# long life pencil for cheap people



## turbodog (Nov 29, 2007)

I've got an interesting story to share. I've got a pencil which I use, not daily, but often enough.

It's not been sharpened in 15 years. And no, it's not a mechanical pencil. It was bought at a drafting store and has extra hard lead, 2H.

At this point..... I'm curious to see how far I can go. From looking at the lead, I figure there's another 2-4 years in there before I have to sharpen it.

Each time I use it or think about it I laugh.


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## Illum (Nov 29, 2007)

I have used a couple 3Hs though, fairly decent in terms of a "backup pencil that never needs to be sharpened"


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## Fallingwater (Nov 29, 2007)

2H is not an extra hard lead.
Many years ago I owned a 9H pencil that my art professor had gotten me to buy to draw on ceramic dishes. I tried using it on paper just for kicks and it was like drawing with a metal rod. It was easier to tear the paper than to get anything readable on it.

I very rarely need to write on actual paper, of course, since I write on a keyboard at home and with a stylus on my PDA, but in the rare occasions when I use pencils I like the lead to be soft. Something like a 2B. It needs sharpening often, but it slides well on the paper and just plain feels nicer.


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## turbodog (Nov 29, 2007)

Well, it was as hard as was available 1) 17 years ago and 2) at that store.

I did sharpen it once or twice a long time ago, but not in the last 15.


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## Tubor (Nov 29, 2007)

I'm still in love with HB. Prefer it to pens. Smooth.  Strange to think that some people may not get to use a real pencil in this modern age of styluses and PDA's.


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## Fallingwater (Nov 29, 2007)

If it was for me, anything that puts down ink would be obsolete


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## Burgess (Nov 30, 2007)

I, likewise, also prefer SOFT lead.

Like the 2B. Especially when doing crossword puzzles in newspapers.


Yeah, i know, all the REST of you do 'em in INK !



_


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## KC2IXE (Nov 30, 2007)

I also have a few 9H leads for my drafting pencils - PLEASE be careful with them - they will actually score soft aluminum - then you go to bend the stuff in a brake - and guess what happens?


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## Fallingwater (Nov 30, 2007)

Burgess said:


> Yeah, i know, all the REST of you do 'em in INK !


My mum uses one of those eraseable pens. Never liked them, feels like writing with sandpaper. 



KC2IXE said:


> I also have a few 9H leads for my drafting pencils - PLEASE be careful with them - they will actually score soft aluminum - then you go to bend the stuff in a brake - and guess what happens?


It occurs to me that they're certainly capable of penetrating skin and flesh, and would therefore make a perfect stealth weapon.

"What? Me, slice the man's throat? Can't you see I don't have any knives? All I have on me is a pencil..."


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## Marlite (Dec 1, 2007)

I love softer leads in my mechanical pencils, but they sometimes break off inside the tube carrier and gets stuck. Sometimes a snapped tip needle will release the jam-up sometimes not.

Other problems are when a break or change causes the disappearing lead up the tube when writing and no mark. Lead returns to position and repeats. Arrrghhh. Some mechanicals last only days or hours.

Searched EDC forums for How To's and also How Stuff Works and google. CPFr's are the smartest. Any solutions to this universal problem?

Thanks in advance
marlite


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## Illum (Dec 3, 2007)

I began my pencil using from 2B...coming here and the standards here is HB
after 10 years you'd think I would've stopped writing so hard every time I picked up a HB

I think this has something to do with those out there that prefer BK over HA-NAT


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## [email protected] (Dec 3, 2007)

Fallingwater said:


> 2H is not an extra hard lead.
> Many years ago I owned a 9H pencil that my art professor had gotten me to buy to draw on ceramic dishes. I tried using it on paper just for kicks and it was like drawing with a metal rod.



Hmm, metal rods can write fine...


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## Eric_M (Dec 3, 2007)

Very Cool.


http://www.grand-illusions.com/acatalog/Metal_Pen.html


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## [email protected] (Dec 3, 2007)

Oops, sorry, I forgot to include the link. 
Thanks for posting it! :thumbsup:


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## verbie (Dec 3, 2007)

i didnt know there are people out there who still use a pencil!  btw, what's HB?


