Staedtler Mars Lumograph HB, Kum sharpeners, and reporter Moleskines – killer combo?

Yesterday I had the fun of accompanying Amber to Jerry’s Art-O-Rama. This Austin art supply store proved to be a secret treasure trove of cool pencils and varied Moleskines. I’ve read many positive reviews of the Mars Lumograph, but I’d never seen one “in the wild.” Jerry’s had bins and bins of open stock, so I picked up several. It is indeed an exceptional pencil. I haven’t used it for very long, and this might be blasphemous, but I think I may like it better than the California Republic Palomino HB. It still makes a smooth, dark line, but it doesn’t seem as “smudgy” as the Palomino, something I’ve come to notice about that particular pencil after a long stint of using it in my pocket Moleskine.

I was also pleased to find a Kum Automatic Long Point Sharpener, pictured above, as well as a squared pocket reporter Moleskine – two items I thought I was going to have to order online.

As I’ve neared the end of my current pocket Moleskine (the regular squared pocket size) I’ve really started thinking about which version I’d like to go with for my next one. I think the reporter is going to do it. Though it doesn’t lend itself to writing on both sides of the page as easily as the traditional book format, I think this may actually be a benefit. Because I put everything in my Moleskine, from private journal-type thoughts to grocery lists and recipes, it’s nice to be able to flip back pages I don’t want to share and start on a fresh one. I’m also considering the PigPogPDA Moleskine hack designed specifically for the reporter style Mole.

All in all, an excellent productivity pr0n shopping trip.

Blackwing auction breaks the $200 mark

With a full two days still remaining for bidding, an auction for a box of 12 unused Eberhard Faber Blackwing #602 pencils, the famed writing implement that has spawned fanatical fans and a slew of up-and-coming competitors, has broken the $200 mark.

Check out the auction before 8/2/06.

Note: I am neither seller nor bidder for this auction.

Just a pencil? I think not.

This post is for my coworker Matt, who said, “It’s still just a pencil!”

Nonsense!

It’s a geometric construction of 72 pencils, assembled into a work of art!

Viva la pencil.

Ode to the California Republic Palomino HB

In honor of Pencil Revolution, a repost from when Slow Burn was hosted through Blogger:

California Republic Palomino HBs
Originally uploaded by A.E. Baxter.

The guys over at Pencil Revolution wrote such a convincing review of the California Republic Palomino HBs that I had to give them a try. They’re only available through the Pencil World Creativity Store online, so I ended paying a steep $11.25 for 6 pencils… nearly $2 each! When I first received them, I was underwhelmed. I think, however, it had been too long since I’d used a wooden pencil (I’ve been on a very serious Pilot G2 kick). As I tried out a few other common drugstore varieties alongside the Palomino, I began to see how smooth they are to write with. And, like the Revolution’s review states, you can’t beat the clack of that thick, satisfying orange lacquer on a Moleskine cover. I am enjoying these pencils immensely.

A slowdown at Pencil Revolution

I’m sad to say that one of my favorite analog-focused blogs, Pencil Revolution, will be slowing down its posting frequency. From the latest post:

Is a revolution over when it has achieved its goals? Maybe it shouldn’t be, since there is always more to accomplish and always accomplishments to defend. But posting will nonetheless lose much of its frequency (as it has this summer), due to a major [physical] relocation of our editor and some other reasons. But we’re still here.

Infinite thanks to all Comrades who keep the fighting the good fight, in the studios, coffeeshops, pencil-blogs and trenches. Pencil Revolution never would have lasted this long without you.

Pencil Revolution has certainly been instrumental in popularizing fine graphite like the California Republic Palomino and the Tombow HB. I’m sad to hear that the blog won’t be posting reviews and articles as often. PR is a really interesting niche blog that collected a huge number of fans during its run.

I hope to continue posting about pencils and pencil-related gear here at Slow Burn as part of my ongoing obsession with pretty much all writing instruments, but I’ll never be able to cover the world of pencils with the enthusiasm that PR did. I don’t even have an electric pencil sharpener, after all! Hats off, PR.