ROLL YOUR OWN PENCIL EXTENDER

I am not going to argue for the pencil extender. What you do with all those used and ground down wooden lead pencil stubs around your house, office or studio is your own business. Just reminding you of the option of the pencil extender. (It may be thought of as the last conservation act on the way to a totally green life.)

The stub no longer comfortable to use? Add an extender and continue using down to the ferrule and the erasure.

At one time the extender was an advertising give-away (looked like an empty gun shell case) that fit over the end of the pencil stub and made it whole again. These are still useful collectibles if you can find one. They are antique yet still operational. New models are on sale at art and office supply stores or through the Internet. Retail cost is $3.00 and up.

Bit if you have the time (around 15 minutes) and inclination you can roll your own. All you need is a pencil stub, a six inch square paper (say from a discarded magazine), glue (I have been using glue sticks), and bits of scrap paper as filler. Roll up the paper into a tube to fit around the stub end, paste to hold it together,  fill tube with scrap to assure that it is sturdy, and you will have a new and unique pencil for continued use. Add a design and it becomes a pleasant gift for a friend.

See http://www.pencilrevolution.com/2006/05/kutsuwa-pencil-extenders/