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## Illum (Dec 3, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> Hmm, metal rods can write fine...



you and your metal rod....
I'll buy a few off you next time when I decide to buy trit balls:nana:



verbie said:


> i didnt know there are people out there who still use a pencil!  btw, what's HB?



its sometimes referred to as the #2 pencil if that helps any


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## TorchBoy (Dec 3, 2007)

verbie said:


> btw, what's HB?


There's a table showing the American equivalents here. What do people in the US do if they want (to describe) a pencil outside that range? I can't say I've ever seen an F pencil, but up to 6B and 6H aren't uncommon here.



Marlite said:


> Other problems are when a break or change causes the disappearing lead up the tube when writing and no mark. Lead returns to position and repeats. Arrrghhh.


The only time I get something like that happening is when the lead is too short to be held properly by the clutch pencil. Time for a new lead.


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## Marlite (Dec 5, 2007)

TorchBoy;
[The only time I get something like that happening is when the lead is too short to be held properly by the clutch pencil. Time for a new lead.[/quote said:


> Thank you TorchBoy, for a simple solution it was short (1/2") and new one restored function in my favorite pencil.
> 
> Cheers,
> marlite


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## Numbers (Dec 5, 2007)

HB in a 0.7mm Pentel mechanical. Not too thin, not too fat, just right.


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## spyderknut (Dec 5, 2007)

I find myself fortunate enough to be able to afford pencils and not worry about how much they cost


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## turbodog (Apr 22, 2009)

spyderknut said:


> I find myself fortunate enough to be able to afford pencils and not worry about how much they cost



hahahaha


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## Monocrom (Apr 23, 2009)

turbodog said:


> hahahaha


 
Well, it's been about a year and a half. How's the pencil holding up?


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## Rothrandir (Apr 23, 2009)

What's amazing to me is that you still have it after all these years...

I go through several boxes of pens a year, I can't comprehend the idea of one pencil sticking around anywhere near that long.


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## jzmtl (Apr 23, 2009)

Rothrandir said:


> What's amazing to me is that you still have it after all these years...
> 
> I go through several boxes of pens a year, I can't comprehend the idea of one pencil sticking around anywhere near that long.



No kidding, all my pencils get lost or broken quickly. 

I don't use pencil anymore thou, too finicky, went back to fountain pen and don't plan to switch to any other type.


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## Qoose (Apr 28, 2009)

I've actually been able to stick with the same mechanical pencil for 3 years. These things never break. I get really sad whenever I lose a mechanical pencil, since I've only ever used about 5 in my entire life.

Do a lot of people people really never touch a pencil anymore? I run through so many tubes of lead and a few reams of paper writing stuff in pencil, it blows my mind to never have to sharpen a normal pencil.


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## Illum (Jun 14, 2009)

For exams yes...for personal use not so much.

I'm in love with using 0.3mm H at the moment...
I write small, and 0.7mm some words are unreadable to many people, which the 0.3mm helped alot with. H is a decent "tint" and rather than using highlighters over my notes, I use 0.7mm B as the baseline and it seemed to work quite well. 

Well it probably will not last a lifetime it'll be with me for at least another half a decade until I recieve a MS or a BS


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## BroBrandonB (Jun 20, 2009)

I've found that I buy a box of cheap mechanical's about twice a decade. I love writing with a pencil, but I can't bring myself to carry a nice one because I'm afraid I'd loose it.

Not that I _do _loose pencils - but that possibility keeps any nice ones at home, while the cheapies are scattered around my person, motorcycle, car, briefcase, rangebags, etc, etc, etc...


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## Fallingwater (Jun 22, 2009)

Qoose said:


> Do a lot of people people really never touch a pencil anymore?


I certainly don't. 
There are exactly two traditional writing instruments in my home: a PenAgain for when I need to write on paper (doesn't happen often), and a felt-tip marker for writing on DVDs and other material. Everything else I do on my computers and PDA (a positively archaic Palm IIIx, but hey, it does what I need). I haven't touched a pencil in years; when I decided to go all-electronic I gave all the pens and pencils I could find in my home to my mom, who uses them daily for planning her lessons (she's a teacher), crosswords, sudoku and such.

Jzmtl: you think pencils are finicky and you use a fountain pen? Aren't fountain pens the epitome of finickiness? I remember when I tried using one at school the results weren't pretty, what with ink getting everywhere and me constantly breaking the nibs. 

