What #2 Pencil Should I use? Forum

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What is your favorite #2 pencil?

Ticonderoga (original)
123
33%
Black Ticonderoga
140
37%
Tri-conderoga
24
6%
Blackwing 602
17
5%
Black Mirado Warrior
38
10%
Palomino's Golden Bear
2
1%
General's Semi-Hex
5
1%
Palomino HB
13
3%
Other (post ITT what it is)
13
3%
 
Total votes: 375

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Dr. Dre

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What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:40 am

I'm currently using Dixon's Ticonderoga #2 Black pencil. It's pretty soft when I write and has good grip.


Image



I want to know if there is a better #2 pencil I could use. If such a pencil exists, please post it here. If you say to use those Staples pencils, I will assume you're trolling.



_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ETA:

Here are some testimonials of people who were helped by this thread;
CR2012 wrote:My only regret during my LSAT prep was that I didn't take the time to purchase quality pencils for my first take. I only realized this after receiving my second score and putting two and two together.

Sorry for the testimonial, I just really appreciate the work that is being done ITT for future test takers.
deputydog wrote:
After taking my first LSAT with TTT pencils, I disappointedly scored in the low 160s. After switching to Ticonderogas for my second administration, I pleasantly saw a large jump. Going into my third take, I know that my advanced knowledge of pencils and pencil accoutrement will provide me with the confidence and know how to push past that 170+ barrier. I don't think there is anything as vital or controllable in LSAT prep than proper pencil equipment. The question isn't why should you do it, but rather, why wouldn't you do it?

-deputydog
Black Mirado Warriors, Dixon Ticonderogas, Helix Eraser Caps, Dixon Triconderogas.

ZGr88n wrote:
This is probably the most important thread ever posted on any TLS forum.
ManoftheHour wrote:This thread revealed the world of the Black Ticons and the Mirado Warriors to me. Both of which are superior to the TTT pencils that I used on my previous two LSATs.
SteelPenguin wrote:
Dre opened my eyes to a whole new world of pencils and LSAT prep.

mlansky wrote:Once I went Ticon black, I didn't go back.

Skill Game wrote:What an amazing thread

ZGr88n wrote:This thread motivated me into buying a new set of pencils, real talk.


haus wrote:When I sat down to try a initial diagnostic practice test, I had just read that wooden pencils were required for a the exam. I did not have any wooden pencils as I had not used one for years (probably 15 to 20 years since I regularly used them).

I stopped by a convience store and grabbed what they had on hand and a throw away plastic sharpener. The first signs of things being less than ideal was the discomfort I felt sharpening three of the pencils. Things went downhill from there, I found the marks made by pencils were unexpectedly light and inconsistent. I attempt to adjust by pressing harder, this lead to broken points (and more time with the crummy sharpener). I also discovered that the erasers on these pencils did a better job of smearing the lead marks than erasing them, when I used more elbow grease to force the issue, I ended up tearing holes in the paper I used as my scoring sheet. When I made it through the practice test, my hand was sore.

I realized that this was not the performance I wanted to repeat on the actual rest day. Hence I read some reviews on pencils, sharpeners, and erasers. I orderd a few or each that sounded promising. I set aside the fat barrel pens I used at the office to take notes, and started using wooden pencils for all of my daily writing task. This allowed me to find the combination of tools that I am most comfortable with.

No, I do not expect that this will lead to a dramatic diffrence in my score, but I do want to make an effort to reduce things that could be distractions. This may be more important to me than many others due to some nagging injuries I have with my writing hand left over from days when my work was more physically demanding than my current geek work.
Last edited by Dr. Dre on Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:14 am, edited 19 times in total.

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ManOfTheMinute

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by ManOfTheMinute » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:43 am

Those are the ones I use...

haus

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:44 am


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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:44 am

ManOfTheMinute wrote:Those are the ones I use...
Image
Last edited by Dr. Dre on Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:46 am

haus wrote:I am a fan of the Tombow HB.

http://www.jetpens.com/Tombow-Mono-100- ... 12/pd/5054
Those aren't #2 tho

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haus

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:51 am

Dr. Dre wrote:
haus wrote:I am a fan of the Tombow HB.

http://www.jetpens.com/Tombow-Mono-100- ... 12/pd/5054
Those aren't #2 tho
HB is equivalent to #2

ETA: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencil#section_3

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:53 am

I did not know that....but they are really expensive for pencils.

