What's your go-to pencil?

I'm currently looking for a good pencil that has multiple functions. So what are your go-to (mechanical or fixed-lead) pencils?

I prefer a good Dixon-Ticonderoga Black #2 -- Solid Pencil, Long Name, Great Results. Writes beautifully -- Originally developed by Joseph Dixon... It is the perfect pencil for all of my needs.
I use black because no one else where I work uses them so I know if someone stole my pencil.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/produc...Q18-online-VQ19-309643-VQ20-75212548436-VQ21-

For me it's more about the eraser. I prefer mechanicals with a twist up eraser that's somewhat soft. Powdery eraser shavings suck.

I'm with Teber! Dixon-Ticonderoga #2 Black for me!

Dixon, Red and Black M

These.

Rotoring rapid pro's are pretty great. If you don't wanna spend 60 bucks on a pencil, the Zebra M-301's are my go to

Ditto on the Zebra M-301s. Those are easily my favorite mechanical pencil.

MarshallPope said:

Ditto on the Zebra M-301s. Those are easily my favorite mechanical pencil.

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Have you tried paring them with a Maped triangle eraser? Amazing

I wish I could use a pencil. Being left handed using a pencil is just asking for smeared paper and the side of my hand to be covered in graphite.

NeverAnonymous said:

Have you tried paring them with a Maped triangle eraser? Amazing

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There is now one waiting in my Amazon cart. Looking forward to trying it out.

My "go to" pencil must meet certain criteria:

1. It must be within arm's reach
2. It must have a point

I didn't realize people played favorites when it came to pencils. I'm usually writing on wood so hard graphite doesn't work as well, but HB and softer works great. I guess it depends of what you're using it for. Not sure what you mean by multiple functions, seems like they generally have one function.

bobgaggle said:

I didn't realize people played favorites when it came to pencils.

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I swear, I broke pencils less is grade school than I do now. It just seems like on most store brand or low cost pencils, the wood has gotten softer and the lead tip breaks off instantly after sharpening.

venuetech said:

Dixon, Red and Black M

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How did I not know about these? Might give carp pencils another go.

I am all for Zebra, or Sakura for that matter. They make great, affordable pens and pencils of all sorts. I have a Zebra mechanical along with one fine ball point and one bold gel pen. On a somewhat side note , Zebra also makes amazing brush pens if anyone is in the need for one.

bobgaggle said:

My "go to" pencil must meet certain criteria:

1. It must be within arm's reach
2. It must have a point

I didn't realize people played favorites when it came to pencils. I'm usually writing on wood so hard graphite doesn't work as well, but HB and softer works great. I guess it depends of what you're using it for. Not sure what you mean by multiple functions, seems like they generally have one function.

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I think this is my pencil selection process as well. I work with people, however, who go the "Pencil? Isn't there an app for that!?!" route.

Been giving an 0.9 mm mechanic a go this week.

For note taking I use a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with a large eraser, bit for everything else whatever is closest

Dixon Ticonderoga #2 HB is my normal desk pencil. Cheaper pencils tend to have a nasty hard eraser that leaves a pink smear when erasing. For drafting, I like the Alvin DraftLine pencils: cheap and comfortable. For the shop, pretty much anything that will write and hold a point, I usually use contractors pencils because they're thick and easy to sharpen with a knife.

For just about everything, I go with the Ticonderoga Sensematic.



It is exactly like a regular Dixon Ticon, but it is plastic and mechanical. The really neat thing about it is that the push button to output the graphite is the tip itself, so as you write, it releases the graphite. No sharpening, no clicking, and it writes thick (0.7mm). It also has the same glide and erasability as a Ticon. And they're silver, which helps identify them if you loan them out.

Before that, I used black Ticons, but people would never return them and too many other people used them to really identify if a pencil was mine or not.

And the pen I use, if anyone cares to know, is the Pilot G2 10. I don't use them often, but if I am writing a to-do list or a note to a coworker, I like the boldness and the way they glide along the paper. If I don't have one on me, though, I have a Swiss Army knife with a retractable pen instead of a toothpick. I tend to use that to write circuit numbers on plots when I don't have a proper pen.

But that's because I'm an electrician.