That metal pen piqued my curiosity. I was just about to add a third writing instrument to my home, but €21 is a tad bit too much to pay for a pen, even if it IS a scientific curiosity.


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## Monocrom (Jun 22, 2009)

Fallingwater said:


> Aren't fountain pens the epitome of finickiness? I remember when I tried using one at school the results weren't pretty, what with ink getting everywhere and me constantly breaking the nibs.


 
You were either pressing down too hard, or you were writing too quickly. Perhaps a combination of both. A well-made nib is going to be very delicate. It has to be, if you want a smooth-writing fountain pen. 

I gave up on fountain pens for daily use because as an amateur Writer, my fountain pens couldn't keep up with the story ideas that flowed from my mind, down to my hand. I had to physically slow down my writiing. That was no fun, so I switched to ballpoints with either Parker, Cross, or Waterman ballpoint refills. (The 3 smoothest BP refills out there).


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## jzmtl (Jun 22, 2009)

Fallingwater said:


> Jzmtl: you think pencils are finicky and you use a fountain pen? Aren't fountain pens the epitome of finickiness? I remember when I tried using one at school the results weren't pretty, what with ink getting everywhere and me constantly breaking the nibs.



Dang, do you use them for darts or something? The only time I've ever broke a nib was when I dropped one on floor. I've never had any leaking problems, as long as I don't shake it out intentionally.



Monocrom said:


> You were either pressing down too hard, or you were writing too quickly. Perhaps a combination of both. A well-made nib is going to be very delicate. It has to be, if you want a smooth-writing fountain pen.
> 
> I gave up on fountain pens for daily use because as an amateur Writer, my fountain pens couldn't keep up with the story ideas that flowed from my mind, down to my hand. I had to physically slow down my writiing. That was no fun, so I switched to ballpoints with either Parker, Cross, or Waterman ballpoint refills. (The 3 smoothest BP refills out there).



Really? The only way I can get my pens to skip is to scratch lines on paper as fast as I can, you may be using a nib that's flows too slow for your purpose.


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## Jaywalk3r (Jun 22, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> I switched to ballpoints with either Parker, Cross, or Waterman ballpoint refills. (The 3 smoothest BP refills out there).



Speaking of long life writing utensils, I've been using one particular Parker refillable ball point pen for 20 years now, although I've had to refill it a few times.


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## Monocrom (Jun 22, 2009)

jzmtl said:


> Really? The only way I can get my pens to skip is to scratch lines on paper as fast as I can, you may be using a nib that's flows too slow for your purpose.


 
I tried switching from a medium to a broad nib. It helped a bit. But not enough for my tastes. I write _very _quickly.


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## jzmtl (Jun 22, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> I tried switching from a medium to a broad nib. It helped a bit. But not enough for my tastes. I write _very _quickly.



It's not as much as nib size but the slit size. You can widen it and have it flow faster.


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## turbodog (Oct 5, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> Well, it's been about a year and a half. How's the pencil holding up?



Just fine. Will be many years before another sharpening is required. 

Actually will try and hand this pencil down to one of my kids when they start college. Currently, they are 6 and 2.


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## turbodog (Oct 5, 2009)

Qoose said:


> I've actually been able to stick with the same mechanical pencil for 3 years. These things never break. I get really sad whenever I lose a mechanical pencil, since I've only ever used about 5 in my entire life.
> 
> Do a lot of people people really never touch a pencil anymore? I run through so many tubes of lead and a few reams of paper writing stuff in pencil, it blows my mind to never have to sharpen a normal pencil.



I've still got the 2 mechanical pencils from my freshman college year. Still use one of them, the .5 mm. That was 19 years ago.


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## John_Galt (Oct 7, 2009)

I've ahd a very good experience with Pentel P205 drafting mechanical pencils (0.5mm). I actually had one that I used evryday from 5th grade till the middle of 9th grade (someone borrowed it, and it walked away).

Has a good, solid feel in your hand, nice metal tip, good tight clip, has a good eraser, and holds a ton of lead. If you can keep track of it, it'll last you years.

Not overly expensive, but not cheap. My local Staples has a two pack for $7.99.


