The next step up in the Palomino pack is this aptly-named drawing pencil. The process of sharpening it was again a great pleasure, and the pencil clearly stands out against its less-pricey compatriots in the collection.
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/ps/UQ3rx
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/ps/UQ3rx
Fit/Finish: I actually took a video of sharpening this pencil - it was that great! The cedar is fragrant and cuts away easily. Overall, the quality of the pencil is excellent, with the paint thick and uniform and the foil stamping just as good. I like the vivid orange color, and the golden band complimenting the ferrule and brand name stamping is a nice touch.
Performance: The lead core is very smooth, consistent, and dark. No rough spots to speak of through four pages of writing. The lead is centered well and produces a nice point, but the darkness/softness of the lead makes point retention quite weak. You can probably see the difference in the writing sample between the title and this paragraph. I'll include smearability and erasability tests here.
Overall: A quality pencil no doubt, but the substandard attached eraser and bad point retention overshadow the smooth lead, excellent fit/finish, and low smearability. Available from Pencils.com for $12.95.
Rating: 4.5/5