OldTools Archive
Recent | Bios | FAQ |
250367 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑12 | Round pencils |
GGs; If you are the other galoot who prefers round wooden pencils to the hexagonal variety and have trouble finding them, I just got six from these folks: http://fieldnotesbrand.com/shop/">http://fieldnotesbrand.com/shop/ (I also like their notebooks but do not advise leaving a red-covered one in your pants pocket when it goes into the washing machine). Lee Valley used to carry round #2 pencils but don't any more. They're a little spendy, but I figure I have a good five-year supply, so the amortization works out OK. -- Steve in Kokomo |
|||
250369 | "Chuck Taylor" <cft98208@g...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Steve in Kokomo wrote that he > prefers round wooden pencils to the > hexagonal variety and [has] trouble finding them The Galootish thing to do would be to just buy the hexagonal ones and turn them round using a pole lathe. Or pound them through a dowelling jig. Or what about a Stanley #77 doweling machine? Cheers, Chuck Taylor grinning, ducking, and running north of Seattle |
|||
250371 | CheekyGeek <cheekygeek@g...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
That's hilarious, Chuck. As some of you probably know the Holy Grail of pencils was the Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602. They are round, not hexagonal. You have a chance to get a box of 8 on eBay right now, if you like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-BLACKWING-602-VINTAGE-EBERHARD-FABER-PENCILS- WITH-ORIGINAL-BOX-/331315141490">http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-BLACKWING-602 -VINTAGE-EBERHARD-FABER-PENCILS-WITH-ORIGINAL-BOX-/331315141490 They routinely bring $40-50 each. Well recently a company called Palomino is trading on the name: http://www.amazon.com/Palomino-Blackwing- Pencils-12-Count/dp/B006CQWILK">http://www.amazon.com/Palomino-Blackwing- Pencils-12-Count/dp/B006CQWILK They get good reviews, but it is not clear to me if they are really the same formulation, but I think I'm going to give them a try. I recall my dad, who was an assistant manager at a Safeway store (before they closed down the whole central U.S. division) bringing home pencils that (I seem to recall were branded IBM) and they were, I believe Eberhard Faber Dark Wing 602s. Writing or sketching with them was BLISS, not like the hard graphite crap in pencils today. Just wondering if anyone else remembers these wonderful old tools. Darren Addy Kearney, Nebraska A man understands one day that his life is built on nothing, and that's a bad, crazy day. - Cosmo Castorini, Moonstruck On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 7:15 PM, Chuck Taylor |
|||
250372 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Two reasons - (1) I hadn't really thought about it, but I think round is more comfortable because it feels bigger in my big hands - maybe the flats on a hexagon reduce the effective diameter. (2) I have a few Wm. Johnson loose-leg wing dividers and it just seems that a round pencil fits better when I use one as a compass. Haven't tried the carpenter's pencils - I just grab something from the borg because I don't use them very often. For joinery, I use a knife or a .3mm mechanical pencil with a 2H or HB lead. Steve in Kokomo On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 6:07 PM, Daniel Miller |
|||
250375 | Gary Roberts <toolemera@m...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Here is what I do: In a V shaped jig, place the hexagonal pencil lengthwise. With a low angle block plane, ground to 31 degrees, begin relieving each arris, working your way around the pencil. As you consecutively relieve the arris produced by each pass of the plane, you will notice that the arris’ will increase in number, but increase in the degree at which they meet. When you have completed this process, the final arris of each joining will be undetectable to the touch. Best of luck! Gary ............................... Gary Roberts http://toolemera.com http://toolemerabooks.com "I'ld rather read a good book, than write a poor one." Christopher Morley On Sep 12, 2014, at 9:28 AM, Steve Jones |
|||
