# Mechanical Pencil



## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

I saw this mechanical pencil at Harbor Freight and thought it was a great idea. After all I have a few .5 mechanical pencils I make my drawing with, why not try this one out. The pencil was about $3.00 and came with 4 or 5 extra lead refills. I figured that would last me most of a year. While even the magazine Handyman Club of America rated it at a 5.9, I would only give it a 3. out of 10. The concept is a great idea, but the quality of this tool falls a bit short. One of the problems is every other time you pull it from your pocket, the lead has retracted back into the handle due to the spring being to weak. The other problem is the black plastic jaw that holds the lead in place is so soft that it allows the lead to flex inside the handle and brake up in pieces. After my $3.00 went to waist I am back to using the industry standard .39 cent carpenter pencil.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Sounds like a good idea that just needs some quality behind it. 

This sounds stupid but we have a "Dollar" store that sells a 12 pack of Bic disposable retractable pencils for $2 (yep, I thought it would be a buck, too :laughing. These things last forever. And if they do break... grab a new one. Might not be great for rough construction (not sure).

BIC BicMatic Grip Mechanical Pencils 0 7 mm Pack Of 12 by Office Depot

The ones I have don't have the rubber grip - must be the extra $3 1/2 bucks.


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## edwardrose333 (Dec 11, 2008)

This may be a stupid question, but the design of a typical carpenter's pencil (the wide rectangular lead) seems awkward to me - especially for making precise marks and lines on wood. Is this kind of pencil specifically designed for construction? I've been using a standard #2 school pencil in the shop for years. It does take a lot of sharpening, though


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## skymaster (Oct 30, 2006)

The carpenter pencils were never intended for fine work. Basically "framing" work, cause thay leave a dark big mark :}:}
I use Pentel .9mm for last 20 yrs. stays sharp, doesnt break and is basically the #2 pencil mentioned without all the sharpening


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

skymaster said:


> The carpenter pencils were never intended for fine work. Basically "framing" work, cause thay leave a dark big mark :}:}
> I use Pentel .9mm for last 20 yrs. stays sharp, doesnt break and is basically the #2 pencil mentioned without all the sharpening


Bieng a drafter I have .3 .5 .7 and .9 in Qty.... I've been using the .9 quite a bit.....


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

I had to look...but I bought a dozen packages of papermate.07 plastic jobbers at the disc store. I really like them for jobs requiring more finesse. The lumber yards are stingey with their carpenter pencils these days but I got em trained.


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## nikjem (Aug 19, 2010)

Also like to use this pencil and I use this mechanical pencil every day, and it's an awesome writing instrument. The liquid graphite writes as smoothly and clearly as ink, and erases easily. This is definitely the future of mechanical pencils and, once you've used this pencil, you won't want to go back to using a traditional mechanical pencil.


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## Trimcannon (Nov 7, 2008)

*Rockler*

Rockler has a nice pencil-- http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11215&filter=pencil

The lead is stiff, and can be sharpened. It's rather heavy to keep in your chest pocket. Normally I stick to a .7mm "click" type for everyday applications.


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## oldgoat49 (Oct 30, 2006)

I always carry a .9 pencil in my pocket and have several out in the shop since I seem to lay them down and not have it handy when I need it. It works good, but does leave a little broader line than needed. However it doesn't break very often either. I also keep some .7 pencils for when I want a finer line. The carpenter pencils I never have used.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The only carpenters pencils I have are the freebees the Handyman's Club sends as an incentive to join. As for a click type mechanical pencil, I have a bad habit of breaking the leads. So, I'm stuck with the age old standby of a #2 and a nice pencil sharpener.












 









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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> The only carpenters pencils I have are the freebees the Handyman's Club sends as an incentive to join. As for a click type mechanical pencil, I have a bad habit of breaking the leads. So, I'm stuck with the age old standby of a #2 and a nice pencil sharpener.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


D
Ditto!!!!!


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

The notion of the wide "carpenter's" pencil was explained to me that they can be sharpened way sharper than round pencil.Because its not a point,but instead a wedge shape,it can be sharpened to a razors edge and will stay that way longer than any other design.Just sayin.


