On the mechanical pencils that are larger I use the sharpener referenced in another post. However, to use this correctly you need to let out just the right amount of lead. Too little it does not sharpen and to much you will snap the lead every time. So to facilitate the proper lenth of lead to let out of the pencil I drilled a hole just the right depth so that when I open the pencil over the hole the lead drops in and I close the pencil around the lead at the level of the wood lead set. See photo:


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I just know you all have been dieing to solve this knotty problem....NOT LOL

I have never seen one of thesse pencils in England ever ummm i wonder

UKartist, they're known as clutch pencils in Canada and the USA, perhaps similar in the UK too. You'd find them in the drafting supply section of an art store. The leads for the pencils are larger and wider and good for covering larger areas more quickly in graphite drawings.

never seen one over here either

yeah never seen one still maybe we can get one on ebay from the usa LOL

Hey all, from my drafting days we called this a 'claw' pencil. The snazzy part is to find the sharpener for it. In the lid of the sharpener is usually a small hole to slip the lead in, open the claws, the lead drops down the right amount, then you can sharpen it. KUDOS again to Calvin the inventor.

Cheers.