Pencils

[Caspar Hauser]

I am thinking of having a gross or two of pencils with erasers printed for my business, single colour, text only.

Not a big deal you might think, the internet is awash with custom pencil companies, round, hexagonal, plain, painted, foil, 'mood indicating', full size with eraser, full size without eraser, a child's first pencil, recycled tyre pencil, recycled money pencil and on and on and on.

However not one of them seems to offer anything other than an HB/No 2 lead. I want an H/No3 or harder pencil, does anyone know of a source?

Thanks

CH

[Joe Kieve]

Staples Office Supply special ordered several dozen boxes of #3 pencils for me a couple of months ago. Can't remember the price and no additional advertising lettering added to mine. Not sure if that's available or not..you could certainly ask.

Joe

[David Weaver]

The office supply places have them online, even if they don't in the store. They're also on amazon, and I'd not be surprised if you could go to ebay and find a whole bunch of them, too.

[Brian Elfert]

Are you in a line of business where your customers have a need for #3 pencils? If not, why not do common #2 pencils?

[Belinda Barfield]

If custom printing isn't offered you could have them laser engraved and color filled if you don't like the look of just engraving.

[Caspar Hauser]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I'm a 'cabinetmaker' and merely prefer an H pencil to a No 2/HB and intend to use them, they will also doubtless be given out and left behind, hence the personalisation.

Laser engraving is an avenue I hadn't thought of and shall look into, I think a plain wood pencil plainly engraved ought to suit very well.

I am however still a little bemused at the seemingly unquestioned stranglehold that the No 2 pencil has on the nation.

:)

CH

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Casper...the #2 pencil has been the primary pencil in this country for decades. It was the main one available when I entered grade school in the '50s. Even when I worked as a draftsman in the mid-60's one had to find a source for pencils with the harder leads.

[Van Huskey]

I am however still a little bemused at the seemingly unquestioned stranglehold that the No 2 pencil has on the nation.

:)

CH

I suppose it has a lot to do with standardized testing, I would imagine the majority of people would have no clue otherwise. Plus the conspiracy angle, selling softer "lead" means selling more pencils... :D

[Caspar Hauser]

I'm old enough and from far enough away that I didn't encounter standardized testing, so the connection to pencils eludes me, a fountain pen was the weapon of choice during my schooling.

[Bill Cunningham]

I'm old enough and from far enough away that I didn't encounter standardized testing, so the connection to pencils eludes me, a fountain pen was the weapon of choice during my schooling.

A 'fountain Pen'? Darn all they gave us was a stick pen, and some kind of powder mixed with water they called inkwell ink..

[Brian Elfert]

I did a quick Google search and the only personalized pencil with #3 lead I found is a carpenter's pencil. I bet if you called around some company could personalize a #3 pencil instead of a #2.

[ray hampton]

Michael's or other art's supply may sell the pencil that you seek

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I'm a 'cabinetmaker' and merely prefer an H pencil to a No 2/HB and intend to use them, they will also doubtless be given out and left behind, hence the personalisation.

Laser engraving is an avenue I hadn't thought of and shall look into, I think a plain wood pencil plainly engraved ought to suit very well.

I am however still a little bemused at the seemingly unquestioned stranglehold that the No 2 pencil has on the nation.

:)

CH

If you need a laser engraver in your area please check in at the Engraver's Forum. I'm sure someone there would be more than happy to do some work for a fellow Creeker.

[Stephen Tashiro]

I find that humidity affects which type of pencil lead works best, perhaps because the humdity affects the paper.

My nomination for the best general purpose pencil is the California Republic, "Palomino" 2B. It has a smooth feeling when you draw with it. I've yet to find a pencil with an eraser that works well on commonly available "computer paper", so I use kneaded erasers. Art supply places carry both this pencil and kneaded erasers.

[Jim Koepke]

I am however still a little bemused at the seemingly unquestioned stranglehold that the No 2 pencil has on the nation.

I remember when I could by a #1,2 or 3 pencil in just about any store.

When the big box stationary stores came to the market, that started to fade away.

I prefer a softer pencil. I can get them at art or drafting supply stores, but they cost a lot more than I want to pay.

So I have surrendered to a #2 for wooden pencils and use a mechanical pencil for the softer leads. It is getting hard to find any supply of those. I always watch for art supply going out of business sales and now have a decent supply that should last for a decade or so.

jtk

[Phil Thien]

Love pencils. I love to combine my love of pencils, with my love of sharpening.

