Workshop Pencils and Markers - share your thoughts!

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MurrayYvonne

Age: 2024
Total Posts: 77
Points: 10

Location:
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I’ve always had fairly decent drawing pencils and pens, but historically my workshop got a bit neglected, and used up all the crappy stuff and pencil stubs! Given the time I spend there, this was stupid, so a few years back I started using decent stuff in the shop. Made a big difference. This is what I’ve found works for me.

Regular graphite pencils. Work well for marking softwood, not great on anything else. Quality makes a huge difference and a couple of good quality drawing pencils cost little. The traditional carpenters pencil has it’s benefits, but there are more crappy ones than good ones. Practicality rating 6/10.BF96C20F-B92B-4C1A-9699-13218C558D59.jpeg

Stabilo “All” Pencil. If you’ve never used these they are awesome! They look and feel like a regular graphite pencil, but write with a darker line, and on any surface - wood, metal, plastic, seemingly the lot. Superb things but not many folks know about them. 9/10.
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Chinagraph / Grease Pencil. Seemingly an obvious choice, these often disappoint. Generally too soft for wood, but not bold enough on metal. Good for marking on plastic, and score a point for not drying out! 4/10.
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Spirit Markers. Excellent tools. I use the fine “OHP” pens for marking out most metalwork jobs. The bigger markers get used for writing on plastic, but also on metal before using a scriber - I can actually see the scribed line that way. 8/10.
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Pica Pencils and Pens. I just love everything this company makes. They’re one of the few manufacturers who really think about their designs. The pencils are superb. Lead is just perfect - good and bold but can be sharpened to a point. You can mark into deep holes, and the holder with clip protects the point perfectly. There’s a huge selection of refills too - different hardness and colours, and special refills for different trades!

The marker pens are equally well thought through. Again, you can mark through holes, and the fibre tip can be extended as it wears. Don’t seem to dry out either. My most used markers now. 10/10.
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Pica “Visor” Markers. Basically a propelling paint crayon, these are again superbly thought out. Very bold colours, and write on seemingly anything. My first choice for tasks needing bigger marks, but also good for general labelling and writing on metal / plastic etc! Another 10/10.
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But - I haven’t tried everything. Feel free to share what you have found works for you. Has anybody found a halfway decent paint pen? I also note that the Japanese company Shinwa offer special pencils for wood marking. I wonder if these are better than conventional ones?

Posted 15 Oct 2024

Olandeep says
I’m a metal guy and seldom work with wood. My go to markers are the Milwaukee Inkzall. They seem to hold up a little better than a Sharpie.
I’ve had good luck with Everon and sharpie paint pens, I get them in silver for steel and black for aluminum and stainless.
The sharpie magnums are also handy to have around.

I also keep a few Zebra.07 mechanical pencils around for keeping notes and drawing quick sketches.

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Posted 15 Oct 2024

rosemann says
Well, I finally tried using decent pencils and markers, and it actually made a difference. Good ones hold up way better, and you can actually see the lines clearly, even on rough wood.
Posted 15 Oct 2024

rosemann says
Now, I mostly stick to Pica markers and pencils—they’re solid, and the refills last forever, so I’m not constantly hunting for a new pencil. Having some decent art supplies and equipment really makes a difference when you need marks that actually stay put and don’t just disappear.
Posted 15 Oct 2024

vraiel says
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Posted 03 Dec 2024

vraiel says
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Posted 02 Jan 2025

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