How do these compare to the black Dixon Ticonderoga pencils?I have been using the black ones(not the yellow - there seems to be a difference between the two to us) lately as they seem to be the best choice out there. How do these compare to the black Dixon Ticonderoga pencils?I have been using the black ones(not the yellow - there seems to be a difference between the two to us) lately as they seem... » Read More How do these compare to the black Dixon Ticonderoga pencils?I have been using the black ones(not the yellow - there seems to be a difference between the two to us) lately as they seem to be the best choice out there. « Show Less
1028761
I'm not familiar with the Dixons. I do find the Generals to be excellent. They sharpen consistently and without much waste, they erase well, the erasers don't wobble, and the pencils feel smooth. I use the Generals.
1028762
I have not used the Dixon Ticonderoga pencil, so I cannot make a comparison. I will say that the General Pencil Company Cedar Pointe No. 2 is a good quality pencil with a nice eraser and it is also made in the USA, which I really appreciate.
827608
Dixon Ticonderogas are pretty good. I buy them for my kids. They are the minimum quality pencil I will use if I have a choice. But I always reach for my Generals first and I save them for me since they do cost more and my kids do not appreciate the aesthetic pleasures of writing with a top quality pencil. I say Dixons are fine for the kids, but get Generals for yourself. Especially if you do extensive writing/note taking in pencil. Worth every penny. And General's is not paying me. (But if they're listening I wouldn't turn down a free box thrown my way. Hint.)
2180626
Oh My gosh .. prismacolor is so much better . softer lead , lets you blend easier . To me , I've used this type of Pencil for many years and yest it is worth the extra money JS AZ
2018290
I cannot compare them to Crayola, as I have not used Crayola. I have had some breakage when sharpening the Prismacolors, which I have kept to a minimum by using the Prismacolor sharpener. The softness, BTW, is necessary for smooth application of color, so I think we are stuck with some breakage. I hope this helps. - PF
270548
I got 2 un-sharpened pencils in my single order, but they forgot the free gemstones. They are supposed to be sending them, but I have not received them yet (it has been about 2+ weeks). The pencil works best freshly sharpened (not too pointy, more of a flat end)--be sure to buff the tip for best stick. I plan to use them for crafting.
1832751
They are very smooth to lay down compared to the Derwent unfortunately the quality control on their manufacture seems very bad. I purchased a set of 36. Out of the thirty six about ten pencils had issues ranging from offset leads to completely split wood casings. Although they are harder, I prefer the Derwent's, the overall quality is better. I hope this helps.
1967374
I bought the suggested sharpener - the leads still broke.... Maybe I was just unlucky but it happened with both sets of Prismacolor pencils I purchased.
816872
I too have a very heavy hand. These are good pencils, but I don't think you'll find them to be the miracle pencil you're looking for. It is definitely better than standard yellow #2's, but it is only a wood pencil and has it's limits. The lead does collapse under the pressure of a heavy hand with a freshly sharpened tip, but holds up well overall and I think you'll notice and like the difference. If you really want to fine tune it, why don't you get a set of nice graphite pencils in different hardnesses and see which you prefer, then go from there.
1888869
They fit very differently in your hand. To be fair I've only used a Bamboo stylus for desktop designing / with my Wacom. I have an Adonis stylus for iPad that's more like a pen, but I dislike the plastic disc at the point (to prevent damage / noise on screen contact). Pencil is my favorite for sketching, brainstorming and pulling together concept art on my iPad. I like the way it feels in my hand better.
1545235
I haven't had that problem. They aren't like the crayola pencils where you can never effectively sharpen again. These have different texture and are better/easier.
1631271
Hello Lindsay S.,I cannot provide that comparison since I have only tried the sharpener that I have. We do like the one we have however.
1967390
Sorry, I've never used either of those others. Blackwing is a soft black pencil.
