Pencil Tip

Regular pencils are usually just not sturdy enough for construction or repair projects, hence many carpenters use fat flat pencils. Carpenter's pencils are sturdy enough to stay in one piece and the lead is fat enough not to break off all the time. They also don't roll away. Sharpening these pencils can be somewhat challenging, however. Look for special sharpeners at the home center of any hardware shop.

- Stephen Corwin

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2001