Black Market?

[+power69]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

[Trader Rick & Rosie]

WE QUIT PUTTING PENCILS IN CACHES years ago. Cachers insisted on putting them in the log book baggies (which can cause punctures). Besides, what cacher goes into the field without a writing instrument??????????

[+user13371]

I don't think anyone would steal pencils by preference, but I think it's pretty common for folks to "accidentally" forget to replace writing implements. Why do you think banks and post offices chain the things to the counter?

 

While Rick & Rosie don't put pencils into caches, I usually do carry one or more when I'm caching. They don't leak or dry out, they don't add plastic waste to landfills, and they're cheap. I don't have to steal them from caches -- I steal mine from IKEA stores and the lottery counter at the convenience store

Edited June 30, 2010 by lee_rimar

[Whichwaydoigo]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

Add BYOP to your cache listings.

[+niraD]

It's possible that the pencils were used up or that the lead broke, and then someone CITOed them. At home, I throw out pens that no longer work. Perhaps someone applied the same policy to nonfunctional pencils in your caches.

 

Or maybe they thought they were signature items...

[+briansnat]

WE QUIT PUTTING PENCILS IN CACHES years ago. Cachers insisted on putting them in the log book baggies (which can cause punctures). Besides, what cacher goes into the field without a writing instrument??????????

 

Me. Since nearly all caches around here have a pen or pencil, I never think to bring one.

[+StarBrand]

I usually have one of my trusty red uniball powertank pens or one of my signiture golf pencils that I leave.

 

However, most caches around here have a surplus of writing intruments.

[+L0ne.R]

WE QUIT PUTTING PENCILS IN CACHES years ago. Cachers insisted on putting them in the log book baggies (which can cause punctures). Besides, what cacher goes into the field without a writing instrument??????????

 

Me. Since nearly all caches around here have a pen or pencil, I never think to bring one.

 

Me. I think I have one on me and when I get to the cache it turns out I don't.

 

It's not uncommon to see cache logs where the finder says "No pencil in the cache. Forget to bring a pencil, couldn't sign the log."

 

WRT the holes in baggies, I say, use a water tight container (ammo can, lock n lock box) so that the baggies are really not necessary.

[+TXHooligans]

i try to keep a few cheaper ball points in the truck.. some of the uni/gel pens are not indellible (check spelling) and will run when the log gets wet.. why sign the log if it will not be perminant. . the nicer ballpoints however do not seem to write well on a damp log.. cheap ones seem to always do the trick..

 

i guess pencils wont' run either.. but i like a pen..

[+dibug]

I have learned after having to go back to the car for a writing implement to carry a supply of golf pencils and a small sharpener in my just incase geo cache supply bag. If I use my own I can not steal the one in the cache. I am a pen and pencil thief.

[+TXHooligans]

oooo pencil sharpener.. need to get one of those in the cache bag..

 

that way when i forget my pen, i can shapen the dull pencil in the cache and then inadvertently take it with me..

[+BulldogBlitz]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

 

why the racial slurs? this hatred is unnecessary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+sbell111]

Pens dry up (or worse) and pencils break. Carrying a spare while geocaching is prudent.

[+L0ne.R]

oooo pencil sharpener.. need to get one of those in the cache bag..

 

that way when i forget my pen, i can shapen the dull pencil in the cache and then inadvertently take it with me..

 

I use my pen knife to whittle a sharp end on a dull pencil.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-a-Pencil-With-a-Knife

[+GeoGeeBee]

I use my pen knife to whittle a sharp end on a dull pencil.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-a-Pencil-With-a-Knife

 

That link is amazing!

 

I mean, it's amazing that anyone would need INSTRUCTIONS on how to do that.

[+Chrysalides]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

Around the street corner here I get a smiley for every 3 pencils. Anyone know of a better exchange rate?

 

Anyway, since I don't have anything actually useful to contribute on topic, here's an idea on what to use your stolen pencils for :

 

 

(I'm definitely stocking up on pencils to make this at the Back To School sales)

[knowschad]

I use my pen knife to whittle a sharp end on a dull pencil.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-a-Pencil-With-a-Knife

 

That link is amazing!

 

I mean, it's amazing that anyone would need INSTRUCTIONS on how to do that.

I see what you mean!! Geesh!

 

Finish by cleaning up the pencil shavings. (Do this over a rubbish bin to minimize cleanup.)

