I Wanna New Drug

So I’ve been getting into pencils.

It all started with this episode of the Pen Addict Podcast about mechanical pencils. Myke and Brad discussed their favourites and I’d soon ordered a Kuru Toga and Uni Ball Shift Pipe. They were neat and others were to follow but before that I started listening to the Erasable Podcast.

Actually I have also been getting into podcasts.

Erasable is all about wood case pencils. A friend bought and shared a box of Palomino 602s.  It is so smooth and pretty… well, a few recommendations in the Erasable Facebook group and I have lots of wood pencils too.

Now I’m in a position to make a couple of observations:

1. Buying a box of a dozen pencils for less than a pint of beer in London means it’s an affordable addiction.
2. I love the more visceral connection with the writing instrument in the same way I do with fountain pens. Sharpening, turning the tip to change the line and the sound on the paper. Even though I use pencils a bit for gaming I seemed to have forgotten the pleasure of writing with them.
3. Buying pencils by the dozen for very little means I can just give spares away and this makes people happy.

The problem I am having is finding use opportunities. At work I write with fountain pens. At home I do lists and notes but not much else. So that results in a mix of pencils and other pens being used. I am carring one in my weekend bag (in my Nock Hightower case).

But I’m enjoying them. When I’ve used them some more I’ll start writing proper reviews. At least I don’t have to worry about them drying up like pens!