The 7 Best Pencils For Marking Wood

A pencil is one of the useful tools a woodworker need. It will put marks on the woods, allowing them to see the limit up to where they should carve or cut. This is necessary to make sure they get the pattern or design they wish to follow. Hence, the best pencil for marking wood should be visible enough. Identifying the right pencil is not easy. So, here is a list of woodworking pencils you can check that could match your preference.

A Detailed Review on the Best Pencils for Marking Wood

ForestChoice Carpenter Pencils

The last thing that you want is a pencil breaking its barrel. That is why in choosing the best pencil for marking wood, you have to make sure it is durable and will stay in place when sharpening. Because once the barrel splits, it may not be used anymore.

Product Highlights

The ForestChoice Carpenter Pencils has a medium granite core. It is made of high quality and genuine Incense-cedar. So, you don't have to worry about accidentally breaking it when sharpening. You can use an ordinary pencil sharpener or a carpenter's sharpener. It comes in a set of 12 packs.

The Good

This pencil is a great tool that a woodworker can use. It provides visible marks on the surface, so it will not give you a hard time tracing the lines. The lead is also firm, and it will not break easily.

The Bad

The pencils are not pre-sharpened when you purchase it, and it does not come with a sharpener. You have to buy a sharpener that will fit with the pencil and sharpen it before use.

RevMark Carpenter Pencils

In woodworking, visible lines are necessary for accurate measurements and cuts. That is why you need to choose the best pencil for marking wood. But having a pencil with marks would be advantageous. You can use it like a pencil and a ruler at the same time.

Product Highlights

The RevMark Carpenter Pencils is made of cedar. They are durable and will not break easily when sharpened. The lead gives black writing to make it more visible on wood. The body of the pencil has printed metric measurements. Since it comes in a package of 24 pieces, you will have adequate supply, and you won't fear running out of pencil to use.

The Good

The lead of the pencil writes well. You can easily see the lines or marking by the time you need to cut along the lines. They are also durable and won't keep breaking, unlike other leads. They are also easy to sharpen. The ruler marks on them are also useful when it comes to measuring the short or small woods.

The Bad

Since most of the sharpeners in the market have round slots, it will not be easy to look for a mechanical sharpener that fits its rectangular shape. That is why most of the users sharpen it by the use of a knife or a specialized carpenter sharpener.

Pica Mechanical Carpenter's Pencil

There are different kinds of pencils, and they are made from different materials. But all of them serve one purpose, and that is to put markings on the wood. Throughout the years, pencils have evolved into different styles. This gives rise to the innovative mechanical pencil, which can provide you with the same writing result but construct differently.

Product Highlights

The Pica Mechanical Carpenter's Pencil is constructed with plastic but with the same lead as the traditional ones. It is push-pencil. Which means you need to push the button to allow the lead to sneak. It has a point clip to securely insert it into your trouser, pocket, or tool belt.

The Good

This kind of pencil does not need a sharpener. The writing material is already inside, and once you push the button, the lead will extend up to the length that you prefer. You can do it with one hand and directly use it to mark your wood.

The Bad

The lead of the pencil produces fine writing results. However, it does not come with a refill. So, when you run out of lead, you need to buy a refill or buy a new set for you to use.

GRAPHITE Carpenter Pencils

When you think of something to mark your wood, pencils are the best tool to use. Unlike ink pens, the markings made by pencils can be removed anytime. This tool comes in different colors, but oftentimes they are dark to make the marks visible. It could be made of wood. For the mechanical ones, it is made of hard plastic.

Product Highlights

The GRAPHITE Carpenter Pencils have #2 lead. It is rectangular and comes in a pack of 12 pieces. This pencil is great for marking wood and concrete. It is available in 10 different colors so you can choose the color you prefer.

The Good

This pencil has a medium hardness lead. This means the pencils are suitable to mark wet or treated wood, and it is not too soft to mark hardwood and concrete.

The Bad

The barrel is not so durable. It splits in half when you put too much pressure on it while sharpening. So, you have to be very careful when you sharpen these pencils.

