I am so glad I managed to visit CW Pencils when I was in NYC in December of 2019 — because they are in the process of closing. My very last order arrived today, and I think I’m long overdue for another pencil post…
Posts in: Pencils
Oh, I said I would be talking about pencils, didn’t I? Sorry, it’ll have to wait a little bit longer.
I bought some pencils this week. Some familiar faces and one notable newcomer. Reactions, impressions, and strong opinions soon.
Hmm, I suppose I could do a regular pen post.
And I could call it PENDEMIC.
✏️ The end of the Pencil Tour:
22: USA Gold
23: Try-Rex
24: General’s Scoring pencils
25: Kimberly
26: Scribe and Pacific
27: Semi-Hex, Badger, and Supreme
28: Cedar Pointe
29: Goddess
30: American
(Mug by Clinton Pottery)
The Americans
The FaberCastell American 2.5 was the only pencil I used for most of high school and all of college. It was cheap, unpretentious, and easy to find. I would buy a dozen (or two? I can’t remember) every fall and work through most of them over the school year. I settled on the 2.5 because of its point retention. It lay down a good line like a 2, but was just firm enough to last a whole class period of note-taking without losing much of its point.
List #16: Possible New Daily Posts For May
A. Rorschach Reveries: In The Mind Of The Beholder
B. Cap and Plunge: Drawing The Line
C. Platters: With A Bullet
D. Fun With Apophenia: It Joins All
E. Spines: Chapter Of Accidents
F. Natty Threads: Wearing Out My Welcome
✏️ Day 29: General Goddess
Very similar to the Pacific, it is a mildly gritty HB verging on F. It puts down exactly the right line on every paper I use. Also, round barrel, which I love. After years of collecting, trying, and using pencils, these are my favorite.
Almost.
✏️ The pencil tour will be coming to an end this Thursday. But these daily posts have become an important part of my mornings, so I want to keep doing something. But what? Pens? Paper? A pareidolic survey of the sidewalk cracks of south Minneapolis? Who can say!
