# Smooth action, nice LJ sized grip, substantial body, large advancing eraser.



## lew

These sound like the perfect thing!

My problem would be I'd have to buy them by the gross because my shop is located at the exact geographic center of the Pennsylvania Pencil Triangle (the northeast equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle) where pencils disappear as soon as they leave your hand.

Lew


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## jbertelson

*Lew*
I understand. Sherie, by accident, about 20 some years ago, bought at Costco a box which she assumed contained an automatic pencil. There were 24 or more in there, I can't remember. They have slowly disappeared over the years. I carefully guarded two in the shop and one in the office.

But Lew, you gotta try these new ones. You won't lose these, 'cause they are the greatest.

A cheap treat. Why not. Isn't Father's day coming up? Ask for 'em, folks can buy them at Office Depot. Tell everyone…....you may end up with a gross…...........(-:


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## Chipncut

*Nice pencil Jim!
It reminds me about a Scripto pencil I had, you know the kind with the 4" lead. I received it for an attendance award when i was in about 2nd grade. I used it all the way through high school.
I had it quite a few years, even after being married.
It got damaged from going through the washer ringer one day, & that was the end of the poor thing.<O{ *


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## Jack_T

An interesting and thoughtful review, of an often overlooked, underapreciated tool. Thanks.


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## richgreer

I have so much trouble mounting a lead into an automatic pencil that I have given up. My fingers are too fat and my vision is too poor. I've reverted to good old fashion wood pencils and the ones I buy from Lee Valley seem to be the best. As an FYI, I now have an electric pencil sharpener in my shop that allows me to keep a fine point on my pencils quite easily.

I'd try an automatic pencil again if I thought I could mount the lead in the pencil. My wife has offered to mount the leads for me, but I'm too independent to accept that kind of assistance.


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## jbertelson

*Dick*
I remember those Scripto's. Yup, with the 4 inch lead. They had a hexangle body, didn't they? Testing my memory. Well my old Pentels lasted probably over 20 years, but the new ones are much better.

60 deg F, 15.6 C at 1400 hrs. Light overcast, light wind. Sherie finally got home from the Kenai quilting retreat, and I have a day off after being on call the last four days. Summer is definitely here. Everything in bloom, including the crabapple tree….....

Have a good one, enjoying my day off…...


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## jbertelson

*Jack*
Thanks for stopping by. We stumble by with some real dogs for essential items and don't even think about it. But this pencil has made my shop life easier. How many times do you use a pencil in the average project. Can't count 'em..

Have a good one….


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## jbertelson

*Rich*
Haven't thought about the lead thing…...nowadays….you just throw them in the back end and out they come. I remember the old ones, and the problems. But these new ones are simple. Give it a try Rich. They hold so much lead, multiple lengths, you won't even think about it.


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## Bluepine38

I bought some of the Pentel Twist erase in the .07 lead and a bunch of their Quick Dock, both work good
until they disappear and then I resort to my Staedtler 980 with the sharpener where the eraser should be,
I have a big green eraser on the shelf to fix my mistakes, I has occasionally disappeared, but always shows
up again. The only item having more miles/years on it in my shop is my high school set of Post drafting
tools. The lead is thick enough that it does not break easy, and even with my trifocals is easy to replace.


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## dustyal

I have a couple of these, but they are 0.9 lead… I have a heavy hand and I haven't snapped the lead off yet. They are robust. I was thinking of going back (Staples in my case) and getting the .5 or .7 lead for lighter lines. Oh, I really didn't need the eraser… I don't make mistakes. (yeah, right-half of one is gone already… )


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## jbertelson

*Gus and Al*
The biggest problem I have with the 0.5 lead is breakage, but the flip side is, they work with my fancy Incra rulers. They also make lighter lines. I probably ought to have a 0.9 or 0.7 for the odd ball situation, such as rough wood, where it would help. I don't mark a lot of crosscut, because of the accurate RAS ruler/fence combo I built, which makes marking unnecessary much of the time. But I have had a bunch of pencil work lately, including marking glue areas.

The big Pentel Hi-Polymer ZEH10 serves the same purpose as your big green eraser, I suspect. I use it a lot as well, and it saves the eraser on the pencil.