[+Chrysalides]

I use my pen knife to whittle a sharp end on a dull pencil.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-a-Pencil-With-a-Knife

 

That link is amazing!

 

I mean, it's amazing that anyone would need INSTRUCTIONS on how to do that.

I see what you mean!! Geesh!

You think that's bad? How about one that teaches you how to sharpen with a pencil sharpener?

[knowschad]

I use my pen knife to whittle a sharp end on a dull pencil.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-a-Pencil-With-a-Knife

 

That link is amazing!

 

I mean, it's amazing that anyone would need INSTRUCTIONS on how to do that.

I see what you mean!! Geesh!

You think that's bad? How about one that teaches you how to sharpen with a pencil sharpener?

If I may drift off-topic for just a second... do you win something for posting to those sites, or what is the motivation, anyway?

[+Chrysalides]

If I may drift off-topic for just a second... do you win something for posting to those sites, or what is the motivation, anyway?

The answer will cost you 5 pencils.

 

(seriously, I have no idea - but check out the # of contributors to the pencil sharpener article).

[+grampapa]

I have learned after having to go back to the car for a writing implement to carry a supply of golf pencils and a small sharpener in my just incase geo cache supply bag. If I use my own I can not steal the one in the cache. I am a pen and pencil thief.

I don't wear a belt AND suspenders but I DO carry a pen AND pencil at all times

 

and I usually put big short carpenter pencils into my caches, they just last a bit longer and I come by

 

them easily.

 

The next best thing I try to always have is a big hanky in my pocket and I use it to dump all the bits

 

and pieces from the cache onto so as not to loose items in the grass or brush or duff or what- ever-all.

 

[+bflentje]

WE QUIT PUTTING PENCILS IN CACHES years ago. Cachers insisted on putting them in the log book baggies (which can cause punctures). Besides, what cacher goes into the field without a writing instrument??????????

 

Uh, me?? After nearly 4000 finds I still forget to bring something to write with.

[cejs]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

[+narcissa]

Pens and pencils cause problems here. Pencils puncture the baggies, pens explode in the winter. A good writing implement is a geocaching essential.

[knowschad]

Pens and pencils cause problems here. Pencils puncture the baggies, pens explode in the winter. A good writing implement is a geocaching essential.

OMG!! I have never encountered an exploding pen, even in the midst of a Minnesota winter. Does the ink go everywhere, or is it frozen? That sounds ULGLY!!!

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I don't know about any black market pen/pencil problems. I have been approached by several forum regulars trying to sell me contraband smilies with no tax stamp on 'em.

[+Take A Hike!]

WE QUIT PUTTING PENCILS IN CACHES years ago. Cachers insisted on putting them in the log book baggies (which can cause punctures). Besides, what cacher goes into the field without a writing instrument??????????

 

Me. Since nearly all caches around here have a pen or pencil, I never think to bring one.

 

Me. I think I have one on me and when I get to the cache it turns out I don't.

 

It's not uncommon to see cache logs where the finder says "No pencil in the cache. Forget to bring a pencil, couldn't sign the log."

 

Can't sign log, can't log "find". I play by the rules and don't log a find unless I sign the log. I mean, the goal is to find the cache AND sign the log.

[BCProspectors]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

Something along the lines of "not a trade item" might have worked better.

[4wheelin_fool]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

 

Yeah, there's people that go around to caches and collect them to sell at auctions around the country. It started right after the book "How to make cache selling pencils" came out.

[+power69]

I don't think anyone would steal pencils by preference, but I think it's pretty common for folks to "accidentally" forget to replace writing implements. Why do you think banks and post offices chain the things to the counter?

Whats funny is the way banks leave the 3 foot thick vault door open yet its like fort knox with the cheap little pens[they never write anyway]

[+power69]

Is there a black market on pencils or what?

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

 

Yeah, there's people that go around to caches and collect them to sell at auctions around the country. It started right after the book "How to make cache selling pencils" came out.

is there a "how to secure your cache pencil" book out yet?

[knowschad]

I don't know about any black market pen/pencil problems. I have been approached by several forum regulars trying to sell me contraband smilies with no tax stamp on 'em.

 

 

Pssst... hey, buddy... over here!

 

[Luckless]

Well I hit the cache pencil lottery. I went to a rummage sale where they were giving away the leftovers and found a bag containing someone's golf pencil collection. I intend to see no cache around here remains penciless.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Well I hit the cache pencil lottery. I went to a rummage sale where they were giving away the leftovers and found a bag containing someone's golf pencil collection. I intend to see no cache around here remains penciless.

