As long as it Just Writes(TM) I don't care. I want to pick it up, and I want to write. I don't want to try writing only to find it's dried up and I have to scribble on some other bit of paper before it comes back to life. Now OK if I've left the lid off then that's my bad, but if I haven't then it should just flipping work.

#3 for the always-sharp tip, but #4 is a close contender for the protection against snapping lead. (I own both of these pencils.)

6 every time.

Also fuck 7, those butcher broke so easily.

I had one similar to (not literally exactly) 6 back in high school, and some really dumb jock took it from me and I've wanted it back ever since.

The Bic one is okay, but pushing directly on the eraser to push the lead out isn't ideal. I always thought that was a design flaw. Having the button on the side of the pencil but away from the index finger is ideal honestly.

And even though we're not deciding based on lead size for this, I prefer the finer.5 to the more common .7.

Plus the top has a pretty large eraser that you can twist to expose more, so it had a mechanical refillable eraser too, which was pretty cool.

And I got mine in my favorite color, and that fucked just took it.

I was a super sheltered kid, coming fresh off being completely homeschooled (except for a Christian kindergarten), and that year of school was my first social contact with other people outside grocery stores and church. So I didn't do much about it, as I didn't have a clue about how anything in real life worked. I wouldn't figure a lot of it out for still another 16 years, but that's a different story.

Also at this point I haven't actually written anything at all with a pencil, pen, or marker for.... 15ish years now? Outside of signing my name anyway.

I spent way too much time hunting down a Pilot Automac and finally got it. being stuck with anything here would be such a stark downgrade

Number 1.

The Dixon Ticonderoga is the only pencil I've used that doesn't have an absolute shit eraser, so I pick that.

1

I've also used 4 and 8 which are both decent.

7. Lightweight and reliable.

Mine isn’t here, but 8 if I have to choose.

Oh no... I'm that weirdo that likes the Papermate mechanicals.
They are just so simple and reliable. You could crush one and still get it to write again if you needed too and it had the eraser (that sucked) built right in that you never used but felt good looking at it and squeezing against your thumbnail when you were bored. Just had to put better quality lead in it.

But man Zebra makes the pens and pencil I would actually intend to use if I was planning it.

Hope I don't have much left to write if choosing #2(pun is a package deal). But it would be my pick.

I'll take the good ole #2 pencil. Just enough tech and no more.

Pentel Twist-erase 0.7 is the proper answer.

1, I have one of them branded from my prior work, it's an excellent pencil.

Number 7. A pleasure to write with, cheap enough so you don't get mad when you lose it. Eraser that doesn't suck.

Pocket clip does tend to shear off, though.

8 that style was lucky for me in my college years.

#6 because I need all that extra eraser

Give me the black version of number 1 or a uniball precise v5

#6 is the closest to what got me through dozens of blue books.