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## NBeener

*Jim*:

a) I have a couple of different Pentels, and they're universally excellent writing implements;

b) You might know this one. It's axiomatic that the PEN is mightier than the sword. In your estimation, how would the PENCIL stack up in a theoretical "no holds barred" match ??

TIA.


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## jbertelson

*Neil*
I assume that is a trick question, and if so, le'me have it….........(-:


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## vicrider

Hi Jim,

I also suffer from weaker eyes and sometimes shaky hands. I moved to the Rockler 2.0 mm pencils but I find them pretty pricey, and the lead breaks very easily. That said, they come with lots of lead and a nifty sharpener/eraser that will put a really fine point on the lead.

Thanks for the advice Jim, I am headed to Office Depot this morning and will give the Pentels a try.

Vic


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## dbhost

A good in depth review of… a pencil? Whodathunkit?

I guess I have just never given that much thought to mechanical pencils…


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## jbertelson

*Vic*
How did you know about my shaky hands?......(-:

Actually it is only the left hand at times. My eye sight is my strong point, it has gotten better if anything, says the opthalmologist. Just waiting for the cataracts like my parents.

I think you will like the pencil, the only issue is the size of the lead, but there is a choice I guess, if you look around. These pencils feel right, and are built well.


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## jbertelson

*David*
I have used mechanical pencils for a long time in the shop…....read decades. So I am interested. I know some others are, and the incra rules are designed for the 0.5mm mechanical. Anyway, you know it is a fairly noncontroversial area for a first review.

Gotta play it safe in the realm of the LJ raptors, you know. You would think I have a thin skin or something…........

I just thought it was a neat tool that solved issues for me, many times a day in the shop. How many times in an afternoon in the shop do we use a pencil?

Oh well. Everyone has their own ideas about pencils, but this is my solution.

Finally not on call, one person in the hospital with no problems, and able to relax. Tomorrow I am 70, and had to get a new drivers license as well (every five years here in Alaska). So the sweet gal at the service station in the DMV mill says…......I'll give you a senior citizen ID as well, will take me 30 seconds. I didn't have time to open my mouth.

So now I have two ID's, drivers license, and senior citizen card. Look the same, other than a few numbers and statements.

Swell.

Rub it in.

Jim


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## Bluepine38

Happy Birthday Jim, don't worry about that senior citizen bit, in a couple of years you will have forgotten
about it anyway, whatever it was..


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## jbertelson

*gus*
........is that like the card I got a number of years ago that said something like "I worried when people said I would lose my mind as I got older…......what I didn't realize was, that I wouldn't care." And the picture on the card was of three very elderly women sitting at a picnic table enjoying party food, and they were dressed up like various witches for Halloween, and had silly inane smiles on their faces. I kept that card for years and laughed everytime I saw it.


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## NBeener

Ahhhh. That slipped right by me.

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIM* !

I hope it marks the start of your best year ever, and-being ridiculously honest-that's a pretty tall order, since … there have been quite a few years that have come before this one


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## jbertelson

*gus*
........and re the Post drafting tools…..mine left the house with my son, as I recall. I think I got them in either high school or college. By the time my son left home, I was using the computer for most my drawing needs, although I wish I hadn't let him take them. Subsequently I bought a compass, but it is not the same quality as those in the Post set.


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## jbertelson

*Neil*
Thanks for the wishes, I will probably spend the day in the shop. Gonna celebrate this Sunday at Sherie's brothers house, who lives here in Anchorage. Here younger brother, who turns 50, is up from Dallas, and so we will have celebration for the two of us. We spent my 60th, and his 40th, in Hawaii with a bunch of family members. Should be a fun time.


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## Dennisgrosen

good rewiew Jim 
but I hate these automatic pencils braking the lead all the time 
and don´t even have a real sharp point …. no I like my wooden pencils …. carpenterpencils for rough work

have a great weekend with the fammely 

Dennis


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## bigike

nice review the pencil and erasers I'm looking for the one that "mads" uses in his shop I just like the look of it here is a pic of it. This is the only pic of the name on the pencil so I looked for it and it's only sold in the UK stinker!