But I'll never achieve this level:

http://www.wimp.com/pencilsharpener/

[Caspar Hauser]

When Jimenez wrote ' if they give you ruled paper, write the other way' he apparently did it with a No 2 pencil.

I have so far failed to find No 3 pencils available in quantity. Google and Duck Duck searches are wrested back to HB/No 2 pencils.

I'm beginning to suspect something sinister.

[Phil Thien]

They aren't inexpensive, but they do show up on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SALE-Vintage-Faber-Castell-American-No-3-Pencils-Lewisburg-Tennessee-USA-lot-NEW-/300739658156?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46057b01ac

I think the carpenter pencil is sort of a good idea if you're going to use them as promotional items.

[Caspar Hauser]

Thanks for the link Phil, I would go with carpenters pencils if they were to solely be a promotional item but I will be using them too and I'm not much of a fan of that style of pencil, for one thing they don't fit in my compasses!

The 'promotional value' such as it is, is that I always have a few pencils about myself and can readily hand one over when asked 'do you have a card?' rather than having to head back to and then rummage about, the truck.

Still it seems I may have to 'write along the lines' and go with HB if I want them personalised and in a form and quantity I like.

Haven't given up looking though.

T-Shirts and a trailer next...

[Myk Rian]

I like these Dixon pencils. Always called them Apprentice pencils because they're a thicker pencil.
http://www.brandnamepencils.com/brands/dixon/specialblack.shtml

I use my belt sander to sharpen all my pencils.

[Roy Turbett]

I find that humidity affects which type of pencil lead works best, perhaps because the humdity affects the paper.

My nomination for the best general purpose pencil is the California Republic, "Palomino" 2B. It has a smooth feeling when you draw with it. I've yet to find a pencil with an eraser that works well on commonly available "computer paper", so I use kneaded erasers. Art supply places carry both this pencil and kneaded erasers.

My nomination for best pencil is the Ticonderoga #2. Good lead and a good eraser too.

[Greg Portland]

I'm a 'cabinetmaker' and merely prefer an H pencil to a No 2/HB and intend to use them, they will also doubtless be given out and left behind, hence the personalisation.
For your personal in-shop use (and not customer hand-outs) you may want to investigate lead holders. I use 2mm and 3mm lead holders with hard (H, 2H, 3H) leads. Stabil and Fixpencil are the two brands I've used (note, the sharpener is in the cap). You do not want to take these to a place where they'd be left behind or lost (not cheap!).

[Belinda Barfield]

Here you go, sir. Scroll to the bottom of the page to order. H up to 6H. Reasonably priced. Should be able to find something to suit your fancy.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/staedtler-lumograph-drawing-and-sketching-pencils/#photos

[Paul McGaha]

I like Quill Premium Pencils. Good pencil and eraser.

I really like Quill for office products.

They are really good at is marking their catalog numbers on the products. If you find something you like they make it easy for you to order more of the same.

They have thier shipping down to pretty much next day UPS delivery so long as you dont order too late in the day. It's like buying from a local office supply company only with better pricing.

PHM

[Jim Koepke]

I like Quill Premium Pencils. Good pencil and eraser.

I really like Quill for office products.

They are really good at is marking their catalog numbers on the products. If you find something you like they make it easy for you to order more of the same.

They have thier shipping down to pretty much next day UPS delivery so long as you dont order too late in the day. It's like buying from a local office supply company only with better pricing.

PHM

Paul,

Thanks for the info on Quill.

I have been looking for #1 (B) pencils at a reasonable price. Quill has them so I ordered 5 dozen.

Arrived the next day. Shipping was free.

They also carry Dixon - Ticonderoga® #2-1/2, #3 & #4 at a decent price.

I am now a happy camper.

jtk

[Paul McGaha]

Paul,

Thanks for the info on Quill.

I have been looking for #1 (B) pencils at a reasonable price. Quill has them so I ordered 5 dozen.

Arrived the next day. Shipping was free.

They also carry Dixon - Ticonderoga® #2-1/2, #3 & #4 at a decent price.

I am now a happy camper.

jtk

Glad it worked out for you Jim. We really like them. We find they have really good products, pricing, and service. Even if somebody else has something a little cheaper we usually just buy from Quill because we like dealing with them.

http://www.quill.com/?cm_mmc=SEM-_-Google-_-quill

PHM

[Larry Whitlow]

Love pencils. I love to combine my love of pencils, with my love of sharpening.

But I'll never achieve this level:

http://www.wimp.com/pencilsharpener/

Hah - Funny stuff. I was shaking my head at first because I thought this was serious. I use an electric pencil sharpener, but sparingly because it is not hooked to the dust collector.