A specialty pencil for highlighting, the Lyra Mega Liner 96 is a woodcase pencil with a fluorescent wax core.
It is oversized, with an oversized core. I have yellow and blue versions, but it also comes in green, orange, and pink. The diameter is about 11mm, so they just fit in most large hole sharpeners.
The pencil is hexagonal, and has a very lightly varnished natural finish. It is imprinted:
Obverse: Germany [logo] Lyra Mega Liner 96 962n
Reverse: paper + copy + fax
Let me mention that I like liquid pigment fluorescent highlighters. My favourite, the see through Zebra Zazzle, disappeared from Canadian shelves a few years ago, but I still have a few.
The Lyra Mega Liner is not just for show – it is a working highlighter, leaving illuminated marks on paper.
I tried it on printed paper, and on a laser printout. It works, though it doesn’t give the saturated effect of fibre wedge highlighters dispensing bright yellow pigment.
If I could find these locally, I might be using them every day. But via mail order, they become expensive for an ancillary item.
I bought several of these through PencilThings when I was getting a lot of other stuff. The shipping rate is reasonable, especially if your order is significant. I also like the normal-sized highlighting pencils.
What’s the difference between this pencil highlighter and a colored pencil?
Hi Boris, I would say the difference is the fluorescence of the pigment. Still, they are basically a type of pencil crayon.
A small contest
The two “Lyra Mega Liner, printed paper” photos in the post show a document being highlighted.
Who issued the document?
The prize is a baker’s dozen pencils that have been featured on pencil talk:
– Spangle Mini Jumbo
– Spangle Jumbo
– Spangle Mini Jumbo Triangular
– Wallace Invader
– Musgrave HB
– Musgrave Unigraph
– Faber-Castell Design pencil
– Rhodia pencil
– FSC Canada pencil
– Nava pencil
– Mongol 482
– Craft Design Technology pencil
– Faber-Castell 1117
The details:
– post your response as a comment to this, the Lyra Mega Liner post.
– The level of specificity required is: “Qantas Airline”, not “An Australian Airline company” i.e. name the company/organization that issued the document being highlighted.
– please note that the Wallace Invader is a vintage pencil – it will appear quite worn and weather beaten. It is still a good pencil!
– the winner will have to provide a postal address. The pencils will be shipped at the lowest rate I can wrestle from Canada Post, which may mean shipping will be slow.
– the contest runs until April 2, 2008, 20:00 EST. I’ll approve all comments, but won’t comment myself unless there is a winning answer. The contest is closed after a winning answer has been confirmed.
– most importantly, this is for fun – the pencils are a small bonus.
The 2004 Texas Reading Club Manual mentions both books. Yeah, it’s a long shot but I tried. :)
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/trc/2004/manual/internal_chapters/toddler_crayonsandpaints.htm
That’s the Texas State Library, btw. :)
Oh, I give up. I’ve finally got to know they’re the names of towns crossed by highway #132 in QC, Canada. So I guess that document was issued by some kind of transportation company, or tourism company, or by local government.
And, I know who issued the second document. :D
Heh, I wasn’t paying attention to the first. The book titles got my attention. :)
Hi, is it Rail Canada, the Montreal-Gaspe line?
Barrel Of A Pencil
Contest Results
The contest is now closed.
A few notes:
I announced the contest here in the comments section, rather than highlighting it in a separate post, to favour regular blog readers. I imagine they are more likely to read the comments sections of the blog.
The document in those two photos is a VIA Rail Canada schedule.
It is indeed the Montréal-Gaspé line. I’ve taken that train, and it is a breathtaking trip.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit both of the highlighted towns, Rimouski, and Percé. Percé is known for a remarkable natural rock formation, as well as an island park which functions as a bird sanctuary.
Barrel’s answer was the closest, though the name was incomplete. Barrel, send me an email with a shipping address to claim these pencils.
Kent came close, and these towns are indeed both on Highway 132. I’m impressed by the investigation from across the Pacific. I think this deserves a prize, and I have more of the same 13 pencils, so Kent, if you would like a set, please send me an email with a shipping address.
Though I thought I was clear when I wrote “The two “Lyra Mega Liner, printed paper” photos”, Diane referred to the document in the “laser printout” photos. That document is a printout of the contributed post on Childen’s Books on Pencils that appeared here in January.
Well guess what? Today, April 2, is International Children’s Book Day, the birthday of Hans Christain Anderson, and I’m in a good mood, so Diane, you can also get a set of these pencils if you wish. Again, please email me with a shipping address.
Sometimes you can win just by participating!
As mentioned above, I’m going to try and cut costs by using the lowest rate I can get from Canada Post (probably surface shipping), so it may be a while before they arrive.
Our penciladmin rules! The contest pencils arrived today and they are ever so choice. You rock Stephen!
I own the blue and orange (found a few years ago at a university book store). The blue tends to be a bit dark but on bright paper works pretty well. Also it doesn’t require much pressure.
For some reason though the orange does require a fair amount of pressure to leave a noticeable mark; I’ve had it actually smear the ink in textbooks. I generally avoid using the orange unless I’m underlining rather than highlighting.
So far the older Levenger ones (hexagonal pink, yellow, and green with painted exterior; the current wooden ones offered are round with no paint) work the best.
Just bought the Staedtler 146 ones but haven’t used yet.
I have used these Lyra Megaliners for many years , however I cannot find a supplier that is stocking the orange number 96-9629 – does anyone know where they can be bought from and I am willing to buy 6 to 12 if necessary, PencilThings (who I normally rely on)has none
I would like to order some of the highlighters-my husband likes them and we have been unable to find them here.We live in Kalamazoo michigan and do have a couple universitites here-perhaps we should try their bookstores. Although, my husband did try Western Michigan bookstore and they did not have any. They suggested a drafting store. We would order some if you can give us the info to do so. Thank you.
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