Personally,I can't stand them.And my beat up mits also don't jibe well with mechanical pencils.Give me a plain Jane #2,WOOD (rubber/plastic sucks)pencil and an oldtime plain Boston sharpener.BW

Edit to add;In our art dept. we do use these real fancy,manual...German made sharpeners.


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## mveach (Jul 3, 2010)

skymaster said:


> The carpenter pencils were never intended for fine work. Basically "framing" work, cause thay leave a dark big mark :}:}
> I use Pentel .9mm for last 20 yrs. stays sharp, doesnt break and is basically the #2 pencil mentioned without all the sharpening


This is my marking tool of choice also


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Handyman,

I used to do drafting work and started using those pencils in the shop. They take a thicker lead than others but I like the feel of them and kept sharp they give me a very precise line. The leads still have a tendency to break so I keep the lead short at the tip and that helps.

You can probably find these at an art or drafting supply store. 

Hope this helps.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I bought a pkg of .9mm mechanical pencils at Walmart several years ago for a few bucks and use that in the shop, never need sharpening and do not break easily. Also still have a lot of #2 wood pencils laying around the shop. I find the .5mm breaks too easily for wood work, the .7mm is not bad.


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

I have tried most of the pencils mentioned here and I am firmly in the #2 wood pencil camp. One problem, though: it is difficult these days to find a decent pencil sharpener. I bought several at the big box office supply places and for my money they are all crap. So I started looking for older sharpeners on eBay. I wound up buying a brand new mechanical marvel for 20 bucks that produces the sharpest point I have ever seen. And, once it has that point, it stops eating the pencil. Pencil bliss for me.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

HandToolGuy said:


> I have tried most of the pencils mentioned here and I am firmly in the #2 wood pencil camp. One problem, though: it is difficult these days to find a decent pencil sharpener. I bought several at the big box office supply places and for my money they are all crap. So I started looking for older sharpeners on eBay. I wound up buying a brand new mechanical marvel for 20 bucks that produces the sharpest point I have ever seen. And, once it has that point, it stops eating the pencil. Pencil bliss for me.


I keep a sharpener like this handy. Works great and goes to the jobsite in my tool box easily.

















 







.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Looks just like the one I had in my trapper keeper back in the 80s. :thumbsup:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

My standby pencil for just making notes and clipboard use is the standard Scripto mechanical pencil, that has been out longer than the mm type pencils.








There was a lead dispenser that was a yellow metal container with a sliding top, or the box with the slide out tray of leads.

















 







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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

I have been preaching this for years. I use a .05 mechanical pencil . The best deal I have found us a two pack by Pentel caked side FX the lead feed I'd gear driven and in the side front duo you can feed lead without lifting and regrouping your hand. The eraser that I NEVER need is long and extends with a twist mechanism. A two pack and a 30 piece refill tube for $2.99 at Walmart cant be beat

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## wjw159 (Dec 6, 2011)

Somehow or another my fiancé needed a couple golf course pencils. I think she ended up buying a box of 144 for a few bucks. Anyway after she took her half dozen the rest ended up with me out in the garage. They are actually really nice to use because they come with a nice sharp edge. And having a million of them there is always one close by. They dull after awhile and I haven't bothered to sharpen any of them. I toss the dull ones into the back of the bucket and reach for a new one


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

Heh, heh. When I was a bike racing official years ago, we were told to get a box of golf pencils to hand out to our helpers 'cause those things always come back. I think I went 20 years without losing one.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Standard #2 Ticonderoga, all I ever use in the shop. Keep em everywhere.


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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

sawdustfactory said:


> Standard #2 Ticonderoga, all I ever use in the shop. Keep em everywhere.


That's not mechanical JK do you sharpen religiously

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## diywoodworker (Jul 27, 2011)

My favorite pencil is a Bic AI .5mm. It's held up great, and has a cool "shake" to advance feature of the lead. 2 shakes and it's the perfect length. (You can push the tip back inside the pencil to avoid the advancing inside your pocket) I've been using one of these for 7 months at school and I only broke the little cap that covers the eraser. A drop of super glue later, and it's back to new.

