I was in the Home Depot and walked past this. 15 round pencils with all wood and great lead. The price was $3.49. That also includes a sharpener that you  put in your hand drill. I like the looks of it and being round it will fit in my compass. I looked it up on their web page and was surprised that it was priced at $10. Big difference from what I  paid.

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Depot-Round-Pencils-Pro-Sharp/dp/B009D20LY6

 

Anyway they sharpened great without breaking, something I'm not used to and made a clear mark. I don't know about hardness, it don't say on the pencil, web site or package. I tried it and like it. Will report on them as I start to use them.

 

 

I don't why it is but round pencils are just better. Might sound like I'm kidding but not so. Always get them when I can. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Steve

Hope the price is not $10. It did include a good sharpener. 10 revolutions on slow speed with my drill sharpened got a very fine point

2 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

I don't why it is but round pencils are just better. Might sound like I'm kidding but not so. Always get them when I can. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Steve

Your right Steve, I think because inherently round is just a stronger structure, did that make sense?

I've been using cheap mechanical pencils made by PaperMate. They are the SHARPWRITER #2. Don't need to worry about sharpening and they do have a good eraser and pocket clip that helps keep it in my shirt pocket.

1 hour ago, Kelso Chris said:

I've been using cheap mechanical pencils made by PaperMate. They are the SHARPWRITER #2. Don't need to worry about sharpening and they do have a good eraser and pocket clip that helps keep it in my shirt pocket.

That'll work too Chris, great suggestion! I forgot all about Papermate.

I like using the 0.5mm Bic pencils because they are cheap and can be left laying around the shop and are self sharpening.  Like Ron said the wood round ones fit the compasses better.  That is a good price.

 

Dan 

I use a .7 pentel mechanical pencil (I have to heavy of a hand for a .5). Sometimes I will use a wood pencil, but not very often. But that is a GREAT price for what you get.

Edited August 18, 20169 yr by Chips N Dust

My shop pencils always get sharpened on my belt sander....

 I bought two of pencil packages. I didn't wear them out, I lost most of them and still find one now and then hiding out in places you'd never suspect. Then my wife came in the shop with a handful of them. She would take them out of my shirt pocket as she was tossing them in the washer and put them in a cup on the shelf. After the cup got full, she'd bring them to me

Seems I just find pencils all over the place . Most of what I use at work stations are 3 inch or less so if the pencil I find is crushed on one end the other is good.

I keep hearing Ticonderoga pencils are very best.   I walk past the display at Costco and am tempted, but think I'll die before I use them all, being "Costco-sized".   After all, I am still using a couple of the pencils labeled "The Ohio State University" that I got between 50 and 46 years ago, and I only got two or three of them.   Normally I use the Pentel 0.5mm, or lately some Papermate 0.7 that I got at a odd lots store for cheap.   I also have half a dozen carpenter's pencils I use for rough layout marking.   I also usually pick up a couple of freebie #2 at the state fair every year or two.

16 minutes ago, kmealy said:

After all, I am still using a couple of the pencils labeled "The Ohio State University" that I got between 50 and 46 years ago

The life expectancy of a pencil in my shop, causes unknown, is considerably shorter. 

I buy vintage mechanical pencils at flea markets.  I like the thicker lead when touching them to spinning wood at the lathe.  Since the pencil marks are always removed while turning the thicker lead isn't a problem.  There are 1.3mm pencils sold that work well but are hare to find.  The last ones I bought were Sponge Bob pencils.  The vintage pencils also last longer in the metal shop.