Charlotte - you may be cured of this if you look up the etymology of 'pencil'. If you don't want to be cured you could visit the pencil museum (http://www.pencilmuseum.co.uk/) in Derwent.
That is a pity as the Pencil Museum in Keswick is amazing and inspiring.
Now I'm obviously the wrong kind of geek, but I've always hated pencils. The smell, the taste and most of all, the feel, especially on cheap paper. :sick: And don't get me started on the coloured ones. Probably primary school handwriting trauma or something. If I have to, I'll go for a 0.3mm mechanical pencil every time, as they feel the least pencil-like in use.
The other great thing about mechanical pencils is that it's so much less effort to extract the lead to wire it up to a high-current supply ::-)
While I'm thoroughly incompetent in their use, pens I can appreciate. Pencils are just eew.
(cf. the story about cosmonauts not bothering with space pens :))
I also used chinagraph for marking gels. But that's a whole different subject.
You use a mechanical sharpener, Charlotte?
You are naughty.
I also used chinagraph for marking gels. But that's a whole different subject.
Great when used with a profile light for casting a silhouette of a cock onto an actor's face. ;)
d.
You use a mechanical sharpener, Charlotte?
You are naughty.
In fairness, clipped to my bag right now is a UKPK that gets used for 101 different tasks each week. I opened a package with it yesterday afternoon and my boss had lovely little look on his face as I clicked open the Spyderco blade with my thumb :)
But I have to admit, for sheer pencil-pr0n value, I like the mechanical grinder.
*shamefaced*
I'm still looking for a short Le Thiers which I've seen, but not been able to find online.
I'm still looking for a short Le Thiers which I've seen, but not been able to find online.
Something like this? . . . (http://www.1couteau.com/CognetCutleryManufacture/Bolster-Buffalo-Horn-LeThiers-Knife.php)
Boy have you got expensive taste. Can I pick you one up in Limoges?
Someone must have used an axe to sharpen a pencil before.
Great thread - it's got knives and lasers so far.
Someone must have used an axe to sharpen a pencil before. Or a shovel.
Mechanical pencils FTW!
Whats the general feeling on rubbers?
I used to like them, but of course like them to be nice and new, but now most of the pencils I find have had the rubbers used up by my 10 year old daughter who cant be bothered to find a rubber.
Someone must have used an axe to sharpen a pencil before.
No, but once used an axe to cut a cake.
I'm still looking for a short Le Thiers which I've seen, but not been able to find online.
Something like this? . . . (http://www.1couteau.com/CognetCutleryManufacture/Bolster-Buffalo-Horn-LeThiers-Knife.php)
Boy have you got expensive taste. Can I pick you one up in Limoges?
That's very close, but the wrong blade shape.
If you can find me a Le Thiers with a non-locking, sub 75mm classic narrow blade this shape (http://www.1couteau.com/GoyonChazeauLeThiersKnives/PirouPocketKnives.php), I'll gladly give you the wonga for it. I have no idea why it didn't occur to me before you went. :facepalm:
Actually, after some further digging, if you spot a Chambriard 'Le Compact' (http://www.sabatier-shop.com/pocket-knives_60_chambriard_compact_.html) for less than £60-ish that'll do nicely!
And now: Back to pencils...
This Pencil Kills Facists (http://www.boingboing.net/2010/09/01/woody-guthrie-pencil.html) ;D
I must see if I can get some of these on the next stationery order, one of my colleagues would not be amused...
I have a box of these that I'm about halfway through:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0yTZYQezVzA/TJv3TxaT5eI/AAAAAAAAERI/bqNpIbtLusc/s1600/palomino_blackwing_new_box2.png)
They're awesome.
To be fair, it's entirely possible to do yourself a seriously bleedy injury using the blade of a pencil sharpener (DAHIKT).
Ah, I was 11, the class was English, and the priority at the time was to staunch the flow and reassemble the incriminating pencil sharpener while somehow avoiding the teacher noticing. The school was in the middle of penknife hysteria, so the risk from getting caught was far greater than that of the injury itself. Fortunately the girl with bad hayfever on the next table had a copious supply of tissues...
I have always preferred pencils to pens for notes & scribbles at work & home. Like Staedtler, but recently invested in a Rotring Rapid Pro 0.7mm; fully retractable, sprung point so no more breakages & gets more use out of leads. Lovely.
Oh, I love Fs! Hard to get hold of them, though. :(
On this side of the Wall, the use of pencils for notes- the making of Official Issue Pocket Note Book entries of is this- Not Allowed. Pencil can be erased. Ink Black is the required material.
I do love your handwriting, Charlotte!
I do love your handwriting, Charlotte!All that printed writing looks like you have spent time marking up P&IDs with equipment tags, line numbers etc. ;)
Addendum:
My name is Charlotte and I seem to have a lot of time on my hands.
All that printed writing looks like you have spent time marking up P&IDs with equipment tags, line numbers etc. ;)
Oh joy, oh joy, oh joy! :D :D :D
Look what I found at the London Graphic Centre today:
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/vicechair/DSCF4546_zpsc15475f7.jpg~original)
No, no - not pretty silver rimfire cartridges (although, I'll grant you they look a bit like them)
They are, in fact...(click to show/hide)
A wee bit of genius! Many's the time I've reached for a pencil, only to find the tip missing.
1 Grenade, 1 T'Gall, 1 Longpointer later.... ooo that's only £13.95 and I need £14 for free shipping.....some blades..... how one thing does lead to another.
And I didn't even know I had a that-shaped hole in my life until now.
Stationary is brilliant for those who like well made stuff as its not expensive. You can treat yourself for under £10. Unless you get into fountain pens of course but even there you can get really nice stuff reasonably cheap.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/vicechair/DSCF4546_zpsc15475f7.jpg~original)
No, no - not pretty silver rimfire cartridges (although, I'll grant you they look a bit like them)
Oh - whilst I'm sharpening and playing with a new batch of pencils - I need to ask. Is it so wrong to sniff them in the manner of a smoker, about to appreciate a fine cuban cigar?
As for the bullets, wunja - what can I say... Fabulous :DA little google research found that the pencil was part of a gift for troops on the front line in Christmas 1914. We still have the brass tin that contained it.
Does this count?
Both came ready-sharpened with the usual sandpaper grit lines pointing towards the tip. I'd much rather get my pencils unsharpened because the first thing I do is to shove them into my mechanical sharpener, set to it's longest point.
Does this belong here? Prompted by the thought "I really should start drawing again" after a hiatus of at least 10 years. As a result I re-found what is possibly my dirtiest little secret, 256 Shades of Grey
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-w-EY8CEYX74/Uo3V1vmwbtI/AAAAAAAAq_Q/8Q7llkz35B8/s640/IMG_1099.JPG)
Interesting that its marked HB Soft when HB is right in the middle of the standard scale.
Thoughbut I think there must be some useful stuff in pages 20 to 206 which are missing.
Interesting that its marked HB Soft when HB is right in the middle of the standard scale.
The last entry reminds me of my favourite pencil - a cut-down carpenter's pencil. :D
Am I to be banned from this thread forever if I post a photo? ;)
Oooh. Details, please.
Oooh. Details, please.
It's my Rotring Rapid Pro.
It replaced a Rotring 600 which didn't have the retractable lead sleeve, which I dropped and bent! This does however fully retract, making it pocket safe and sort of drop safe.
Well, it's not a pencil belonging to a cut-down carpenter.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/10993436605_45c028eee5.jpg) (http://flic.kr/p/hKseGr)
As close as I could get with my iPhone
Can she teach me? Loads of people have tried, but I never quite got it :-[
Can she teach me? Loads of people have tried, but I never quite got it :-[
And me. I've just spent the last hour on this site, being overwhelmed by WANT: http://www.cultpens.com/
You've got me at it now! I've been eyeing up a Caran d'Ache Fixpencil 3.
And me. I've just spent the last hour on this site, being overwhelmed by WANT: http://www.cultpens.com/
And me. I've just spent the last hour on this site, being overwhelmed by WANT: http://www.cultpens.com/
Oh you sod. I bet you waft single malts under the noses of recovering alcoholics don't you???
Mitsubishi Pure Malt Oak Wood Premium Edition - a truly beautiful pencil with a barrel crafted from oak reclaimed from whisky barrels.two birds and all that
Nappy anyone ? http://www.napkin4ever.com/en/
A candidate for the silly business names, surely, and £40 ? Zowie. Beautiful, but does it come on a piece of elastic you can thread through your sleeves along with your gloves?
