Thank you to everyone who voted and/or left comments in this latest poll.
The final results left no doubt that the preferred pencil shape is hexagonal:
Hexagonal: 31
Round: 2
Triangular: 10
Comments reflected the personal nature of choosing a favourite writing implement. It was noted that the offerings are far fewer in the round and triangular shapes.
Combining the three polls so far, the most desired pencil style would be hexagonal in shape, without an eraser, and sold unsharpened. This is quite interesting – in North America, there aren’t many pencils sold at retail in this format. Satisfying two of the three criteria is much more common.
California Republic sells many in that format. Personally I prefer the Palomino which has an attached white eraser. They are another of those cedar made ‘gourmet’ pencils.
perhaps a poll on the most popular hardness?
Almost all of pencils made in japan are sold that form. But, interestingly, most colour-lead pencils are round. Given that the other coloured pencils are also round form, such as Faber-Castell, Berol, etc., except Staedtler’s triangulars, is round better form for drawing? But I love hexagonal.