Paper Mate SharpWriter Mechanical Pencils | 0.7 mm #2 Pencil | Pencils for School Supplies, Yellow, 36 Count

These pencils are great. Been using these pencils for 30 years. Started using these as an engineering student - quality pencils.Been using ever since. Now my kids love these for math and science class. You can’t add lead when it runs out - but that’s ok. The price per pencil is reasonable.Eraser works very well too

Nothing like new yellow pencils!They are great.Better than typing!

My children attend a Catholic school where there is plenty of writing and calculating by hand, so they need comfortable pencils to use at school and for homework. I also teach in a public school where there is less writing, but students do need pencils. I highly recommend these pencils for students.* Pros *Easy to gripConsistent qualityYou twist the tip to extend the lead (avoids the nervous habit of clicking the eraser until the pencil is empty)Disposable, so kids will probably be done with it before the eraser is used up or dried outLow cost* Cons *You can't refill like a traditional mechanical pencil (not environmentally friendly)* Other Thoughts *My kids have a strong preference for Paper Mate's SharpWriter pencils for homework. At this price, I have no objection to them carrying a few around because it's no big deal if they lose one. Likewise, I keep a few around the house and one in the car for when I need to jot something down. Are these high quality art pencils? No. My daughter uses a Pentel Graph Gear 1000 for her art projects at home, but she knows she has to be careful with it, and she's not allowed to take an expensive pencil like that to school. For everyday use, SharpWriter is a great choice.

PRO:Convenient twist feed to extend/retract leadGoldilocks lead size and hardnessEffective eraserEconomicalCON:Plastic clip could be more durable (breaks fairly easily if stressed) but works fine for shirt pockets.

I don't think I ever actually bought one of these until this purchase. My main memory of these pencils were seeing them on the floor in the hallways at school. Picking them up and tinkering with them, I learned how to refill the lead which was neat. You can take the eraser off, twist the tip counter clockwise until a T shaped doohickey comes out, remove the unusable lead if needed, insert a new piece into the bottom part of the T and slide the whole part into the center of the spring, Twist the tip clockwise and put the eraser back on.I figured having a bulk pack of reliable pencils would be a good idea so that I can keep a few at strategic locations at home, some at the office, some in my bag, and I would not be too bummed if I or someone else were to loose or break one. So far these have indeed been reliable. Their size and weight allow me to write for extended periods with minimal fatigue.I've seen that they recently moved their factory operations and with that came a new formula. While I preferred the color of the old models for aesthetics, the new color is brighter and easy to find when I need to grab a pencil. I do not personally notice any major difference in performance between the older and newer models. Honestly for about 30 cent pencil, I would expect greater variation just between pencils in the same package let alone comparing pencils from difference eras and facilities, but at least with the few I have tried I have not had any major negative experience.I don't know if this is an actual mechanical feature or if it is that I am right handed and hold the pencil closer to the rotating tip, but I haven't needed to extend the lead after the initial extension. It just seems to continuously go. If it is a mechanical feature, bravo. If it is more because of how I hold the pencil and I am inadvertently twisting the pencil and extending the lead as I write, this is also a bravo, but also be mindful if you are a lefty and hold your pencil closer to the tip as you might be twisting the lead back into the pencil as you write.Good to know that the lead pushes into the pencil as you write as part of their cushion protection to reduce lead breakage. Neat concept and I haven't broken lead from writing but I am sure lead moving as you write may not be for everyone.I have heard that these can be thought of as throw away or disposable, but with my previous knowledge of how to refill the lead, and using an eraser cap (I recommend pentel eraser caps if you are interested) I would say these can last for as long as the mechanism does. I don't know how long that would be as I have lost them before they broke.Overall, I would say that this is a good pick for someone who may need a lot of pencils for personal or sharing use, and knowing they can be refilled helped me decide to finally buy these for once.