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## benchmade_boy (Oct 8, 2009)

I found a mechanical pencil in my dads collection that I liked, been using it for a while now. It has huge lead in it, like double or bigger than the typical .7 lead. I find that when Im at school and I stick a regular mechanical pencil in my pocket the lead always breaks. Every time. But when Im at home and really using the pencil a lot I get the one I got from my dad, it never has fialed me. even climing under vehicle and tractors has not broken it. I do not know where to get lead from as I have never seen any in stores. I think the pencil was from around the 60's as it has a qoute on it like 20 year anniversary. The eraser is long dried up, but i never need it. Great pencil none the less, why dont they make them like this anymore?


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## jzmtl (Oct 8, 2009)

benchmade_boy said:


> I found a mechanical pencil in my dads collection that I liked, been using it for a while now. It has huge lead in it, like double or bigger than the typical .7 lead. I find that when Im at school and I stick a regular mechanical pencil in my pocket the lead always breaks. Every time. But when Im at home and really using the pencil a lot I get the one I got from my dad, it never has fialed me. even climing under vehicle and tractors has not broken it. I do not know where to get lead from as I have never seen any in stores. I think the pencil was from around the 60's as it has a qoute on it like 20 year anniversary. The eraser is long dried up, but i never need it. Great pencil none the less, why dont they make them like this anymore?



Size like regular pencil lead? You can find mechanical pencil use those and refills at any office store, next to the drafting supplies.


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## LukeA (Oct 8, 2009)

Yeah, that just sounds like a normal clutch pencil.


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## SilentK (Oct 8, 2009)

I also like to use the classic wooden pencil. :wave: Fo general scratch stuff, like doing math or writting quick little notes that will not be needed for long, i perfer a 3h pencil that i have had for about a year now. But for neater stuff i like a softer 2b. I am not a big fan of mechanical pencils, i like wood.


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## LukeA (Oct 8, 2009)

SilentK said:


> I also like to use the classic wooden pencil. :wave: Fo general scratch stuff, like doing math or writting quick little notes that will not be needed for long, i perfer a 3h pencil that i have had for about a year now. But for neater stuff i like a softer 2b. I am not a big fan of mechanical pencils, i like wood.



I like mechanical pencils because it always bothered me to waste 2/3 of the lead by volume (and half the eraser by volume) in a wooden pencil.


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## UVLaser (Oct 10, 2009)

I found that using .022" diameter silver bearing solder in a 0.5mm Pentel PD345 works when you want light marks and a unbreakable lead no matter how many times the pencil falls.
Also aluminum wire works, been using a piece of wire in a pentel RSVP for awhile now, but again light marks. Lead works but its hard to come by in wire form.


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## turbodog (Nov 17, 2011)

Well, kids are now 8 and 4 and it's still rocking along. Only 10 more years and the oldest can carry it with them off to college.


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## StarHalo (Nov 17, 2011)

Bic Atlantis; a pair of decent plastic clutch pencils with a pack of leads and erasers included, everything you need for years of use in one package, and it's no big deal if you lose one, five bucks.


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## dudemar (Nov 17, 2011)

Not to go too off-topic, but I've been using a Pentel P205 mechanical pencil for years. Lead always needs replacing, but the pencil is very reliable. I have several now that I think about it, lol.


This is when I got into retractable tips. I liked them because of the fact it didn't poke me when it sat in my shirt pocket. I bought a Staedtler mechanical pencil made in Germany a while back. I liked the retractable tip, but it didn't take much effort to poke the tip out, which can hurt. I bought a Japanese (can't remember the brand) retractable tip with plastic casing, but the casing cracked with heavy use. Lasted a long time and I loved it, but it cost about $25 at the time. Not a cheap replacement. I ended up buying another one in different caliber, parted the casing and replaced it with my cracked one.


Ironically an easy, cost effective solution was a black Bic pen cap put right on top of the Pentel. I use a blue one because I ran out of black, but the solution works very well and is very attractive.

Sorry to go so off topic! Prior to my Flashaholism I was a Pencilholic as you can tell! Besides who on earth would spend $20 on a mechanical pencil? Right??? Aagh it's a disease I tell you, get the monkey off my back!


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## Mr Bigglow (Nov 18, 2011)

I've got a casual collection of fountain pens and antique mechanical pencils, one of which, a truly lucky find, was made by the Yard'o'led company and is effectively eternal because it consists of a hard (but unrated) graphite cylinder which is itself about the same diamater and 2/3 as long as an average modern-day stick pen. The body is (allegedly) sterling silver and it was made around 1900. Of course I don't carry it around or use it much, so it really IS eternal as far as that goes.


