My new 0.3mm drafting pencil snapped on a heavy line weight

I was laying down a thick property line on a site plan and pressed a bit too hard. The lead shattered inside the clutch and jammed the whole mechanism. Anyone have a good trick for clearing a jam like that without wrecking the pencil?

4 comments

4 Comments

andrew_shah1d ago

Try using a thin sewing needle to poke out the broken bits.

alice8171d ago

That needle trick is a solid idea. I've been there with broken bits stuck in tight spots. It can feel like a real puzzle to get them all out.

karenc201d ago

Oh man, I saw a video where someone heated the tip of the needle just a bit first! It can soften the plastic around the broken piece so it comes out easier. You have to be super careful not to melt anything, but it looked like a genius trick for really stubborn bits.

alex8201d ago

Ugh, that's the worst feeling, isn't it? Honestly, I've wrecked a couple good pencils the exact same way. Did you manage to get any of the bigger pieces out first with tweezers? Sometimes if you can clear a little space, a needle can get better leverage on the smaller bits.