Nothing beats a sharp pencil
A blank page is full of potential.
To me the physical act of writing is very satisfying, and the tools themselves bring me joy. Nothing beats a well-sharpened wood pencil on smooth paper. Oddly I don’t get the same feeling from a mechanical pencil. Part of the allure is the consumption: as you create, the pencil disappears. Focusing on the tool also adds to experience. You have to slow down, giving you time to think, plan, mull.
Tools matter
I love my bullet pencil. The company that produced this one is defunct. Midori still makes them, and vintage versions can easily be found. I can carry it in my pocket and not worry about the lead (until I need to), plus the weight of it feels good in hand. But the pencil is only as good as its point. There are sharpeners that do a great job (Kum, Blackwing) but for the best experience I prefer using a sharp, thin knife. The Higonokami, a Japanese friction folder, is my go to. Using a thick, dull knife will certainly lead to frustration. I will eventually post about my sharpening routine, yet another calming process.
Laying the pencil on its side on a piece of paper, I whittle a 3/4” (2cm) strip to the point, rotate, repeat, usually 8 times. Then I clean up any little imperfections. This long point works for me. Some like it more stubby, or extremely thin. That’s the beauty of using a knife: you make the tool yours. At the same time, you become an integral part of the entire process. The act becomes contemplative as well as second nature. My points are always the same, no matter what pencil I use.
The pencil is full of potential.
Once you have mastered the process of sharpening, you can experiment with different wood, graphite hardness, body shape (round, 3, 5, 6 sides, etc...) The rabbit hole is dark and deep.
Taking the time to “write,” both the act and the art, with the right tools, is the epitome of satisfaction.