The Best Carpenter Pencil Alternative: The STKR Mechanical Review
Carpenter pencils are a must-have in any contractor's tool bag. They allow you to strike lines on the numerous hard surfaces you may come in contact with on a job site, such as concrete, drywall, or wood, and their flat design prevents them from rolling off pitched surfaces like a roof.
However, standard carpenter pencils are flawed in their design and can be a pain to maintain. They are more time consuming and let's face it utility knife sharpening is a little on the risky side of things.
Even the sharpeners specific to the flat, rectangular shape of a carpenter's pencil make the carpenter pencil ineffective. This is because it turns the strong beam shaped lead into a tiny cylindrical point. You may as well be using a standard #2 school pencil. Not effective for writing on construction materials.
You need a carpenter pencil alternative, the Mechanical Carpenter Pencil by STKR it is the perfect solution. It's made from high-impact ABS plastic, allowing you to adjust the lead tip, and it comes with refillable DURALEAD so that you can extend the life of your pencil way beyond the first lead cartridge without having to sharpen.
Even then, you are most likely reading this because traditional Carpenter Pencils lead breaks all the time! Leaving unused fractured lead cutting the life of these old school pencils way too short.
Literally, these pencils become way too short making them a nuisance to hold, less accurate, and a waste of your hard-earned money. Additionally, the smooth wood exterior can become slippery and fall out of your hands fairly easily while working interfering with your time and accuracy.
We'll be providing you a full feature set of the STKR mechanical pencil, including its benefits and why you should make the switch.
The Benefits
- No sharpening is required to use the STKR mechanical pencil.
- Tough enough for any job, made of high-impact A.B.S plastic.
- DURALEAD is strong enough to use on any material.
- Boasts a rugged design, featuring a no-slip grip for your fingers and clip so you can attach it to your tool belt or pocket.
- Pencil stays the same length the entire time you use it.
- Refillable DURALEAD cartridges come with the original pencil and can also be purchased separately.
- Comes with a 1-year warranty.
- You can shape the tip of the lead any way you want even more precise lines.
Is it Worth It?
With a little more upfront cost the STKR mechanical pencil's pros let you drop the frustration of outdated sharpening techniques that ultimately end up breaking the lead and shorten the life of your traditional carpenter’s pencil. Long term, the STKR mechanical pencil's pros will last you way longer, adding more accuracy and efficiency to your work and ultimately saves you time. From the no-sharpening feature to its reusability, it's got everything you need to get the job done right every time.
No Sharpening Required
Each time you need more lead, all you need to do is push it down on the cap to distribute more to the pencil's tip. This comes in handy when you're working on a job because you won't have to stop what you're doing to sharpen your pencil. This can come in really handy when you need to focus on your surroundings, like while on a pitched roof or a ladder.
High Impact A.B.S. Plastic
The STKR mechanical carpenters pencil is made from a high-tensile, durable thermoplastic called Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The properties of this synthetic material prevent it from breaking under pressure or melting in high heat. These properties make this pencil perfect for any job, from framing a home to building a deck.
DURALEAD is Strong Enough to Use on Any Material
The DURALEAD material of the lead inserts found in the STKR mechanical carpenters pencil is really what makes this tool so good. It's made of medium-density lead, is 18% thicker than a standard carpenter pencil lead, and is designed specifically for use with the STKR system.
The lead's density and thickness allow you to mark up any material you come across, which is perfect when you're working on a larger job. This also means no breakage or dull lines compared to standard carpenter pencils that can break and produce jagged edges when you sharpen them.
Rugged Design
Standard carpenter pencils are made of wood, and typically have a paint finish covered in a gloss coating. The gloss coating can get slippery when used frequently, especially if you're working outside in the heat with sweaty hands. This is not an ideal situation when you're trying to measure something, because your hands could slip and result in an uneven line, or you could drop the pencil altogether.
The STKR mechanical carpenter pencil has a rough grip that will prevent your hands from slipping while you're using it, so you don't have to worry about mismarked lines or a pencil that falls out of reach when you need it most.
When you aren't ready to use your pencil, you can store it in your tool belt or pocket with the handy pocket clip that comes built-in. This means your pencil will never be out of reach; you'll never have to search for your carpenter pencil again!
Pencil Stays the Same Length
One of the most aggravating things about standard carpenter pencils is that as you sharpen them, they get smaller. The shorter they get, the more difficult it can be to hold onto them. At a certain point, you'll need to get rid of them altogether because they're too short to use, which is a waste of money.
The STKR mechanical carpenter pencil stays the same length for the product's life, which means you won't have to waste money on a new pencil every few days or put up with a pencil that is hard to hold because it's too short.
Refillable DURALEAD Cartridges
When you purchase a new pencil, it comes with one cartridge of DURALEAD replacements. This is a great value, because the list price of the package is $3.99, while a replacement cartridge is valued at $2.49.
1-Year Warranty
The STKR mechanical carpenter pencil also comes with a 1-year warranty when purchased. If the pencil breaks or does not work as you expected, you can return it for a full refund! STKR Concepts is based in North Carolina USA, so dealing with customer service is friendly and easy. We do take pride in our products and brand. We also value our customers, so expect some of the best customer service you have ever had.
Shape the Lead Any Way You Want for Precise Lines
This carpenter pencil's design allows you to shape the tip to your liking, which is difficult to do when sharpening with a knife or other sharpening tool.
There are grooves in the lead cartridges that keep the lead locked in place when in use, so you'll never have to worry about it slipping from the pencil. Shaping the lead is a breeze - you just run the pencil over a rough surface like concrete or sandpaper to get that precise line you're looking for.
Higher Upfront Cost
The upfront costs of the STKR mechanical carpenter pencil are slightly higher than if you were to just purchase a standard pencil. To put it in perspective, a box of 72 standard carpenter pencils is approximately $15, which comes out to $.20 per pencil. This mechanical pencil will cost $3.99 upfront but does come with the additional sticks of lead. Which is kind of the point, buying STKR means you won’t need to buy as many pencils in the long run.
Requires Extra Equipment
When you're using a standard carpenter pencil, you can sharpen it with tools you'll likely already have in your toolkit. And it can seem cheap but you will be moving through a ton of pencils due to lead breaking and their eventually small size they sharpen down to. Upgrading to the STKR Mechanical you'll want to continue to purchase additional DURALEAD cartridges to continue using this carpenter pencil alternative but you will do this instead of rebuying loads of unreliable carpenter pencils.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a sturdy, economical option to a standard carpenter pencil, look no further than the STKR mechanical carpenter pencil. To recap, here is a list of the numerous benefits:
- No sharpening required! You'll never have to pull out a knife or special sharpener again.
- Sturdy design ensures you won't break the pencil from overuse.
- Handy no-slip grip and pocket clip will allow your pencil to always be within arm's reach.
- DURALEAD cartridges are designed to stay locked into the pencil casing.
- Pencil length stays the same throughout its use.
- DURALEAD is 18% Thicker and made from medium-density lead, so it can be used on any surface.
- STKR is so confident in our product, we give you a 1-year warranty.
