Nicpro Carpenter Pencil with Sharpener, Mechanical Pencils Set with 26 Refills, Deep Hole Marker for Construction, Heavy Duty Woodworking Tools for Architect (Black, Red) - With Case

A good marking pencil is the quiet hero of layout work. After a month with the Nicpro carpenter pencil set in my shop and on job sites, I can say it’s a well-thought-out solution for anyone who needs clean, consistent marks—including in places most pencils can’t reach.

What’s in the set

The kit is straightforward and useful:
- Two deep-hole carpenter pencils (one black body, one red)
- A plastic storage case
- 26 refills of 2.8 mm solid lead in three colors (graphite/black, red, and yellow)
- A screw-in cap with an integrated sharpener

The headline feature is the 45 mm elongated tip on each pencil. That long, narrow nose threads into tight spaces—through jig bushings, hardware templates, and narrow cavities—where typical carpenter’s pencils or standard mechanical pencils come up short.

Build and ergonomics

Both pencils feel solid without being heavy. The bodies are slimmer than a traditional flat carpenter’s pencil, closer to a chunky mechanical pencil, which makes them easier to control for fine layout lines. The long tip is concentric and straight, which keeps the point stable in holes and along edges.

Pocket carry is reasonable: they’re not bulky, and the overall length is manageable in an apron or cargo pocket. The long nose does mean you should avoid tossing them tip-first into a pocket with other tools; like any precision tip, lateral hits are how you bend or chip it. On the bench, they don’t roll around much, and the finish has enough texture to grip well with dusty hands.

Refill changes are simple and secure. There’s no fiddly collet to fight, and the advance mechanism holds the 2.8 mm leads snugly. I didn’t experience slippage during heavy marking on rough stock.

The deep-hole advantage

The 45 mm tip is the reason to buy these, and it delivers. I’ve used it to:
- Mark shelf-pin locations through 5 mm and 1/4 in jig bushings
- Transfer the center through countersunk hardware holes
- Mark dowel centers and pocket hole positions inside cabinet carcasses
- Reach through miter-saw length stops and fence holes
- Mark hinge plate holes inside face frames

Where a standard pencil smears around the hole perimeter, this rides the bore and puts the graphite exactly where you need it. On tight templates, the precision saves time and keeps lines honest.

One small note: the long tip can pack with dust if you’re working MDF or OSB. A quick tap or blast clears it, but it’s worth doing before assuming the lead is dull.

Lead options and line quality

You get three lead colors:
- Graphite/black for everyday marking and fine layout
- Red for contrast on lighter woods and some plastics
- Yellow for high visibility on dark materials and steel

Line quality is where this set shines. The 2.8 mm sticks are thicker and stronger than typical mechanical pencil leads, but with the built-in sharpener they still come to a crisp point. I’ve used the graphite for knife-adjacent layout lines on hardwoods, and it produces a clean, narrow mark that’s easy to split with a saw or chisel. On rough construction lumber, a slightly blunter tip gives a bold line that remains legible across knots and grain.

The colored leads are legitimately useful. Yellow shows up clearly on black melamine, dark-stained woods, pipe, and most mild steel. Red is handy on primed trim and pale plywood. On some hard, slick plastics, the red can feel a touch lighter and benefits from a freshly sharpened point and a deliberate hand. If you primarily mark steel or work under dim site lighting, you’ll likely reach for the yellow most often.

The sharpener in the cap

Nicpro’s screw-in sharpener is the right solution for a jobsite pencil: it’s always there and it actually works. The cap threads into the top of the pencil, so it doesn’t get lost in a tool bag. A few gentle turns bring the lead to a precise cone without crumbling. Because the leads are thicker, you don’t need to sharpen as often as with a typical 0.9 or 1.3 mm mechanical pencil, but it’s great for dialing in a point for fine layout.

A couple of tips:
- Don’t over-twist; a light touch prevents chipping, especially with the colored leads.
- Empty the shavings occasionally—if they pack into the cap, sharpening gets less effective.

Performance across materials

• Wood (hard and soft): Graphite produces crisp, readable lines on planed faces and a bold line on rough faces. Yellow is excellent on dark stains and charred wood lines.
• Metal: On clean steel and aluminum, yellow is the most visible. For layout on mill scale, the mark holds but is lighter; it’s not a soapstone, but it’s better than graphite.
• Plastics and laminates: Graphite and red both show well; yellow excels on black or patterned surfaces.
• Paper, tape, and templates: The fine point makes neat marks on painter’s tape without tearing it.

I also tested on slightly damp framing lumber. The graphite left a legible mark, though it was softer than on dry stock. These aren’t wax markers, but they’ll get you through mildly wet conditions.

Durability and maintenance

The 2.8 mm sticks are tough. I had only one break, and that was from a clumsy drop onto concrete tip-first. Under normal pressure—even scribbling on rough studs—the leads held up. The tip assembly has stayed straight and has avoided wobble in jig bushings, which is critical for accuracy.

The storage box is simple but genuinely useful. It keeps refills from scattering in a bag and gives you an at-a-glance count of what’s left. Swapping colors mid-task is painless.

Long-term, the only maintenance is occasional cleaning of the tip bore (compressed air or a quick tap) and keeping the sharpener clear of shavings.

Where it fits in a workflow

This set has become my default for:
- Cabinet and furniture layout where precision matters
- Hardware installation using hole templates
- Marking through jigs and fixtures
- Color-coding steps (cut vs. keep vs. fastener centers)
- On-site marking where a flat carpenter’s pencil is too blunt

It doesn’t replace a fat, cheap pencil for rough framing scribbles or a wax marker for truly wet or oily steel, but it fills the large middle ground with better accuracy and visibility.

Limitations

• The red lead can feel lighter on smooth, non-porous surfaces. It’s fine on wood and tape, less so on glossy plastics without a fresh point.
• The long nose, while robust, is not immune to damage if you whack it sideways or drop it tip-first.
• The built-in sharpener is small, so emptying shavings is a must to keep it cutting cleanly.
• If you prefer broad carpenter-pencil lines for quick framing marks, these may feel “too precise” until you intentionally blunt the tip.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing so you can get the best results.

Value

For the price bracket this set lives in, you get a lot: two pencils, a pile of refills, multiple colors, a case, and the genuinely handy integrated sharpener. More importantly, you get the deep-hole capability that usually requires a specialty marker or awkward workarounds. It’s an easy upgrade from both flat carpenters’ pencils and typical thick mechanical pencils if your work involves templates, hardware, or jigs.

Recommendation

I recommend the Nicpro carpenter pencil set. It combines precise marking, true deep-hole reach, useful color options, and a smart, always-there sharpener. The 2.8 mm leads strike the right balance between durability and fine control, and the long tip adds capabilities you don’t get from standard pencils. If you’re a woodworker, cabinet installer, fabricator, or a DIYer who uses jigs and templates, this set will make layout cleaner and faster. The few quirks—chiefly the lighter red performance on slick surfaces and the need to mind the long tip—are minor compared to the advantages.