Mechanical vs. wood pencils (for you)?

[profmom]

Ds needs a short persuasive speech and is considering his preferred type of pencil for his topic.

 

Which type of pencil do you prefer and why?

[Mrs Mungo]

I hate writing with a pencil of any kind. If I must write with a pencil, then it is non-mechanical because they are less scratchy.

[Unicorn.]

Wood. Mechanical pencil leads break too easy. It does have to have a very sharp, fine point though! :D

[Twigs]

Mechanical every time.

It keeps a sharp point.

Mine does not break very often - I either have very good lead or I know how much pressure to use and how much length to push out (2 clicks!)

I also buy the large kind so my hand does not hurt so much.

[Lara in Colo]

I switched to these http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Mate-Mechanical-Starter-34666PP/dp/B001PV2KYM

 

 

Only I bought the .9mm lead.

All my children use them and no breakage (even the 6yo)

 

I do have a super strict rule about the pencils NEVER, EVER leaving the classroom table. I have cheap mechanical pencils for other things outside of the classroom.

 

 

Lara

[elegantlion]

I use Bic Velocity .9mm. I like that the lead doesn't break as often. I prefer to write with a pen and use Sharpie pens mostly.

 

Ds prefers wood pencils and he likes Megabrands 2hb. They are USA Green brand and get a very sharp tip.

[prairiewindmomma]

mechanical, all the way....There's less drag on the paper which makes it easier for me to write. I have arthritis in my hands. I prefer a pen, though.

[MeaganS]

Mechanical pencil, .05 lead. I hate writing with a tip that isn't sharp, and I'd have to sharpen too often if it was wooden. I also am sure to have quality pencils for me so that the lead doesn't break too often.

[LaxMom]

Mechanical pencil, .05 lead. I hate writing with a tip that isn't sharp, and I'd have to sharpen too often if it was wooden. I also am sure to have quality pencils for me so that the lead doesn't break too often.

 

Exactly my position. You should see me trying to buy pens. :svengo:

[Lovin Learnin]

Only mechanical. I have sensory issues and a bad pencil grip so I always had a large, knobby callous on my fourth finger from holding the pencil too tightly. Mechanical pencils won't allow me to grip so hard (the lead would break). Using mechanical has allowed me to drastically relax my grip and eliminate hand cramps. I agree that the cheaper brands can be scratchy, and for me that sensation is like running your fingernails on a blackboard. The more moderately priced brands don't seem to have this effect.

[Chris in VA]

Wood pencils--specifically Mirado Black Warriors. They have a silky feel on the paper, sharpen beautifully, and the lead doesn't become loose inside and break when the pencil is dropped. Mechanical is too easy to break, makes too thin a line, and feels scratchy. I also don't like the way a plastic mech. pencil feels in my hand.

[nukeswife]

I prefer mechanical with the largest lead (.9). But I recently picked up some sharpie liquid graphite pencils. They don't get good reviews on amazon.com, but I've found them to be great. They write liked pen, but erase like a pencil and don't smear like the old erasable pens I used in school.

[profmom]

Thanks! :)

[elegantlion]

I prefer mechanical with the largest lead (.9). But I recently picked up some sharpie liquid graphite pencils. They don't get good reviews on amazon.com, but I've found them to be great. They write liked pen, but erase like a pencil and don't smear like the old erasable pens I used in school.

 

Oh, we just saw those tonight. Ds and I went to Walmart to find pens for writing Hiragana. It was a great moment, mother and son bonding in the writing utensil aisle. *sniff*:D

 

I'll have to try those pencils. The Bic pencils I use have a larger barrel and a rubber grip.

[Wendi]

Definitely mechanical. I like a very fine point, and regular pencils don't stay sharp long enough. My current favorite pencil is the Kuru Toga pencil, which rotates the lead for a uniformly sharp point. (It's Japanese.) I love this pencil!

 

Wendi

[Night Elf]

I prefer mechanical pencils because the lead always seems to be sharp. I can't stand a dull pencil!!

[Ellyndria]

If I am doing math (or anything else that needs to be kept neat), a mechanical pencil with .5mm lead keeps everything neat and tidy. A regular pencil can't really get that thin without breaking. For a while that's all I used, but I have rediscovered wood pencils lately and find they are quite nice for scribbling down a list or writing in something (like a calendar or planner) that might get erased and rewritten in later.

[happi duck]

I don't use pens (except when required) and I prefer a well-sharpened regular pencil

[RegGuheert]

I prefer mechanical pencils for writing, but I have banned them from school in the Guheert residence. Why? Besides Reg is an Ogre? Yes, and the kids kept dropping them which would break the lead. Then the leads would fall out and get into the couch cushions and the cracks in the hardwood floors. Or they would get underneath the chair mats and then lead would get smeared all over the wood floors.

 

They are allowed to use mechanical pencils if they are doing school work in the car. That way they do not need a pencil sharpener.

 

OTOH, MomsintheGarden does not like wooden pencils because the children insist on rolling them back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth... You get the idea! :tongue_smilie:

[DarlaS]

Wood pencils--specifically these:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Graphite-Pencil-12-Each-9122-2B12/dp/B004TUGZQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322743110&sr=8-1

 

The leads stay sharp longer (They don't seem to snap off too easily either.), and they are smooth writing and clean erasing.

[JudoMom]

I prefer mechanical pencils for writing, but I have banned them from school in the Guheert residence. Why? Besides Reg is an Ogre? Yes, and the kids kept dropping them which would break the lead. Then the leads would fall out and get into the couch cushions and the cracks in the hardwood floors. Or they would get underneath the chair mats and then lead would get smeared all over the wood floors.

 

They are allowed to use mechanical pencils if they are doing school work in the car. That way they do not need a pencil sharpener.

 

OTOH, MomsintheGarden does not like wooden pencils because the children insist on rolling them back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth... You get the idea! :tongue_smilie:

 

Dixon Tri-Conderogas don't roll as easily :D. I prefer these because they are a little bit fatter than regular pencils and feel better in my often achy hands.

[DawnM]

If I could figure out how to use a mechanical pencil I would use one, but I can't ever get the lead to stay in the right place.

 

If you use a regular wood pencil, there are grips you can buy to put on them. We have several but the boys don't like them so they don't use them.

 

Dawn

[RegGuheert]

 

Dixon Tri-Conderogas don't roll as easily :D. I prefer these because they are a little bit fatter than regular pencils and feel better in my often achy hands.

Thanks! Bought. Merry Christmas MomsintheGarden!

[Wendi]

Oh, we just saw those tonight. Ds and I went to Walmart to find pens for writing Hiragana. It was a great moment, mother and son bonding in the writing utensil aisle. *sniff*:D

 

I'll have to try those pencils. The Bic pencils I use have a larger barrel and a rubber grip.

 

These are nice fude pens. We have several.

[Iucounu]

We have scads of these .9mm cheap Bic mechanical pencils with colored barrels, which DS6 loves because the lead doesn't break:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CD9RRG

 

About the only drawback to them is that they're so cheap, it doesn't make sense to buy replacement erasers (unless someone knows of a cheap source for those).

[Lizzie in Ma]

Mechanical pencils were one of the great discoveries of my life. :D