Pencil

[OKHHduo]

I'm a newbie to Geocaching, but have a lot of experience in field work of various types. When I do any kind of writing in the field, I use an "indelible pencil" which my dad introduced me to 50 years ago. Amazon has a bunch of them...local office supply outlets should, too. To me, the are much superior to most pens. The pencil writing/drawing does not run when wet or fade with time. I like black plus the multi-color set from Amazon, but just plain old black is fine. I have been doing field journals with these pencils for 50 years. They don't erase...you use a strike-through for mistakes...sometimes these are very informative on their own. (Regular pencil is good, too...still superior to pens IMHO.)

 

I also carry three different types of magnifiers. One is a big "Sherlock Holmes" type that is about 2X. The other is a fold-up at 5X and the third is a small 10X. I find that examining the areas around a cache (or fossil find, mineral find, etc) can be very interesting.

 

All data/observations go into a green cloth covered, hardback, lined "journals" from an office supply...I prefer the size that is about 10X15 cm.

 

I have learned to journal as much as I can about any outing...these journals are wonderful memories and useful data as years go by. I even record meteorological data from my hand held "weather station."

 

Just a suggestion...makes Geocaching a real scientific adventure for those who are into that.

 

Peace, Mike

[+Barefoot One & Wench]

I'm a newbie to Geocaching, but have a lot of experience in field work of various types. When I do any kind of writing in the field, I use an "indelible pencil" which my dad introduced me to 50 years ago. Amazon has a bunch of them...local office supply outlets should, too. To me, the are much superior to most pens. The pencil writing/drawing does not run when wet or fade with time. I like black plus the multi-color set from Amazon, but just plain old black is fine. I have been doing field journals with these pencils for 50 years. They don't erase...you use a strike-through for mistakes...sometimes these are very informative on their own. (Regular pencil is good, too...still superior to pens IMHO.)

 

I also carry three different types of magnifiers. One is a big "Sherlock Holmes" type that is about 2X. The other is a fold-up at 5X and the third is a small 10X. I find that examining the areas around a cache (or fossil find, mineral find, etc) can be very interesting.

 

All data/observations go into a green cloth covered, hardback, lined "journals" from an office supply...I prefer the size that is about 10X15 cm.

 

I have learned to journal as much as I can about any outing...these journals are wonderful memories and useful data as years go by. I even record meteorological data from my hand held "weather station."

 

Just a suggestion...makes Geocaching a real scientific adventure for those who are into that.

 

Peace, Mik

 

Hi Mike,

Welcome to Geocaching.

Can you tell us the name of this exceptional pencil.

Thanks,

 

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

[+GeoGeeBee]

When I do any kind of writing in the field, I use an "indelible pencil" which my dad introduced me to 50 years ago.

 

How do they work on wet paper?

 

The reason I carry a gel pen or a Sharpie pen is because a regular pencil just shreds wet logs, it doesn't write on them. Can your indelible pencil write on soggy paper without shredding it?

[+StarBrand]

I use a Uniball powertank RT pen - writes on wet paper, upside down, in freezing weather, doesn't run and is only about $2 each - better than a fisher pen in my opinion. I prefer red for Geocaching myself.

[+dorqie]

in my experience, logs are not permanent, so my pen will suffice.

Very few COs around me keep the log books. I have replaced a few wet logs, took the wet ones home to dry and offered to return them to the co, all have said not to worry, i can just recycle the logs.

Also, most caches out here die a painful death by muggling, or flood, or other such irreparable damage before the CO can salvage their container and contents. Sigs are lost anyway.

My log definitely does not need to survive longer than usual.

[+StarBrand]

in my experience, logs are not permanent, so my pen will suffice.

Very few COs around me keep the log books. I have replaced a few wet logs, took the wet ones home to dry and offered to return them to the co, all have said not to worry, i can just recycle the logs.

Also, most caches out here die a painful death by muggling, or flood, or other such irreparable damage before the CO can salvage their container and contents. Sigs are lost anyway.

My log definitely does not need to survive longer than usual.

Thats kind of sad. I have a nice collection of used logbooks from my caches. The older ones where folks took a few minutes to write a few sentences are the best.