@jdawg113 said: black Tri-conderogas are top notch, prefer them over reg black ticons
They are great for me, even with smaller hands. Tips never break, stay sharp, and erasers work well and hopefully won't be used often. Thx to @nicole.hopkins for starting this thread - i was practicing with mechanical pencils in my pre-7Sage world of idiocy.
So, I got all three talked about here: the Ticonderoga, the Palomino, and the Mirado Black Warrior. the Palomino is the softest (great for filling in the bubble but it gets dull quick), the Ticonderoga is stays sharp longest but is the lightest, and finally, the Mirado is in the middle - not as dark as the Palomino but stays sharp as long as the Ticonderoga. But since i bought all three, imma taking in all three in various quantities.
Yeah I use the palomino (blackwing 602)'s as well. I need about 5 to comfortably write four sections. I'll probably need 7 for the entire test including the experimental and essay portion.
I heard the palomino pearls are more for writing while the BW 602's are more for drawing. I may try the pearls.
I write everything in pencil, notes for school, messages to myself...everything...I use the Black Ticonderogas. I tried around school supply season to go with cutesy decorated pencils and just hated everything about them... +1 for Black Ticonderogas.
Wow, what an awesome discussion! I love research in all its forms, and having an excuse to buy a dozen different pencils and play with them is fun project. And now I know why my friend, a lawyer, has a mini fetish for pencils and pencil sharpeners and keeps so many pre-sharpened pencils around!
I tried a bunch; the Blackwing Pearl and the Black Tri-Conderoga were my top two choices. Then I tried the Staedtler Wopex and now have a third contender for favorite pencil.
The Wopex is an extruded pencil. Because it's made from wood composite it is dense and feels substantial in the hand (heavy). Holds its point well but is finicky about sharpeners. Not as dark as the Pearl. The eraser is excellent (better than both the Pearl and Tri-Conderoga). The coating feels nice in the hand, better than the Pearl but not as nice as the black Tri-Conderoga.
If you are a pencil spinner, both the Wopex and the black tri-conderoga spin well. :-)
In some of the live videos, you'll see me using the Staedtler pencils. I really like them. I didn't know they're extruded! It's the heft and density that I like. Sometimes I do reflexively spin the pencil and they are well balanced.
Disclosure: I've never used the Blackwing Pearl nor the Black Tri-Conderoga (only the standard yellow which I didn't like).
My Scantron sheet says "use black No2 or HB pencils only", so I'm guessing they are similar enough. The common wisdom of the internets seems to be that a "middle of the scale" HB is pretty much a 2, but none of the scales are truly standardized.
I am a pencil sharpening nazi.. went though about 3 inadequate sharpeners studying for the lsat. I recently purchased the best pencil sharpener I've ever used!
Irrelevant pencil knowledge: Lead types are graded the way they are by 'hardness' - so, a #2 pencil is harder than a #1, but softer than a #3. Standardized testing companies all specify #2 because they're worried about the mechanics of a scantron. #1 pencils smear really easily (leading to stray marks, bad for scantrons), and #3 pencils don't mark quite as darkly due to their hardness (leading to marks not getting picked up, also bad for scantrons). #2s aren't actually different composition-wise than any other pencil lead, that particular level of hardness just strikes the best balance between dark marks and non-smearing.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying that HB is perfectly fine to use because really any pencil is fine to use; it's just that some hardness levels will cause you many more headaches than others, so it's best to stick to #2/HB to strike the balance.
I'm chuckling at this thread because I went through this discussion a few years back with my daughter who is an art major in fashion design. She couldn't believe I didn't know the difference.
Anyway, there isn't an industry standard per se. Generally in the US a No.2 is equivalent to HB. If you're really interested below is a chart from pencils.com showing the gradient of the lightest to darkest. This website also has a great explanation on the graphite grading scale as depicted below.
Just what I've noticed: The Black Warrior tends to have "softer" lead. It dulls a tad quicker than the Ticonderoga. I've found that it's one of the best pencils for bubbling in answers. The Ticonderoga on the other hand, tends to stay sharper for a longer period of time. It's great for logic games. Just my $.02.
