David Weaver
Due to some kid and work-related time sinks, I have only been making a few pencils per week, but there are two things that really interest me before i get into baking leads (and possibly buying a small used electric kiln to do it).

1) the high end pencils have cedar that's been treated somehow. The difference between their wood and mine is like the difference between oak and mahogany. The wood comes off in lovely clean ribbons - it's subtle, but it's a really nice thing.

2) high end pencils stay straight. My pencils - 1/2 are straight, but the others....this week, we had temperatures that dropped into the very low teens, perhaps single digits. Anything in my shop or office bows .......including my pencils. If I keep them for a couple of months, I could probably offer them in plain or banana on etsy.