My rotring rapid PRO 0.5 (chrome) arrived today. Lovely!
It shall now reside alongside my Waterman Expert (matte chrome, XF) fountain pen.
Your attempts at humour are failing to Impreza me.
Apropros of nothing. Bewary of excessively sharpened pencils.I got two of them - one in my right leg and one in my right hand. The one in my hand took some digging, lots of blood and good handful (no pon intended) of swear words to get out. Got in rather far and was big - pretty much the whole of the newly sharpened H2 pencil tip - home surgery is fun but also painful. The one in the leg I just left there as it was too deep and very small. So I don't have "ink" I got led :)
My father had a very small tatoo where a very sharp pencil pierced his skin leaving a spec of lead under the dermis.
Why did you do that Auntie C, really why ?
OMG have you seen the Caran d'Ache Sharpening Machine 80th anniversary at Cult Pens ? Its fabulous and I want one but £180, for a pencil sharpener ....
With all these fancy pencils and sharpeners, why not complete the set with a 5-angle eraser (http://www.bureaudirect.co.uk/kokuyo-5-angle-eraser/p3783)?
With all these fancy pencils and sharpeners, why not complete the set with a 5-angle eraser (http://www.bureaudirect.co.uk/kokuyo-5-angle-eraser/p3783)?
I walked past these every day for a week before finally registering what they were on my last day in Copenhagen:
A stationery order and a leetle bit of laser cutting are in order, methinks...
http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Mitsubishi-KH-20-Desk-Sharpener.html
:)
I now have a shiny RED one of those which turned up from Japan this morning.
I have been scouring the house for pencils that need sharpening ever since.
And does it do this (http://legslarry.org.uk/Ibbydare/dalek.htm)?
Artisanal pencil shop opens in Lower Manhattan:
(http://i1.wp.com/boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cwpencils.jpg?zoom=2&resize=800%2C804)
http://boingboing.net/2015/05/20/artisanal-pencil-shop-opens-in.html
http://cwpencils.com/
Proletariat pencils and sharpening equipment:Next time you post this do put a warning. Ones diggy ticker can't handle two fetishes at once :)
(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t51/asorim1/P1060001_zpsjlfgfoit.jpg)
The green one on the right is well 'ard.
For those seeking a 'quick fix' the new series of 'Great British Railway Journeys' includes a visit to a Lake District pencil manufacturer, I'm sorry, I missed the name . . .
Should be available on i-player very shortly.
By a Sherlockian process of inductive deduction I found the leads for my Staedtler Mars Micro in a forgotten corner of my rucksack where they have lain unseen since April 2014.
The unique gear mechanism of the Kuru Toga rotates the lead every time it touches the paper, resulting in a clean cone-shaped tip
QuoteThe unique gear mechanism of the Kuru Toga rotates the lead every time it touches the paper, resulting in a clean cone-shaped tip
Need I say more? No. But I will add that it writes superbly, and that the twisting action described above does indeed work.
Okay, I'm tempted.
Here you go:
http://www.cultpens.com/i/q/RT08414/rotring-tikky-3-pencil-black-barrel (http://www.cultpens.com/i/q/RT08414/rotring-tikky-3-pencil-black-barrel)
0.7 or 0.35 or 1 for that matter.
Uni Nano Dia leads are quite good. Smooth and stronger than normal leads.
Cult pens are ace but bad for the wallet.
I use them all the time, very effective at writing on damp notepads on the side of a Cumbrian hill or the deck of a monsoon ridden FPSO. I tend to keep the more modest versions of propelling pencils though, and not averse to swiping the disposables from hotels.
I’d just like to say whomever it was that introduced me to cult pens website, you git. It has reawakened a yearning in me that I had forgotten about. Happily forgotten about. So many pencils. So many. Git git git.
;D
'ish he was from the early '20s
I used to be a real snob with my Rotring pencils, original brass.
When starting this job, was worried about things going missing. Bought a Rotring Tikky. It is plastic. Just plastic.
However, it looks right. Works brilliantly, the grip is good. Being light is good, because it gets carted about in my shirt pocket from meeting to meeting.
They are damn fine pencils for the money.
