Switching from wood pencils to Clutch Pencils.

[@maxkarpushko]

I love the 2h TK9400 2mm clutch from Fabre Castell over 2h wood pencils.

[@InyasArt]

Lovely video, I use a chunky Kaweco SketchUp in 5.6mm and I looove it. You can get all graduation of 2mm lead for your clutch pencil from makers such as Faber-Castell or Koh-i-Noor. Happy drawing!

[@kristenermish4963]

I love that you don't edit out the "DOH"s. Many could probably relate.

[@InyasArt]

Hey, it's me again, I'm back with a piece of info I forgot about. KOH-I-NOOR makes also Nero leads in their Gioconda range for the 5.6mm leadholder. They come in three gradations I think (soft, hard and extra hard) and they are black non glare leads similar to Staedtler carbon or Faber-Castell Pitt Matte. I think I have some info on them in my Kaweco SketchUp video. There's also colored leads in the same Gioconda line.

[@tcarisland]

As far as wood pencils go, I used to have the problem of lead breaking and never ending pencil sharpening in cheap pencils and Derwent pencils. I never had any such problem with Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils, and I have a similar impression of Faber-Castell, although I haven't used them that much. I still prefer clutch pencils though.

[@Mity_Moose]

Yeah that’s good info. But if I were to use wood I might do some work with another brand carpenter pencil. Did you see my carpenter pencil video. It really surprised me. Thanks for sharing.

[@vger9084]

I like to use the Koh-I-Noor Progresso woodless pencils for shading.

[@Mity_Moose]

I actually have one woodless 8B pencil. Perfect for scraping off carbon dust and brushing shades for clouds etc.

[@christianebehr138]

I have just bought a kaweco 5.6 and normal pencil I am very happy with them. Nice video 😊😊❤

[@Mity_Moose]

Happiness is a good ✏️

[@HeribertoNieves]

I'm been deciding if pulling the plug or not but you sure just convinced me

[@Mity_Moose]

Yay!!! Thanks

[@johnjones928]

I left wood pencils as soon as i discovered mechanical ones, my first was a .07 Sanford. a Staedtler 2mm clutch came latter when i started doing bigger drawings but i mainly stay with .05, .07 and .09. I bought a couple of 5.6 lead holders recently, they're nice for fill work and loose drawings, i'm getting some colored leads for them soon.

[@Mity_Moose]

Great comment John. I have one of those very first pencils that you twisted and it was like three or 4 inches but I don’t think they make them anymore.

[@pritambiswas4185]

"Koh i Noor" sells 5.6mm LEADS , 5.6mm Charcoals , 5.6mm CHALKS to use with your clutch pencil . ALSO with colour options - Silver , Gold & White .

[@Mity_Moose]

Well, now you have me curious. I looked up the 5.6 on Amazon and they have multicolor leads called magic. Might just have to do a video on that.

[@pritambiswas4185]

@Mity_Moose in India there are options , if you want I can show you :) although am not a charcoal person but I'll definitely try silver & sepia colour leads in future. You should review Koh i Noor 5330 , 5331 , 5340 & 5311 clutch pencils . We hardly have 2-3 videos on these pencils.

[@anthonybeers]

pentel makes 2H leads at least in .9 mm I use it all the time in a Pentel 209 I also have 2B and HB for the same pencil.

[@juliesczesny90]

I have used them all. I have a rather unique issue, being a leftie: I literally UNWIND mechanical pencils! Ergo, Drafting Clutch 2 mm pencils help immensely for me - where they work. I love my 5.6 mm, where it's called for. I absolutely LOVE my metal Kuratogas, except the unwinding issues - and I do mean, the metal part that protects the tiny clutches. Ergo, it's either 2 mm, or the Blackwing Matte pencils, in general. For inking, I favor my Fountain Pens, when I can get them to flow permanent ink properly! Otherwise, using up my quill pens and brushes, at my home studio. Unfortunately as for pencils, I have a gross of varying hardness of Staedtler pencils, including their display stand! And probably 20 mechanical, clutches, from 3mm - 5.6mm. So, I integrate them all into my work. I've not noticed any ageing on the pencils nor clutches. If it works, I use it.

