# Best pencil



## bigone5500 (Feb 9, 2014)

What is the best pencil you have used for general woodworking? I use a Ticonderoga for fine stuff and carpeted pencil for most other stuff. The regular pencil does not keep a point very long and the carpenter pencil gets a blunt tip preventing sharp lines. 

My question is what pencil gives you the best of both?


----------



## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I've got about 50 regular pencils lying around the garage. There's always 2 or 3 within reach. I sharpen the ones I use as part of my clean up (usually), so I've got a sharp point available all the time.
For the price of the pencils and an electric sharpener, it's just the best option for me.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I picked up a package of pencils at home depot that work pretty good. They are orange in color and come in a round plastic container. They also come with a pencil sharpener which is used in a drill.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*ball point or pencil!*

I use a ball point for a lot of marking in the shop. They make a fine, highly visible line, but it won't erase, so just sand it off. I don't like "carpenter's" pencils because they are too thick for fine line and I'm not a carpenter where I need a robust lead that won't break off it it hits an knot. And they don't easily sharpen without a knife and won't work in a electric pencil sharpener. I use standard school 2H pencils as well.

There are times when I want a different color line, maybe red or silver depending on the wood or metal I am dealing with. Prismacolor make a great silver color pencil and art supplies store have other brands like Verithin.

Home Depot, I think..... had some of these retractable pencils that you can sharpen on sandpaper:










From here also:
https://striker1.com/pencil.html


----------



## sweensdv (Mar 3, 2008)

For fine lines I use this one, https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Graph...488502&sr=8-7&keywords=mechanical+pencils+0.7


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

The best pencil that I have found has two requirements. First it must make a graphite line on whatever I use it on. Second it must be within easy reach. Other than that there are no requirements or specifications.

George


----------



## J_L (Apr 22, 2014)

My go to is a .9mm drafting pencil with a retractable tip I purchased off Amazon. The .9mm lead is hearty enough to not break when doing most scribes and the hb lead is soft enough to still mark well.


----------



## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

The best pencil is the one I can find when I need it, I have a handy pencil sharpener mounted on the wall.

The finest line you can make is with a marking knife when you have to split hairs, talk to our friend Epicfail48 about one.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f23/marking-knives-made-order-116585/


----------



## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

I use any pencil. Found some that the kids had in grade school, which was at least 25 years ago. For fine marking, I use a cheap lockback knife I found.


----------



## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

I use these, left over from when I had to work for a living. I have more stuffed in drawers & lying around in the shop. Always have a couple in my apron.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

GeorgeC said:


> The best pencil that I have found has two requirements. First it must make a graphite line on whatever I use it on. Second it must be within easy reach. Other than that there are no requirements or specifications.
> 
> George


Agreed, the best pencil is the one in your hand. Buy a random pack, stash them everywhere. Personally I like the Zebra 301 mechanics pencils, but not enough to make that THE pencil I use. I just grab whatever's handy



FrankC said:


> The best pencil is the one I can find when I need it, I have a handy pencil sharpener mounted on the wall.
> 
> The finest line you can make is with a marking knife when you have to split hairs, talk to our friend Epicfail48 about one.
> 
> http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f23/marking-knives-made-order-116585/


Thanks for the plug mate!

At risk of tooting my own horn, I agree with this sentiment, for joinery work a marking knife (not mine in particular, though mine rock) works way better than a pencil. The scribed line is finer than any pencil line, and it also serves as a convenient starting point for a saw or chisel, the point of the tool drops right into the scribed line. Plus, knife marks don't smudge, and you can get right up against a straightedge with a blade so the line is bang-on where you want it


----------



## TimeTurnsElastic (May 4, 2015)

My preferred pencils are Staedler 4 or 5H drafting pencils. Because the lead is so hard they stand up to jobsite abuse and hardly have to be sharpened. The lines are a bit light compared to softer pencils like HB but I'm used to them. I take night classes in interior design and have some nice mechanical drafting pencils and old school lead holders that I like to use for hobby woodworking projects, but I don't dare bring them to work. I lose way too many pencils there; inside walls, up in the joists, under lumber piles, at the chop saw station, wherever. I like carpenter pencils but can't hang onto those either. They don't fit behind my ear. Small ears, I guess.


----------



## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I like Try-Rex jumbo school pencils. They're triangular, so they don't roll away. The lead is thick enough to stand up to use in rough carpentry, yet can still be sharpened to a fine point in a pencil sharpener. 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/337395/JR-Moon-Pencil-Co-Try-Rex/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Pens_Pencils_Markers-_-337395&adpos=1o3&creative=51615794036&device=t&matchtype=&network=g-VQ6-51615794036-VQ16-t-VQ17-pla-VQ18-online-VQ19-337395-VQ20-119778963407-VQ21--VQ22-624117019-VQ27-33993143420&gclid=CLDj7vqz_c8CFcRahgodw9cCgQ


----------



## AHNC (Oct 29, 2016)

I like the regular yellow lead pencil no more then 4-5". They go right up inside my hat band. The 3" and shorter ones get the little metal clip on them and I clip them on my left tee shirt sleeve. Easy to do and easy to reach. I'm having trouble finding those clips though. I have a mechanical sharpener in the shop to stay up with things.


----------



## MatthewEOD (Dec 6, 2013)

I like a Zabra .05 mechanical pencil when Im doing anything that I want precision on. Otherwise regular childrens school pencils work great.


----------



## sancho57 (Oct 23, 2011)

Staedler or pica pending what I'm doing.


----------



## bigone5500 (Feb 9, 2014)

bigone5500 said:


> I use a Ticonderoga for fine stuff and _carpeted_ pencil for most other stuff.


Just so you know, I do not have any carpeted pencils. I just realized that my spelling was a bit off. :frown2:


----------



## Shop_Rat (Dec 22, 2015)

You can keep any pencil in better shape if you learn to "rotate" in your fingers as you are drawing your line, especially if it's a long line. It'll stay sharp much much longer.

Like most of you guys and gals, I use what is within reach. I have both Pentel mechanical pencils (both .05 and .07), as well as wooden #2 pencils scattered everywhere. I do the same with tape measures. 

I despise carpenters pencils. They feel like a bloody crayon in my hand!


----------



## DT Boss (Jun 27, 2013)

I like the Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. for marking, because you can extend the lead a ways out when you need to creep into the corners of dovetails. It also sharpens quickly (with a special sharpener). Amazon. It is a $10 pencil, however. 

I also like the Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil, 0.5mm Lead Size, Brushed Metal Barrel, because the lead holder tip fully retracts when not in use. Saves my pockets and I break less lead. Good for fine lines and sketching.


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Any one of the above with HB lead. F is OK if you can find it.
I can erase a line, I can't erase a dent in the wood such as can be made by the much harder 2H lead.
If precision is the game, a marking knife does it right.


----------



## TTOKC (Nov 10, 2016)

I have always hated carpenters pencils, I bought a box of plain old yellow #2 at Walmart for 1.99 and a old school crank sharpener. There were 50 in the box so there are plenty laying around and always one in reach. 


When my grandmother passed away we found a case of old mechanical pencils in a drawer. She was a executive secretary up til 1 month before she died at 82. My brother and I split the case and I have been using them on projects lately. They make fine clean lines. The lead is a little fragile for use on rough lumber but after it has been planned and ready for final cuts they work great. Plus feels like a little nod to G'ma every time I use one.


----------