250378 | Darrell & Kathy <larchmont@s...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Steve is Jonesing for some pencils: > If you are the other galoot who prefers round wooden pencils to the > hexagonal variety and have trouble finding them, I just got six from > these folks: http://fieldnotesbrand.com/shop/">http://fieldnotesbrand.com/shop/ I got these last year at one of the Tool Group meetings. Cheaper than new, and I really like those fat old sketching pencils. Plus the advertising is cool. http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencils.jp g">http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencils.jpg And a few years back I got this odd kit at a yard sale in Verona ON. It shows some of the steps in manufacturing a pencil. I suspect some bits are missing, but it was cool enough to entice me into buying it. http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencil_kit .jpg">http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencil_kit.jp g -- Darrell LaRue Oakville ON Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User |
|||
250379 | Don Schwartz <dks@t...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
On 9/12/2014 7:43 PM, Darrell & Kathy wrote: > And a few years back I got this odd kit at a yard sale in Verona ON. > It shows some of the steps in manufacturing a pencil. > I suspect some bits are missing, but it was cool enough to > entice me into buying it. > > http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencil_k it.jpg">http://galootcentral.com/components/cpgalbums/userpics/10074/pencil_kit. jpg If you crave one of these kits - or know someone who would ... http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS- HOWPEN">http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-HOWPEN Don |
|||
250380 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
CG; I don't think the ones on Amazon are round - the base of the cone produced by sharpening is round if the pencil is round, scalloped if the pencil is hexagonal. My $.02 Steve in Kokomo On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 8:27 PM, CheekyGeek |
|||
250381 | "John M. Johnston" <sgt42rhr@a...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Shape is less important to me than hardness. I like a No. 4 or better for most fine layout work where a pencil is a better choice than a knife. I've been getting them from art supply stores. Cheers, John John M. Johnston “P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried; therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
|||
250382 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
No, no, no. The problem with making a hexagonal pencil round by subtraction (planing, turning, dowel machine, dowel plate) is that you make it smaller in diameter. That would negate both the comfort factor and the fit in the divider. You could make long, skinny scales to glue onto the flats (with hide glue, of course), but that seems excessive. Steve in Kokomo devoting entirely too much thought to this.... On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 8:49 PM, Gary Roberts |
|||
250383 | David Nighswander <wishingstarfarm663@m...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Snip From: Steve Jones No, no, no. The problem with making a hexagonal pencil round by subtraction (planing, turning, dowel machine, dowel plate) is that you make it smaller in diameter. That would negate both the comfort factor and the fit in the divider. You could make long, skinny scales to glue onto the flats (with hide glue, of course), but that seems excessive. Steve in Kokomo devoting entirely too much thought to this.... Unsnip Excessive? Perhaps. Genius in concept though. I propose coopering a pencil holder that will accept the less appealing shape and envelop it in a wooden sheath of the appropriate diameter and heft. Perhaps jarra or cocobolo in the absence of ebony, the hands down favorite. Or just buy the 8 pencils at $50.00 each and sit in a darkened room muttering, “My Precious, My Precious” Written by a guy who has spent many an hour cleaning the saw plate, refinishing the handle, sharpening the teeth, and (take a deep breath) polishing the brass on a D8. It just looks stunning in the saw rack, and feels way too good in use. |
|||
250384 | Bob Miller <bobprime@b...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Another really good place to look for round pencils is an art store. I use Derwent sketching pencils that come in a variety of hardnesses and they are all round. Really comfortable in the hand too and nice lead. Also you can often find all kind of other weird and neat things in an art store like various kinds of linseed oil. Bob |
|||
250385 | Michael Blair <branson2@s...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
