
    Thank you much, Chrissy. 👍

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by corniche View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    You need to make sure they use OGF cedar
    Hi Farmboy,

    What is this?? I googled it, but nothing worthwhile came up.
    Old Growth Forest?
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    For drawing I prefer the Staedtler Mars Lumograph because of their really dark black down to 9B, so these are my number one pencils.
    The Faber Castell 9000 are also not bad.

    Regarding mechanical pencils my favorite one is the Rotring 600 (0.5) because of itˋs excellent building quality, itˋs design and it‘s a bit heavier weight (as itˋs a metal one).
    Well, I'm not the artistic type... I wish I was,... but I just dont have it.

    I just use pencils for writing.

    - Sean 🙂

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Here I thought my Ticonderogas were where it's at. Another rabbit hole to fall into it seems.

    I bought some Staedtler Mars Lumographs for drawing ages ago. That I still have them is evidence of how rarely I draw anymore.

    For mechanicals, I've tried a few lately but my first pick is still my favorite: Uni Kuru Toga Roulette. Great build quality, good price, and yes the rotating lead mechanism really works (when printing or drawing).

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by corniche View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    You need to make sure they use OGF cedar
    Hi Farmboy,

    What is this?? I googled it, but nothing worthwhile came up.
    Old Growth Forest?
    Hi Jon,

    That's a possibility, but I'd hate to waste old growth cedar for a highly disposable commodity like pencils. I'm hoping it means something else.


    - Sean 🙂

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    Here I thought my Ticonderogas were where it's at. Another rabbit hole to fall into it seems.

    I bought some Staedtler Mars Lumographs for drawing ages ago. That I still have them is evidence of how rarely I draw anymore.

    For mechanicals, I've tried a few lately but my first pick is still my favorite: Uni Kuru Toga Roulette. Great build quality, good price, and yes the rotating lead mechanism really works (when printing or drawing).
    😄

    I know, theres no shortage of rabbit holes. Actually, I hate to say it, but Ticonderogas are only a pale image of their former glory... they used to be a pretty good middle range pencil, but their quality has really slipped in the past 15 years or so.

    Mars Lumographs are excellent, but too expensive for general writing... at least from my perspective, but you should try drawing again... never let good pencils... or talent... go to waste. 👍


    - Sean 🙂
    Last edited by corniche; August 3rd, 2020 at 09:41 PM.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Quote Originally Posted by corniche View Post
    That's a possibility, but I'd hate to waste old growth cedar for a highly disposable commodity like pencils. I'm hoping it means something else.
    Old Guy Fetish?
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: The Greatest Pencil I've Come Across

    Mitsubishi Uni and Tombow Mono for me. Consistently good.

    Agree with Corniche about not wasting OGF on a disposable, would much more like to see it used to make Native American Flutes. Great timbre (pun fully intended).

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