Category: manufacturers

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Berol Handwriting pencil

Berol Handwriting pencil

The Berol Handwriting pencil come to us from Sanford UK, a division of Newell Rubbermaid. The Berol name remains active in the UK and other countries. The Berol history at that link is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in pencil and fountain pen corporate history.

Please see Handschriftbleistift (a great name) at Lexikaliker to see another UK “Handwriting pencil”.

The name is intriguing – why so specific? Differentiation from drawing pencils is all I can guess.

Berol Handwriting pencil

The official product page indicates an official price of £0.80 for 12 pencils – well into discount territory.

The choice of pencil finish is very interesting – alternating red and white sides, with a red cap. The white sides in particular seem thinly painted, and rather prone to revealing flaws or any stray graphite dust.

No place of manufacture is mentioned.

Alas, the pencil has a very hard and scratchy lead. While the statement made on the box, “Hard Wearing,” is no doubt true, the Handwriting pencil seems a poor choice for handwriting. Whether child or adult, I can’t really see any extended use of this pencil being very pleasant.

Berol Handwriting pencil

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Tombow 8900 pencil and Victorinox pen knife

Tombow 8900 pencil and Victorinox pen knife

A delightful accessory, this pen knife by Victorinox sports the colours of the Tombow 8900 pencil.

Tombow 8900 pencil and Victorinox pen knife

The 8900 is a general purpose pencil whose packaging continues to use traditional graphics.

Tombow 8900 pencil and Victorinox pen knife

What a great idea! Tombow was founded in 1913, so they have a big anniversary approaching – I’m sure we’ll see more special products from them.

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Mitsubishi Natural pencils

Mitsubishi Natural pencils

Some beautifully finished Mitsubishu Uni pencils. Called “Natural”, they have a rich and appealing woodgrain.

My eye can’t discern this, but over time, at least one pencil’s cap has begun to show a hairline crack in the paint:

Mitsubishi Natural pencils

The circled JIS mark attests to these being older pencils.

Mitsubishi Natural pencils

The box of twelve came with an eraser, and looks great wherever it finds itself, but especially on a wood desk.

Mitsubishi Natural pencils

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Faber-Castell animal print pencils

Faber-Castell animal print pencils

From Faber-Castell, we have some interesting novelty pencils in animal prints.

Faber-Castell animal print pencils

The packaging indicates the pencils are FSC certified and made in Indonesia, while the erasers hail from Malaysia.

The triangular shaped pencils write reasonably well, and the matching eraser is a nice bonus. They could be a nice gift for a child.

Faber-Castell animal print pencils

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Staedtler natural finish pencils

Staedtler natural finish pencils

From Staedtler, we have two natural finish pencils. Not displayed on any Staedtler website I am aware of, they may be regional offerings, or are perhaps new to the market.

Staedtler natural finish pencils

The 123 60 is an unlacquered hexagonal pencil, factory sharpened, with an unfinished end. The pencils and the box are both marked, “Made in Germany”. The English text on the box says, “Natural wood office pencils.”

Staedtler natural finish pencils

The 190T is a clear lacquered round pencil, unsharpened, with a dark blue cap and white cap ring. Apart from being a brand name round pencil, which is already a small category, it has a some curious elements.

First, the name appears to be foil stamped – another unusual practice for Staedtler. The box calls the 190T “standard round pencils” and is marked “Made in Thailand.”

Staedtler natural finish pencils

The box has an even more unusual claim – a bullet point stating, “crowned end to protect lead from humidity.” Now that is interesting – are leads vulnerable to the effects of humidity? Certainly at the point of contact with paper they are, and many have noted the relationship between humidity and a pencil’s performance. But at rest, unused – does the pencil’s core benefit from coverage at one end? I would guess that the wood is more vulnerable to the effects of humidity than the lead. What do you think of this claim?

Staedtler natural finish pencils

As writers, I’ve consistently found the 190T to be the better of the two, with a lead I would call smoother and darker. In appearance, I’d also give the nod to the 190T, and bonus points for the round shape.

Staedtler natural finish pencils

Perhaps responses to environmental trends, they are both nice and worth a try, especially the 190T.

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Stabilo Boss and Swing Cool highlighters

Stabilo Boss and Swing Cool highlighters

Did you know that Stabilo has been making the Boss highlighter since 1972?

Again thanks to Quo Vadis Canada, pencil talk has received samples of the famous Boss and newer Swing Cool highlighters.

The highlighter colours are rich and vibrant. The Boss comes in a traditional wedge form factor, which the Swing Cool’s dimensions are more similar to a pen. The Swing Cool also has a clip.

Stabilo Boss and Swing Cool highlighters

Well, Quo Vadis sent quite a few of these, so we’re going to have another draw. There are six prizes – three sets of Boss, and three sets of Swing Cool. Each set will include four highlighters. You hear that right, there are six prizes total! We’ll again random draw first the Boss then the Swing Cool sets.

To enter the draw, just leave a comment on this post before Saturday, August 28, 20:00EDT. Only one comment per person, please. Winners will be contacted by email, and prizes sent by Canada Post. Thank you Quo Vadis Canada!
Stabilo Boss and Swing Cool highlightersused in a previous draw, we have the draws for the Boss highlighters…
>>> random.randint(1,25)
6
random.randint(1,25)
22
random.randint(1,25)
4

And the draws for the Swing Cool highlighters…
>>> random.randint(1,25)
3
random.randint(1,25)
14
random.randint(1,25)
5

The winners are Jimmy, awin, Patty, Marby, Roxanne, and Futural. I will contact each of you by email. The package will be sent by Canada Post. Thank you very much to Quo Vadis Canada for supplying these great items!

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