Month: September 2008

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Multiplication table pencils

There are a few novelty pencil genres that seem persistent. Though ballpoint pens are always encroaching, the pencil still seems to be a choice at many museum gift shops, at hotels, and a select few other places.

One of these persistent genres seems to be the “multiplication pencil” – a pencil for children with a printed multiplication table.

Multiplication table pencils

The three in the photos are of particular interest, as they bear the marks of the pencil companies that made them – Lyra, Musgrave, and Viarco.

I would say the Lyra, the sole triangular pencil, is the nicest writer. It appears to use jelutong wood.

Multiplication table pencils

Do you have recollections of seeing or using pencils like these?

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Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

Over the last three years, we’ve mentioned many Chinese made pencils – yet these have always been pencils made in China for other brands and firms. This is the first Chinese pencil associated with the originating factory that we’ve seen.

Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

Thanks to blog reader Jieun for proving these pencils!

These pencils were made at the China First Pencil factory. One of the most interesting things to be seen at their website is the pencil making machinery for sale. Wow, I wonder what it would cost to start a small pencil factory in the garage?

The packaging is among the nicest we’ve seen for a cardboard box of pencils.

Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

The box reminds us, “It is appraised that the paint on this pencil is up to hygenic standard and is harmless to human body.” Who would want anything less?

The pencils have a fairly complicated pattern, alternating black with red-and-centered-black-stripe.

Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

One side has Chinese text (gold), and the opposite side English (silver).

The ferrules display a bit of fanciness.

Chung Hwa 6151 pencil

They sharpen easily and have a nice look – yet – for such a promising pencil, the lead is unfortunately just so-so.

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Pencils in the news!

A few interesting links/web discoveries that have recently been sent here:

The WEEKLY DIY ROUNDUP: PENS, PENCILS, AND CASES! from Threadbanger. Lots of crafty pencil accessory possibilities. Thanks Joyce.

Eco-Pencils at Slate. Mainly a debate about mechanical vs. woodcase pencils. Thanks to blog reader Sekhar for the link.

Pencils can be integral to schools! at JPG. From a comment at Lexikaliker.

Ancient instrument still making its mark. A Toledo Blade article on pencils that doesn’t quite make its point, since putting them up on a wall is the main use cited!

Draw attention with these pencils from the Electric News. Count Andreas von Faber-Castell (who prefers to be called Andy) was in Singapore to present some pencils.

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Very thin erasers

Very thin erasers

Here are a couple of amazingly thin erasers.

The Tombow Mono zero is a 2.3mm diameter cyclindrical eraser, dispensed by clicking the cap. It really does seem like a mechanical pencil in both form and function.

I thought this eraser was probably a borderline novelty, but it worked quite well over a period of days. You wouldn’t use it to erase several lines of text, but it is great for smaller tasks such as changing a line fragment, digit or letter.

I like the portability as well.

Very thin erasers

The Pentel Clic Eraser Hyperaser is a rectangular metal housed eraser. It has a dispense mechanism similar to that of most stick erasers, such as the Staedtler 528 50. A clip as well!

This is an ink eraser. It seemed to work well on tests with ballpoint ink, and less well with fountain pen ink.

I wasn’t expecting much, but both seemed pretty good.

The main problem I see it that both require yet more proprietary refill types. The Mono zero in particular seems like it will require a replacement eraser soon enough.

Very thin erasers

My thanks to der Lexikaliker for the Pentel eraser.

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Musgrave 90th Anniversary pencil

Musgrave 90th Anniversary pencil

We are late by two years – the Musgrave Pencil Company’s 90th anniversary was in 2006. Yet, it was still a true delight to recently receive a box of Musgrave’s 90th anniversary pencils.

Round pencils, they have gold coloured ferrules, with white erasers. All have dyed wood – red, green, or yellow, with corresponding varnish.

The pencils are marked:


Musgrave Pencil Company Inc.
90th Anniversary
1916-2006

Among the American pencil companies, I think Musgrave must be acknowledged to have an advantage in lead quality. The Musgrave HB is possibly the sole American pencil in the same league with the top pencils from the rest of the world. The situation is all very strange – by some measures, Musgrave is a “small business”, yet (and tell me if you think I am wrong!), the quality of their best pencils surpasses those of Sanford and Dixon.

Musgrave 90th Anniversary pencil

The quality of the 90th Anniversary pencil seems to be even better than that of the HB – the lead is even smoother in a side-by-side comparison. The round vs. hexagonal shape is obviously a personal preference. Musgrave has pulled out all the stops for their Anniversary pencil!

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