Georgiana Daniels Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Frustrated! I used to think we had cruddy pencils and that's why the lead kept "falling out." But now that it's happening with every single one, I am thinking it's the sharpener. Help!!!! We need pencils that work. And mechanical pencils don't have enough eraser for my kids so we end up tossing those long before the lead is used up. And because they have those nubs that hold them inside pockets it's impossible to stick an eraser hat on them. Groan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 We have had that problem too. It helped some when I bought Ticonderoga pencils versus the store brand wooden pencils but sometimes I still have that problem. This pencil sharpener is going to be on my Christmas list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in TX Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I think they're just making everything crappy now. We have finally gone to mechanical pencils, because I cannot find a brand of pencil or a sharpener for any amount of money that works well and lasts longer than 6 months. I buy the disposable kind made of recycled plastic. We also have lots of extra gum erasers. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I bought the Ticonderoga pencils and have even had trouble with several of them - leads falling out, being uneven, etc. It's really frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 I think they're just making everything crappy now. We have finally gone to mechanical pencils, because I cannot find a brand of pencil or a sharpener for any amount of money that works well and lasts longer than 6 months. I buy the disposable kind made of recycled plastic. We also have lots of extra gum erasers. Sigh. I have a feeling this will be us, too. Grr. The pencil sharpener SJ posted looks really cool, so that might be an option, but was hoping not to need to spend $25. LOL, I'm such a cheapskate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Excessive pencil dropping can contribute to the lead falling out problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewaka Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 And mechanical pencils don't have enough eraser for my kids so we end up tossing those long before the lead is used up. This is why we have separate erasers. I like the plastic kind (white). For us, the advantages of mechanical pencils outweigh the minor nuisance of the small eraser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 If you have the same stupid sharpener I had then that is why. It is this battery powered Westcott. Oddly enough I bought the same brand that PLUGS IN at Costco and it is the best one I've had to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 My older throws/bangs his pencil when frustrated so most of the lead in the older pile are broken. They use the pink erasers with their mechanical pencil. Older sometimes break the lead in the mechanical pencil by pressing too hard. Still easier than sharpening all the time with the increase in writing this year. When I was in school, my classmate sharpened my pencils with her penknife/blade. Somehow that made the pencils last longer than using a pencil sharpener. :001_smile: I have what SJ posted when I was a kid. My kids has the mini Daiso version of that. The Daiso one is not that great but it is fun for kids to learn about simple machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I switched to these and we love them. http://www.officemax.com/brands/papermate/paper-mate-mechanical-pencils/product-prod3810480?R=22130052&ssp=true One pencil lasts about a year and the lead is thick and doesn't break, the eraser is really big and lasts about 6 months--the package comes with more stuff. I get them for about a dollar a piece at school supply times from Office Max. Really great, cannot recommend them enough. Wish they made colored leads!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 If you have the same stupid sharpener I had then that is why. It is this battery powered Westcott. Oddly enough I bought the same brand that PLUGS IN at Costco and it is the best one I've had to date. We have the iPoint Evolution battery powered one. Probably the same crappy design. I think y'all talked me into mechanical for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 We have the iPoint Evolution battery powered one. Probably the same crappy design. I think y'all talked me into mechanical for now! That stupid thing. Exactly the same one. Trust me it will NEVER sharpen anything LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 That stupid thing. Exactly the same one. Trust me it will NEVER sharpen anything LOL Oh, nooo!! Lol. Guess that solves that mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 We have this pencil sharpener. We've had it for about 3 years and it works awesome. I can find a pencil that works worth anything though. I got it when they had one of those "20% off anything you can put in this bag" sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 We have this pencil sharpener. We've had it for about 3 years and it works awesome. I can find a pencil that works worth anything though. I got it when they had one of those "20% off anything you can put in this bag" sales. Looks like the ones we had in grade school, and they always worked. Love those 20% off bag sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 We switched to mechanical for that very reason. Well, that and the erasers didn't erase, but only 'smeared'. I got the kids those long clickable erasers and the regular pink gum erasers to use. They don't like writing with regular pencils any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted November 3, 2012 Author Share Posted November 3, 2012 My aren't loathe the smear. Then the paper tears. Then someone gets frustrated. LOL, a chain reaction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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