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what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 2:05 pm
by jhw219
i've lived most of my life using mechanical pencils and if it were up to me, wooden pencils would be obsolete. obviously, i've accepted that we can only use wooden pencils in the LSAT but i was wondering if anyone found a particular brand that stay sharp longer? i mainly ask because although i've gotten used to having a row of pencils in front of me while taking it, it's still an extra thing to worry about switching pencils in the middle of a section and as soon as a pencil becomes dull, my pages tend to get more messy since i have naturally large handwriting.
just from my own personal experience, CVS brand aren't great, especially since their lead is really flimsy after sharpening. Dixon Ticonderoga I can deal with but just wondering if anyone has found something better. thanks in advance!
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 2:06 pm
by laxbrah420
I only use Ticonderogas, yo. They're the best
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 2:06 pm
by JamMasterJ
I like Ticonderogas a lot. They erase very well too, which is super important on the LSAT
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 2:14 pm
by Samara
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:23 pm
by ehall20
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Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:25 pm
by gaud
This thread is awesome
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:26 pm
by Br3v
Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:28 pm
by beezneez
May sound weird but simply sharpening helps me think, and I have a thing about very sharp pencils, particularly in LG. As I'm pondering an LG deduction etc I reach for the sharpener (constantly, like some sort of tic, or nail bitting habit, or something...).
I also took about 4 very sharp pencils into the last exam I did so that I could just reach for one if needed. You could do that too.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:29 pm
by gaud
Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps.
How dare you.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:29 pm
by JamMasterJ
Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
manual? Yes.
electric? No.
Also, keep a dull pencil available. They are much better for bubbling than sharp ones.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:31 pm
by Br3v
JamMasterJ wrote:Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
manual? Yes.
electric? No.
Also, keep a dull pencil available. They are much better for bubbling than sharp ones.
Guess that diesel powered turbo sharpener was a waste of $
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 4:48 pm
by Lyov Myshkin
JamMasterJ wrote:Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
manual? Yes.
electric? No.
Also, keep a dull pencil available. They are much better for bubbling than sharp ones.
+1. My personal preference, a special dull pencil for bubbling (likely a different type from my other pencils for easy distinguishing), and several sharp pencils. probably 8 sharp pencils (i find i go through 2 sharpened pencils per game, as i really really hate doing games with a dull pencil). don't use sharpened pencils for any other section, since i have highlighters (you gotta be careful with highlighters though, as they tend to bleed through the page (but this is only a problem on page two, since bleeding on page one is basically bleeding onto shit you've already done).
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 5:53 pm
by Nammertat
Br3v wrote:JamMasterJ wrote:Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
manual? Yes.
electric? No.
Also, keep a dull pencil available. They are much better for bubbling than sharp ones.
Guess that diesel powered turbo sharpener was a waste of $
Actually LOL'd
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 5:56 pm
by Nammertat
This is a BIG deal to me... I literally took 25+ sharpened pencils into the test last time, as I don't want to have to worry about sharpening anything mid test. I generally go through 1 per game, 1 per RC passage, and 5 per args section.
Are Ticonderogas really the best out there?
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:38 pm
by Ellee13
Ticonderogas are the best!
I use dull pencils for bubbling and sharp ones for the LG games. I haven't done enough PTs to know how many of each i will be needing, but I'm sure I'll get it down to a science by test time in October.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:39 pm
by minnbills
rogues are the best, you can also get mechanical pencils that look like rogues.
/thread
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:41 pm
by FantasticMrFox
Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
No no no. the way the graphite gets rubbed off on the paper is different from brand to brand. ticonderogas make the best bubbles
ETA: just saw your 'tar as a reply to my post

Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:45 pm
by MrPapagiorgio
Ahhh memories. I remember feeling like I was in 4th grade when I had to use real pencils again.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 10:42 pm
by rbkl
Can I bring a mechanical pencil to the exam?
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 11:02 pm
by MrPapagiorgio
rbkl wrote:Can I bring a mechanical pencil to the exam?
You cannot.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:13 am
by minnbills
MrPapagiorgio wrote:rbkl wrote:Can I bring a mechanical pencil to the exam?
You cannot.
Hence my comment about mechanical pencils that look like real pencils.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:16 am
by MrPapagiorgio
minnbills wrote:Hence my comment about mechanical pencils that look like real pencils.

Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:20 am
by Micdiddy
There's a student I tutor who sharpens pencils with an exacto knife. It's the best sharpened pencil I have ever had and I am going to make her sharpen three more for me before test day.
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:27 am
by Mr.Binks
JamMasterJ wrote:Br3v wrote:Pencil is a pencil my peeps. I guess on actual game day I'll bring one that erases well but besides that come on.
Btw are we allowed to sharpen pencil mid exam? Using personal sharpener
manual? Yes.
electric? No.
Also, keep a dull pencil available. They are much better for bubbling than sharp ones.
I heard someone doing this. Did you really do this? Seems it might take more time/effort to switch pencils to bubble..
Re: what pencils stay sharpest the longest?
Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 5:52 pm
by jared6180
I might keep a dull pencil for bubbling, I never thought about it until I read this thread but I honestly hate practicing the games section with dull pencils and ALWAYS use a .5 mech pencil to practice...another bad habit I need to reform.