Not all the Staedtler pencils are extruded, of course. This is the Wopex extruded pencil I like.
I live near a Maido store so it's easy to test out and buy single pencils. And just like this guy at Pencil Revolution I wouldn't have thought I'd like an extruded pencil. I was surprised by how good it felt in my hand when I picked one up at Maido. They had other Staedlter and Mitsubishi pencils there, as well as the entire Blackwing line, the "limited" edition volume pencils included.
If you like to sharpen to long points, the Carl Angel style sharpeners are great. Work fast, center the pencil so it's not cut at an angle, and stop sharpening automatically. Nice metal body construction. They do make teeth marks on the pencil, though.
But the Tri-conderogas and other big pencils don't fit in the Carl. They do fit in the Dahle 155 but it has a plastic body and the front panel has a strong spring and doesn't have a catch to hold it open to insert the pencil. A little harder to use than the metal Carl. On this one you can adjust the point length (but not angle). It also bites into the body of the pencil.
If the body marks bother you, there is the Classroom Friendly version of this style of sharpener. It has a plastic body, comes in a large hole version, the front panel has a catch point to hold it, and has a larger the normal bin. The pencil clamp has plastic bumpers to hold the pencil instead of teeth so it doesn't mar the pencil body. It does not have a point adjustment screw like the Dahle, however.
Oh, and don't use any of these with the Wopex. It is finicky indeed. A high quality blade sharpener is best with the Wopex.
@cjones76 Indeed, Tri-conderoga's are a pain to sharpen, I have a "sweet" elementary suction cup'd sharpener with all the different size holes, any other options?
I used a child's pencil - MY FIRST TICONDEROGA, they are much fatter than normal pencils - which reduces stress on your hand and also gives you a larger eraser. I kept them in my front jacket pocket for easy grabbing. I didn't bring a sharpener - I had 5 sharpened pencils in my pockets, who needs to waste time sharpening? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rRi39S0hqTo/UYINzis9LpI/AAAAAAAAB-M/3xrKaNMiO1U/s1600/My+First+Ticonderoga.jpg
Ticonderoga for the win although I have never used the triangle variant. Also have never used Staedtler pencils that @"J.Y. Ping" referenced, I will have to give those a look for sure.
For everything else G2 Pens 1.0mm and 0.7mm for review and my Safari and Metro Fountain Pen for notes.
I have the yellow Ticonderogas and they get very dull and I'm constantly sharpening with a pencil sharpener that doesn't really give me a good point. After reading this thread I want to invest in some new pencils. I'm left handed btw. please help!!
Haven't used a pencil in a decently long time... but I stick with my post from way back... Tri-cons all day, they're just so comfy... and feel like a diff material than ticons, all around more comfortable to hold/use... once you find a sharpener that works well they are perf imo
Just had to revive this most excellent thread. Just got in my Palomino Blackwing long point sharpener and it’s pretty rad. Much easier to use than my previous sharpener- the K-Bar BK9. Also, I’m not entirely sure the BK9 would be allowed on test day. Don’t particularly like my Ticonderogas- black or classic, so got some Staedtlers on the way.
@"Can’t Get Right" said: Don’t particularly like my Ticonderogas- black or classic, so got some Staedtlers on the way.
Try the "My First Ticonderogas" that @Edward__ recommended... its amazing and I think it might actually allow bubbling in faster, as it takes less strokes... I think he was really on to something. Looks silly but feels GREAT!
I still am absolute about the Tri-conderoga's - but regret to say my last box had a few pencils that quality control should have caught. I refuse to check Amazon on how many "boxes" I have ordered over the last year. But I was the idiot that started studying with mechanical pencils so I have always been thankful for @"Nicole Hopkins" starting this thread!
@"Cant Get Right" I'm curious to see how it will fare in the long run. I'm on my second sharpener, and the blade that allows for a sharp, fine point dulls quickly. I think they give you a replacement blade though, but I accidentally threw mine away (if there is an extra blade at all, that is). I'm not sure if I'm sharpening too hardcore or what. The sharpener lasts but a month or so for me.
