Number one with a bullet!

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In my previous blog post about uses for stubby pencils, I mused openly about acquiring a bullet pencil to help me make use of (and keep track of!) the last few inches of a pencil before casting it into my big ol’ stub tub. Well, I finally pulled the trigger (pun intended) and ordered an antique bullet pencil of my own!

If you’re not familiar with bullet pencils, I’ll give you the rundown. They are basically an old-school combination of pencil extender and carrying case, shaped like a rifle cartridge (hence the name). In fact, the original bullet pencils were actually made out of surplus ammunition casings. The “bullet” pulls open to reveal a short pencil, which can be plugged back into the casing that acts as a holder. Back in “the day” bullet pencils were, apparently, quite the common promotional item given away for free at the feed store counter or whatever. As far as I can tell, no one is making them anymore — except for a few current-production models that are attempting to revive the format at something like $20 or $30 a pop.

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The Musgrave News, revisited; or why I ditched carpenter pencils forever.

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Imagine my surprise when I fired up the old WordPress dashboard this morning to find my review of the Musgrave News, a pencil that I kind of pooh-poohed, became the most-viewed post on this blog almost overnight. That’s actually appropriate, because the whole reason I went there was to post a little bit more about my experiences with that particular pencil. In the review I panned the News for the purposes of writing, but conceded that it may have niche purposes that I haven’t found.

Well, I think I found one: carpenter pencil. As it turns out, these guys are great for use when marking measurements and cut lines on lumber, sheetrock, and other building materials.

It makes a nice, dark mark which is easy to find when you go to make your cut. I use a lot of lumber which I reclaim from other things I demolish around the house and yard, and the wood is often weathered and gray — the perfect camouflage for hard-leaded pencil marks. Not with the Musgrave News! Its rich, black graphite really stands out, which saves me a lot of time and frustration when I don’t have to scour the length of an 8-foot board to find my mark.

The fact that the lead is soft doesn’t seem to matter, because all pencils lose their point fast in this line of work. In fact, the soft lead might even be a plus: other, more brittle pencil tips often snap off when marking on things like wood, but the News doesn’t.

I reckon I’ll be putting my box of Musgrave News pencils out in the tool shed!

Pencil Review: Masterart Wood 2B

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Thailand, I discovered, is a great place to be if you’re a pencil dork. Things there generally run a little cheaper than they do in the west, which is always nice. The state of the Thai retail economy is such that the distribution of goods generally seems to flow through market vendors and Mom & Pop shops moreso than big box stores. I also perceived there to be a greater appreciation for stationery-type items, and learned that there are several pencil factories in Thailand which make products for both the domestic and export (to them) markets. All of this combined means that a leisurely stroll down a shop-lined street will often result in stumbling upon a small, dusty stationery shop stocked with a variety of hitherto unknown pencils, all to be had for just a few Baht.

Case in point: the twelve-pack of Masterart Blacklead Wood 2B pencils I picked up in Bangkok for 30 Baht (less than $1, USD). Made by DHA Siamwalla — the same company that makes the Elephant — these are Thai pencils made for Thai writers. I’ve had them stashed in my drawer for over six months, waiting for the right moment to give them a whirl. Today, I’m excited to share my findings with you.

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I think I’m turning Japanese

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I went to Seattle again. That means I went to Kinokuniya again. So, look out for some reviews of Japanese-type pencils and notebooks in the near future (or the far future…my stockpile keeps growing and growing ever larger…)

I’m really stoked about the Section notebook. The paper in it just seems…lovely. I’ll explain more when I write my review! The Mono J pencils I picked up because I eventually want to cover every member of the Tombow Mono family, and then do a big comparison post. Same with the Mitsubishi Uni pencils. And the Guildford pad? I think it’s just kind of funny since it’s all like “hey look at me I’m a hoity toity English flip book old chap…just kidding I’m from Japan!”

Pencil Review: Musgrave News

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I have a confession to make: I have been starting to feel like all pencils are pretty much the same. Sure, there are minor differences to most of them, and some of them deviate from the mean significantly; but it’s definitely been a while since I saw something that was was really, surprisingly different.

And then I met this little guy: The Musgrave News 600 pencil. The Musgrave website alluded to the fact that this ungraded pencil writes a bit different than the rest of their products, even going so far as to say that it is “very soft”. But I wasn’t at all prepared for what was in store for me when I finally got around to giving it a whirl!

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Pencil Review: Moon Try-Rex

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Of the few pencil-makers still producing writing sticks in the USA, Moon Products, Inc. is probably the most stealthy. Their Tennessee plant cranks out countless lines of promotional and inspirational pencils, as well as pencils sold under other brands’ labels. The product lines that Moon puts out under it’s own name mostly fly under the radar, needles in the proverbial haystack. However, among the few models of pencil that they christen with their brand is an iconic American classic: the Try-Rex.

The Try-Rex is actually an invention of Richard Best Pencils, way back when, and was the first triangular pencil produced in the United States. Eventually Best’s outfit was bought up by the J.R. Moon company (which was later bought out itself) and its catalog folded into Moon’s holdings. However, the Try-Rex lives on, with homage paid to its originator in the B46 model number — B for “Best” — and is still made in the States, where it all began. I picked up a few of the standard-sized models so that I could give Moon pencils some love on the ol’ blog. Here, without further ado, is my review of the Try-Rex.

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Eraser Review: General’s All Art

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General Pencil Co. is best-known as one of the oldest pencil companies in the United States, and one of the few that are still making pencils right here in the US of A — Jersey City, to be precise, where they’ve been making pencils for 127 years. They’re not a one-trick pony though, because pencils aren’t all they make. One of the most important features of the graphite pencil is that it is erasable; naturally, then, General’s has several eraser products, including this cute little guy: the All Art eraser.

I originally picked the All Art up because, why not? They’re cheap. They’re cute. You can never have too many erasers. Sadly it has been overlooked as it languished in my to-review drawer, overshadowed by its relatively gargantuan neighbors. Until now! It’s time for the General’s All Art to shine on the big stage. Let’s see if it can hang with the big boys, shall we?

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Sharpener Review: KUM Automatic Long Point (Blackwing edition)

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Pencil sharpeners seem like they’re a dime a dozen. That is, until you begin searching for that coveted ultra long point. The urge to find the ultimate long-point sharpener is kind of like Hepatitis B: some people get it and it just never goes away. A sharpener that reliably generates an elegant, long taper is even more elusive in hand-blade format.

Esteemed German manufacturer KUM has attempted to solve this issue with their Automatic Long Point sharpener. I purchased this sharpener without necessarily intending to review it, and have been using it off and on for several months now, so I reckon I’m highly-qualified to give you the dirt on it. In this case, I’ll be reviewing the Blackwing-branded model, although I’m pretty sure that there is no difference between this and the “white label” model other than the screen-printed Blackwing logo. So keep reading, long-point enthusiasts; because herein lies an in-depth look at one of the most popular long-point hand sharpeners on the market today.

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Pencil Review: Chung Hwa 6151 (HB)

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Don’t tell Donald Trump that I told you this, but I’ve been ordering more pencils from China. It’s also been a minute since I’ve delved into my giant stash and reviewed one of them. Sure, I’ve reviewed a few pencils that were made in China in recent weeks, but I think it’s high time to look at a another pencil made for China.

A while back, I took a look at the Chung Hwa 101; a pencil which is marketed as a drawing pencil, but is often used for writing. However, China First Pencil Co. also makes a dedicated writing pencil, the Chung Hwa 6151. I picked up a package of these to have a look at, and gave them a thorough review.

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