> Well recently a company called Palomino is trading on the name: The photo shows one of these sharpened, and as someone pointed out, these are hexagonal. > Writing or sketching with them was BLISS, not like the hard graphite > crap in pencils today. Hard graphite is not modern crap. Graphite has come in different levels of hardness for many decades. > Just wondering if anyone else remembers these wonderful old tools. Remember them? I sold them at my grandfather's art and office supply store. Those that aren't advertising give away pencils are marked with their hardness. Most common hardness is No. 2, followed by No. 2 1/2 (some companies call this one No. 2 A). I used to get the No.4 pencils for writing and taking notes because they don't smudge. You can find what the numbers mean on the Ticonderoga site at: http://www.dixonticonderoga.com/ Ticonderoga is one of the premium pencils on the market, always has been. Round pencils are still available, too. They are frequently found in advertising freebies (easier to put the logo on a round). The one in front of me right now is a freebie from the Society of California Archivists that I picked up at the California Archives Crawl last year. Good pencil, good graphite. They just aren't difficult to find. You really like fatter pencils? Try Koh-I-Noor Triogrph pencils: http:/ /kohinoorusa.com/products/pencils/graphite/trio/index.php They're not round, but triangular, and very comfortable. The triangular cross section is a good deal more ergonomic than a simple round. Trying to find the optimal hardness or softness for your use? Look at the Koh-I-Noor Toison D'Or offered in 20 degrees from 10H to 8B offered in 20 degrees from 10H to 8B: http://koh inoorusa.com/products/pencils/graphite/index.html Koh-I-Noor has always made premier grade graphite pencils, especially for artists and draftsmen. Like Eberhard? Eberhard was acquired by Staedtler in 1978, and Staedtler is still in business, manufacturing and selling premium grade pencils, though only the hexagonal sort. I bought a Staedtler drawing pencil for sketching when I was in Australia back in '06, and it's a fine pencil. Paying $40 to $50 each for a vintage pencil just for use is, well, ridiculous. Office supply use pencils may have gone to inferior quality, but artists still demand quality. There's no advantage to buying a 30 year old collector pencil when brand new pencils of the same quality are easily available. Mike in Sacto |
|||
250386 | Christopher Swingley <cswingle@s...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
Galoots, On Sat, Sep 13, 2014 at 4:39 AM, Michael Blair |
|||
250387 | JAMES THOMPSON <oldmillrat@m...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
On Sep 13, 2014, at 10:23 AM, Christopher Swingley |
|||
250390 | Steve Reynolds <s.e.reynolds@v...> | 2014‑09‑13 | Re: Round pencils |
On Sep 13, 2014, at 1:23 PM, Christopher Swingley |
|||
250391 | "Adrian Jones" <adrianjones747@c...> | 2014‑09‑13 | RE: Round pencils |
"... it was clear that Todd thought I was brain damaged for being so happy with a pack of pencils..." Regards, Steve----------------------------------------------------------------------- - Reminds me of the time I was in cube ville. I had developed a passion for old fountain pens (old tool, if ever there was). There was a fair bit of handwriting with the job so it worked out well. There is less stress on your hand, compared to writing with a ballpoint. One of the joys was going to the break room and flushing out and cleaning the pens (I had at least half a dozen, each with a different ink). Heaven, because it looks like you are working. Anyways, the guy in the next cubicle commented on the "fancy pen" I was using. I jumped up and laid into the history of fountain pens, the many varied filling mechanisms, the lovely shades of ink, all the different manufacturers, here and abroad. After about a minute I could actually see his eyes glaze over and he says "Oh my God, is that the time, I'm late for a meeting" and he ran away. A minute later I seen him sneaking back on tip-toe to his cube. I should have jumped up again but I was content with an evil smile to myself. Cheers! |
|||
250396 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑13 | RE: Round pencils |
Alf? Are you there? Sent from my Galaxy S5 On Sep 13, 2014 5:04 PM, "Adrian Jones" |
|||
250399 | Michael Blair <branson2@s...> | 2014‑09‑14 | RE: Round pencils |
Ya know, nobody was condemning anyone for buying really great pencils. But paying the reported $40 to $50 for one pencil, one that is no longer made and is no better than top flight pencils still in production is both foolish and wasteful if you are just buying it to use it up. Artist grade Kohinoor and Staedtler graphite pencils sell for around $1.50 each. Not cheap, but far from the going prices on Eberhard pencils. They are every bit as good, and are not a non-renewable resource. If you want artist quality pencils, go to the nearest art supply store and ask for "artist grade" pencils, not "student grade." Some are hex, and others are round. I don't mind paying for good pencils. I have Kohinoors and Staedtlers, and I use them. That's not the issue. Mike in Sacto |
