CH Hanson 10580 Super Pencil

In short: NOT worth it. I hate to be a Debbie Downer about this truly forward-thinking product, but it really is a solution to a problem that doesn't actually exist. Have I been able to break it? No. Is it accurately described? Yes. Does it work? Well, "sort of". I'm a union carpenter and am always a fan of new and inventive products that make my job easier (or are just fun to use). Like most carpenters, I can't do much without a writing implement of some variety on my person, so a "super" version of a carpenter's pencil sounded pretty "cool". For a few bucks, I figured it was worth trying myself.What does it do well? It stays sharp (about the same as a normal pencil, but maybe it stays sharp a little bit longer) and is hard to break (do people really break pencils THAT often???).I suspect the selling point that gets most people that this pencil is "all lead", so it seems like it'd be "worth it" to pay a premium because you get more usable "stuff" (no "pesky" wood to shave off). The reality is that it doesn't mark on any material particularly well, because of the glues/resins/etc that are mixed-in. There might not be any wood in this pencil, but the entire "thing" is diluted by the very ingredients that make it "bendy".If you work outdoors like most carpenters, it's even worse, because any wet materials (even damp) just reject the marks this pencil tries to make - even with increased pressure (and who wants to work harder to make a frickin' mark on wood??). It works decent on wet/damp SMOOTH concrete surfaces like PT decks, but it doesn't mark on wet steel or wood products. A regular ol' carpenter's pencil or a #2 school pencil make marks - on wet or dry materials - at least 2-3 times as dark as the Super Pencil.The one place the Super Pencil has an edge (pun not intended), is if you regularly work on exclusively dry, smooth materials, where you want a very sharp, precise line (because Super Pencil holds an edge well and isn't as brittle as straight lead). Think dry melamine white board panels, AB or similar plywood grades (very smooth), or just standard lumber that just happens to be stored indoors and is dry when you need to mark it.

Finally! A product that is thick, not easy to break and you can use it until your fingernails can't hold it. All it need is a lanyard.

The C H Hanson people bill this as a non-wasteful pencil. this is true if you don't need any precision. If you need a point, you are grinding away scads of usable graphite to get it, the opposite of the claim. It also does not make as dark or clear a mark as a normal carpenter's pencil. The other selling point, that it is unbreakable, is also moot. Give this a pass; regular pencils are made from farmed lumber and are much cheaper even as they work better.

All good...fast and easy and works as advertised...I use this every day and bought it months ago and has plenty of life left in it..

I'm in the wood flooring game and have been using the super pencil for the last 9 yrs,these little rippers last ages and are hassle free (no more broken leads)

The pencil is flexible and solid color. It is not easy to sharpen, and even though it is advertised as not needing sharpening you will want to do so if you have to make fine lines against a straight edge. I am not disappointed with it because I assumed this would be the case before I bought it. I may use it in the job, but for now it is in reserve.

this is an Amazing work pencil, love it, buying more...

fine