 

Post a picture of the first nano you stuff one of those in.

[+kunarion]

checking many of my caches and they were all missing the pencil

It's all my fault. I sign my golf pencils, so naturally people consider pencils collectible.

 

At one of my caches (a micro), when I check on it, I leave a pencil on the picnic table. With the pencil point directed toward the container.

[+briansnat]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

 

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

[+GeoGeeBee]

They all end up here:

 

GC14MTP

[+rafermadness]

I have learned after having to go back to the car for a writing implement to carry a supply of golf pencils and a small sharpener in my just incase geo cache supply bag. If I use my own I can not steal the one in the cache. I am a pen and pencil thief.

 

i carry a small pocketknife on the lanyard attached to the gps. not only does it sharpen dull pencils, but it cuts other stuff and can get stuck in places where my giant paws don't fit

[+power69]

They all end up here:

 

GC14MTP

theres a ammo can one like that here. musta been at least 200 pens in there. all different too.

[+Team Cotati]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

 

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

 

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

[+sbell111]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

Edited July 2, 2010 by sbell111

[+Team Cotati]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

 

Tell me about it.

[Luckless]

Well I hit the cache pencil lottery. I went to a rummage sale where they were giving away the leftovers and found a bag containing someone's golf pencil collection. I intend to see no cache around here remains penciless.

 

Post a picture of the first nano you stuff one of those in.

 

Nano? What's that?- Oh yeah I think we've got one or two of those around here.

[+briansnat]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

 

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

 

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

 

They were, but were left in the original package with the intent that they be swag. The were removed from the packaging and placed in the Ziploc with the log. Funny thing was that in many instances the cache had a pen rather than a pencil.

 

No big deal, but I found it funny.

Edited July 2, 2010 by briansnat

[+Team Cotati]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

 

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

 

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

 

They were, but were left in the original package with the intent that they be swag. The were removed from the packaging and placed in the Ziploc with the log. Funny thing was that in many instances the cache had a pen rather than a pencil.

 

No big deal, but I found it funny.

 

You're right, it is hilarious. Did you happen to find evidence that anyone had actually tried to use one of those sharpeners on a pen? Boy, wouldn't that have been something to witness?

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

 

Some of us do visit our caches on occasion.

 

Personally I can't imagine heading to any cache without a writing implement of some description. Even if there is one in the cache there is always a good chance that it doesn't work.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

 

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

 

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

 

They were, but were left in the original package with the intent that they be swag. The were removed from the packaging and placed in the Ziploc with the log. Funny thing was that in many instances the cache had a pen rather than a pencil.

 

No big deal, but I found it funny.

 

Probably all moved by the same cacher.

[+sbell111]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

Some of us do visit our caches on occasion.

Take a quick reread of BS's post. As I read it, he was dropping new sharpeners in caches that he found. I assume that he isn't making regular maintenance visits of every cache that he has previously found.

[+Team Cotati]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

 

Some of us do visit our caches on occasion.

 

Personally I can't imagine heading to any cache without a writing implement of some description. Even if there is one in the cache there is always a good chance that it doesn't work.

 

Just as some people visit their caches on occasion, I have personally observed that some cache seekers, on occasion, do in fact head to a cache without a writing implement of some description.

 

It's difficult for me to imagine as well, but it does happen.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I put a sharpener in the cache baggie with a sticker that says "do not take this." Guess what happened? Someone took it.

I had the opposite problem. I bought a bunch of sharpeners as swag. In almost every cache I put one in, someone removed it from the packaging and put it in with the pencil.

They were 'pencil' sharpeners, right?

I'm working on the assumption that the pencils required sharpening and the pencil sharpener in the cache was the right tool for the job.

 

What's surprising to me is that anyone monitors all of the caches that he/she finds close enough to not only know whether his/her tradeable was traded out but to know where in the cache the item is currently located. (I wonder if this is yet another "somebody told me" kind of statement that should be taken with a dump truck full of salt.)

Some of us do visit our caches on occasion.

Take a quick reread of BS's post. As I read it, he was dropping new sharpeners in caches that he found. I assume that he isn't making regular maintenance visits of every cache that he has previously found.

 

I took it to mean that as he placed new caches he put in sharpeners. Mostly because it wouldn't make any sense the way you stated.

Edited July 2, 2010 by GOF's Sock Puppet