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## Launch Mini (Nov 18, 2011)

I use a mechanical pencil daily.
Prefer .7mm 2B lead so it can scan clearly.
I go through a ton of leads. Even though we are "paperless" I still "write up" on clients documents before scanning.
However, the soft leads are not great on my Mont Blanc. It crapped out in about a year. They replaced it free, and the second lasted about as long.


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## LukeA (Nov 18, 2011)

Launch Mini said:


> I use a mechanical pencil daily.
> Prefer .7mm 2B lead so it can scan clearly.
> I go through a ton of leads. Even though we are "paperless" I still "write up" on clients documents before scanning.



Why? Get a Wacom tablet and use Skim, man. The time for paper business documents has truly passed. I hand write all over pdfs in full color without paper every day.


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## Echo63 (Nov 19, 2011)

I have a 0.7mm mechanical pencil somewhere here That I "borrowed" of my dad back when I was in high school, that was 10 years ago, and he has had 4 or 5 of them floating around for at least 10 years before that.

I also have one of the pencils Starhalo posted about, they are pretty good, and nice and cheap, I have one sitting in my desk at work (I prefer writing with a 2b mechanical pencil, and my Wacom tablet actually has a similar feel)


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## Launch Mini (Nov 20, 2011)

The largest lead consumption would be on our client "take in notes" where we are noting various bits of info. Often writing notes on stickies an attaching to clients sourc documents (don't always want to mark up originals ). 
I do add notations to PDFs but many times that is not the mis efficient. Sounds odd but it is. 
Quite often I am making thes notes for a junior staff who des the grin work , scanning etc. then back to me. 
I used to go thru way more leads but sing the 2b softer = wears out quicker.


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## Burgess (Dec 27, 2012)

This is STILL an interesting thread !



I've been using a Paper-Mate 0.7mm side-clicker (transparent plastic)
for the past 2 years or so, and have NEVER broken a lead ! ! !
:-O
Use Pentel " B " leads in it, and that's perfect for my needs.
I work on a LOT of Sudoku puzzles !


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## flatline (Dec 27, 2012)

I just recently got back into pencils. I had been using pens almost exclusively the last decade or so but then found my old 0.3mm pentel mechanical pencil that I used all through college and grad school and decided to give it a try again. It wrote so nice, especially when I switched from HB to 2B that I bought a handful of 0.3mm drafting pencils to see which I liked best. Now I'm taking all my notes with drafting pencils.

I still use pens when marking up hardcopy (blue and red stand out nice against printed code) and my beater space pen is still always on me.

Maybe in a year the renewed novelty will wear off and I'll go back to pens, but it's been fun exploring the different drafting pencils out there.

--flatline


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## dudemar (Dec 28, 2012)

Still using my Pentel P205. I couldn't find it for a while so I bought a few "EZ#2" AX17's in the meantime. 2 for $1! Made in Japan so the quality's there, but it's not quite the same as the P205. After doing house cleaning I found the P205. The difference is remarkable. It feels like a precision writing instrument when I take chemistry/geometry notes.


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## Qoose (Dec 28, 2012)

Well. It's been a few years since page 1 of this thread. I'm pretty sure I still have the same pencil. Pentel products do indeed last a lifetime. I've also have not refilled it since the last time I dumped 180 pieces of .5mm lead into it. Maybe I should count them and see how many I've gone through.

I prefer to do most of my work in dark pen now. The page contrast actually helps me actually see my thoughts on a page. Pens run out of ink faster than a pencil loaded to the gills though, so I might be on the hunt for a new pen model soon.


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## flatline (Dec 30, 2012)

Qoose said:


> Pens run out of ink faster than a pencil loaded to the gills though, so I might be on the hunt for a new pen model soon.



It depends on the pen. I gave up on gel pens because I'd run one out in 2 weeks or less. My main pens all use space pen refills and I've gone through about 4 refills in 10 years which is perfectly acceptable to me. They will probably last longer now that I'm taking most of my notes in pencil.

