Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 32

Thread: High-end wooden pencils

  1. #1
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default High-end wooden pencils

    I thought spending $25 for a box of a dozen wooden pencils was bordering on the absurd. I allowed myself to be swayed while trading vintage pens at an event at Bertram's Inkwell months ago, and bought them from Bert's store.

    What was all the hype about? I'm not a pencil collector, so what did I think I was doing? Well, after using them for about five months, I am convinced.

    The Ticonderoga pencils in the kitchen continue to suffer graphite falling apart after sharpening, and sometimes the graphite isn't even centered causing one side of the point to be wood. I don't remember these kind of defects in the past, so quality has declined. But these Blackwing pencils are consistent and reliable, and last and last. I still find it hard to justify the price, because isn't that what all pencils should deliver for half that price? But the alternative is too annoying.

    The erasers are cool. When worn short, you pull them out for more rubber.

    Anyway, I won't have to buy pencils for a long time if these Blackwings continue to deliver.

    Time for the sharpener:
    IMG_4954.jpg
    Last edited by FredRydr; June 2nd, 2022 at 10:16 AM.

  2. The Following 13 Users Say Thank You to FredRydr For This Useful Post:

    + Show/Hide list of the thanked

    amk (July 20th, 2022), AzJon (June 3rd, 2022), BlkWhiteFilmPix (June 3rd, 2022), bunnspecial (June 2nd, 2022), catbert (June 3rd, 2022), Chrissy (June 2nd, 2022), CrayonAngelss (June 2nd, 2022), Cyril (June 12th, 2022), eachan (June 2nd, 2022), Jon Szanto (June 2nd, 2022), mizgeorge (June 2nd, 2022), Sailor Kenshin (June 3rd, 2022), Yazeh (June 2nd, 2022)

  3. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    St. Louis area
    Posts
    353
    Thanks
    57
    Thanked 211 Times in 115 Posts
    Rep Power
    3

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    A colleague turned me on to these years ago, and they're the only wooden pencils I use(although my MB 172s would be great if I could just find erasers!)

    Compared to what a lot of us pay for pens and inks, $2/pencil is nothing(okay, I guess more than that now). I don't use pencils a ton and still have half my first box after giving several away.

    Apparently a lot of the pencil people turn up their noses at these and say they are inferior to the original ones. I can't really judge. The same colleague who got me hooked on these had an original in one of the cups on her desk, and I just scrawled a couple of lines with it. The new ones may not be the same, but they are high quality, are just soft enough to be pleasant to use while holding a point well, and more importantly are easy to get compared to originals. So, without a frame of reference, they're a solid win in my book.

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to bunnspecial For This Useful Post:

    Jon Szanto (June 2nd, 2022)

  5. #3
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    11,405
    Thanks
    6,879
    Thanked 10,367 Times in 3,978 Posts
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    We had an interesting chat about Blackwing pencils on the Zoom meet from The Lone Star Pen Club last weekend. I'm almost tempted to try one out. It's difficult to believe that they could be so much better than regular wooden pencils but everyone seems to think this is the case.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  6. #4
    Senior Member migo984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Global Nomad
    Posts
    2,621
    Thanks
    622
    Thanked 3,155 Times in 1,103 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I’m very fussy about my pencils and get through a lot of them, for both drawing and writing. I’ve tried all four Blackwing variants (Matte, Pearl, 602 and Natural). And whilst pleasant to use, none of those come anywhere close to either the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni or the Tombow Mono 100 pencils. They are superbly made; dead-centre leads, top quality casings and flawless finishes. Perfect gradings, with consistently smooth ‘leads’. But then pencils are a very personal thing and I know lots of people swear by Blackwing.

    As an aside I have a treasured box of the original Blackwing Palomino 602 from when they were made by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company. Now those were truly fabulous pencils. It was a sad day when Eberhard stopped making them, back in the late 1990s. Yes, the current manufacturer bought the name, and has tried hard to make a good quality pencil, but it is light years away from the original imho.

  7. #5
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by migo984 View Post
    ...whilst pleasant to use, none of those come anywhere close to....
    Oh dear, a cedar and graphite rabbit hole. Will I go the next step? Not until my dozen pencils are about gone.

