As a side benefit, nesting birds will find the shredded paper very useful when building out their next domicile, and the baby birds will delight in the humor for weeks on end.

I see that technically these are GREASE PENCILS, similar to WAX CRAYONS (some people call them CHINA MARKERS). They are a crayon but lay down a heavier, darker line than a traditional crayola crayon. Note also that you have to unravel a grease pencil as you use it.

These do NOT appear to be a traditional colored pencil that you can erase with a pencil eraser. I've seen some thicker "colored pencils" with very thick leads for sale in art stores and they tend to be rather expensive.

= = = =
Photo from Amazon showing eight of the nine colors (purple not shown) and you can see that they are crayons/grease pencils.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/614vNgDE-hL.jpg

Amazon is selling SIX pencils for $15. Yikes!

Here's another photo showing a closeup shot of some colors, plus a child's hand holding one of the pencils.

http://edgecastcdn.net/800034/www.perpetualkid.com/productimages/lg2/PNCL-1306.jpg

The pencils were $1.15 each but the website with the pic doesn't have them in stock.

Name brand Dixon China markers run $0.75 each. These are half that, so a good deal.

http://www.dixoncsp.com/dixchinmar1.html

I might also note that these China Markers/Wax Grease Pencils come in a extra colors that are not normally found in China Markers.

This set has purple, pink, orange, light blue and light green -- in addition to the more traditional colors red, dark blue, dark green, and yellow. You can also buy grease pencils in black and white (but those two colors are not in this set).

So, if you are in the market for some China Markers/Grease pencils, this is a nice set. The extra colors are a bonus feature.

Grease pencils are great for drawing with, they're better than crayola crayons and draw a darker/heavier line. You can usually write on glass, metal and plastic with a China Marker and you can wipe it off with a rag -- not sure how well these Unravels would work on glass, metal or plastic. Note that China Markers might stain plastic or painted surfaces.

VIDEO of a guy showing the grease pencils and using them. Gives you an idea how large the pencils are:



I keep researching these pencils because I am trying to decide if I can use them in some art projects. They're a great price.

Another photo, showing all nine colors:

http://i.imgur.com/BJxFa.png


[MOD: Embedded the video for you]

From the book of faces...
https://www.facebook.com/unravels

Looks a little slow...

so if these are grease pencils, will they melt? i am looking at buying them and putting them in my woot prize closet for later, but it is in the garage, and we are in Texas... anyone? anyone? Bueller?

hoopfishin wrote:so if these are grease pencils, will they melt? i am looking at buying them and putting them in my woot prize closet for later, but it is in the garage, and we are in Texas... anyone? anyone? Bueller?

Grease pencils have the crayon piece inside a very sturdy tube made of tightly rolled, multiple-layers of paper. Watch the video and the presenter starts unrolling one of the pencils.

Not so sure how anything with wax in it will do in a 100 degree garage in the Texas summer heat, but now it's fall/wintertime, so if you plan to use these next spring, you should be good.

hoopfishin wrote:so if these are grease pencils, will they melt? i am looking at buying them and putting them in my woot prize closet for later, but it is in the garage, and we are in Texas... anyone? anyone? Bueller?

Reports suggest they are good up to 120F. I've seen one reference to a particular brand having a melting point of 150F.

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=241038

thanks guys, i guess for $14, I can take a chance....

etherium wrote:I see that technically these are GREASE PENCILS, similar to WAX CRAYONS (some people call them CHINA MARKERS). They are a crayon but lay down a heavier, darker line than a traditional crayola crayon. Note also that you have to unravel a grease pencil as you use it.

These do NOT appear to be a traditional colored pencil that you can erase with a pencil eraser. I've seen some thicker "colored pencils" with very thick leads for sale in art stores and they tend to be rather expensive.

You can erase "traditional colored pencils" with an eraser? Not any of the good colored pencils I've used. (I've never used the ones specifically branded as "erasable" but in general, regular colored pencils are also wax or wax-like pigments).

But these are greasier and you don't need a sharpener for them, and as stated above, they can be used on glass. Don't use them on things you handle a lot though, because combined with the grease it'll wipe off. Some friends used one for a favorite voice-actor to autograph a glass pipe and, with use, the autograph was pretty much gone in a week. Dummies.

I hope you told them, that's what Sharpies are for!

galalefey wrote: Some friends used one for a favorite voice-actor to autograph a glass pipe and, with use, the autograph was pretty much gone in a week. Dummies.

Since I am really unfamiliar with these, would these be good for kiddos to use on regular paper or coloring books? I like that they do not need to be sharpened, are longer than crayons, and most likely won't break. I also like that they seem to produce a bright and vibrant color (at least in the video posted above). Right now, my kids use markers all the time...I think it is because they really like the boldness/brightness of them. I'd prefer them to use something like this if it would be good for coloring or doing school projects.

buyitjody wrote:Since I am really unfamiliar with these, would these be good for kiddos to use on regular paper or coloring books? I like that they do not need to be sharpened, are longer than crayons, and most likely won't break. I also like that they seem to produce a bright and vibrant color (at least in the video posted above). Right now, my kids use markers all the time...I think it is because they really like the boldness/brightness of them. I'd prefer them to use something like this if it would be good for coloring or doing school projects.

They will break if your kid unravels too much. My mom had something that unraveled when I was a kid and boy was it a temptation to unravel it! I think they would be fine for older kids and it seems to be fine on paper.

buyitjody wrote:Since I am really unfamiliar with these, would these be good for kiddos to use on regular paper or coloring books? I like that they do not need to be sharpened, are longer than crayons, and most likely won't break. I also like that they seem to produce a bright and vibrant color (at least in the video posted above). Right now, my kids use markers all the time...I think it is because they really like the boldness/brightness of them. I'd prefer them to use something like this if it would be good for coloring or doing school projects.

FYI ~ I have a boy who is "fidgety" and will just sit and unravel all the paper- so not a great deal when all you have left after an hour of coloring is a stack of 48 sticks of wax..... (yes - old enough to "know better" - but picking battles ahead of time is easier.

Just found my 7yr old's letter to Santa today... #5 on her list:
"Pencls (diffrent ones)"

Anyone buy an extra set??