Pencils

[corgicoupe]

I was at a pen collectors meeting today and saw a beautiful red Esterbrook pencil. It made me wonder how many of you add pencils to your pen collection? The price of this one, essentially unused, was about the same as a restored pen.

Edited October 3, 2016 by corgicoupe

[estie1948]

I have four Esterbrook pencils. All four still work. Two were bought for me by my dad when he bought my Esterbrook J for school all those long eons ago. One I picked up new at a stationary store that was going out of business in the mid-1960's. I don't remember where I came up with the fourth one. Also they use the good, thick lead so they don't snap all the time like the mechanical pencils my grandson and great-grandkids use.

 

-David (Estie).

[gweimer1]

I have a few. A couple are just beat up, but they work. One has a named literally carved into it.

 

I have a J pencil from an insurance company in Plymouth, WI.

 

Finally, I have a few pen/pencil sets, so I have the pencil for my turquoise M2 set, and another for my olive Deluxe SM set.

[pajaro]

I got one in a lot. I haven't done much with it. I did a crossword with it a few years ago. That's my use for pencils, and a very important use it is. Mostly I use newer pencils with easy press lead advance.

[BamaPen]

I like to match pencils to my pens whenever possible, whether Esterbrook or other brands. When I can, I get sets. Recently I acquired a set of Esterbrook fountain pen, pencil, and ballpoint. Would these have originally been sold in a nice box, or were they just loose?

[ac12]

I don't really collect mechanical pencils (MPs), but if I find a matching one, I might . . . just for the heck of it.

But now I'm thinking about using some of the older pencils, so I've been keeping my eye out for user grade MPs.

[Hobiwan]

I like to match pencils to my pens whenever possible, whether Esterbrook or other brands. When I can, I get sets. Recently I acquired a set of Esterbrook fountain pen, pencil, and ballpoint. Would these have originally been sold in a nice box, or were they just loose?

 

Pen/Pencil (of course) yes. The ballpoint would have been separate.

 

When I graduated high school in 1960, ballpoints were not allowed to be used for schoolwork. This, because at that time they were still considered "unreliable". Except for the newly developed PaperMate and, perhaps the Parker Jotter, any ballpoint you got (Sheaffer included) was subject to bad performance (leaking, skipping, etc.). And, if memory serves, the new PaperMate I got in 1961 didn't perform that well, either. Also, refills were expensive (69cents+tax). So schools, at least in my area, were not ready to accept them.

 

I believe I saw a Sheaffer P/P/BP set at a flea market once when I was in the hunt during the 1980's; but not any other brand ....

[corgicoupe]

I don't see many Esterbrook pencils for sale. Are they fairly rare? The one I saw was next to a Dollar pencil. Perhaps I should have bought it??

[gweimer1]

There's probably 50 or more up on eBay now. I would bet that pencil quality is even harder to decipher there than the pens are.

[corgicoupe]

No doubt, but this one still had the original box. I'll see it again at next months meeting. He's had it for several years.

[Hobiwan]

There's probably 50 or more up on eBay now. I would bet that pencil quality is even harder to decipher there than the pens are.

 

Aside from corroded inside due to rust, there are potentially 2 main problems with pencils. The most I find is "eraser stuck up into the cap". The pressure needed to propel the lead often pushes the cap against the eraser and eventually binds it into the inside. The other would be "lead residue stuck in the mech", which requires cleaning that out with some kind of "reaming" tool. Then there's the old, "no lead" which means you go hunting for the right size lead to fit.

 

There can be more, but these are the most I've found. And many dealers these days may not be familiar with old mechanical pencils enough to look for or fix them....

[corgicoupe]

You seem to be advising that one stay away from pencils, no?

[Hobiwan]

Oh, no. Just pointing out that, like pens, pencils can develop their own unique problems with use and age (and subsequent storage). So when buying them "in the rough" (as is often the case with Ebay sellers) it can arrive with no problems, work perfectly, perhaps need only a new eraser to replace one that's dried out ... or have an item or two (pull the eraser out of the cap, clear the lead feeder) that needs to be dealt with in addition to cleaning and polishing.

 

And it's quite worth the effort involved; especially if you can latch on to a "special" pencil, like a "$1.50" or "Pushmaster" (mate to the Visumaster) pencil at a reasonable price.

[estie1948]

All of my Esterbrook mechanical pencils went through a period of "rest" a few years back. I have quite a few other old mechanical pencils with advertising on them and they also had to go through the "rest" period. I was out of the right size lead (graphite). Then, about three years ago, a new office and school supply store opened that carried a vast array of graphite and my mechanical pencils were back in back in business.

 

-David (Estie).

[redbike]

I have a few, mostly coming with pens that I wanted. They include a couple of Eversharp "repeater" pencils that came with their Symphony fountain pens, a very nice Parker that came in this lot, and a Sheaffer pictured next to the Parker. I'm keeping at least one of the Eversharps and the Parker. Fortunately they all work well. I've had several no-name pencils that came in lots with pens, and I threw them out after it was clear I couldn't get them to work.

[Runnin_Ute]

BFP (Before Fountain Pens) I would regularly acquire sets. Parker Flighter sets. Classic, Insignia, are two I picked up over the years. The only one I use at all is the 45 Flighter set. (and now I have a Flighter FP as well)

 

When I bought my first Parker 51 Special it was a set. Unfortunately I no longer have it.

[inkstainedruth]

I'm in the minority here, apparently.

I'm not particularly interested in pencils, or in pen/pencil sets.

When I need a pencil, I use Berol Turquoise lead holders (and the equivalent model that are made by Stadtler-Mars). I find that I get a more controlled line, and can sharpen the point better, than I can with any mechanical pencil.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth