Best Pencil Brands/Sources

[Lew Hodgett]

"Turquoise" was a brand of drafting lead, the lead was supplied in a turquoise colored plastic container.

Can't remember the name of the manufacturer.

Lew

[Steve Turner]

Can't go wrong with an old Boston Champion, KS, or Ranger 55 (unless the sharpening teeth are worn, which happened to me on a Ranger 55 I picked up on eBay). I don't think they make 'em any more (not like they used to anyway), but you should be able to get one in like-new condition off eBay for around $10.

[-MIKE-]

That KS looks identical to what I bought.

[Steve Turner]

As do I. I love my drafting pencils and lead-holders, but for general-purpose use the Papermate Mirado Classic is a good choice, and they sharpen cleanly and easily.

[Steve Turner]

"Looks" identical or "is" identical? New or used? I have two vintage KS sharpeners and one vintage Champion that I got off eBay, and they all cut like butta and make perfect points.

[Bill]

I second that these are great pencils. I go through at least 1/2 gross of them a year and I'm picky about the pencils I use. I continually break the leads in mechanical pencils from pushing down too hard. The Dixon Ticonderoga pencils write nicely smooth.

Bill

[J. Clarke]

> Nice. Mine is actually a "Berol Turquoise 14":

I suspect that the name came about because Turquoise is the brand name of drafting pencils made by Eagle Pencil Company that became Berol in 1969 and was later taken over by Sanford. Turquoise brand pencils and leads are still in production, however Sanford does not appear to be selling a sharpener any longer. The pencils have always been painted a distinctive turquoise color.

[-MIKE-]

New. I'll check ebay. I'm just afraid of getting dull blades.

I see them all the time in thrift stores, but they seem to have been used to sharpen bass drum spurs. :-)

[Lew Hodgett]

RE: Subject

For an electric sharpener, hard to beat:

X-Acto 1744 Heavy-duty electric pencil sharpener, black, 1 Unit

(On eBay)

Lew

[Steve Turner]

Yeah, my understanding is that the new ones can't hold a candle to the vintage Bostons. You're right to be concerned about the possibility of dull cutters on the old models, but if you get a good one it will be worth it. NOS replacement cutters are also not impossible to find.

[notbob]

Obvious to who? My first drafting pencil WAS a high quality wooden pencil, sharpened once in one special sharpener to cut the wood back and again in another sharpener to create the point.

This Johnny did one helluva lot of homework with one. Worked damn good, as I recall. Still had a couple next to my AutoCad workstation some 40 yrs later. Why? It's a great pencil. In fact, it's a work of art. A '48 Cadillac is not the most cutting edge of autos, but it's still a great car. Class has its place, any time.

Geez! ....you'd think a person who allegedly strives to create quality pieces of woodwork would understand. Apparently not.

nb

[notbob]

Yep. Very common in college bookstores back in the 70-80s. Here's a whold history on old drafting pencils and holders:

[notbob]

Yeah. The lead is specially formulated to be smoother writing.

To tell ya the truth, when I found out they still made 'em, I was amazed. I just like the look and feel of 'em. That lush yellow lacquer, that brutally green metallic, the cedar scent when you just sharpen 'em. Just smelling one brings back a flood of childhood memeories. It's a sensual pencil! ;)

I used to have access to any pencil I wanted. Wood, mechanical, drafting, Japanese, German, gold Crosses, etc. I still have dozens of styles and types, from freebie promo carpenter pencils to machine knurled lead holders. But, my favorite pencils of all time are a couple no-longer-made cheapo Scriptos. They are all plastic, cost $.98, use an 0.7 lead, have a twist-up eraser, and have a spring loaded tip to reduce lead breakage. I have 2-3 left and guard 'em with my life. The best pencil in the World is the one that suits your needs.

nb

[Bill]

I like to write with pencils more than anyone I know, but you are in a different league than I am. When my girlfriend found out that I liked Ticonderoga pencils, she sent me a gross of them. Now we're married and I get at least a half-gross of them for Christmas every year. So I've basically got a "life time supply" of Ticonderoga pencils! ;) Basically, I'm just glad a "good pencil" is available. When I have a captive listener, I can pontificate, with awe, on what a powerful tool a pencil is....

Bill

[LD]

A must have for pencil aficionados: The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Henry Petroski

[Lew Hodgett]

Try some "H" grade, STAEDTLER®, Mars®, Lumograph® pencils some time.

Gives a whole new meaning to lead pencils.

Lew

[Andy Dingley]

Derwent (UK, black with a red mark at the top) I'm obsessional about these as my favourite sketching pencils.

Faber Castell or Conte are pretty good too, even Staedtler (cheap as chips locally) - but those bargain-brand cheapies are just plain nasty to use.

A good automatic electric sharpener (Daler) is handy, but my favourite is some old '50s ray-gun shaped hand-cranked sharpener. It has two helical mills inside, not just one, and fortunately they're still sharp. Buying antiques is OK, but it's getting hard to find one where the milling cutters aren't worn out.

[notbob]

I know that Staedtler is the Volkwagon of drafting, my last drafting set being an all Staedtler kit. Not exactly top of the line, but good quality, no doubt. I find the H lumograph to be a cold, hard, pencil. No character. I used it only for layout. I'd like to try a Noris 2B with erasure. Looks like a nice pencil.

nb

[Kevin]

This is the wreck and no one has pointed him at lee valley?

[Leon]

> I just paid 20 bucks for a sharpener with two rotating barrel blades, like > this...

I would say the one I posted above. You put the "mechanical" pencil in the tube on top and the lead contacts a cone shaped cylinder of sand paper. That cone moves around inside as you spin the top with your pencil. The sand paper cone is self adjusting. The point can come out as sharp as a needle and pefectly centered.