We’ll see @danielznelson! I’m just excited to be tagged! They changed the username rules so I couldn’t have the epiphany in “Can’t” anymore because it was screwing everything up. Oh well, I stuck to my guns as long as I could. Y’all can tag me now, so I guess that’s something.
So my Staedtler Noricas came in. They have a little more weight than the standard Ticonderogas, but the main difference is in the lead. It’s a relatively soft, creamy lead. It doesn’t hold its fresh, razor sharp point quite as long as the harder Ticonderogas, but the softness of the lead reduces the chance of breakage and contributes to a smoother writing feel. Switching back to the Ticonderogas feels really scratchy. But what I really love is that it has a really rich darkness to it. Being used to seeing everything in ink, pencil writing has always felt very unsubstantial to me. But not with the Staedtler. These guys are hearty and bold.
@"Nicole Hopkins" I'm sorry to say I'm not a huge fan of the noricas. They're smooth to the point of being slippery in the hand, and like the above poster said they lose their sharpness very quickly. they do sharpen very well and they don't break, but constantly resharpening them isn't much fun.
I am the idiot who used mechanical pencils while prepping and now I'm having a tough time adjusting to real pencils. The biggest problem for me is having a dull pencil, and I find that the Noricas don't retain their sharp point. For me, having a thin, sharp point is critical when it comes to games. Can anyone recommend a pencil that retains its sharpness? Also I find that the erasers aren't nearly as good as the ones from mechanical pencils. They often leave smudge marks and I don't want to have to deal with this on test day. Can you also recommend an eraser that is effective/neat? Thanks in advance!
Have you tried the Ticonderogas @StopLawying ? If sharpness is your priority, those are the best I've used. I’d also recommend the palomino blackwing sharpener. And whatever you’re using, just make sure you have enough presharpened that you can grab a fresh one as often as you need.
Still advocating for the TRI conderoga's - do not roll on the desk and have the sharpest point using an elementary school sharpener that lasts longer because of the thicker diameter of lead inside the pencil. The erasers are good if you pre-use them before PT but I always keep a white eraser if I have an unfortunate and catastrophic bubbling error on the scantron to recover as quick as possible (hasn't happened yet, but I am heeding the advice of those before me to be prepared.)
@"Cant Get Right" said: just make sure you have enough presharpened that you can grab a fresh one as often as you need.
@StopLawying said: Also I find that the erasers aren't nearly as good as the ones from mechanical pencils. They often leave smudge marks and I don't want to have to deal with this on test day. Can you also recommend an eraser that is effective/neat? Thanks in advance!
Pentel white erasers are amazing, I have actually erased an entire 10 Actual with one... and still have it to use! Just be sure to leave the wrapper at home come test day.
Comments
Thx to @nicole.hopkins for starting this thread - i was practicing with mechanical pencils in my pre-7Sage world of idiocy.
I heard the palomino pearls are more for writing while the BW 602's are more for drawing. I may try the pearls.
Black Ticonderogas. I tried around school supply season to go with cutesy decorated pencils and just hated everything about them... +1 for Black Ticonderogas.
I tried a bunch; the Blackwing Pearl and the Black Tri-Conderoga were my top two choices. Then I tried the Staedtler Wopex and now have a third contender for favorite pencil.
The Wopex is an extruded pencil. Because it's made from wood composite it is dense and feels substantial in the hand (heavy). Holds its point well but is finicky about sharpeners. Not as dark as the Pearl. The eraser is excellent (better than both the Pearl and Tri-Conderoga). The coating feels nice in the hand, better than the Pearl but not as nice as the black Tri-Conderoga.
If you are a pencil spinner, both the Wopex and the black tri-conderoga spin well. :-)
Disclosure: I've never used the Blackwing Pearl nor the Black Tri-Conderoga (only the standard yellow which I didn't like).
Do you guys know if this "HB" Staedtler is considered a "#2" pencil?