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## jbertelson

*Dennis*
I keep wood pencisl and carpenter pencils around, but I find I don't use them anymore. Partly, because of the Incra rulers which need the 0.5mm. But breakage is an issue, I have just learned to use them more carefully.

Good weekend to you to, hope you are not motoring all weekend. Yesterday was a recovery day, really got blitzed last week and weekend. Today should get in some shop time. Some tomorrow as well, but we have a barbecue over at my brother-in-laws place.

Still waking up, gotta go get more coffee…........


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## jbertelson

*Ike*
Yes, I like the looks of that pencil as well. Pentel ought to try jazzing theirs up some. The Pentel functions very well. Of course, Mads would have to one-up us…....he works so fast he probably has to have the world's fastest, and most precise pencil…..........(-:


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## miles125

I've always found .05 lead too fragile for woodworking. Great for drawing on smooth paper though.


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## Dennisgrosen

) no cardriving for me the next 4½ day´s long weekend sort of 
so yes hope for a little shoptime as well … though monday and tuesday me and Silke
goes to Århus to the appointment with the specialistdentist there and stay overnight at my mother 
that turns 70 tuesday and will be celebrated next weekend so some traveling in the near future 
right now I´m going thrugh a bunch of old mag´s to find two things to make …. tedius work even though
yellow notes has been used to mark things with … call it the drwingstage in the atticshop …. LOL very hot in there …. think I need a cold shower after this …  105 F in there and about 80 F in the sun … not for me

Dennis


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## jbertelson

*miles*
I understand. Much of my work is on plywood and smooth wood, and I don't do framing and such. So although I break a lead every once in awhile, I like the lighter, thinner, and more accurate line. I suspect preferences revolve around type of work, type of wood, and touch one has with the pencil. I do have heavier pencils around, but I find I don't use them much.

*Dennis*
I assume your attic is vented, all you need is an exhaust fan. That will keep the attic, and the house a lot cooler. I set a powerful fan about one foot from a partially open window in our bedroom on hot days. The bedroom is the highest room in the house. It will clear the whole house of hot air.

Hope you find a fun project, I am heading for the shop right now.


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## lew

Jim
Staples had them on sale today. A pack of 4 pencils, a tube of lead and the super duper eraser for $3 and some change. As always, you were right on! Great pencils - Great deal!

Lew


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## jbertelson

*Lew*
That sounds like a great deal, for sure. I love these pencils, and used them a bunch today. Except for a little trim, done with the woodwork on my minibench. Have to level the the….....hmmmmmmm…....edges that support the reversible and interchangeable tops, but will put on the trim 1/8" pine pieces so I can use a plane instead of a sander, just a whole lot faster and more accurate. The supports are drying now in a glueup with a pile of clamps. It will be nice to be done with this beast. I will present the minibench as a project and discuss it in detail. It is an oddball.

Watchout for the Pennsylvania Pencil Triangle….....those pencils will probably never be safe…........(-:


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## stefang

I've been using the same type Jim and they are comfortable to use. I have found a much cheaper type mechanical pencil that works well and you even get extra lead with it. It is about 1/4 the price of others. It's called MonAmi and it's made in Korea. The grip is not as comfortable, but that can be fixed with some wood epoxied to it in whatever thickness feels best. Wood is great stuff to customize almost anything!


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## jbertelson

*Mike*
I have used wood to build all kinds of unusual things over the years. One of my favorites is some cup holders I attached to some ashtray niches in my motorhome next to the driver and passenger seats. They are 23 years old. I would take a picture, but I gave the motorhome to my daughter in Fairbanks. Made them out of 1/4 inch oak ply (which my son and I constructed out to two 1/8" sheets), and a piece of dowel. I will try and draw them in Sketchup and put the drawing here as a picture.

As an aside, we made that plywood sandwich for some dividers that were placed in dados in an open top oak box to hold charts ready to use for patients that were scheduled that day at my clinic. My son made them in my shop as a money making project and sold them to the clinic, he was 16 yrs old at the time. He finished them with varnish….and they are still in use 25 years later, and look like new. Well made wood products will last a life time in daily use in the business world.


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