On other blogs that I’ve been part of, we’ve occasionally set aside a post every once in a while for discussion. I would love to get a dialog going between all of the online pencil bloggers, users, and collectors, because I think we can all benefit from sharing advice, tips, specific interests, etc.
So here goes: I’ll post a topic to get us started, and feel free to keep us on my topic, or start your own. No real guidelines, just keep it clean (as I know you will).
TOPIC: What shape of a pencil do you prefer? Round pencils or hexagonal? Why? Is it for comfort? Grip? Looks?
Woodclinched 
All of the above! : ) Round feels “fancier” sometimes because it’s not that common in the US. But I like the sound of a hex pencil trying to roll off my my desk by being slowed down.
I ordered some Semi-Hex-es with my Blackwings last week, for a future review and because I love General’s stuff. I wonder how “round” they’ll be?
John,
Me too! That’s funny, because I usually consider rounds to be “cheap” because of all the cheapo souvenir pencils that come round. Although my favorite pencils tend to be triangular, I’m a hex fan, usually.
I look forward to hearing what you have to say about the semi-hex pencils — I’ve never used a General’s pencil.
If you live near an Utrecht, they usually have open stock of the Cedar Pointe, though at inflated prices. General’s stuff is really just great!
Round.
Black Velvet was my favorite.
Hexagonal for writing – twisting the pencil one face at a time keeps the point sharp.
For drawing when I want a chisel edge it doesn’t matter what shape.
this is not included in the options but i have had a few octagonal pencils that i used in my college days for drafting -they drew and wrote like a charm,maybe as good as…i dont know, a Blackwing 602? and they were really soft, which was not usually a good thing for a drafting pencil but the octagonal shape ment i could rotate it more often so it worked like a 5H even thought te actual range was liek 6b-8b
Actually, pencils are hexagonal so they don’t roll of a slanted surface. Hexagonal also seem to have stronger lead. I prefer hexagonal pencils.