This article details the arguments supporting the position that "wooden pencils are better than mechanical pencils" in the link, in order to ensure that arguments are not repeated and also for the audience to keep track of the arguments and their counters. This article was last updated on 8 April 2008.
The arguments come in two forms: arguments for the superiority of wooden pencils, and arguments for the inferiority of mechanical pencils.
Wooden Pencil Superiority
Argument: Wooden pencils write thicker than mechanical ones.
Counter-argument: Thinner lines are preferable where thin sharp lines are essential.
Argument: Wooden pencils have a nicer feel.
Counter-argument: Mechanical pencils come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes for different tastes.
Argument: Wooden pencils are better for "pencil fighting": more flexible, better feel, better sound, and possible to break in such fights.
Mechanical pencil inferiority
Argument: Lead in mechanical pencils is thin, so it breaks more often.
Argument: Lead is wasted in mechanical pencils.
Counter-argument: If a wooden pencil user keeps his pencil sharp, both lead and wood is wasted.
Argument: You must buy new lead for mechanical pencils more often than you'd buy wooden pencils.
Argument: Mechanical pencil erasers are smaller than wooden pencil erasers, and so get used up more quickly.
Counter-argument: Mechanical pencil erasers can be easily replaced, which you cannot do with a wooden pencil.
Argument: It's practically impossible to do any shading with a mechanical pencil.
Counter-argument: The lead can be easily lengthened for shading.
Response: The hardness of the lead is the problem, not the length.
The arguments come in two forms: arguments for the superiority of wooden pencils, and arguments for the inferiority of mechanical pencils.
Wooden Pencil Superiority
Argument: Wooden pencils write thicker than mechanical ones.
Counter-argument: Thinner lines are preferable where thin sharp lines are essential.
Argument: Wooden pencils have a nicer feel.
Counter-argument: Mechanical pencils come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes for different tastes.
Argument: Wooden pencils are better for "pencil fighting": more flexible, better feel, better sound, and possible to break in such fights.
Mechanical pencil inferiority
Argument: Lead in mechanical pencils is thin, so it breaks more often.
Argument: Lead is wasted in mechanical pencils.
Counter-argument: If a wooden pencil user keeps his pencil sharp, both lead and wood is wasted.
Argument: You must buy new lead for mechanical pencils more often than you'd buy wooden pencils.
Argument: Mechanical pencil erasers are smaller than wooden pencil erasers, and so get used up more quickly.
Counter-argument: Mechanical pencil erasers can be easily replaced, which you cannot do with a wooden pencil.
Argument: It's practically impossible to do any shading with a mechanical pencil.
Counter-argument: The lead can be easily lengthened for shading.
Response: The hardness of the lead is the problem, not the length.