It's about $6 from Staples.
Staedtler® Double-Hole Metal Pencil Sharpener
http://www.staples.ca/en/Staedtler-Double-Hole-Metal-Pencil-Sharpener/product_628442_2-CA_1_20001
All of this is a long-winded way of saying that HB is perfectly fine to use because really any pencil is fine to use; it's just that some hardness levels will cause you many more headaches than others, so it's best to stick to #2/HB to strike the balance.
Anyway, there isn't an industry standard per se. Generally in the US a No.2 is equivalent to HB. If you're really interested below is a chart from pencils.com showing the gradient of the lightest to darkest. This website also has a great explanation on the graphite grading scale as depicted below.
The Black Warrior tends to have "softer" lead. It dulls a tad quicker than the Ticonderoga. I've found that it's one of the best pencils for bubbling in answers. The Ticonderoga on the other hand, tends to stay sharper for a longer period of time. It's great for logic games.
Just my $.02.
I live near a Maido store so it's easy to test out and buy single pencils. And just like this guy at Pencil Revolution I wouldn't have thought I'd like an extruded pencil. I was surprised by how good it felt in my hand when I picked one up at Maido. They had other Staedlter and Mitsubishi pencils there, as well as the entire Blackwing line, the "limited" edition volume pencils included.
If you like to sharpen to long points, the Carl Angel style sharpeners are great. Work fast, center the pencil so it's not cut at an angle, and stop sharpening automatically. Nice metal body construction. They do make teeth marks on the pencil, though.
But the Tri-conderogas and other big pencils don't fit in the Carl. They do fit in the Dahle 155 but it has a plastic body and the front panel has a strong spring and doesn't have a catch to hold it open to insert the pencil. A little harder to use than the metal Carl. On this one you can adjust the point length (but not angle). It also bites into the body of the pencil.
If the body marks bother you, there is the Classroom Friendly version of this style of sharpener. It has a plastic body, comes in a large hole version, the front panel has a catch point to hold it, and has a larger the normal bin. The pencil clamp has plastic bumpers to hold the pencil instead of teeth so it doesn't mar the pencil body. It does not have a point adjustment screw like the Dahle, however.
Oh, and don't use any of these with the Wopex. It is finicky indeed. A high quality blade sharpener is best with the Wopex.
I kept them in my front jacket pocket for easy grabbing.
I didn't bring a sharpener - I had 5 sharpened pencils in my pockets, who needs to waste time sharpening?
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rRi39S0hqTo/UYINzis9LpI/AAAAAAAAB-M/3xrKaNMiO1U/s1600/My+First+Ticonderoga.jpg
For everything else G2 Pens 1.0mm and 0.7mm for review and my Safari and Metro Fountain Pen for notes.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/107580/Office-Depot-Brand-Wood-2-Pencils/
I've used this pencil for a bout a year
http://www.amazon.com/Dixon-Ticonderoga-EnviroStiks-Natural-96212/dp/B001UXMBC6/ref=sr_1_17?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1453298932&sr=1-17&keywords=ticonderoga+2+pencils
I have sweaty hands and I feel like a non-paint finish helps me grip better. The office depot pencil is darker and softer but I had to sharpen more often with this decent sharpener
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/591215/tug-2-Hole-Manual-Pencil-Sharpener/
All in all i'm going back to my old pencils with a non paint finish.
I like the Staedtler Noricas as well, but I feel like they get dull pretty quickly
Not only does your hand not cramp, it seems to only need two "swirls" to fill a bubble completely.
I think I found my new pencil! I'll look like a 5 year old but if I save a minute on bubbling time per section I'll take it!!
I refuse to check Amazon on how many "boxes" I have ordered over the last year. But I was the idiot that started studying with mechanical pencils so I have always been thankful for @"Nicole Hopkins" starting this thread!
Also I find that the erasers aren't nearly as good as the ones from mechanical pencils. They often leave smudge marks and I don't want to have to deal with this on test day. Can you also recommend an eraser that is effective/neat? Thanks in advance!