My pencil case; a cradle for every pencil

When you love your pencils like I do, you can't have them rattling around in the bottom of your handbag, or worse yet, left at home in a pencil cup.

A pencil case that gently cradles each pencil so they don't roll off a table top.  It will also prevent pencils from getting lost, as an empty sleeve means that you still need to put your pencil away.

In my pencil case, I keep 2 mechanical pencils.  Right now it is loaded with an Alvin Draftmatic 0.9mm with 2B lead and a Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 0.9mm with HB lead.  (2B lead is for writing on rainy days and HB lead is for using on sunny days).

I also have a stick eraser.  This is because I would never use the eraser that is included on the end of my pencil, except in emergencies and under dire circumstances.  An eraser isn't really necessary, but its a little extra just to make me feel special and prepared for anything.

The fourth slot in my pencil case is for lead.  I don't use the barrel of my pencil to store extra lead for several reasons.  Extra lead makes a rattling noise inside the pencil that sends me to distraction when writing.  Lead can get jammed in there, potentially leading to anxiety.  Also, I prefer to load my lead down the front of the tube at the writing end (I'm a muzzle loader), and not through the breach, so I don't even want to pull the cap off the end of my pencil...ever.

If you tape two packages of lead (Pentel Super High Polymer 15 pcs) end to end, it fits nicely in my pencil case.  When I need to refill my pencil, I have the lead right there.

My pencil case, shown here, is an Aston Leather Finger Style Quad Pen Case.  It comes in several colors, and I have it in tan.  I have been using this pencil case for several years and I have nothing but positive things to say about it.

Lead sweet spot

There is a sweet spot that I look for when it comes to choosing which lead I will load into my pencil.

It starts with a look outdoors.  Is the sun shining?  Is it raining even the slightest bit?  Does the air feel crisp or damp?

The humidity will affect the amount of moisture in the paper, which changes the paper's texture.  In my opinion, this is the most important factor when selecting a lead.

Most often I write with 2B lead.

In Delaware, where it is humid most of the time and rains often, even a cheap coarse paper (like a 30% recycled content computer paper from Staples) will absorb enough moisture as to affect my pencil's performance.

Humidity will change the feedback that the pencil gives as it  marks the paper.  This sensation is one appreciated by the sound of the pencil's scratch, the vibrations at my fingertips, and the sharp tap of the lead as I dot an "i" or use punctuation.

If the air is dry and the paper is similarly cheap I lean towards an HB lead, which performs quite like the 2B on damp days.  A dry, crisp, coarse sheet of paper is ideal for that coveted hand-feel and sound that I look forward to in my longhand pencil writing with HB lead.

Things get complicated when the paper is finer.  Smooth, high quality paper (even if 100% recycled content) feels slicker, prompting me to choose 2B lead if the paper is well made, even on dry days.

Choosing a lead is an individual preference, but my sweet spot ranges from 2B to HB depending on the paper's quality and the humidity.  Happy writing.