julesmama3 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We are constantly losing them or breaking them. We got, what I thought, were good pencils but they sharpen weirdly with the lead falling out of them all the time. Have you had success with a really good pencil sharpener? We tried the clicky pencils(I have a brain block and can't remember the name of them) and ran out of lead way too quickly imo. What do you do? Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have the same problems. I have lately been using the Prismacolor pencil sharpener and it seems the most reliable. It wasn't very expensive and it usually sharpens great. Also, the Ticonderoga or the Mirado Black Warrior pencils seem to be the best we've gotten. I've tried some battery powered sharpeners that weren't so great, so since I am unwilling to pay more we'll stick with the prismacolor one. It doesn't keep them from getting lost though! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We are constantly losing them or breaking them. We got, what I thought, were good pencils but they sharpen weirdly with the lead falling out of them all the time. Have you had success with a really good pencil sharpener? We tried the clicky pencils(I have a brain block and can't remember the name of them) and ran out of lead way too quickly imo. What do you do? Julie Are the pencils with the lead falling out Ticonderogas? That's a common problem with that brand (although from what I hear it didn't used to be). Have you tried the Black Warrior pencils? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 Yes they are the Ticonderogas. I've never heard of the Black Warrior pencils, where do you get those? I never remember this problem as a kid do you? Was that because it was real lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runamuk Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We've been using these pencils and haven't had any problems. We also have the shape pencils. I have several of their pencil sharpeners, too, and they do a nice job - no broken tips or super sharp points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have a pencil bag with a dozen Ticonderoga pencils and a little sharpener in it. I keep it in the art drawer. I take it out every morning and collect the pencils when we are done. I got tired of losing pencils and got really strick about collecting them after school. We have other pencils in the art box and in the desk and in the Boggle box and all over, but the school pencils stay together. My dh thinks I'm funny, but it is the only way to find a pencil for school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I finally found a pencil I love for the kids and myself. I use mechanical pencils a lot for myself but they aren't allowed to touch them. However, I found ones called "Mirado Classic Black" They write VERY nicely, sharpen wonderfully and in general are a nice pencil. I can't rememeber if I found them at Wal-mart or the doller store (I buy my favorite pens at the dollarstore so that is possible). My point is of course that they were very cheap pencils but well made. Since switching to an electric sharpener that has made a big difference in general pencil use, I never found a good hand sharpener that I liked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Maybe the quality varies, the lead hasn't ever fallen out of my Ticonderogas. My girls love Smencils. They sharpen nicely and smell great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Yes they are the Ticonderogas. I've never heard of the Black Warrior pencils, where do you get those? I never remember this problem as a kid do you? Was that because it was real lead? They're by Papermate. I've gotten them at Walgreens, Target, and Walmart, but they don't always carry them. Office Depot, Office Max, or Staples might carry them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Maybe the quality varies, the lead hasn't ever fallen out of my Ticonderogas. My girls love Smencils. They sharpen nicely and smell great. I guess they do. I bought a small pack (3 or 4 pencils) about 1.5 years ago to see if I thought they were worth the extra money, and the leads fell out of all of them as I sharpened them. Where do you get smencils? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We ran into that problem with Ticonderoga pencils too :( We switched to the Black Warriors but, we're having problems there too. Though that may be due to the sharpener. So, until I could find a pencil sharpener that would work, I picked up some mechanical pencils. We tried the cheapies, ha! Dumb idea. We are using Pentech Sensor right now, so far so good. A step above 'cheapies' but not pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Thank you for asking this question...I've had the same one for a while now! Especially the pencil sharpener question. Admittedly, I've bought cheapies, but now I'm ready to move on. So dramatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I keep pencils in a straw-dispenser jar, and that *helps* with never being able to find a pencil when we need it. Mine is the upright jar kind (like at Johnny Rockets), but you could even use the horizontal kind where you press the foot and one slides out. I've seen acrylic ones like that for just a few dollars... I do have a good electric pencil sharpener now, and it makes a world of difference. We use it a lot. I did have trouble with my Dixon Ticonderogas in the last year or so, but I've been buying Ticonderoga Tri-Writes (in the futile hope that my daughter would hold her pencil more correctly) and I haven't had any trouble with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Ticonderoga used to be great and then they started making them in Mexico and the quality went downhill. Mirado pencils either in yellow or black (dd had one color, ds has the other) are Great. I buy them at Walgreen's, even in the off season but you can buy them other places too. At the beginning of the school year I get them for very cheap at Walgreen's, so if you like them watch for sales there next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runamuk Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 My girls love Smencils. They sharpen nicely and smell great. My kids love Smencils, too. They have a nice, not overpowering scent and sharpen to a nice point without breaking. And they're recycled, too. :) Where do you get smencils? I've found them in a couple of locally owned stores around town and have ordered them from this website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 My main problem with pencils, other than finding them around here, is that the erasers are gone too soon. I just toss them and get another pencil, but it's annoying. I know we could just use a separate eraser, but that would be one more thing to have to find. We like Mirado pencils, too. I have a Boston electric pencil sharpener that I love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I never had a problem with Ticonderoga pencils until the last pack I bought. Then, every single pencil broke - the leads kept falling out no matter how carefully I sharpened them. Someone on the boards suggested writing to the company and telling them, because she had gotten replacements from the company. I did so, and the company sent me 3 more packs of their various Ticonderoga pencils, with a letter insisting that my pencil sharpener (a Boston electric) was to blame. They recommended I get new blades or a different sharpener. Well, I put that theory to the test - I sharpened several of the pencils THEY sent me, on my trusty sharpener, and didn't have one lead fall out!! It was NOT the sharpener, it was a faulty pack of pencils, and I wrote them back to tell them so, detailing my experiment. I never heard back. But at least I got 3 packs of decent pencils from them to make up for the frustration of the faulty pack. And we've used them and not had any problems. It's hit or miss with Ticonderoga and I figure if enough people complain and demand decent leads, they'll change their manufacturing practices. Or at least stop blaming sharpeners without listening to the customer. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I keep pencils in a straw-dispenser jar Oh, cool! I love that idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We have a small bucket I got from PBK and I keep all our pencils in there. I haven't bought a pencil for the girls in years - we get them from all over the place and I have a drawer stash too. Now I will admit to just buying myself two baseball pencils and two baseball erasers. Now the girls are bugging me - "Why can't WE use your baseball pencils?" :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I love Black Warrior pencils! Our Walmart used to carry them and now they don't anymore. :-( I think you can get them at Staples or Office Max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Black Warriors are our favorite here hands down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I like the black warriors too but believe it or not we've had the lead fall out of those too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We preferred the Black Warriors, too. I even bought about 10 packs at Walgreen's late last year. However, they're not as good as they used to be. If you look closely, the paint is different on the newer ones. Probably being made cheaper somewhere else now. The older ones were a satin paint and the new ones are a gloss, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I like the black warriors too but believe it or not we've had the lead fall out of those too. Say it isn't so, I just ordered 3 dozen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Well, we did just get a new electric pencil sharpener and that has helped a lot with the lead breakage, but now the kids love to grind those poor pencils to death. Can't seem to win. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I use this sharpener for everything but the really fat ("My First") pencils. It makes a slightly stubbier point, and while it may need a turn or two sooner, I get NO breakage after a long run of it from my ham-fisted 6 y/o. And cheap! I have one in every room. http://www.dickblick.com/products/generals-all-art-pencil-sharpener/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in the NH Woods Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Another vote for Mirado Black Warriors. I buy them whenever I see a pack. The children use either Ticonderogas or Papermate Classic, or Bic mechanical pencils. I had never *thought* of sharing my black Warriors! I hoard them. :) I'm a bit of a pencil geek too. For erasers we use the Pentel Clic Retractable Eraser, we each have different colors. I've had mine at least since college. You can buy refills for it. Works great! As for pencil sharpeners--what is up with that? We've tried all kinds. Finally I found my holy grail of pencil sharpeners, the Alvin DUX sharpener. I have two, in different colors and different locations in the house. This sharpener is awesome, beautiful, and the blades are replaceable. The children are not allowed to touch them. I will sharpen pencils for them or else they use their own little sharpeners. Hmmm...I guess I'm a little obsessed with the pencil thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: LOLOL...me too! And hey, I learned about Smencils! Otter will love those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: Wait until the Black Warriors go on sale! The bragging on who got the best price is shameless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: I am right there with you, in fact now I have an urge to go pencil shopping even though I don't need more hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: I think this will be the most quoted line ever. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in the NH Woods Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I think this will be the most quoted line ever. ;) :D (Big geeky grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in the NH Woods Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Finally I found my holy grail of pencil sharpeners, the Alvin DUX sharpener. I have two, in different colors and different locations in the house. You do know I am copying down the brand of this pencil sharpener. ( If I can just just FIND my darn Black Warrior pencil to write with). Ummm... different color sharpeners you say? :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassiemc Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 We've been using these pencils and haven't had any problems. We also have the shape pencils. I have several of their pencil sharpeners, too, and they do a nice job - no broken tips or super sharp points. Thanks for posting this link. I just bought some pencils, markers and lollipops for easter baskets :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I just found a whole blog devoted to pencils!!!! http://www.penciltalk.org/ :lol: I, too, have enjoyed this thread so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 You do know I am copying down the brand of this pencil sharpener. ( If I can just just FIND my darn Black Warrior pencil to write with). Ummm... different color sharpeners you say? :auto: Oh yes, different colors! These sharpeners are glass with a screw on lid that houses the blade and they look like old fashioned inkwells. So pretty. I have a blue one and an amber one. If you have an art store nearby, they might stock them. Otherwise there are lots of places on the web to get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 My main problem with pencils, other than finding them around here, is that the erasers are gone too soon. I just toss them and get another pencil, but it's annoying. I know we could just use a separate eraser, but that would be one more thing to have to find. Why not use a pencil top eraser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimerinkydo Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 My son rips those eraser tops to shreds. He also breaks pencils. He is constantly dropping and loosing his pencils. We never seem to have enough pencils. They just disappear! I keep expecting one day to find a stash of pencils somewhere ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I, too, had pencil trouble for three years. I finally bought a $13.00 pencil sharpener at Wal-Mart. It seemed that every single little cheapy pencil sharpener chewed the pencils and sharpened them unevenly. I don't know why it seemed like such a big deal to buy a decent sharpener, but the last few months have been so nice to have pencils that work. Best $13.00 I've ever spent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 dh bought me this one: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KP380-BK-Classic-Electric-Sharpener/dp/B00006IEIE/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1238203634&sr=8-1 It has given me a new lease on life! It sharpens quickly and evenly, with automatic stop. We're using it with Papermate Classic pencils, but they don't seem to stay sharp very long. I've tried the Mirados and Ticonderogas before and wasn't impressed. The Papermates are about the best I've been able to find so far. Talk about a geek.....you wouldn't believe how many reviews, etc., I read about pencil sharpeners before I got this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runamuk Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Okay... so now I feel like a total Homeschool Geek for reading a thread about pencils. And enjoying it. :leaving: I'll join you in Geekdom. :D Thanks for posting this link. I just bought some pencils, markers and lollipops for easter baskets :) You're welcome. :) I bought their recycled cards to color for Christmas; my kids had a great time helping with the holiday cards and our family and friends enjoyed having something from the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 This doesn't have anything to do with the kind of pencil you use, but does your dc tap or hit their pencils on the table or their legs? When I taught school, the kids who tapped their pencils were the ones who's lead broke and fell out after sharpening. I think the tapping causes the lead to break into pieces and then when they sharpen the pencil the led just falls out. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Oh yes, different colors! These sharpeners are glass with a screw on lid that houses the blade and they look like old fashioned inkwells. So pretty. I have a blue one and an amber one. If you have an art store nearby, they might stock them. Otherwise there are lots of places on the web to get them. I've seen them in college bookstores. Or http://www.pencilthings.com/dux/ and scroll down to "inkwell" sharpener. If you want to get crazed, check out their clutch pencil, or the Tornado Avenger pencil. There are whole web sites for buying and selling old pencils, and discussions on the flared ferrules and what year some company's ferrule stamp went kaput and they didn't fix it. I love ferruled flat erasers, but they are no longer common. So, if we are geeks, we are geeks among many. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 My inkwells don't have the sticker on them--prettier without it, imo. Hadn't thought to check college bookstores! Sadly I don't make it to any very often. Also, the clutch pencil? Had me at ebony nib. I had no idea. :drool: My dh laughs at me--he is a fountain pen person and I am a pencil person. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angieathome Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Yes--I care about pencils, too....and I am cheap, uh, frugal. I buy the cheap mechanical pencils and an extra package of refill lead and re-stuff lead down in the pencil point when it runs out, 3 leads at a time. LOL. I have a nice Pentel mechanical pencil for myself that the kids are not allowed to touch. I even buy myself refill erasers for it (SPLURGE). As for erasers for the others, I keep those big fat Pink Pearl Erasers everywhere in the house so everyone can find an eraser at any time. I love meeting other ladies who care about pencils. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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