Swanson Tool Mechanical Carpenter Pencil

Pencils are a great tool in marking the wood. But sharpening them can be time-consuming. That is why more and more woodworkers turn to mechanical pencils and consider it the best pencil for marking wood. If you find sharpening burdensome, better get yourself mechanical pencils with quality graphite tips.

Product Highlights

The Swanson Tool Mechanical Carpenter Pencil is in the color blue, and its body or barrel is made of plastic, but its tip holds graphite, which is useful and visible when used for marking wood. It comes in a set of 2 pencils contains eight graphite tips.

The Good

The pencil is refillable, and it comes with an extra eight graphite tips, so you will not run out of marking tips. You do not need a sharpener for this. This means the pencil will last five times longer than the traditional wood barreled pencils.

The Bad

When not inserted correctly and tightly into the barrel, the lead cartridges will push through the body when you write. So, make sure to examine the tightness when you assemble them inside the pencil so it won't be a waste of money for you.

IRWIN Carpenter Pencil

Despite the claim of some that flat designed pencils are not easy to sharpen, others find it advantageous because it will not roll when they place it into their working table. The important thing, though, is the pencil should serve its purpose and creates fine marks on the wood.

Product Highlights

The IRWIN Carpenter Pencil comes in a set of 6 pieces. It has a medium drill point—not too soft and not too hard to mark wood. It measures 10.75 inches long and 4.25 in width.

The Good

The pencil has broad lead making it ideal for detail drawing and creates coarse lines on rough wood. It has medium leads that are not too hard to use in wet wood and not too soft to make markings on the hardwood.

The Bad

The design of the pencil requires a special sharpener. So, when you buy this, you need also to order a sharpener that fits with the design, or you can just sharpen it with a knife, but it may not be easy if you are not used to it.

Swanson Tool Carpenter Pencil

When it comes to marking the wood, you could always rely on the pencils to guide you on cutting and measuring. The best pencil for marking wood should always be part of your tools. Without it, it will be hard to pinpoint the exact location where you can cut.

Product Highlights

The Swanson Tool Carpenter Pencil is made of durable wood with orange color finished. It comes in a set of 5-packs, giving you enough pencils to complete your woodworking tasks. Unlike the traditional pencils that are round, this type has a flat design and will not roll whenever you place it in your working table.

The Good

There are a lot of verified customers who have been using the pencil for a long time. They have testified that the pencil is durable and lasts longer. The lead writes like a #2 and it is soft enough to mark wet woods but hard enough to last longer.

The Bad

The barrel does not seem to stick to the lead. The lead will detach from the barrel making the whole pencil completely unusable. So, when sharpening, you have to be very careful not to put too much pressure on it so that it will not split.

What to Consider When Choosing the Pencil for Marking Wood

1. The Core of the Pencil
   The core of the pencil differs in color. Usually, the color is black or grey, but for visibility reason, some manufacturers produce pencils with white or red colored cores. These colored pencils are ideal to use on dark-colored wood or those treated pieces of lumber or wood. If you prefer to have dark-colored pencils, you can choose between 2B and HB pencils. 2B yields higher darkness against HB, but HB is harder in texture. The harder the core, the durable it can be. All these pencil cores are very useful. The choice will only depend on your preference and the wood you are working on.
   
   
2. Barrel Materials
   Most barrels on the pencils are made of wood. Choose the ones that are hard enough not to easily break with the pressure of using or while sharpening. While it is not easy to identify the barrel's durability, you can always ask the experts or the manufacturer.
   
   
3. Style and Shape
   There are different styles and shapes of a pencil for wood marking. The usual shape is round, but there are also rectangular. They are mostly made of wood and encased the lead core of the pencil. The rounded pencil body is easy to sharpen with a mechanical sharpener, while the rectangular shaped pencils are slightly hard to sharpen because most sharpeners have rounded slots. Mechanical pencils also mark a good name with woodworkers. This type does not require sharpening as they are refillable.

Conclusion

For accuracy in measurements and cuts, you have to rely on the pencil designed for wood marking. This type of pencil comes in different shapes and styles, but with only one purpose. Some of these pencils have red or white leads for more visibility and easy to find whenever you cut or measure. But most still have the ordinary black lead. If you are into woodworking, make sure to include the best pencil for marking wood on your list. It will make cutting and measuring easier. Happy crafting!

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