Carpenter's Pencil

[Geoff_S]

Why is a carpenter's pencil the shape that it is?

 

[bushwhaker]

In order not to roll. IMO

 

[MattRoberts]

Yep. Can't beat a mechanical pencil though IMO

 

[transatlantic]

Yep. Can't beat a mechanical pencil though IMO

I do like mechanical pencils but I find they're not as clear. I assume because the darker lead is too soft?

 

[bugbear]

Yep. Can't beat a mechanical pencil though IMO

I do like mechanical pencils but I find they're not as clear. I assume because the darker lead is too soft?

I don't think leads for mechanical pencils are available (to misquote Maureen Lipman) in all the grades in all the sizes.

BugBear

 

[MattRoberts]

Yep. Can't beat a mechanical pencil though IMO

I do like mechanical pencils but I find they're not as clear. I assume because the darker lead is too soft?

You can get different grades of lead to suit your needs. I've not had an issue, but I've mainly worked with lighter coloured wood.

But to have 0.5mm accuracy at the press of a button is important in my book

 

[MikeG.]

Carpenter's pencils are for use in carpentry, and are useless for joinery. Clutch pencils (mechanical pencils) are OK for joinery, but utterly useless for carpentry. Their jobs and capabilities come nowhere near overlapping.

 

[AndyT]

Why is a carpenter's pencil the shape that it is?

So you can sharpen it, not to a conical point (too easy to break) but to a knife shape (sharp but strong because of the extra width).

Added bonus: as well as the usual thin line (to mark a cut) you can easily make a thick line (eg to use as a witness mark).
Second added bonus: no rolling away.

 

[Geoff_S]

Thanks, but I have never been able to sharpen them properly. I always end up with a blob of lead on the tip. I've tried Stanley blades, penknives and the
specially shaped pencil sharpener.

I've tried the mechanical pencils, but I just keep finding the lead has snapped off.

I've started used the Staedler hexagon shaped pencils. They don't roll away either. It'll do for now.

Maybe I should just use crayons.

 

[dzj]

Most people keep such pencils in the mitre slot of the bandsaw and it's shaped that way
so that it's flush with the table.

 

[Mr T]

Thanks, but I have never been able to sharpen them properly. I always end up with a blob of lead on the tip. I've tried Stanley blades, penknives and the
specially shaped pencil sharpener.

I've tried the mechanical pencils, but I just keep finding the lead has snapped off.

I've started used the Staedler hexagon shaped pencils. They don't roll away either. It'll do for now.

Maybe I should just use crayons.

Here's how I sharpen mine:


Chris

 

[Tasky]

Large, flat face for registration?

Probably some bright spark back in Nazareth came up with it to flog to unsuspecting woodworkers, and the rest is history...

 

[Doug71]

Here is all you need to know about a carpenter's pencil, there is actually a useful tip at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM8uRAdZ8S0

Doug

 

[MarkDennehy]

Maybe I should just use crayons.

Or a large-bore clutch pencil. I use this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... bw_c_x_1_w
(I actually have two; one with 5.6mm black lead and one with 5.6mm white chalk for darker woods).
I do have the carpenter's pencils as well but I've never even reached for one since I got the clutch pencils.

 

[Racers]

I have a 2mm one like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/KOH-I-NOOR-Dia ... WJNT3B1XWW

And mechanical pencils down to .3mm


Pete

 

[Ttrees]

Does no-one else use a hand plane ?
I prefer it to the chisel..
One time I actually nipped off the skin on the tip of my finger doing so, on the garage low angle plane
Be careful when that pencil gets small
not a problem for my hands are rough.

 

[Neil S]

Run it over the belt or disc sander

-Neil

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

 

[Honest John]

Interesting the comments on mechanical pencils. I use them. I’ve often wondered how the .5mm mechaninical pencil is considered by the purist whom sharpen ordinary pencils to a fine point? For those who need them, all manner of pencils and refills are available on line from people like “Tiger Pens” I think is the name of the company I have used. For some uses I use the . The .7 leads as these are stronger, but the .5 ones will mark through the holes on the INCRA rules and guides. Noting the interest in mechanical pencils has reduced my slight embarrassment at using them. :lol:

 

[Tasky]

Does no-one else use a hand plane ?

Pfft.... I have a half-hour sharpening routine using sandpaper, glass, diamond whetstone and fifteen different grades of honing compound, alongside the Rob Cosman™ Pencil Sharpening Jig™ and three different honing guides which put a bevel, micro-bevel and a micro-micro-bevel in, to make my pencil scarily sharp!! :roll:

If I have time, though, I do this to my pencils: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnlfdjijhAc

 

[MikeG.]

I think I've mentioned before that a professional joiners shop run by a friend of mine banned pencils, and did all their marking out with fine ball point pens. Thin consistent lines, and no sharpening. The variety of colours also let them distinguish between lines of various types.