Ideal Bite

Hey Hanah, I'm still carrying a hunk of pencil lead in my left thumb (I don't even remember how it got there) around for about six decades! I can see it and feel it, but have never done anything about it. I'm so old that I don't recall the hurt, so hang in there.

I've have a piece of pencil lead from a mechanical pencil in my index finger for about 12 years now...so watch out for the mechies, too!

Berol made pencils replacing the wood with recycled denim jeans (item 1850). They had good quality standard HB 2 "lead" (unlike Berol's Recycled Money" jeans which a blogger complained about). I have used mine as doorprise goodies for participants at my Environmental Storytelling workshops. Unfortunately they dont' seem to be available for sale any more!

I would LOVE it if my kids were allowed to use mechanical/refillable pencils in school but my boys schools PROHIBIT them. We have asked why but gotten no real answers why. Just that they dont want the kids using them because they spend to much time playing with the lead, they make noise, they dont work as well, etc. All stupid answers if you ask us. So, if you could get the DoDDS school system to buy into being a bit GREEN-ER about their pencil usage, we would sure appreciate it!

Oh man I feel for you. I was stabbed by Vic Tonelli in the 7th grade. ouch! Same spot but in my left hand. Something to make us Unique! that was almost 20 years ago! WOW! With a Trip to the ER, because we did not know if it was graphite or Lead....all is fine! bast of luck to you.

Thanks for the refillable pen tip -- it's nice to see some that aren't crazy upscale fountain pens :) I have a pencil tip in my SIDE, of all places -- 15 years ago I was turning a cartwheel, having forgotten I had a sharpened pencil in my pocket. (Probably lucky I didn't completely impale myself!)

Earthteller - are these the ones? http://greenearthofficesupply.stores.yahoo.net/recdenpen.html

Bless you, Keviarturtle, that looks just like them! I have bookmarked the page for future workshops. Many thanks, Earthteller

Good tip-- except I think this is somewhat unpractical for those who can't spend a fortune on new school supplies for their kids each year. I know, I know- $6 for a pencil isn't that big of a deal. But when you consider the fact that you are going to have to buy 5 of those- that is $30!! Or, do you think a child that is 10 yrs old won't lose their one pencil that you can afford to buy them?? Most grade schools even require that you have a set number of pens and pencils at the start of the year. I hate to say it, but I am really starting to see that Ideal Bite's tips are fun to read- but completely unpractical for those of us who don't have thousands of dollars of disposable income.

The denim pencils look interesting. If they were in quantities of less than 500, I might be interested in following up. Even with 3 kids, I can't justify ordering that many pencils. Instead Sam's Club sells papermate pencils made from recycled wood for 76 cents per twelve pack. http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=346312 If my older kids could hold on to a pencil for more than a day, the mechanicals would be nice options. I don't know what happens to them but they always lose pencils. So wood is best in the off chance someone else doesn't pick it up. The youngest one, has a mechanical pencil that he has been using for 4 years now. However he is autistic and can find anything in the house no matter what it is.