The following is a guest list from my good friend Michael Metts, the pencil man. The Prince of Pencils. Ol’ Peter Pencil, we call him. Anyway, here’s Michael.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve become known to friends, family, and colleagues as a bit of a pencil enthusiast. I listen to a podcast about pencils, I give them out at conferences, and I use them every day at work to sketch ideas and take notes.
Here are seven reasons you should consider using a pencil:
1. Pencils are reliable
Have you ever picked up a pen and tried to write with it, only to find that it was skipping or had dried out completely? Pencils don’t have this problem. They always work, and the experience of writing with a good one can go toe-to-toe with some of the best pens. Buy a cap to protect the point, keep a sharpener handy, and you’ll have a writing tool you can always count on.
2. You can find a pencil that’s right for you
Pencils have different characteristics. For example, while most companies follow the same HB scale of hardness (it’s often a number scale in the United States), an HB from Japan will be far darker than an HB from Europe. Within Europe, pencils made by the Swiss Company Caran D’Ache will write silky smooth, while those from Portuguese pencil maker Viarco will provide more feedback from the paper. Whatever you’re after in a pencil, there’s something out there you’ll enjoy.
3. Pencils are beautiful
Pencils come in different colors and exhibit a staggering array of typography. Many pencils from Japan are covered with a thick, beautiful lacquer. In India, pencils can often be colorful and playful. Pencils made in the United States often exhibit retro typography, not because they’re made to appeal to hipsters, but because pencil-making has been in the family for generations (as is the case with New Jersey-based General’s Pencil Company).
4. Pencils have character
Pencils have long been a canvas for slogans and phrases. Here are a few things I’ve found on my pencils:
- “For General Writing”
- “Half the pressure, twice the speed.”
- “Return to nature”
- “MADE BY ELABORATE PROCESS”
5. There are worse vices than pencils
If you happen to develop a pencil-buying habit, you’re not in danger of spiraling into financial ruin. Custom fountain pens can cost in excess of $1000, but you’ll spend around $2 on a high end pencil, and boxes of quality pencils from Japan sell for $5 shipped.
6. Pencils are forgiving
Pen people are notorious for their obsession with whether notebooks are pen-friendly. They’re looking for a lot of factors, but their biggest concern is whether the liquid ink will feather or bleed through the page, making the other side difficult to use. Pencils don’t have this problem, and are enjoyable on a wide variety of paper.
7. Pencils make great gifts
I’ve made a habit of giving pencils away at work, conferences, or when we have guests over to our home. There are many smiles, and people who’ve become jaded by a life of Papermate ballpoint experiences begin to enjoy writing and drawing again.
It’s a magical moment that I hope sticks with them, if for no other reason than because I’m tired of people taking notes on laptops and phones when I’m in a meeting with them.
If you want to try some pencils and you happen to bump into me, just ask! If you don’t have access to me, I recommend CW Pencil Enterprises of New York City. They bill themselves as purveyors of superior graphite and ship their wares all over the world. Most importantly, they sell pencils individually, so you can try a lot of different ones.
– Michael
* * * * *
Thanks Michael! I’m mostly a pen man myself, though pencils have been growing on me, due in part to Michael’s enthusiasm for the little things.
*** Originally published as List No. 36 of the 7x77 newsletter project.