  8. #6
    Senior Member migo984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Global Nomad
    Posts
    2,621
    Thanks
    622
    Thanked 3,155 Times in 1,103 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by migo984 View Post
    ...whilst pleasant to use, none of those come anywhere close to....
    Oh dear, a cedar and graphite rabbit hole. Will I go the next step? Not until my dozen pencils are about gone.
    It’s more black hole than rabbit hole! Definitely don’t go there. 😆

  9. #7
    Senior Member christof's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Confoederatio Helvetica
    Posts
    1,875
    Thanks
    1,893
    Thanked 7,814 Times in 1,426 Posts
    Rep Power
    17

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by migo984 View Post
    ...whilst pleasant to use, none of those come anywhere close to....
    Oh dear, a cedar and graphite rabbit hole. Will I go the next step? Not until my dozen pencils are about gone.
    Fred

    I have tested dozens of woodpencils....



    ...to find out that I like these Mitsubishi 9852 best:



    they write smother and blacker than Blackwings, and the eraser does a better job.

    But with pencils it is like with fountain pens - everyone likes it a little different. What counts in the end is what was written with it....






    ps: ...has anyone told you that you need a high end sharpener for your high end pencils?





    Last edited by christof; June 3rd, 2022 at 09:45 AM.

  10. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to christof For This Useful Post:

    AzJon (June 3rd, 2022), catbert (June 3rd, 2022), Chrissy (June 3rd, 2022), Cyril (June 12th, 2022), Jon Szanto (June 3rd, 2022), mizgeorge (June 12th, 2022), Robert (June 6th, 2022), Yazeh (July 18th, 2022)

  11. #8
    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Where pigs run free!
    Posts
    4,003
    Thanks
    6,231
    Thanked 3,427 Times in 1,716 Posts
    Rep Power
    17

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    There was a fancy pen, paper and pencil store in NYC that closed not too long ago, but way before that, a pen pal sent me a nice assortment of high-end pencils. There's a Blackwing among them, but my absolute favorite is a pencil encased in cedar. Don't recall the name, but it,s girthy and wonderful to write with.

    I was used to artist pencils, and still have a few. Berol? I think, is one of the makers. The nice thing about drawing pencils is you can select the properties of the lead.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Sailor Kenshin For This Useful Post:

    BlkWhiteFilmPix (July 19th, 2022)

  13. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Posts
    238
    Thanks
    45
    Thanked 97 Times in 71 Posts
    Rep Power
    5

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I can`t say I have advanced beyond those Faber-Castell pencils in green lacquer with a touch of gold lines here and there, and at the moment my local store have koh-i-noor pencils, in black lacquer with a bit of gold paint here and there too. I have reserved "high end" for fancy amplifiers and loud speakers, but it is fun to fuss with pencils and find a favorite. I always get B and HB ;- )

  14. #10
    Senior Member BlkWhiteFilmPix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Looking up at the sky
    Posts
    539
    Thanks
    1,076
    Thanked 787 Times in 335 Posts
    Rep Power
    10

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    [Berol] Prismacolor. Beautiful colors. The great art store here in NE Ohio that had aisles of those and other pencils closed.

    Thankfully they're available online here and on Amazon.
    Bob

    Making the world a more peaceful place, one fine art print and one handwritten letter at a time.

    Paper cuts through the noise – Richard Moross, MOO CEO

    Indiana Jones used a notebook in the map room, not an app.

    www.bobsoltys.net/fountainpens

  15. #11
    Senior Member BlkWhiteFilmPix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Looking up at the sky
    Posts
    539
    Thanks
    1,076
    Thanked 787 Times in 335 Posts
    Rep Power
    10

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    While I love the way Blackwing pencils write, the erasers aren't so good.

    So I use this one ... bought at Mélodies Graphiques in Paris.Eraser.jpg

    Will try the Mitsubishi 9852's.
    Last edited by BlkWhiteFilmPix; June 3rd, 2022 at 01:43 PM.
    Bob

    Making the world a more peaceful place, one fine art print and one handwritten letter at a time.

    Paper cuts through the noise – Richard Moross, MOO CEO

    Indiana Jones used a notebook in the map room, not an app.

    www.bobsoltys.net/fountainpens

  16. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BlkWhiteFilmPix For This Useful Post:

    Chrissy (June 3rd, 2022), Cyril (June 10th, 2023)

  17. #12
    Senior Member migo984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Global Nomad
    Posts
    2,621
    Thanks
    622
    Thanked 3,155 Times in 1,103 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by BlkWhiteFilmPix View Post
    [Berol] Prismacolor. Beautiful colors. The great art store here in NE Ohio that had aisles of those and other pencils closed.

    Thankfully they're available online here and on Amazon.
    If you haven’t tried them, Caran d’Ache Luminence are stunning coloured pencils. As are Faber Castell Polychromos.

  18. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    SFO USA
    Posts
    1,375
    Thanks
    13
    Thanked 1,113 Times in 573 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I only use old growth forest pencils and original Blackwings.

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to Farmboy For This Useful Post:

    manoeuver (June 6th, 2022)

  20. #14
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    I only use old growth forest pencils and original Blackwings.
    How does one recognize an original Blackwing?

  21. #15
    Senior Member Lloyd's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    1,630
    Thanks
    3,597
    Thanked 1,043 Times in 637 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Farmboy View Post
    I only use old growth forest pencils and original Blackwings.
    How does one recognize an original Blackwing?
    The cost😉

    Typos courtesy of Samsung Auto-Incorrect™
    M: I came here for a good argument.
    A: No you didn't; no, you came here for an argument.
    M: An argument isn't just contradiction.
    A: It can be.
    M: No it can't. An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
    A: No it isn't.
    M: Yes it is! It's not just contradiction.
    A: Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.
    M: Yes, but that's not just saying 'No it isn't.'
    A: Yes it is!
    M: No it isn't!

  22. #16
    Senior Member manoeuver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Near Midwest, US
    Posts
    1,594
    Thanks
    1,227
    Thanked 1,081 Times in 555 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I like the blackwings. A friend gave me a Mitsubishi and it really is a very lovely pencil. Next time I buy pencils I'll probably grab those.

    I got a pack of these triangular Maped pencils (they are gray and orange, vertically striped) and they make a fine daily driver pencil.

  23. #17
    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Where pigs run free!
    Posts
    4,003
    Thanks
    6,231
    Thanked 3,427 Times in 1,716 Posts
    Rep Power
    17

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I thought that name sounded familiar. I have a pack of Maped colored pencils in a wish list.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

  24. #18
    Senior Member migo984's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Global Nomad
    Posts
    2,621
    Thanks
    622
    Thanked 3,155 Times in 1,103 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    ……….A friend gave me a Mitsubishi and it really is a very lovely pencil. Next time I buy pencils I'll probably grab those.
    Mitsubishi pencils are really beautifully made. I’ve never been disappointed with any of their series.

  25. The Following User Says Thank You to migo984 For This Useful Post:

    Jon Szanto (June 7th, 2022)

  26. #19
    Senior Member Kaputnik's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    By the long tidal river.
    Posts
    1,043
    Thanks
    2,713
    Thanked 2,570 Times in 695 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    For writing, if I want to use a pencil, I mostly use mechanical pencils. I actually have acquired a collection of those, but I see there's another thread on that.

    I do use a lot of wooden pencils, but mostly for drawing. My most expensive ones are Eagle (Berol) #314 draughting pencils. One of my drawing books recommended these, I went looking for them, and discovered that they were no longer made, hadn't been for some time in fact. So I got some vintage ones. I set an absolute limit for myself of $5 per pencil for these, and have usually gotten them for less, some for around $3 each. There's a modern knockoff of these made by General, but they aren't the same, although not actually bad.

    Other than that, I like Mitsubishi Hi-uni pencils. In a moment of enthusiasm, I bought their full set from 10B to 10H inclusive. In practice, I mostly use 2B, HB, and 2H, and those are the grades for which I have the most spares.

    I have some of the modern "Palomino" Blackwings, and they're nice enough, a step up from your typical office pencil. I've read people's descriptions of how much superior the genuine vintage Blackwings were, but after seeing the prices they go for on eBay, I think I can do without them.
    "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."
    G.K. Chesterton

  27. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Kaputnik For This Useful Post:

    Sailor Kenshin (June 7th, 2022), Yazeh (July 18th, 2022)

  28. #20
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,793
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 898 Times in 690 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: High-end wooden pencils

    I use Mitsubishi

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •