Frankenpencil

I have tried out a few new pencils lately, part of my continual search for the one pencil that seems just right to me.  I have been very happy with the Palominos made by California Republic (as blogged about earlier HERE), and even though they have the best graphite I have found since the Blackwing 602, they lack a certain, well, sense of style.  The bright orange color, although definitely distinctive, is a little too loud for my liking. The design of the Blackwing 602 is as cool as it gets when it comes to pencils, and even though ultimately the important thing is how it writes, I find I'm still longing for a pencil that looks as good as it writes.

I have been piecing together the perfect pencil in my mind lately, exhuming the parts from the assortment of good pencils I regularly use to create the ultimate writing tool.  In order to create the perfect all-around pencil I first need to harvest a few parts.  My goal here is a pencil that would be highly functional for day-to-day use, comfortable for writing for longer periods of time, and not too specialized (i.e., it doesn't also have to be the best sketching pencil).

The graphite core needs to be a California Republic Palomino HB grade.  I would also keep the same Cal Cedar wood from the Palomino, but loose the orange lacquer.  The Palominos have a very nice professionally done finish, but I find the high finish to be a bit slippery at times.

There are plans to add an eraser to the Palominos, but I have yet to sample the new erasers.  Judging from the erasers on the Golden Bears from California Republic they work well, but I would skip the orange and blue colors.  Also, I find the Golden Bear erasers are a tad on the greasy side, although better than your average pencil eraser.  I started using the oversize Dixon Tri-Conderoga, and these are a great pencil.  The graphite is almost as nice as the Palomino and they have a nice clean working black colored eraser on them.  These erasers work very well, are not smudgy or greasy, and are a nice shade of black.  Here's a place to find some style, so my Frankenpencil would have the Dixon black eraser on it.

I recently bought a 2 dozen pack of regular hexagonal Ticonderoga Black pencils at Wal Mart.  These have a really nice satin finish to them, it isn't the rubberized finish like the larger format Tri-Conderogas which is nice, but can get a little sticky feeling with use. I find that I love the feel of the Ticonderoga Black; it is smooth but easy to grip.  So, I would add the satin finish from this pencil to my creation, and while I'm at it, I'll keep the black color as well.

Now for the shape of the barrel: The triangular barrel of the Ticonderoga Tri-Write has always been the most comfortable for me.  The larger barrel thickness of the Tri-Conderoga is good, but I prefer the smaller diameter.  I prefer a triangular barrel to the hexagonal, and round barrels tend to roll away, so I would harvest the barrel shape from the Tri-Write for my Frankenpencil.

As for the ferrule I suggest something simple.  The ferrule design of the Blackwing was it's Achilles' heel, so I will avoid over complicating the ferrule as it could lead to an untimely demise. A triangular pencil definitely needs a triangular ferrule though, unlike the round one on the Tri-Write.

Now, how about a cool name?  In that department the Blackwing and the Black Warrior have always reigned, and don't forget the Black Velvet.  The Black Warrior is a pencil with a cool name, but I find the graphite core to be scratchy.  How they get away with claiming they are "The World's Smoothest Writing Pencil" on the package, I'll never know.  The Pink Pearl eraser that comes on the Black Warrior is very good, but the addition of the double heart logo to the pencil barrel is a definite killer of cool.  I would keep the "black" part of the name for my Frankenpencil, but what to use for the second part of the name?  Well, we will just have to hire a marketing team for that.

Here's a summary of the pencil parts:

• Graphite Core: Palomino HB.
• Slats: Cal Cedar.
• Eraser: Dixon Ticonderoga Black eraser.
• Finish: Black satin finish from the Dixon Ticonderoga Black.
• Barrel Shape: Triangular barrel from Ticonderoga Tri-Write.
• Ferrule: Triangular.  Something simple yet nice, with as much style as possible without threatening the longevity of the pencil production.
• Name: Black Something; I'll have to get back to you on this. Or what about "Noir"?

I don't expect I will ever find a pencil that possesses all the qualities I have stitched together here, but it is fun to dream of the perfect pencil. In reality what is perfect would vary from person to person and job to job, so it would be impossible to accomplish this for everyone.  Until my Frankenpencil is given life by a pencil manufacturer (It's alive, it's aliiiiiive!), I will just have to be happy with the variety of pencils I have on hand.

Comments

[Kelly]

Great review of some nice pencils. Regarding the Mirado Black Warrior, my experience is that it has the smoothest writing around, never sticks, always performs. Every Dixon pencil I've ever used develops a little "grain" of something or other that causes the lead to catch and slide on the paper -- infuriating. I've tried all the Dixons, Faber-Castell 9000, Palomino, Black Velvets (wish they were still around), round vs hex vs tri, and I always come back to the wonderful Black Warrior for comfort and quality (but you're right, the hearts are hokey). It's a writing machine.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Kelly -

That's funny, because my experience has been the opposite of yours - I've never had a gritty Dixon (among the brands in this post) but the Black Warriors have all been scratchy. Maybe we both have had bad batches of pencils. I will try to find some better Black Warriors in the future. Do you think maybe they make lower quality versions to sell in places like Wal Mart?

Yes, I'm still sad about the Black Velvet. They were a great pencil, with lots of style. Thanks for your comment! - Ninth Wave

[Pencil Revolution]

Here here to the Dixon Black! My favorite offering from Dixon by far.

The Palomino also comes in a nice blue, if you'd like to see it in a different color. It looks really nice next to a buff Cahier:)

The Palominos with erasers have a simple gold colored ferrule and a white eraser -- both very nice touches, I think.

The Mirados are a little light for my taste, but the B grade (#1) is much better, only the core is much thicker. The Classic is sweet for times when I'll likely lose a pencil or give it away.

[Joy]

Some of my Black Warriors are scratchy, others are not. Perhaps a manufacturing glitch?

Also, mine don't have hearts on them. I bought a box of 12 from an EBay dealer. Could they be old stock?

[Ninth Wave Designs]

PRevo - I should really try the Black Warriors in a #1 grade - a thicker core sounds nice too. I will keep my eye out.

Joy - My Black Warriors were recently purchased at Rite Aid, a drug store chain, so I'm wondering if maybe they are a cheapo version.

Black Warriors have been around for a while, I know Eagle made them earlier. Pencil companies have been bought and sold over the years so there may be other makers' names associated with them - I'm not sure. This could mean a range of different qualities among different Black Warriors.

Thank you both for your comments! - Ninth Wave

[Pencil Revolution]

The hearts are from the PaperMate logo, since Sanford started marketing all their writing pencils under the PM name (and all their ballpoint pens, except the Jetstream). I think they said Sanford on them before that. The hearts to me are like a sweetheart tatoo on some biker beefcake:)

[Joy]

Checked the box, and mine are Sanford. Probably 'new old stock'--a concept I first heard on pen collector sites, and love.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Joy -

NOS is a great eBay term too. I love getting old versions of pencils, even if they are still being made today. It's fun to compare them and see how they have changed. I hope to find some earlier Black Warriors to see if I like those any better.

PRevo - A biker tattoo! Ha! Love you imagination - Ninth Wave

[cynthia]

I've been following your search for the perfect pencil. Kinda glad I found this site. I thought I was the only one bemoaning the loss of a favorite pencil.

I've also tried your recommendations. I agree the Palomino lead is the best, it can't be the perfect pencil because it isn't ROUND.

I wish BLACK VELVET pencils were still available.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Cynthia -

I miss my Black Velvets too. I like round pencils over hex, but you should give the triangular pencils a try. They are so much more comfy to hold than the hex, and may work for you until someone makes a round pencil to compare with the Black Velvet again. Thanks for your comment. - Ninth Wave

[Ryan]

I'd buy the Frankenpencil!! And I thought it was just me, but I too have seen a variation in Black Warriors from one to the next; one will be smooth and perfect, the next will feel like it's digging a trough in the paper.

