This pencil is a bit more challenging to describe than others in this series. It has no brand, no name, no markings. Still, it’s apparently the common generic pencil in New Zealand.
One thing I’ll say is that compared to a cheap no-name pencil that I’d find in North America, it’s just a bit thicker and more substantial. The paint job is reasonable. The wood is very pale – poplar? It’s a bit scratchy to write with.
Not recommended.
I certainly won’t disagree with your recommendation of “not recommended”, but overall I thought these generics were fairly reasonable value for money. Here in NZ they sell for US $1.85 per dozen, or US $1.10 per dozen when its “back to school” special times. Thats about 1/4 the price of mid-range pencils from Staedtler or F-Castell.
So how does this generic pricing compare to North American pricing?
We’re approaching back to school season here, so I’ll keep my eyes open for pencil specials. Overall, I think people looking for ecomony-priced pencils here would not expect to pay even US$1.00 per dozen. A weekend newspaper had an “Office Depot” flyer offering a package of ten Papermate Canadiana pencils for C$0.89 – maybe US$0.80 at current rates – and Papermate is a well known brand. (There would be 14% provincial and federal tax added.) I believe no-name pencils at a shopping mall would be even less.
Maybe others can share local budget pencil proces.
Incidentally, another weekend newpaper insert from “Basics”, another office supply store, didn’t have a single pencil offered in a 24-page colour catalog.
Of course, this puts enormous pressure on the quality makers. A Staedtler Mars 100 is usually C$1.75 per pencil here – about twenty times more than a single Papermate pencil. I can see how it’s hard to compete.
Recently I was in Weimar, Germany. In a dime-store I bought 10 (Hungarian) no-name pencils for €0.55. In another shop they sold for €0.99, and later I saw them for €1.50. Ten pencils for 0.55 cent! A single Staedler costs €0.50. Hard to compete, indeed. The pencils a decent, but the erasers the worst I have ever seen….
(http://www.xe.com/ucc/, a currency converter…)
I work for a big company and of course we are conscious of cost. Our office supply cabinet is filled with the cheapest materials. Everything is made in China except for our engineering paper. It’s like an Asian manufacturing exhibition. I can’t knock the stuff too much because it actually works pretty well. The paper clips can clip paper, the pens write well enough, and the rulers are pretty straight. We also have some wooden pencils in there. It’s those wooden pencils that got me interested in pencils! I took a couple and started examining them during a mental break. They are crooked, the lead is off center, and the eraser wobbles. In the end, they still work! They are great for scratching out ideas, drawing, and erasing. I think one my generic pencils had some sand in them because I felt something grind against the paper and suddenly flick off as I continued drawing.
Aimed at schools, these pencils are bargain for test takers, kids who play pencil wars, and those who lose their pencils.
Generic pencils can get quite cheap here in the US.
I got a box of Staples store brand pencils a couple years ago for 1 cent/12 pack. (Staples 1 cent sale).
But generally even Papermate Classic Pencils, not very great but better than generics, are USD $0.88 / dozen.