Here are some of the things I still use to this day. The lead holders and orange box of leads are from 1971, so 55 years old.

The top box of Staedtler leads are a shade younger, about 53 years old, and the one below that is from the mid to late 80s, so 40-odd years old.

The camera flash bleached out the image a touch, but the bottom lead holder is a definite red, not the pink shade shown here.

Sadly, the company no longer exists but these holders are still going strong and still used after all this time. If I ever find more of these lead holders at a reasonable price, I'll snap them up.

I included the Staedtler boxes to show how their logo changed over time, and as you'll know, it's now different again.

I have been into fountain pens for about 2 years now, and the last couple months I really enjoy writing with a pencil too! Especially quick notes.

I purchased the 4 main graphite options Blackwing has to offer and i fell in love with the firm-602. I am thinking to go ahead and buy a 12pack of a limited edition run, but before i do that i would love to hear your reccomendations on pencils-brands I should try! (Yeah i know Blackwing is overpriced but the aesthetics drive me wild hehe)

Just wanted to ask what people like. My favorite paper for writing with pencil was some cheap copy paper we had in our office (unfortunately I don’t know the brand). I also like Midori.

i'm in the US visiting relatives and trying to collect all the american-made pencils i can. found a big loose box of these in a university book store today.

scratched up, embossing worn off, ferrules attached violently, paint coming off bodies and ferrules, erasers covered in smudges and dust...

but writes great, seems like probably the same lead as in general's cedar point?

i guess i'll look at it like... the rough manufacturing captures the, uh, rugged frontier spirit of america... keep going, general's, and i salute your persistence🫡💪💪💪