Vintage American Pencils: Research and Review

[@emilyhayes2424]

The copying hard pencil was for use with carbon paper, where the hard lead would be used to press harder to transfer the top master copy into the bottom copies!

[@emilyhayes2424]

I believe some copy pencils were to use with wet paper, if you can imagine it. They wouldn't have regular pencil cores but a water soluble indelible dye core. Unsure 100% about the Blaisdell because of the lack of info online for it but those are your 2 main options.

[@stumethod]

Oh neat! Now I want to go try out my Blaisdell pencil with carbon paper. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing! I don't think my Blaisedell is water soluble, but I will keep it in mind if I come across other copying pencils.

[@CircHistory]

I appreciate this video for a few reasons. Very good editing and voiceover, for one. Learned some stuff I didn't even know (and I have been collecting pencils for over 5 years). You also make a great point on the fact that brands back in the day had their own different companies and specifications. I agree, now buying a different "brand" has no meaning.

[@MartenFerret]

That IBM Electrographic isn't an ad pencil, it's an early 'electronic lead' pencil intended for use with test-scoring machines (just happens that one was developed by IBM).

[@mr.fiction1558]

Important things I've learned: 1. The pencil industry is heavily monopolized 2. America still makes great pencils 3. Pencils used to have offensive names XD

[@ma-mo]

Nicely done. I found this: riveting. I am a fan of vintage graphite pencils also, and I appreciate all the work you put into this.

[@ArAmInCa]

Just found your review when I google searched top American vintage pencils. I have been a collector for a few years now, and it looks like the person you got this bag from knew their pencils. My personal vintage favourites are the Venus Velvets, Ticonderoga woodgrain vintage, Ticonderoga WW2 pencils (plastic ferrule as you said), IBM Electrographic, Eagle Mirado, Eagle Draughting 314 and the Woodclinched Eberhard Mongol. The one you have with the diamond logo on it is the best version! Fantastic find and I totally agree that the vintage pencils are so different to write with compared to many of the new ones. E-Bay is a great source of vintage pencils.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I got a bunch at a yard sale and they are not equal at all 😂 I wanna do more research on some of them! There's some that I absolutely adore! I do like the mongol pencils, they're really nice!

[@poppyglow]

I have been collecting writing instruments for over 40 years and it is a huge rabbit hole. I am in the process of researching and putting something together in a comprehensive manner and I almost think it is impossible. My love is the Paper Mate, and they went through many acquisitions Reynolds, Sanford, Newell etc. I absolutely hate Newel and everything they have touched went into the garbage. It's very sad to see these companies get eaten up by these large monopolies. It is sad to see pens made out of metal now made of plastic. There is nothing original or charming anymore. Just so you know the rabbit hole gets even larger when you look up companies and find that some promotional writing instruments were made for only promotional reasons and different countries offer different products, For example, the Paper Mate Mark VII , fountain pen made in West Germany in the 80's was made for the UK and never released in the US, It is the best fountain pen I have ever used and I have many with different price points and ages. It is sad and frustrating. Thank you for this great video!

[@MartenFerret]

Copying pencils were used before copy machines were a thing. Basically, the leads had special dyes in them that could transfer whatever was written/drawn with them onto another sheet (believe it or not, gelatin was sometimes involved---it was a strange process). Later there were devices called Ditto machines that made transferring lines much easier (and there were pencils for those, too).

[@ebodaman]

enjoyed this pencil video

[@josephvendetti1330]

Great video! The modern Dixon Orioles made in India are a decent pencil if you can find them. That's a nice variety of vintage pencils you found and really great job on pencil history, thank you.

[@MartenFerret]

Those Goldsmith pencils are likely referring to the store that sold them and not to the maker (Goldsmith Bros was a stationery store).

[@MartenFerret]

Onward was distributed by City Products Corp and likely manufactured by Dixon.

[@rodneyrobinson1115]

I remember these old big red pencils when I was a kid. If I could only remember the name. I'm from '89. The red ones look familiar.

[@immanuel_shadowhammonds2813]

There’s a Dixon company in Mexico, Mexico are heavy on Plastic Pencils though. BUT… when I was in Cancun, I found a Dixon Metrico (the American equivalent to the Dixon Metric) They are very nice and sturdy!

[@MartenFerret]

I could be wrong, but the Route pencil is likely an unbranded Eberhard.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I have the forum pencil but mine isnt labeled as "venus" just forum. I haven't seen any like that online, do you know any info on that one?

[@LazyStory]

Mongol ".. the name would absolutely not flown today..." It is the most selling pencil in Philippines today. I just got a dosen of nr 1 last week.

[@MartenFerret]

If you think that's bad, try the 'Negro' pencil from Hardtmuth (you can guess it was a very dark pencil ...much like the 'African' from American Pencil co).

[@raccoon874]

I can't be the only one here screaming *SHARPEN THE FU&^*% PENCILS* am I? ps the background music is 100000000% unnecessary and annoying

[@MartenFerret]

Raccoon! :O