Pencil Talk • Hacker News Board

Re: Pencil Talk

#41

Post by Doxin » Thu, Dec 07, 2023, 8:31 AM UTC

aidenn0 wrote: post #8

If you use pencils a lot, do yourself a favor and get a dedicated eraser. I personally like the Sakura SumoGrip block erasers, but even a $3 Pentel Clic from your local big box store will be an upgrade from what is typically on the back of a pencil.

My criteria for buying erasers: fairly soft and white.

The harder the eraser is the more prone it is to destroying your paper or making smudges. The disadvantage of a soft eraser is that it wears more quickly. I don't buy expensive enough erasers to where that's a problem.

Most pink erasers are fine, but I've had more than once instance of them working more like a crayon than an eraser.

Recently I got recommended trying an edding R20 eraser. It's a weird one. It's much more plastic-y than the average eraser. It's quite firm too, but still manages to not smudge and keep itself clean. Haven't used it enough to form a proper opinion yet however.

Re: Pencil Talk

#42

Post by xtiansimon » Thu, Dec 07, 2023, 1:24 PM UTC

PaperMate LOGO was a great mechanical pencil. Large white eraser. Retracting metal nib (when not in use). Why they killed this pencil is beyond me.

Re: Pencil Talk

#43

Post by jmhammond » Thu, Dec 07, 2023, 1:54 PM UTC

riversflow wrote: post #21

I get that they are kinda looked down upon, but I really like my Rotring 800 in .7mm, paired with 2B lead. The disappearing point is a must have for portability. If you have some patience they do go on sale, I didn’t pay even close to MSRP. It’s pretty much the grail of handwriting for me. I am also a fan of the Pentel Tuffstuff stick erasers. Unlike other stick erasers they are very fine, so you can get details/lett…

If you want to take portability to the next level, check out the Pentel Sharp Kerry. They have pen-like, post-able caps!

Re: Pencil Talk

#44

Post by zafiro17 » Thu, Dec 07, 2023, 3:42 PM UTC

HankB99 wrote: post #30

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole on something related. My cousin found a mechanical pencil (in my recently deceased uncles desk) with my late father's name on it. My father's been gone for nearly 60 years so this pencil went way back. I managed to make out some writing on the cap so I took a picture of it (my method of magnifying things otherwise too small to identify) and made out the brand "Autopoint." I did a li…

Interesting follow-up to your Autopoint story. I met Jonathan Veley at a pen show. He is a pencil afficionado too (a self-professed "Lead Head") and bought the remaining stock of the Panda lead factory, plus a lot of equipment. He now produces replica Autopoint mechanical pencils and sells lead. He's a really interesting guy and he's written several books about the history of manufacturing of mechanical pencils.

See https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com for his story. I bought the least expensive of his newly manufactured Autopoints (they're called Legendary now) and I really love it; it's my best pencil. I love 1.1mm leads and find narrower leads too thin for my preference.

Re: Pencil Talk

#45

Post by aidenn0 » Thu, Dec 07, 2023, 5:18 PM UTC

Doxin wrote: post #41

aidenn0 wrote: post #8

If you use pencils a lot, do yourself a favor and get a dedicated eraser. I personally like the Sakura SumoGrip block erasers, but even a $3 Pentel Clic from your local big box store will be an upgrade from what is typically on the back of a pencil.

My criteria for buying erasers: fairly soft and white. The harder the eraser is the more prone it is to destroying your paper or making smudges. The disadvantage of a soft eraser is that it wears more quickly. I don't buy expensive enough erasers to where that's a problem. Most pink erasers are fine, but I've had more than once instance of them working more like a crayon than an eraser. Recently I got recommended try…

> Most pink erasers are fine, but I've had more than once instance of them working more like a crayon than an eraser.

I avoid pink erasers for exactly this problem. I think the rubber in them hardens with time (and maybe heat? Certainly ones I keep in my car don't last). Don't let the black color of the Sakura erasers bookofjoe linked in a sibling comment scare you off; they are an upgrade from any of the white ones I've used.