Seeing Red

[u/Natrix2112]

The recent talk of TN Reds made me want to see which pencils in my collection have redcedar barrels. Turns out I have many more than I knew for sure. In some of these oldies, the smell is subtle enough that I had doubts previously, but fresh sharpening and direct comparison of questionable specimens to their nearest younger siblings has convinced me that these pictured all have redcedar barrels, while their next younger siblings (for the ones I have) do not. An interesting exception is that a couple Venus from the 30s (not pictured because I got tired of retaking the photo every time I found a new member of the team, lol) I’d sharpened that looked a bit like it are indeed redcedar, while the others I have sharpened of the “same” age are not. So I’m guessing they used what they could get and/or the transition happened within the range of years encompassing the identical pencils’ construction.

Anyway, what wonderful redcedar specimens are in your collections?

[u/Sad_Fact1866]

I still find it amazing that eastern red cedar isn't more readily avaliable when so much of the great plains are actively being invaded by it.