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:01 am

Dr. Dre wrote:I did not know that....but they are really expensive for pencils.
Yeah, they are not cheep, and admitedly they are not dramatically better that the premium Ticonderoga pencils, but in my experience they seem a bit smoother, and hold a point better. The combination is strangely addictive.

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CardozoLaw09

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by CardozoLaw09 » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:04 am

I use these right now but might switch to Dixon Ticonderoga soon. I feel like I have to resharpen these more than I need to be. They're environmentally friendly though so if you're keen on preserving the environment then these might be for you. Also, they write pretty well.

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haus

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:11 am

I really liked the feel of several of the Staedtler pencils, but I seemed to wear down the lead much faster on these pencils compared to most of the others I tried.

I went out of my way to get a nicer pencil sharpener to see if I having a better sharpener would either make the point last longer, or bother me less that I needed to use it so often, but I decided to go find other options.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:13 am

If they need to be sharpened ever so often, I would stay away from them. I am environmentally conscientious but the LSAT matters to me more. My favorite pencil of all time was Dixon's Oriole. OMG was that pencil amazing. But I can't seem to find it in stores anymore. :(


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haus

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:19 am

Something like these?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X0TW6 ... 1?pi=SY115

Although I have heard from pencil geeks that some manufactures have brought back some popular pencil models with inferior assembly, most likely in attempt to cash in on a good name. Although I am not familiar with this model so I do not know if that would be at play here.

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elterrible78

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by elterrible78 » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:23 am

Dr. Dre wrote:I'm currently using Dixon's Ticonderoga #2 Black pencil. It's pretty soft when I write and has good grip.


Image



I want to know if there is a better #2 pencil I could use. If such a pencil exists, please post it here. If you say to use those Staples pencils, I will assume you're trolling.
I kind of switched back and forth between those ones and Mirado Black Warriors. I really liked the rich lead of the Black Warriors, but the eraser sucked. That gray eraser on the Ticonderogas is like a dream. I brought a few of both on test day, but I think I just used the Ticonderogas.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:24 am

Yeah those! Hopefully they'll be legit.

Have not used one since the 3rd grade and my god, they were amazing to do arithmetic with!


haus

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:32 am

The Pilot Foam Eraser is a really nice stand alone eraser. Another eraser that is popular at my office is the Steadler Mars Plastic Eraser.

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by haus » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:44 am

Dr. Dre wrote:Yeah those! Hopefully they'll be legit.

Have not used one since the 3rd grade and my god, they were amazing to do arithmetic with!
If you do order the Oriole's let us know if the live up to your recollection of them.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:01 am

Indeed I will!

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Balthy

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Balthy » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:35 am

Good thread on this topic:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =6&t=26495


My thoughts:

The original Mirado Black Warrior was an excellent pencil. After switching production location to Mexico, the quality fell; it is only a shell of its former self. If you get the originals from Amazon, you won't be disappointed.

The Eberhard Faber Mongol 482 is also a fine pencil (and the first pencil found in the now-ubiquitous standard yellow) but it is tough to find in the US. You'll have to make a journey to South America, but it may be worth it.

Finally, the Palomino Blackwing 602, a revival of the fabled Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602, is a true master's pencil. Palomino earned plaudits for reviving the pencil, listening to the concerns and criticisms of pencil enthusiasts, and redesigning it yet again to even more closely resemble the original Blackwing design. True devotion to pencil craftsmanship.


Edit, some links:

http://www.amazon.com/EF-Eberhard-Faber ... B003GR2B1U

http://www.pencils.com/all-brands/blackwing
Last edited by Balthy on Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:44 am, edited 2 times in total.

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warandpeace

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by warandpeace » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:41 am

I use those yellow ones :(

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:46 am

I like the smell of the Ticonderoga Black. Especially after I sharpen that baby after a Practice Test.

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jrsbaseball5

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by jrsbaseball5 » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:55 am

This thread makes me feel like there is a whole new level of pencil quality I never knew about.

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Dr. Dre

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Dr. Dre » Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:07 am

Would you guys recommend putting one of those eraser thingys on a pencil? Or just use the original eraser?


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Trajectory

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by Trajectory » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:24 am

Dammit! now you guys got me into looking into this world of pencils I never knew existed! I feel behind with my yellow Dixon No. 2. This will now soon change.

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mephistopheles

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Re: What #2 Pencil Should I use?

Post by mephistopheles » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:26 am

haus wrote:pencil geeks

:shock:

man, what have i been doing with my time

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


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