At this point I would like to remind the good people of yACF that there are many fine independent stationery retailers here in the UK (both on-line and in real shops). Please put your business with them as they're nice people, their businesses are not owned by a bunch of <your personal description goes here> and, finally, they pay their taxes :smug:.
What's the finest lead you can get? I'm using 0.5 mm in the workshop and it's too thick.I enjoy writing with 0.3 mm lead in my Rotring.
https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-0-3mm-Mechanical-Pencil-502503N/dp/B001A1PORWThe two 600s I have, the entire barrel is fashioned from brass.
That one is a 500, I'm sure mine is a 600. I scraped the decal off mine as that made it easier to find in a class of 20 all armed with Rotring's.
Looks like it is more 0.35mm than 0.3mm.
Just looked at the Rotring website and I can't find a 0.3mm there.
https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-0-3mm-Mechanical-Pencil-502503N/dp/B001A1PORWThe two 600s I have, the entire barrel is fashioned from brass.
That one is a 500, I'm sure mine is a 600. I scraped the decal off mine as that made it easier to find in a class of 20 all armed with Rotring's.
Looks like it is more 0.35mm than 0.3mm.
Just looked at the Rotring website and I can't find a 0.3mm there.
On the contemporary one only the knurled section is brass (or other metal). The rest is plastic.
An excellent way for the bean counters to kill the quality of a product, in one fell swoop. :(
rotring 600 mechanical pencil - an old favourite now made available again. Heavy metal hexagonal barrel with cylindrical knurled grip. 4mm fixed sleeve. Removable metal pocket clip. Lead grade indicator (2B-4H including F). Eraser under the push-button. Matt silver finish - also available in black.
Supplied in a card box.
Oh! that looks very nice, and is competitively priced.https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-0-3mm-Mechanical-Pencil-502503N/dp/B001A1PORWThe two 600s I have, the entire barrel is fashioned from brass.
That one is a 500, I'm sure mine is a 600. I scraped the decal off mine as that made it easier to find in a class of 20 all armed with Rotring's.
Looks like it is more 0.35mm than 0.3mm.
Just looked at the Rotring website and I can't find a 0.3mm there.
On the contemporary one only the knurled section is brass (or other metal). The rest is plastic.
An excellent way for the bean counters to kill the quality of a product, in one fell swoop. :(
I was looking for an all-metal mec pencil and the Rotring 600 was one I was considering:
https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/RT27369/rotring-600-drafting-pencil-silverQuote
rotring 600 mechanical pencil - an old favourite now made available again. Heavy metal hexagonal barrel with cylindrical knurled grip. 4mm fixed sleeve. Removable metal pocket clip. Lead grade indicator (2B-4H including F). Eraser under the push-button. Matt silver finish - also available in black.
Supplied in a card box.
I got that one too, I was smarter then as I etched in my name on the body. I like this in the description "Ink Type: Graphite" :)https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-0-3mm-Mechanical-Pencil-502503N/dp/B001A1PORWThe two 600s I have, the entire barrel is fashioned from brass.
That one is a 500, I'm sure mine is a 600. I scraped the decal off mine as that made it easier to find in a class of 20 all armed with Rotring's.
Looks like it is more 0.35mm than 0.3mm.
Just looked at the Rotring website and I can't find a 0.3mm there.
On the contemporary one only the knurled section is brass (or other metal). The rest is plastic.
An excellent way for the bean counters to kill the quality of a product, in one fell swoop. :(
I was looking for an all-metal mec pencil and the Rotring 600 was one I was considering:
https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/RT27369/rotring-600-drafting-pencil-silverQuote
rotring 600 mechanical pencil - an old favourite now made available again. Heavy metal hexagonal barrel with cylindrical knurled grip. 4mm fixed sleeve. Removable metal pocket clip. Lead grade indicator (2B-4H including F). Eraser under the push-button. Matt silver finish - also available in black.
Supplied in a card box.
https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-0-3mm-Mechanical-Pencil-502503N/dp/B001A1PORW
That one is a 500, I'm sure mine is a 600. I scraped the decal off mine as that made it easier to find in a class of 20 all armed with Rotring's.
Looks like it is more 0.35mm than 0.3mm.