[@Mity_Moose]

Great comments Julie. Never heard of an unwinding issue before. I too have difficulty with drying. I’m testing by keeping pens verticle while idle. We’ll see. Do you think that the Matt pencils will take over in the field of art?

[@juliesczesny90]

​@@Mity_Moose Aren't all pencils, "matte," until you overwork them, though? You can't make a 7H turn as dark as an 8B, by pushing down on it, going over it over and over - no matter how much you wish it will. THAT gives you only shinies, and eventually? You'll destroy the paper!! If you have a scale you can see on 7H - 8B, say in the old Faber Castel metal tins? It shows you right there, the light H's to the Darkest B's. The answer to Matte pencils taking over the field of Art? That already happened - Centuries ago. This is where we MUST use the internet, to teach each other, like the old masters did, but in person. I was thinking of doing a series on pencils, and how to take care of them. I mean, what do you do, when your pencil keeps breaking in the electric pencil sharpener!? Stop using it! I've rarely had 50 year old pencils break on me. Because as they get old, it isn't the graphite that shatters - the wood becomes brittle! So, I use a pocket knife on those. Or, razorblades within a boxcutter - whittling AWAY from myself. Lead inside of your snazzy Prismacolors breaking, falling out? You can lay them out on the windowsill, and let the sun gently warm them up. This will slightly melt the wax pencil lead, then let them cool off. If they don't have the gold lettering, you can pop them into the microwave, FOR A FEW SECONDS, ONLY! Don't want them hot to touch!! Let them cool down, internally. I let them cool overnight. With Prismacolors - and all colored pencils, AFAIC: Never move the hand sharpener over the pencil. Just like with pencil eyeliner, you gently twist the pencil into the sharpener, while paying close attention to shave the wood before getting the lead pointed. I have the 2 stage Prismacolor sharpener, it works great, if you understand that you use the blunt one first, then you can gently sharpen in the other.

[@Mity_Moose]

Lots of great ideas in this post. Never thought of warming them up. Will try that for sure. Thanks.

[@stevenvarner9806]

Koh-i-noor and a few other brands make full length 5.6 mm lead holders. Conversely, you can also buy shorter leads for your shorter holder. - BTW, your Italian Koh-i-noor Tecnigraph holds the graphite firmly, whereas some of the Czech models (Versatil) will slip. That doesn't seem to be true for their full-length, metal 5.6 mm Versatil holders, however.

[@Mity_Moose]

That’s some great info. Thanks Steven.

[@Sourpusscandy]

Have you bought any of the cheap clutch pencils on ebay? Any you can recommend?

[@Mity_Moose]

I wish I could recommend anything cheap but I don’t use eBay. The graphite in this video I am very happy with and the price is not that bad. But knowing what I know after doing these videos and lots of art, no 2 pencil creator creates the same thing. Just because it says number 2 doesn’t mean it falls within the brackets of tolerances or parameters number 2 means nothing except for what you get used to. The cheap Jot brand wood pencil at the dollar store are as good as any expensive ones in my repertoire. Thanks.

[@reginaldforthright805]

They do make an e&m long version

[@Mity_Moose]

I appreciate that Reginald. But I especially like the short fat one. I went with a different design for a longer one because it’s flat sided. It’s all part of the fun. Thanks!

[@rdeulen]

Are they clutch or mechanical?

[@Mity_Moose]

Well, in reality, all mechanical pencils, have a clutch grabbing system. The larger pencils have the clutch on the outside, so therefore they call them clutch pencils. I don’t know how to classify regular mechanical pencils and their gripping system. Just always considered the science behind them is the same. Good question though.

[@matthewdavis9437]

At 3:31 you say why not get yourself a 3 to 5 mm lead. What you probably meant is 0.3 to 0.5, 3mm to 5mm would actually be rather thick and not have snapped as easily. (but would more likely be clutch pencil leads, not the small boxes of mechanical pencil lead you have plenty of) Also, it's likely those clutch pencils have a hole on the back end. That is a sharpener for the lead. Edit: Actually, throughout the video you confuse 0.# mm and # mm leads.

[@Mity_Moose]

Yeah! I blame my script writer.

[@juliesczesny90]

But, I love my 5.6 mm! People think it's a crayon, I'm rather amused.