This pencil looks like it could be a marketing or novelty item. It lacks an imprinted name or model number. The pencil is made and sold by Caran d’Ache under their own name as part of a larger product campaign.
The graphic is striking – a red background, with white crosses. The matching ballpoint pen is sold as the ‘Swiss Flag’ pen in the ‘Essentially Swiss’ series, so I am calling this the Swiss Flag pencil. Let me know if you have a more correct name!
This associated set is interesting in itself. There are many matching pen and pencil sets – with ‘pencil’ meaning ‘mechanical pencil’ – but I can’t think of another set where one can buy a ballpoint pen and matching woodcase pencil.
The pencil is round, with a silver coloured ferrule and white vinyl eraser.
One pencil had a lead break while sharpening, but I couldn’t repeat that problem. The top photo shows an imperfect sharpening, with maybe a bit too much wood sharpened away. I would blame the sharpener, except that the sharpener continues to do fine with other pencils – and I tried more than one Swiss Flag pencil, more than once. So, I think the photo reflects my experoence.
The lead isn’t a standout, though not bad.
Overall, I think it is a nice, not too serious, fun pencil.
So, you are implying this pencil is of a lesser quality grade than the other CdA pencils you have reviewed?
Not disputing your findings at all, but it does seem a strange choice to make a rather iconic looking pencil from lesser grade wood, lead, etc. Your thoughts?
Hi kiwi-d, yes, this pencil does seem to be lower quality than the Technograph or Grafwood in my unscientific assessment.
I’m not sure how odd the material choices are – the pencil’s decoration does seem to put it in the category of pencils that might be aimed at children, or used to promote a special event.
The ballpoint is similarly near the bottom of Caran d’Ache’s (steep) lineup.
If that’s the best they can do for wood, it’s a distressing novelty not worthy of serious consideration. I bought a tray full of Office Max No. 2 pencils the other day to see what people who don’t appreciate pencils suffer with. They’re Vietnamese made, very nicely finished, not particularly hard wood and thus having a tendency to shred a little, but very smooth lead and a bargain at $2 US for 36. At some point (like probably next week) the trial I’m preparing for will be over and then you shall have your electric pencil sharpener road test as promised.