I wish it had a bigger eraser though, so I just use a clic-erase that I got as well.

http://www.staples.com/BIC-AI-Mechanical-Pencils-5mm-Black-Barrel-2-Pack/product_786161


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## Ken Barr (Jul 6, 2018)

*PENTEL Mechanical Drafting Pencil, 0.9 mm*

I'm going to try these. They look perfect for the job.

https://www.amazon.com/PENTEL-Mecha...pID=41Tz51Al-7L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Graph...-1-spons&keywords=drafting+pencil+0.9mm&psc=1


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Those rectangular pencils are called carpenters pencils for a reason, in the hands of an experienced carpenter they do a myriad of things, neatest thing I saw them used for was a finish carpenter laying one on his miter saw table to tilt the board slightly to under cut a miter when trimming a doorway.


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## Mikhail2400 (Jun 20, 2018)

Spent many years using square soap stone for pipe and boiler work but sometimes we would work with material that soap stone is no good for. So Ive all ways kept fine tip markers (black), #2 pencils (for drawing ISOs), carpenter pencils, good ink pens and pretty much any other writing instrument i could find which would leave a precise marking. Kept an old baby wipe box mostly full of various types of writing instruments. I guess it depends on what im working with as to what is my favorite type of writing instrument.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Ken Barr said:


> I'm going to try these. They look perfect for the job.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/PENTEL-Mecha...pID=41Tz51Al-7L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Graph...-1-spons&keywords=drafting+pencil+0.9mm&psc=1


I use the PENTEL Mechanical Drafting Pencil 0.7mm. A very high-quality pencil IMO.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Staedler makes mech. drafting pencils in 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, and 0.9 mm. 
The 0.5mm are a waste of lead, the 0.9 are almost too wide to be useful except for art work.
The printing rubs off the barrels so fast, I can't figure out what's 0.7 mm and 0.9 mm!


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I can tell you what is not working for me. 

I have several Sanford ProTouch II 0.3 mm pencils. Sanford was bought by Papermate, and I am not sure if those fancy pencils are available any more. I like the thin lines that it makes. They had some of them at a workplace and I liked them a lot, so I bought a few for myself. It must have been 20 years ago.

-> Those 0.3 mm pencils suck for woodworking, but I keep trying. The problem is that the very thin leads break too easily on wood. 

I have some 0.5 mm pencils around. They are too "fat" for me (when I use them on paper) but maybe they will work for woodworking. They can't be worse than the 0.3 mm pencils I have been using.


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## AmishElectricCo (Jan 3, 2018)

rOtring 600 - the Cadillac of mechanical pencils

I've been using mechanical pencils all my life. A lot of my fellow left-handers favor mechanical pencils because we don't get lead smeared all over our hand like with wooden pencils. I'd hate to think of how many I've tried over the years, and the rOtring 600 is still the gold standard. It's an all-metal pencil, so there is some heft to it. This is actually not a pencil - it is a precision writing instrument.

The Uni Kuru Toga would be my "bang for your buck" recommendation. Great pencil for someone like @Tool Agnostic - it rotates the lead as you write, so there is always a sharp point.


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## tiredtraveler (Jul 5, 2018)

I like a knife for close work and various pencils and markers for job specific tasks.

JIM


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

tiredtraveler said:


> I like a knife for close work and various pencils and markers for job specific tasks.


I have a nice marking knife. It works well, but I can't see the lines it makes. Sometimes I go back with a pencil to shade the knife cut so I can see it.


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## mjadams61 (Jan 1, 2016)

about 3 years ago I bought a Staedtler Mechanical Pencil 1.3 mm, Yellow Body (771) carpenters pencil at $2 at some website. It uses the 1.3mm lead and been very happy with it. Does a good dark line that sands easly and I wish I bought more since they go for $6 on up now.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

edwardrose333 said:


> This may be a stupid question, but the design of a typical carpenter's pencil (the wide rectangular lead) seems awkward to me - especially for making precise marks and lines on wood. Is this kind of pencil specifically designed for construction? I've been using a standard #2 school pencil in the shop for years. It does take a lot of sharpening, though



"especially for making precise marks and lines on wood"


You are making an incorrect assumption. Carpenters pencils do not need to be precise. It is not the type of job that calls for precision.


George


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