Mechanical Pencils:

[aQuArius]

Poll question: Mechanical Pencils:

[jpgray]

1. Good for writing

Lousy for doodling.

[aQuArius]

2. Also lousy for trying to quit smoking (n/t)

[Seldona]

3. I am staring at 2 on my desk right now.

Somehow I always wind up getting them as gifts.

Haven't ever bought one actualy now that I think about it.

But they sure come in handy.

[Endangered Specie]

4. Preferablly in 0.9mm...

although I can use 0.7 with occasional breaking, 0.5 I snap like twigs... very heavy handed, I onced used a 1.1mm one, that was neat just because I was the only one and I loved watching some kids try and put 1.1 lead into their .5 pencils :)

[aQuArius]

5. That is another drawback, though...

If you're at the store and in a hurry, it is easy to get the wrong size lead.

[never cry wolf]

11. 0.5 is ok but...

you need the right lead. I am an architect and lived on mechanical pencils for years until CAD became the industry standard. I still carry a 0.5 in my pocket every day however.

Here's the problem with 0.5, all the pencils come with HB lead which essentially is the same as the old #2 wood pencils. For drafting work that is soft but for everyday writing it is really kind of hard and brittle. Go get yourself a few tubes of 2B or 3B leads from an art supply store and the 0.5's rock!

[miss_kitty]

6. i have mounds of mechanical pencils

but i'v only used the .5s...i wanna try the bigger ones now!

[aQuArius]

7. Bigger doesn't always mean better, LOL (n/t)

[miss_kitty]

10. it obviously depends upon the skill of the user! :P n/t

[Chovexani]

8. Only thing I use

They're a D&D geek's best friend next to lucky 20s. :)

[aQuArius]

9. I'm an ACCOUNTING geek, close enough, right???

:P