wdwerker Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I have a small cabinet shop and I mark with a pencil all day long. I was going thru pencils at an alarming rate! I have been having a lot of problems with pencils in my shop lately. Erasers fall off, point constantly breaks, point breaks during sharpening, wood tears when sharpening. I noticed all of the pencils I could find were made in China or Mexico. Even Dixon Ticonderoga quality was poor, called the company and complained, they sent me 6 dozen for free, same poor quality. I got a new electric pencil sharpener to see it that would help. It did a better job with less wood tearing but I was still breaking points all the time and the point would break off during sharpening. I found a great little pencil sharpener made by a german company called KUM. One version has a magnesium body and spare blades on the side. They also make a solid brass one with a replaceable blade that has a nice weight to it. The brass one has finger grips on the sides and no spare blades attached. Prices were around $4- 5 each I think. I found them in an art supply store. Even with a quality sharpener the pencil point would break during sharpening or shortly after in use. Broken pencil points became a hazard in my shop. Lay a board sanded side down on the bench and find it covered in pencil marks from a stray point that didn't get brushed away! Looked everywhere for USA made pencils, found a packs few at dollar stores. I think they were old stock being closed out but then that source must have dried up. I found out that there was one company left making pencils in the USA. General, in New Jersey. They make a lot of pencils for the artist market. I took a risk and got 6 dozen of the General's® Semi-Hex® Graphite Pencils from pencils.com for $31 including shipping. I got the #2 and boy are they worth it! Nice cedar wood cuts clean, sharpens to a wicked point( stabbed myself a few times by accident), lays down a nice dark line, eraser works well and a slight twist in my little KUM sharpener re-points for when careful accurate marks are needed. You can also buy direct from General http://www.generalpencil.com/gpc_products_schoolpencils.html shipping was a little higher but not if you buy a large enough quantity. $14 for 3 dozen They have an unfinished cedar pencil for $10 for 3 dozen, I might give those a try when I run out. I found General's artist pencils in several local stores, but no one carried the "Semi Hex school pencils" Sorry about the type style changes, cut and pasted the name and couldn't change it back. I just wanted to share my problem and the solutions I found. I will gladly pay more for quality,especially after suffering from the grief caused by lack of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I use the #2 rockler mechanical pencil. Dont really need a pencil all that often in my cabinet work, I can do cabinets all day and never need a pencil so never put to much thought into it. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I use 2mm drafting lead holders and Staples branded .7mm mechanicals. The Staples pencils go on sale a few times a year for $2-3 for 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I use 2mm drafting lead holders and Staples branded .7mm mechanicals. The Staples pencils go on sale a few times a year for $2-3 for 12. I was going to recommend the same. Get a lead holder and a lead pointer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 I buy a lot of pencils because we home-school our kids and your right, now days pencils arejunk. I noticed the downfall a couple years ago. I only use mechanical pencils in the shop and am very particular, #9 for rough cut, #5 for standard use, and #3 for joinery. As for the wooden pencils, I may have to check out your link because my kids do not like the mechanical ones and I don't like there to be more lead on the outside's paint than on the inside. Amazing how the little things really wreck our day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyNoName Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I generally prefer mechanical pencils, but those points break very easily. When I use a wooden pencil, I sharpen them with a chisel or knife, and if I really want to shape the point, I use sandpaper. Jonathan ================= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Reckner Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 You have to switch to mechanical like everyone else has been saying. I use 0.9 leads and believe me it will take your woodworking to a different level. The finer your lead point the more precise your joinery will be. Try not to use framing or construction pencils they are never precise enough. If you insist on wood pencils get regular mead school pencils and an electric sharpener they are awesome and always put a really nice point on there good luck this is an easy fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted February 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have tried mechanical pencils, really not a fan of them. The KUM sharpener will make a point finer than any electric. When I strike a line with my marking knife a freshly sharpened pencil will color the bottom of the cut without marking the sides! Different strokes for different folks. It takes all kinds to make a world. I was just glad to find a source for quality pencils and thought I would share it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick LoDico Posted February 3, 2012 Report Share Posted February 3, 2012 I found this thread interesting and went looking (and shopping) for USA made pencils. I found these: http://www.amazon.com/Cra-Z-art-America-Pre-Sharpened-Pencils-12001/dp/B003U9CBL4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted February 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Lots of people looking, few comments. I would love to hear from anyone who has information other than using a mechanical pencil. I am going to try the unfinished pencils from General when I run low on my current supply. Has anyone used these pencils? I have noticed that I am going thru pencils at a much slower rate these days. I quick re-point with my Kum (brand) sharpener and far fewer points breaking means that a pencil lasts me much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I have never used a MP - in the 30+ years of woodworking I have always used a carpenters pencil. Sharpened with a chisel and if I want a really sharp point finetune with sand paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Has anybody found a brand of regular wooden pencils that work for them ? A preferred sharpener? I was trying to start a discussion to see if everyone else was experiencing the same poor quality that I was. Mechanical pencils just never worked for me, I have several different sizes and go back to the wooden ones. Seems like lots of views to this thread, few comments. There has to be plenty of us who use a regular wooden pencil. What do you use? It would be nice if there was a local source I could use. Looked in a lot of stores around the Atlanta metro area, only found one that carries Generals Semi Hex, and Kum sharpeners only in a couple of art supply stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeslari Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Ahh don't buy stapples brand pencils they are horrible! the graffito brakes over and over and the wood is not firm when you use the sharpener it's just bad. Im so disappointed I bought a entire box. And I won't be able to use them! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Welcome to the forums Yeslari! If you notice, this thread is a bit over 4 years old. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post shaneymack Posted August 28, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Welcome to the forums Yeslari! If you notice, this thread is a bit over 4 years old. Well Kev, pencils are serious business. I've joined a many forum to express my disdain with the state of pencils these days. Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Yea, I was going to say something, then I noticed the age of the thread and that Steve was kind of letting everyone know he has a pro shop. Welcome to the forums Yeslari! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 I was quite entertained by the suggestion that Steve switch to mechanical pencils to step up his level of woodworking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Grondin Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Old threads? where? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Ryan, don't be intimidated. I 'm sure you hold the record for old thread resurection? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Grondin Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 9 minutes ago, K Cooper said: Ryan, don't be intimidated. I 'm sure you hold the record for old thread resurection? Well just incase.... I better have a better look... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Resurrected threads don't bother me if the topic is still viable. A lot of what we talk about here was being done before we were born. A a thread discussing joinery and such that is a few years old isn't a problem. An old thread about a tool that is no longer made can even help someone trolling the used market. As to pencils, .7mm mechanical with HB leads for general use, .5mm for my Incra rules or whatever is handy pretty much covers my rough marking. A striking knife is used for layout since a super sharp point on a pencil only lasts a short while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Grondin Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 I use these Dixon pencils. The fat ones, and the tri-conderoga triangle ones. They seem to work ok. I have a mechanical pencil I use, like a drafting pencil, for more accurate stuff, and for really accurate things I just use a marking knife. I do have a few HD pencils with the sharpener for that shape, but those seem to breake more often than the Dixon pencils. Someone on another woodwork forum suggested the Dixons on the same topic so I tried them and have stuck with them since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplemons Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Pencils drive me nuts. Mechanicals break on me and wood ones are hit and miss. I bought some black mirado pencils a couple years ago for my classroom and like them the best. I'll leave half a dozen or so around the shop so I can find them -- and it's still not enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 These days I am using a .05 mm mechanical pencil with 2B soft leads. I still break the leads often but the soft lead leaves a darker line with less pressure. All my experimentation taught me that if you want decent quality pencils they cost close to $2 apeice ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomwolf Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 Lee Valley Pencils are good quality, made in Great Britain instead of China, and Lee Valley has free shipping on until 30 Aug if you feel like ordering some right now,http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32538&cat=1,42936,43509 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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