[Pencil Revolution]

Howdy! I wanted to thank you again for letting us post this in PR today. You are very kind:)

Viva La Revolucion!

[deadmuse]

You have to name them after yourself... so I vote for "BlackWave" brand pencils.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Thanks to PRevo for picking up this post!

[Slywy]

I gave away my Black Warriors. For a while, they were nice, but even with some old ones I had (pre-PaperMate), many of them came up very scratchy.

Does anyone use art pencils (e.g., Lumograph, FC 9000) in HB for writing? Is there a law against this? :)

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Slywy -

As far as I know, all cases of people being arrested for using drawing pencils to write with have been kicked out of court. You should be safe, especially if you have a good lawyer.

Check out this earlier post HERE for a great writing pencil that is a drawing pencil too. Thanks! - Ninth Wave

[Slywy]

Glad to hear it! I had read your selection of the Palomino as the winner. I have a few dozen but I'm afraid to use them. :) I also have a ton of the ForestChoice -- a great pencil, and the price can't be beat. Now if only they were my favourite shape, triangular. :)

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Slywy -

I believe California Republic has some triangular Golden Bears in the works. I will definitely post about it when they become available.

Use those Palominos - they'll make more, don't worry! - Ninth Wave

[Claire Marvell]

I propose "Black Magic" for the Frankenpencil.

Seriously now, I have followed your recommendation for California Republic Palomino pencils, and I love them! It was an orgasmic experience to use them on Copic Sketchbook (my second favorite after Moleskine).

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Claire - Black Magic is a great idea for a name, thanks for the suggestion.

The Palominos are fabulous pencils - so smooth. It is great to sketch with them, especially the 2Bs. Glad you like them! - Ninth Wave

[notebook]

A lots of pencils...
Black Magic?Good name ,I think .too.

[Tavin Adair]

Yes, when the Papermate hearts appeared on the Black Warrior, that was the end of that pencil for me. What a shame. As for this ideal pencil, did you consider any of the wonderful qualities of Japanese pencils "for general writing" such as Tombow and Mitsubishi? These are the smoothest and best-made pencils that I have ever encountered. The writing and decoration on the barrels is tasteful and delicate, especially the dark-green Mitsubishi 9800.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Tavin -

I wish I had access to the pencils you mention, but I haven't seen them anywhere. I have only seen mechanical pencils by Tombow and Mitsubishi, but none of the wooded ones around here. I'll keep a lookout for them. Thanks! - Ninth Wave

[Tavin Adair]

The Mitsubishi 9800's and the Tombow 2558 can be purchased at the wonderful Kinokuniya bookstores in San Francisco and Manhattan. They sell for about a dollar apiece. I'm sure Kinokuniya will special order for you if you live far from either of these cities. Much as I'd love to stick to one good and easily available American pencil, like the loveable Ticonderoga, the Japanese pencils are so markedly superior in smoothness and handling that they've won me over. The Tombow 2558 in particular is quite simply the best writing pencil that I've ever tried.

[Al]

I used to burn up enormous amounts of time and money looking for that perfect pencil. But you know what? It isn't worth it. While not descending so low that I'll settle for Pentech or Papermate, I've decided to stick to tools that are locally obtainable without a lot of fuss: regular Dixon Ticonderogas by the dozen and black Moleskine pocket sketchbooks. Period. No more pining for the Blackwing, or spending large amounts for boutique pencils like those Japanese jobs that Tavin talks about (he's right, though, they are magnificent). Besides, one day the good old Ticonderoga will cease production and then we'll miss it like we do the Blackwing today. The Ticonderoga is well made and gets the job done. It also has history, dating back to 1913, and that green and yellow ferrule links us to generations of American schoolkids and writers. Looking for rare or expensive pencils somehow weakens my creativity (its immediacy) and smacks of procrastination. Hemingway used plain old carpenter's pencils, after all!