|||
250404 | "Chuck Taylor" <cft98208@g...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
Steve wrote: > No, no, no. The problem with making a hexagonal pencil round by subtraction > (planing, turning, dowel machine, dowel plate) is that you make it smaller > in diameter. That would negate both the comfort factor and the fit in the > divider. No problem! Just pound the pencil through the dowel plate to make it round, then wrap it with duct tape to restore it to the desired diameter. :-) Cheers, Chuck Taylor north of Seattle |
|||
250405 | Steve Jones <stjones@k...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
Now you're on to something - wrap with several layers of silk fly-rod-building thread and give it a coat of varnish. Classy! On Sat, Sep 13, 2014 at 9:35 PM, Chuck Taylor |
|||
250406 | Don Schwartz <dks@t...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
On 9/13/2014 7:35 PM, Chuck Taylor wrote: > Steve wrote: > >> >No, no, no. The problem with making a hexagonal pencil round by subtraction >> >(planing, turning, dowel machine, dowel plate) is that you make it smaller >> >in diameter. That would negate both the comfort factor and the fit in the >> >divider. > No problem! Just pound the pencil through the dowel plate to make it round, then wrap it with duct tape to restore it to the desired diameter. OR you could turn a bunch of tiny hollow rings on your mini-lathe and glue them on to give a nicely ribbed surface! Don |
|||
250408 | John Holladay <docholladay0820@g...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
Normal pencil cost $0.10. Galoots pencil cost $40.00. On Sep 13, 2014 8:57 PM, "Don Schwartz" |
|||
250409 | Thomas Conroy <booktoolcutter@y...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
Michael Blair wrote: "Remember them? I sold them at my grandfather's art and office supply store. Those that aren't advertising give away pencils are marked with their hardness. Most common hardness is No. 2, followed by No. 2 1/2 (some companies call this one No. 2 A). I used to get the No.4 pencils for writing and taking notes because they don't smudge." Just a bit to add to Michael's comments. One problem with modern office-supply brands is that they aren't consistent from maker to maker. They are all numbered #2, but they are all over the place in hardness. I'm more annoyed by the lack of concentricity of the leads, so that sharpening leaves a long splinter of wood all the way to the tip; and by the brittleness of modern lead, so that the point breaks off below the wood before you even finish sharpening. Artists' pencils do seem the way to go, if you are picky, and actually buy your pencils (mine seem to appear magically, especially after I visit libraries, or sometimes on the sidewalk.) It helps if you understand the numbering system, which is different from ordinary pencils. From a central point labelled "HB" the numbers rise in two directions, toward H which is hard and therefore pale, and toward B which is black and therefore soft. The steps are by two numerals, so that a run from a moderately hard to a moderately black would be 4H - 2H - HB - 2B -4B. I still have a lot of my mother's, and others I bought myself in the early '80s. The numbers for common-or-sidewalk pencils, back when they meant anything, seem to have corresponded roughly to the hard side of the artist's-pencil scale, so that a No.4 was something like a 4H and a No.2 approximated a 2H. I even remember seeing, long ago, yellow hexagonal pencils labeled "HB". With artists' pencils you will probably want a push-on eraser or a separate eraser. The white plastic kind are less abrasive, and they don't leave crumbs of rubber embedded in the paper. Or, I expect, in the wood. The rubber is bad because it decays quickly, though I don't recall ever seeing damage I could blame on that cause. It seems to me that the white plastic ones work better as well, but I've got no objective basis for that. Tom Conroy If you like the kind that are two feet long, and can be tied in knots, I can't help you. Ask a school kid. Berkeley |
|||
250410 | "Adam R. Maxwell" <amaxwell@m...> | 2014‑09‑14 | Re: Round pencils |
> On Sep 13, 2014, at 23:43 , Thomas Conroy |
|||
Recent | Bios | FAQ |