28908
I like them both. I got the Tombow around the end of the year because they were on sale for around $100 for the whole set, a lot of different colors. I really liked them. They are a lot of good colors and have a smaller diameter barrel--just almost like holding a bit thicker pencil. I like experimenting to see what I can do with the different markers as sometimes it is a lot of work to set up to paint when I just want to do a picture now. Prismacolor is a bit thicker barrel but appears to work well too but I only have the smaller sets and am still experimenting. Copic markers are refillable and so are the Spectrum Noir. Copic has good brush makers and you have to purchase brush tips to put into the Spectrum Noir. Out of the four, I still think Tombow is my favorite but unfortunately not refillable. I don't believe Prismacolor is refillable either. I am still experimenting with all of them but at this point this is what I can offer. I hope this helps.
1891177
Been sketching with Flair tips since 1971. Then they had a small white point guard at the writing tip, but the tipstill got wider after usage and pressure. The ones I use today don't have that point guard and seem to be harder and keep a point longer but still get wider and softer after usage and pressure. My first time hearing "Hardhead"associated with Flair pens. Sounds like a selling tag. Just my opinion. Black is the only color I've ever used, aboutone a month.
49800
Mine did not come sharpened. (That suits me better because I don't care for the points pre-sharpened pencils come with.) It is a wonderful pencil. They sharpen on center, the lead is dark enough for students who don't press hard. It erases well. The point lasts much longer than most of the pencils elementary grades students bring to class. I haven't noticed "hard spots" in the leads that leave scratches. The paint doesn't peel off. The diameter is nice for young and old hands. All that said, I would only use it for artwork (sketching) if I was in a tight, but it is a nice writing instrument. Mine did not come sharpened. (That suits me better because I don't care for the points pre-sharpened pencils come with.) It is a wonderful pencil. They sharpen on center, the lead is dark enough for students who don't press hard. It erases well. The point lasts much longer than most of the pencils elementary grades students bring to class. I haven't noticed "hard spots" in the leads that leave scratches. The paint doesn't peel off. The diameter is nice for young and old hands. All that said, I would only use it for artwork (sketching) if I was in a tight, but it is a nice writing... » Read More Mine did not come sharpened. (That suits me better because I don't care for the points pre-sharpened pencils come with.) It is a wonderful pencil. They sharpen on center, the lead is dark enough for students who don't press hard. It erases well. The point lasts much longer than most of the pencils elementary grades students bring to class. I haven't noticed "hard spots" in the leads that leave scratches. The paint doesn't peel off. The diameter is nice for young and old hands. All that said, I would only use it for artwork (sketching) if I was in a tight, but it is a nice writing instrument. « Show Less
1268110
I happen to enjoy all the Prang pencils. I think the difference with the larger amount would be that you get more colors. The more the better. The price is good also.
882391
Hello Cathleen;The package of pencils I purchased were unsharpened, they also have a black eraser which erases pretty well. I also have a package that has pink erasers that are sharpened but don't erase well and leave smudges.I hope this helps.
476471
I think I can add something to this question. About 20 years ago I bought a large set of "Prismacolor" color pencils. At that time, there was no "Premier" in the name and these were the standard and best quality offered by Prismacolor, then owned by Berol. Some other company bought out Berol/Prismacolor and at some point, they developed a new and premium color pencil line and named it "Prismacolor Premier." This line is now their "top of the line" color pencil. The lesser quality is called "Scholar" and is probably not as blendable and leaves hard edges. I may have a couple colors of the "Premier," but not sure. As was best described, it has a soft lead or core that is very blendable and smooth. I think I can add something to this question. About 20 years ago I bought a large set of "Prismacolor" color pencils. At that time, there was no "Premier" in the name and these were the standard and best quality offered by Prismacolor, then owned by Berol. Some other company bought out Berol/Prismacolor and at some point, they developed a new and premium color pencil line and named it "Prismacolor Premier." This line is now their "top of the line" color pencil. The lesser quality is called "Scholar" and is probably not as blendable and... » Read More I think I can add something to this question. About 20 years ago I bought a large set of "Prismacolor" color pencils. At that time, there was no "Premier" in the name and these were the standard and best quality offered by Prismacolor, then owned by Berol. Some other company bought out Berol/Prismacolor and at some point, they developed a new and premium color pencil line and named it "Prismacolor Premier." This line is now their "top of the line" color pencil. The lesser quality is called "Scholar" and is probably not as blendable and leaves hard edges. I may have a couple colors of the "Premier," but not sure. As was best described, it has a soft lead or core that is very blendable and smooth. « Show Less