Best Carpenter Pencil in 2023 (Reviews and Comparison)

1. Swanson AlwaysSharp Refillable Mechanical Carpenter Pencil

A sturdy mechanical carpenter pencil. It has a razor-sharp pencil tip that can act like a knife and can write on most surfaces. And they are replaceable that can help you save time on your construction projects.

First on our pencil list is the AlwaysSharp Refillable Mechanical Carpenter Pencil from Swanson Tool. This mechanical carpenter pencil has a design that gives it durability from pressure, and as the name says, its pencil tip is always sharp.

It may not look like a mechanical pencil used in school, but it does refill like one. Instead of loading from the top of the pencil, you change the tip with a replaceable one. Before you do, wear some blade-resistant gloves to prevent any cuts on your hands. And instead of a thin point, it’s a thicker, flat tip to match the flat design of the classic carpenter pencil so you can write with the same thickness every time.

If you are worried about the sharp pencil cutting into your clothes or body as you carry it, you can relieve your worries. The AlwaysSharp also with a protective cap to cover the tip of the pencil. It can also be used as a razor blade to cut into cardboard, wires, and rope. Do not use it on any electrical wire connected to any electrical power source, or you will suffer from electrocution.

The best part of the pencil’s design is that you won’t waste any lead and wood. All you have to do is give the pencils proper care and refill the tips.

A durable carpenter pencil. It has a hard lead point that can be used to write on most surfaces. Available in multiple colored casings and can have red and black lead. Comes with its own carpenter pencil sharpener.

Up next, we have the #2 Lumber Pencil from Graphite. This pencil takes the form of the classic, flat carpenter pencil.

When you buy a pack of these, they come with their very own carpenter pencil sharpener. Say goodbye to buying a whittling knife for sharpening the tip. Unlike a regular pencil sharpener, the hole is a rectangular shape instead of round for easy insertion. And there are two blades to sharpen both sides of the pencil.

Even without a sharp tip, the hard lead is durable write wood surfaces and can penetrate hard surfaces, like concrete and bricks.  It comes in two different lead colors, black and red. Is there a reason why there is a red option? In fact, there is.

The red lead can be used for darker surface colors to see written lines easier. This is because a red color can help the eye detect different colors under dim light. Great for anyone in their 40s and over who wants to retain their eyesight to help them differentiate colored surfaces and writing lines. And the pencil casing comes in a variety of colors, from blue to orange.

A durable carpenter pencil. It comes in three lead thicknesses, hard, medium, and soft. Available in black and red pencil casings.

Another classic carpenter pencil design is Dixon’s Industrial Carpenter Pencil. Instead of colored lead pencils, the black and red colors are on the pencil’s casing. As mentioned before, the red color helps differentiate colors for people who have vision loss and are best for people in their 40s and over. 

Unlike the other carpenter pencils, this pencil comes in a set of different lead thicknesses. Hard can be written on hard surfaces and wood surfaces, medium for wood and plaster surfaces, and soft surfaces for plaster surfaces. You will need to buy a carpenter pencil separately as this pencil doesn’t come with its own sharpener.

You can buy these pencils in a set of six or individually. All of Dixon’s carpenter pencils are labeled with their own barcode to scan.

A durable carpenter pencil. It comes in three lead thicknesses, hard, medium, and soft. Available in Irwin’s signature blue and yellow pattern. The most affordable for DIY construction.

Continuing on with our list, we have our second classic carpenter pencil from Irwin. Like Dixon’s, these carpenter pencils also come in different lead thicknesses for different surface types.

On the other hand, their casing comes only in Irwin’s signature colors, blue and yellow. These pencils can be purchased individually with their own individual barcode label or in a set of six. While Irwin does have a sharpener specially designed for carpenter pencils, it doesn’t come along with the six-pack and will have to be bought separately.

They also come in pretty cheap if you buy both the sharpener and the six-pack together. Perfect for DIY interior designers and arts-and-crafts hobbyists.

A durable carpenter pencil. It comes with a high-quality hard lead pencil point. Available in red, blue, yellow, and white pencil casings.

Our last classic carpenter pencil comes from Bon Tool. Their high-quality pencils have four colored casings and two different lead thicknesses. Instead of having a black colored case, it comes in red, blue, white, and yellow to help your eyes spot them immediately during your projects. The lead comes in a hard thickness for wood and surfaces to write upon and medium for wood and plaster surfaces.

Bon Tool is nothing different from Irwin’s and Dixon’s carpenter pencil. The only difference is the price tag is more expensive than both of them combined. Their pencils are manufactured and exported from China. The farther they are made from, the more expensive these items can get.

A cylinder-shaped mechanical carpenter pen. Its aluminum body helps it protect against damage. And has a multi-functional lead pencil cap that secures the lead inside, a sharpener to keep the point sharpener, and an eraser.

We are down to our last carpenter pencil, and it’s another mechanical carpenter pencil from FastCap. Their mechanical pencil, Fatboy, may look like an ordinary lead pencil at first until you learn about its complex design as an all-in-one tool.

There’s a portable pencil sharpener on the top of the pen. It also has an eraser attached to it and can act as the pencil’s cap to keep the lead from falling out. The lead point stays secure at the bottom of the pencil.

What makes the design different from the flat pencil design is its roundness to be held comfortably in your hand. And its aluminum material makes it durable against damage. While it seems superior at a glance, it does have some flaws.

Consumers may not notice there is a built-in sharpener underneath the lead cap and eraser. It may also be mistaken as a mechanical pencil that is used for everyday life for taking notes. Finally, its refills can be seen as pricey in a single lead 5-pack compared to its competitors. The pencil is still a great alternative if you want your pencil to stay secure on you at all times with its pen hook.