I added 2 new arrivals to the little stone jar on my desk today. They came from CWPencils in NYC to southern CA in 3 days, which just amazes me. How does the post office do that?

I’ve tried them both and of the two, I’m most impressed with the General’s Badger. It appears to be cedar, feels round-ish much like the Semi-Hex in my hand but it writes a little darker and smoother. Good point retention. It’s one I’ll want to keep stocked up on. My only criticism of the General’s pencils is that their yellow paint is thin. At 75 cents each, I’d expect a little better paint job, but that’s a pretty insignificant thing. I buy pencils to write stuff down, not to sit here and behold their beauty. It’s just that I do appreciate attention to detail, you know?

The Musgrave Harvest is my first #1 pencil (yes, in my life, as far as I know) because I wasn’t paying attention when I ordered it and assumed it was a #2. But I’m happy I was distracted because I really like it too; it’s also a real pleasure to use. The core is soft, it writes smooth and dark, and for a sharper hex it’s still comfortable. It’s not cedar, it’s possibly basswood, which is fine. The Harvest is 35 cents each but the paint seems more thorough. And though I’ve seen it advertised as a yellow pencil,  it’s obviously orange; exactly the same paint as the 909 Ceres.

It’s always a better day when a few new pencils come to town. Write on, y’all.