Just looked at the Rotring website and I can't find a 0.3mm there.
https://www.cultpens.com/c/q/explore/product-type/pencils/mechanical-pencils#:=&g_tip_size=02mm :thumbsup:
Mr Woofages online emporium is very good I've bought fountain pen things from their before
TPINGWALMr Woofages online emporium is very good I've bought fountain pen things from their before
Thank you, sir :thumbsup:. Although we're fountain pen specialists we do carry a nice selection of pencils, both traditional wooden and mechanical.
BTW, we're not just on-line as we have a real shop where you can come and properly look and try things. Proudly independent too!
TPINGWALMr Woofages online emporium is very good I've bought fountain pen things from their before
Thank you, sir :thumbsup:. Although we're fountain pen specialists we do carry a nice selection of pencils, both traditional wooden and mechanical.
BTW, we're not just on-line as we have a real shop where you can come and properly look and try things. Proudly independent too!
This post is no good without a link
If you click on the message that Woofage quoted above aka the message from pcolbeck, you will find full post which includes the URL :)
What I want is a device with Apple Pencil functionality that at a twist or a press reveals it’s hidden graphite pencil mechanics.
Are there any actual all-metal mec pencils?
It seems the £23 Rotring 600 and the £43(!) Rotring 800 whilst both having metal barrels have plastic parts inside.
Costs what it says on the box: "raw brass"."Hand crafted in Italy"
I have a Lamy 2000 pencil that I use quite a bit. It’s the 0.5 mm version - sometimes wish I had bought the 0.7 tbh.
I am finding the Lamy HB 0.5 mm lead too hard and want a darker line. Can I use a B from another brand? There are 0.5mm B leads from Rotring and Pilot but the length is not listed.
https://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/ink-refills/pencil-leads/
I have a Lamy 2000 pencil that I use quite a bit. It’s the 0.5 mm version - sometimes wish I had bought the 0.7 tbh.
I am finding the Lamy HB 0.5 mm lead too hard and want a darker line. Can I use a B from another brand? There are 0.5mm B leads from Rotring and Pilot but the length is not listed.
https://www.thewritingdesk.co.uk/ink-refills/pencil-leads/
For your delectation
https://www.makerscabinet.com/products/brass-hovel (https://www.makerscabinet.com/products/brass-hovel)
https://youtu.be/2SbHVehH004 (https://youtu.be/2SbHVehH004)
I'll just leave this here, in time for Christmas
https://www.makerscabinet.com/products/brass-hovel
I'll just leave this here, in time for Christmas
https://www.makerscabinet.com/products/brass-hovel
:-[
I also bought myself a new clutch pencil as my other one had disappeared "Oh, I borrowed that" says Daughter No1 "but the lead went blunt so I'm not using it any more" :demon:
A mechanical pencil sharpener is required. The Mitsubishi KH-20 doesn't appear to be available in the UK :(
A mechanical pencil sharpener is required. The Mitsubishi KH-20 doesn't appear to be available in the UK :(
It is available in the UK. Cult Pens have it for starters:
https://www.cultpens.com/i/q/UN28293/mitsubishi-kh-20-desk-sharpener
Faber-Castell Grip Plus.
It is excellent in all ways except aesthetics.
He also does a rather nice looking mechanical pencil. (https://tomsstudio.com/collections/creative-tools-designed-by-tom/products/toms-studio-mechanical-pencil)
I know it's not a pencil but I bought myself a Lumos Pro pen from Tom's Studio (https://tomsstudio.com/collections/lumos) recently and it's fab! He also does a rather nice looking mechanical pencil. (https://tomsstudio.com/collections/creative-tools-designed-by-tom/products/toms-studio-mechanical-pencil)
It's occurred to me that some people are being lead astray hereAre you going soft?
OK, it's graphite
And here in the land of the Bard . . . 2B or not 2B ?Ver' good.
I know it's not a pencil but I bought myself a Lumos Pro pen from Tom's Studio (https://tomsstudio.com/collections/lumos) recently and it's fab! He also does a rather nice looking mechanical pencil. (https://tomsstudio.com/collections/creative-tools-designed-by-tom/products/toms-studio-mechanical-pencil)
I got a mat black Lumus Write for Christmas from Mrs Pcolbeck. I'm using it with the 0.5 tip and it writes beautifully.
I love that you can just refill it with any fountain pen ink.