--flatline


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## Qoose (Jan 1, 2013)

flatline said:


> It depends on the pen. I gave up on gel pens because I'd run one out in 2 weeks or less. My main pens all use space pen refills and I've gone through about 4 refills in 10 years which is perfectly acceptable to me. They will probably last longer now that I'm taking most of my notes in pencil.
> 
> --flatline



Actually, I do have a space pen. One replacement later, it still doesn't hold a nib to how much use my pencil sees. Plus I like darker pens like gel based ones.


I have a slightly gross story. I found one of my 'backup' pencils, aka the one that I use when I'm not at my desk. It's always in my bag, and has also seen a few years of use. It got shipped and stored for a few months this year. Now these pencils have a rubber pad in the finger area for grip. Over the years, I've noticed that a new pencil has a different color and feel than a well used pencil, from all of the skin oils seeping in. This pencil, between the summer heat and winter cold contracting the ruibber, and maybe the atmospheric pressure change of going over Colorado, had pushed all of the oil out of the grip. In the pen holder it was clipped to. Fairly sure that's what happened since my nyogel was nowhere nearby. :duh2::duh2::sick2: 

Speaking of rubber grip, does anyone else have a noticeable bump of skin on their fingers where you hold a writing utensil? It's like the mark of having written too many essays.


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## flatline (Jan 2, 2013)

Qoose said:


> Speaking of rubber grip, does anyone else have a noticeable bump of skin on their fingers where you hold a writing utensil? It's like the mark of having written too many essays.



People who hold the pencil with 2 fingers + thumb who do a lot of writing often get a bump on the side of their middle finger behind the fingernail.

Despite years of elementary teachers trying to correct how I hold my pencil, I hold my pencil with 3 fingers + thumb and so even though I do a lot of writing, I don't get a bump since the pencil rests against my ring finger fingernail instead.

--flatline


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## Illum (Jan 2, 2013)

UVLaser said:


> I found that using .022" diameter silver bearing solder in a 0.5mm Pentel PD345 works when you want light marks and a unbreakable lead no matter how many times the pencil falls.
> Also aluminum wire works, been using a piece of wire in a pentel RSVP for awhile now, but again light marks. Lead works but its hard to come by in wire form.



0____o

pics? I have not tried something like that, how do you insert the solder?


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## turbodog (Jan 8, 2013)

Still got the same pencil. Been several years since it was sharpened.


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## TedTheLed (Jan 8, 2013)

Hey they have a key ring one too;


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## Illum (Jan 8, 2013)

John_Galt said:


> I've ahd a very good experience with Pentel P205 drafting mechanical pencils (0.5mm). I actually had one that I used evryday from 5th grade till the middle of 9th grade (someone borrowed it, and it walked away).
> 
> Has a good, solid feel in your hand, nice metal tip, good tight clip, has a good eraser, and holds a ton of lead. If you can keep track of it, it'll last you years.
> 
> Not overly expensive, but not cheap. My local Staples has a two pack for $7.99.



+1 for Pentel P205, looks professional too... almost "cutting edge"
I have two, one in H and the other in 2B


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## insomnivore (Feb 19, 2013)

Back when I was in high school and had much better eyes, a 0.3mm with 2H or 3H was my preference. I took a whole semester of notes in one class on one 8½x11" sheet of paper. Got an "A" on it too. Some copiers and faxes of that era used thermal paper which had an extra smooth surface to it. That, plus a sharpened lead (yes, I put a point on a 0.3mm), was the way to go for insanely small writing.

I still have all my pencils from way back when (30+ years ago) but now my writing instrument of choice is a chunkier 0.5mm model with 2B "Super Hi-Polymer" lead.


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## BarryG (Nov 13, 2014)

turbodog said:


> Still got the same pencil. Been several years since it was sharpened.



How is the pencil holding up? I need to get some of these!




Barry


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## Jumpmaster (Nov 18, 2014)

I bought my Pentel P205 pencils in 1990 and still have them...they work great!

I generally use the P205s to write in my Field Notes books...I usually prefer gel ink pens, but the pencil doesn't show up on the other side of the pages like the gel ink does.


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## turbodog (Dec 22, 2016)

Rothrandir said:


> What's amazing to me is that you still have it after all these years...
> 
> I go through several boxes of pens a year, I can't comprehend the idea of one pencil sticking around anywhere near that long.



Still got it. Think I have a sharpening coming up in about 5 years though.


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