Posts filed under Pencil Reviews

Camel HB Pencil Review

I don’t know why this didn’t hit me before now, but I realized why I have been so taken with wooden pencils: They allow me to write tiny.

That has always been my thing, even since I was a little kid. I always wanted the finest tipped pens and pencils I could find. On the graphite side of the ledger, that meant an 0.5 mm mechanical pencil. I rarely used wooden pencils because they dulled so quickly and sharpeners were generally terrible.

While there were opportunities in the 70’s and 80’s to hunt down wooden pencils and sharpeners that would work for me, they were few and far between. And weren’t a focus honestly. Pentel mechanical pencils were the way to go.

But as the internet tends to do, it opened my eyes. Just how my fascination and exploration of micro-tip gel ink pens came about with this blog, some amazing pencil blogs and fans were spreading the word of the woodcase. I’m glad my ears were clear and my mind was open, because I have found some wonderful writing instruments thanks to these lead-heads.

So, what does this have to do with the Camel HB? I would have never known about this pencil or the company behind it without this wonderful online stationery community we are all a part of. Is it the best pencil I own? No. Is it an excellent pencil? Yes. But to me, the Camel HB represents discovery, learning, and the process of finding the best tools for me.

In my eyes, the Camel HB is a beauty. I like natural looking pencils to begin with, and while this one isn’t raw, the deep caramel lacquer is translucent enough to see the wood grain. And the eraser, well, that’s what made me buy this pencil. I assumed it wouldn’t work or was a gimmick. I assumed incorrectly.

In the pantheon of things that just work, this eraser just works. It erases cleanly with minimal mess, and its attachment to the pencil is rock solid. I keep thinking the other shoe is going to drop, but it never does.

The graphite core of the pencil is very smooth and retains its point well. This goes back to my intro. The longer I can write tiny with a pencil before sharpening, the more I like it. And, the darker the better, which is usually the challenge. And when it dulls, I have several long point sharpeners I can use to top it off, which is a post for another day.

There is something about using wooden pencils. I don’t have to tell most of you that. But for the uninitiated, the choices are as wide and varied as with most pens and inks, and the process of finding the perfect one for you is just as fun.

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Posted on February 13, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Camel, Pencil Reviews.

Kokuyo Enpitsu 1.3 mm Mechanical Pencil Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Out of the wilderness between the mechanical pencil and the lead holder, comes the Kokuyo Enpitsu 1.3 mm mechanical pencil. It was designed to mimic the simplicity of a wooden pencil, but with the convenience of a mechanical. It does achieve this goal, though obviously not without sacrificing some features of both.

The body is fully coated in a soft rubber, which makes it very comfortable to hold, even for long periods of time. It has a very slight triangular shape--just enough to keep it from rolling on a flat surface, but isn't in any way intrusive to how you'd hold the pencil. The lead and metal nose retract completely, so there's no risk of lead marks or breakage in a bag or pocket. The lead feeds in through a hole in the top of the click button. It has the potential to fall back out this way, but it doesn't happen easily. Since I didn't have refills handy, I'm not sure how many pieces of lead it can hold at once, but it doesn't look like there's room for a lot of backup--just the one in use and a spare. And that's really it--there are no removable parts, no eraser, no clip--it really is a cross between a wood pencil and a lead holder.

The 2B lead that comes with it writes like a graphite marker. It's incredibly soft and dark and lays down a thick layer that fully covers the paper beneath. I can see it being very useful for sketching or shading, especially on a larger scale. The thick lead isn't well-suited to fine detail work. It also wears down very quickly, due to its softness. I didn't find it ideal for writing, for that reason. I was having to click new lead every paragraph. The lead is also available in other hardnesses that may be better suited to writing, though the selection is limited due to this unusual diameter.

If you're a sketcher, you probably already have strong feelings about erasers and keep your favorite handy. So not having a redundant eraser on this pencil could very well be a plus. I kind of missed one, though--and even forgot a few times that there wasn't one and kept flipping the pencil around to be disappointed. Admittedly, it would have to be a pretty robust eraser to contend with the thick lines of dark lead put down by this thing. Not one of those tiny cylinders one could mistake for a Tylenol. It could also serve the purpose of sealing off the lead chamber--but then we risk losing Kokuyo's vision of simplicity for this pencil. And I do like its simplicity.

So I keep coming back around to admitting that all the features I'd want to add to this (an eraser, a clip, etc) would just get in the way of its design. It really wants to float in that space between pencil and lead holder, both in form and function--and I don't know of much else that's available to fill that gap in the market. And for under three bucks, you can keep all different lead widths and hardnesses handy with a set of these. They come in a bunch of fun colors, with either .7, .9, or this 1.3 mm lead. Sketchers and drafters will, I think, love this thing.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 9, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Kokuyo, Pencil Reviews.

Palomino Blackwing Volume 344 Pencil Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I'm not a regular user of the Blackwing pencils, but I've been impressed with each of the ones I've had the opportunity to try. And the Volumes Vol. 344 Series, a tribute to Dorothea Lange and her iconic photograph "Migrant Mother", is quite frankly the best pencil I've ever used. It hits all the high points for me.

On the purely practical side of things, this is a really nice lead. It takes a sharp point that doesn't shatter. It lays down a super smooth dark line, but the tip lasts for ages and doesn't wear nearly as fast as you'd think. The lead doesn't smear excessively, either. Any lead smudges a little, but this one stayed put nicely, even when I carried my sketches around. It erases well--leaving just a shadow behind. The eraser does wear down a bit quickly, but it can be replaced if needed. It's a very well-balanced compromise between dark and hard. I've often been frustrated looking for that balance. I think this nails it.

It's a good size in the hand, with a rounded hexagonal barrel. The coated wood is comfortable--smooth but easy to grip. The red foil ferrule keeps the black eraser secure. Everything about it feels solid and well-constructed. The wood smells good when you sharpen it and the shavings are gorgeous. And, maybe my favorite part--it's a creative tribute to a talented woman who highlighted important social issues.

This pencil is beautiful. The colors are meant to mimic what a pencil would look like under the red lights in a photographer's dark room. It's difficult to capture the deep red of the body color--it's a rich burgundy that almost looks like it's glowing from within. The bright red ferrule and black eraser set it off beautifully. They're very passionate colors, which I think are an excellent choice for Dorothea's passion--and compassion--for her photo subjects.

Her documentation of the working poor during the great depression led to intervention, and her photographs of the Japanese interment camps in California during WWII were so stirring that the government locked them away for decades. The red on this pencil doesn't just seem like the red of a darkroom light--there's a fire to it that is truly inspiring. Finally, the volume number, 344, is a nod to where you can locate her photographs in the Library of Congress. That's just so cool.

The reason I haven't used many Blackwing pencils is because they're usually sold by the box--and I just don't need or want that many pencils. Until now. Now I'm looking at my box of pencils and thinking I might need a few backup boxes.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 19, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.