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Tavin -

I will definitely try to find some Japanese pencils. I am very curious about them now!

[Tavin Adair]

When I was young, you didn't have to be fussy about your pencils. You could go into a local variety store, or even a drugstore, and take your pick from among a dazzling assortment of pencils, including the Blackwing, the Venus Velvet, the Wallace Invader, the Eldorado and the Park Avenue (with its large square ferrule). It boggles the mind, doesn't it? The style and daily luxury of American life has decayed inexorably since then. All of this quality and selection was taken for granted and was not considered boutique-like or exclusive. But now, to get the same quality and breadth of choice in pencils, you do have to turn to specialty shops like Kinokuniya or the California Republic (and pay the corresponding prices). It is unfortunate but true. You are absolutely right, Al, about Ticonderogas. I always buy a box every time I go to Office Depot to help keep the company in business. They are the last of the great American pencil companies. What is more, they haven't vulgarized their products like Sanford has, and I certainly would be sad to see them go under.

[Al]

My Frankenpencil would certainly never have the attributes of the Golden Bear HB. Did I get a bad batch, or is this a very harsh and scratchy pencil? It is nothing like the Palomino HB, or the Golden Bear B.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Al -

I employ several types of Ticonderoga's for my daily use but there are times when they are not fine enough for what I am doing - especially if you are drawing you need to be particular about your pencils. I find certain graphite cores to be so much better that they are worth hunting down and stocking up on. It is important though to not make the creative process too precious, so that we put off the creating for lack of the perfect tools. - NW

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Tavin -

You get to the heart of the matter - that if there were good quality pencils being made as the standard, the Palominos or Japanese pencils wouldn't see like a luxury item. Thanks - NW

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Al -

You may have gotten a bad core in your Golden Bear HB. I have tested about half a dozen of them and none have been scratchy. I do prefer the Palominos to the GB, the graphite is a better quality. The Golden Bears are the middle quality/price range for California Republic, with the Prospectors being the school range. BTW - I was looking at the erasers on the Golden Bears for the Frankenpencil, and not the graphite, since the Palomino graphite is of higher quality. Thanks - NW

[Tavin Adair]

The Golden Bear HB is an oustanding pencil, actually. While the Palomino has rich, dark graphite and writes smooth as butter, I must confess that it does not strike me as being a writer's pencil as much as it is a tool for visual artists, at least if you tend to have my fine, smaller type of handwriting. (I loved the Blackwing for its form, but it WAS a tiring pencil for my kind of handwriting!)The Tombow 2558 has the excellent dark graphite of a Palomino but is more suited to finer handwriting, requiring far less sharpening. The lovely Golden Bear HB comes a very close second, I would say. Forest Choice is quite good, too, followed by the Prospector, which is inexpensive and suffers from only slight and ocassional scratchiness. The Dixon Ticonderoga Black, while having the nicest ferrule and being good for smooth fine handwriting, leaves a fainter, lighter mark than any of the above. It reminds me more of the fine but light marks of the Black Warrior. In a way, the Tombow 2558 is the Frankenpencil, as it has the qualities of all the best pencils known to me. It has a nice smooth yellow paintjob on the barrel, too, and the trademark Tombow dragonfly. The Golden Bear follows close on its heels. Al, you must give the Golden Bear brand another try. It is a writer's pencil. Again, I stress the writing, not the sketching or drawing qualities---the Palomino wins those hands down! I wish that the Palomino came in a slightly firmer grade better suited to writing.

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Tavin -

California Republic will be expanding its range of pencils in the future, and does have some H and 2H versions available. Perhaps those would make a better writing pencil for you. I find the quality to be excellent, just too firm for my personal tastes. I always consider a pencil for its sketching potential first and foremost, even though I also use them for writing.

So any idea how I can get some Tombow 2558s? I have been looking online but haven't had any luck. I ordered some Tombow Mono Professionals today, so I will see how I like those. If you have tried those too let me know how they compare to the 2558s. Thanks for your comments! - NW

[Tavin Adair]

The Tombow monos are very good but again, if I remember them correctly, they are more suited to drawing than to general writing. The 2558 is the opposite, a writing pencil chiefly that nevertheless does a good job drawing or sketching. I haven't tried a Tombow mono in some years because I was won over by the 2558. The 2558 comes in HB, B, and 2-B (possibly others, but I haven't seen them). I have only ever found them at Kinokuniya bookshops in Manhattan and San Francisco, where they are sold individually and by the box. They are tipped with very good erasers. Kinokuniya, strangely, doesn't have online ordering, but their website (kinokuniya.com) does list the individual stores with telephone numbers. I'm sure that if you call them they'll be glad to help you. I can scan a box for you but have no idea how to post it on this site.

[Al]

Without my even asking, California Cedar Products Company has generously sent me a set of Golden Bear HB's (plus a sampling of other grades) to replace some defective ones I'd received. Not only am I immensely impressed by such customer service, but the Golden Bear HB's are excellent after all. Thank you!

[Bobby Truby]

Hi, I just wanted to say hi. I have been collecting pencils for about 6 years now. Many more if you count my middles school years. I am impressed with the older models. Pencils that were made with pride and no doubt a competetive spirit. Give me an Ozark or Blaisdell or Richard Best and I will be happy. Personally, I look at the aestetics of a pencil as well as the familur Mandufacturer name, model name and model number. There are literally thousands upon thousands of different pencils out there. My personal collection numbers in the 5,000. I only collect unsharpened pencils, but love to have used oddities lying around for use. Has anyone ever looked into the world of copying pencils? This is a whole new can of pencils to open. Users beware!! Please visit my pencil site at brandnamepencils.com It is a work in progress.

PS: There is nothing like hold an 80-100 year old pencil in your hand and writing, doodling or just plain staring at it:-)

[Al]

Two pencils we haven't considered for the Frankenpencil are the Musgrave Unigraph 1200 and Musgrave's natural HB with eraser. These are superb American-made pencils (since 1916). The graphite on the HB natural is dark and smooth. These pencils are available from the wonderful folks at PencilThings.com. I tried ordering in larger quantities directly from the Musgrave headquarters in Shelbyville, Tenn., but for some mysterious reason they will not sell to individuals. (Fine---I love to order from PencilThings!)The Musgrave website foregrounds personalized pencils but makes no mention at all of their Unigraph 1200 or their HB natural. Talk about subverting your best products! There must be some tax reason, who knows. I love these pencils; they are on par with the best pencils in the world. I just wish that they were more widely available. The same I suppose is true for some of General's pencils, like the Semi-Hex, the cedar, and the mythic Supreme (which I have never tracked down anywhere). Why do these fine pencil companies keep their products so hidden?

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Tavin -

I am very happy with the Tombo Mono Professionals that I ordered. I will still try to get some 2558s as well, but these Monos are very nice, thanks for the recommendation. - NW

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Bobby -

I love copying pencils, but they can be hard to find. I have some vintage Noblot Blu-Black copying pencils, and they are great for sketching. Your website looks great, it is very well organized and the pictures of all the pencils are a great reference. Thanks! - NW

[Ninth Wave Designs]

Al -

I have tried the Musgrave Unigraph 1200 and the graphite is excellent. The finish on the pencil is a bit slick, and the hex-shaped barrel has crisper edges than most pencils I use, so it isn't as comfortable to hold as I would like. The quality of the graphite is great for the price, but these aren't destined to be my favorites. I haven't tried the Natural ones with erasers yet, but maybe they are more comfortable to use. Thanks! - NW