Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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An even more mechanical mechanical pencil

You might want skip down to the picture
  (+9, -1)(+9, -1)
(+9, -1)
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I love mechanical pencils, but my love is unrequited. I am a clumsy and careless sort of person, constantly dropping, misplacing, sitting on and stepping on my pencils.

This is not endearing to the mechanical pencil, which is by nature a tidy and delicate creature. They are almost neurotically precise. They detest lint, grease, and detritus.

To a mechanical pencil, any piece of lead less than a centimeter is detritus.

Since I am not given to long, tragic romances, I have not promised to change my ways. I am heartless, and I will simply move on.

I am looking for a pencil which is solid, but forgiving… a pencil which will support my lead, and not go to pieces when it falls. Is that too much to ask?

tiromancer, Dec 23 2004

Picture http://tiromancer.e...ign.com/pencil.html
You did just skip down to here, right? [tiromancer, Dec 23 2004]

Papermate "Ingenuity" Liquid Pencil http://www.papermat.../OF2063/index.jhtml
Excessive flash promo of what is, basically, a lousy pen [tiromancer, Dec 24 2004]

Parker "Liquid Lead" Pencil http://www.penhero....iquidLeadPencil.htm
Review on a site which I think is about collecting pens [tiromancer, Dec 24 2004]

Possibly Staples Brand "Stylus Liquid Lead Pencil http://www.officesu...om/product/s/498324
These are the ones I had. They were abysmal. I don't know how long this link will last; the staples catalog number is 498324. They are clear yellow with a pink eraser on the cap, which is black. Avoid. [tiromancer, Dec 24 2004]

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       nice drawing, but I'm not sure you are offering enough support for the lead. I think it would move around too much for normal operation.
ato_de, Dec 23 2004
  

       It never occured to me that a pencil could be romanced and be written about almost poetically, even though I myself have a love/hate relationship with pencils. Interesting drawing, sheds a bit more light on the gist of your idea. You might just have something there.
Machiavelli, Dec 23 2004
  

       Yeah, the part where it says foam? Read that as "some rigid material, such as aluminum or plastic"   

       This occured to me on the toilet.
tiromancer, Dec 23 2004
  

       Alliteration in the title and the toilet.
mensmaximus, Dec 23 2004
  

       How inspiring.
Machiavelli, Dec 23 2004
  

       [+] - - You obviously put a significant amount of effort in this!
contracts, Dec 23 2004
  

       I just had a thought: would it be possible to make a ballpoint pencil which operated using powdered graphite instead of ink, or would it be too smeary?
supercat, Dec 24 2004
  

       I believe graphite can be used a lubricant, but I'm not sure. I know it can be used as a coolant, even though it's flammable. It worked particularly well as a coolant in a certain Russian nuclear reactor.
Detly, Dec 24 2004
  

       They actually make those; ballpoint pens with a suspension of graphite in... well I don't know what it's in, but it's something miserable. It's runny, it's smears badly, the color isn't even, and it doesn't erase properly.   

       That's not a scientific assesment; I bought a pack of 8 once at officemax. Don't recall the brand. Regardless though, the texture is totally different from a pencil.
tiromancer, Dec 24 2004
  

       I saw them at the bulk food store tonight. It's pens on three foot long miniature coiled plastic cables. They don't fall, get lost or stepped on; attach one to a shirt pocket or writing station. Either that or break down and hire somebody to write things down.
mensmaximus, Dec 24 2004
  


 

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