OT: Inside One of America’s Last Pencil Factories

[a4racer]

Truly amazing process and great article.

That having been said, and after watching alot of those "how'd they make that" shows or videos, part of me is always left with the bigger question:

"How'd they make the MACHINES that actually make those things"? Especially in the pencil plant--how are some of those amazing machines constructed--they all look to be such a custom job, there can't be too many pencil machine machinists out there--I'd love to see a profile of a machinist that gets retained to build machines for a factory that makes _________!

Anyways, just geeking out on the maker vibe here.

[notsew]

I saw that this morning, but didn't think to look at the rest of his pictures. Amazing stuff!

[nalax]

Thanks for the link to his gallery. Stunning!

[572cv]

Excellent pictures and a good story. Like the forum, no politics!! no pointed comments !!

thanks for posting.

[tylercheung]

This thread brings up vague memories of another internet thread somewhere, apparently there are such a thing as pencil aficionados with $50 wooden pencils made of the softest cedar wood and graphite lead that just write the novel themselves...I can't remember where. I think the Palomino Blackwing was one of them.

(also vaguely reminds me of all the mathematicians in the world panicking when the Japanese company that made the world's finest chalk decided to go out of business...that stuff apparently was so smooth it just wrote all the equations itself)


ME, I just remember the bubble tests from elementary school...yipes!

[daker13]

I'm a pencil man myself and my jam is the Blackwing Palomino 602. Just got another box of 12 for christmas, lasts me about a year. This pencil is made in Japan, however. I like those pencils in the article, but I think the lead is too hard (maybe they make softer lead pencils and I just don't know about them). The Palomino is about a 3B (I think...) and it's cheaper to just buy them from the art store, but a full box of the 602 is pretty nice.

[daker13]

Originally Posted by tylercheung

This thread brings up vague memories of another internet thread somewhere, apparently there are such a thing as pencil aficionados with $50 wooden pencils made of the softest cedar wood and graphite lead that just write the novel themselves...I can't remember where. I think the Palomino Blackwing was one of them.

The Blackwings I use are a reissue... I did read something about a collector's market for Blackwings. The Pearl is also a pretty nice pencil. Anyone in NYC should check out the pencil selection at Kinokuniya near Bryant park.

[crankles]

Originally Posted by daker13

The Blackwings I use are a reissue... I did read something about a collector's market for Blackwings. The Pearl is also a pretty nice pencil. Anyone in NYC should check out the pencil selection at Kinokuniya near Bryant park.

I use the reissues too...daily. I like em a lot. I still use a two hole Kumi sharpener. The electric one just eats em too fast. I"m pretty sure I'm the only person who's even used the electric one in the last decade. It sits in a common hallway outside my office and I've never heard it ;-)

[Plum Hill]

Wow - a 47 year employee.

[Cicli]

And if you need them sharpened.

[pitonpat]

I was fascinated by those pictures. I've carried a carpenter's pencil in my pocket every day for the past 46 years... yeah, I'm a carpenter/builder.

I can vividly remember my elementary school days when we would be given free, yellow Dixon-Ticonderoga pencils to start the school year. I think they were probably made in upstate New York (remember, there's a Fort Ticonderoga of Revolutionary War fame), where there are graphite mines.

Anyway, thanks for an interesting post. I always learn something when I visit this forum!