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Pencils

THORVALD Deep-hole marker with holster, 45 mm (1.77 in) tip

The only marker here that tells you both how long its tip is and which lead color works on dark stone.

THORVALD orange mechanical deep-hole marker in its holster

THORVALD Deep-hole marker with holster, 45 mm (1.77 in) tip

The only marker here that tells you both how long its tip is and which lead color works on dark stone.

Stated dimension or range
A long narrow tip of 6 mm (0.24 in) DIAMETER and 45 mm (1.77 in) LENGTH, stated, for marking deep holes, gaps, tight corners, hinges and fittings. It is the ONLY tip dimension published on this shelf — one other marker says extra-long needle-nose and gives no figure — and both numbers matter: the diameter decides which hole it enters and the length decides how far down it reaches
Supplied
SIX leads: four graphite plus one yellow and one red — and THORVALD is the only maker here to say what each color is for. Graphite for wood, metal, drywall and light surfaces; yellow and red for stone, ceramic, concrete and dark materials. This shelf's introduction says graphite disappears on dark stone where white or red shows, and this is the listing that acts on it
Body and fittings
A protective holster with an integrated sharpener and a quick-clip attachment, stated for one-hand access on a ladder or overhead. The holster is where the sharpener lives, which means it cannot be lost separately — and the clip is what keeps the marker off the floor
Material
A soft-touch grip stated to hold firmly with dusty, sweaty or wet hands, in a heavy-duty holster and body stated to resist drops, dust, moisture and impact. A high-visibility orange body, stated — which on a site floor is the difference between finding it and buying another
Functions
Mechanical lead advance. No lead HARDNESS is published — no HB, no 2B, nothing — and neither is a lead diameter, where two markers on this shelf state 2.8 mm (0.11 in). This shelf's introduction says lead hardness and color decide which surfaces take a mark; this listing answers the color half completely and the hardness half not at all
Also stated
Named for plumbers, trim installers, cabinet makers, metalworkers and finish carpentry, and separately for electricians, framers, roofers and HVAC. Every tool inspected before shipping, stated
Amazon reference
B0G7G86R3D
EAN
3760394610069
  • The only published tip dimensions here: 6 mm (0.24 in) by 45 mm (1.77 in)
  • Six leads, with the color-to-surface match written out
  • No lead hardness published

Best for: Marking through a hinge recess or a fixing hole on concrete, where graphite shows nothing

≈ $10
Check price on Amazon

Specifications

Stated dimension or range
A long narrow tip of 6 mm (0.24 in) DIAMETER and 45 mm (1.77 in) LENGTH, stated, for marking deep holes, gaps, tight corners, hinges and fittings. It is the ONLY tip dimension published on this shelf — one other marker says extra-long needle-nose and gives no figure — and both numbers matter: the diameter decides which hole it enters and the length decides how far down it reaches
Supplied
SIX leads: four graphite plus one yellow and one red — and THORVALD is the only maker here to say what each color is for. Graphite for wood, metal, drywall and light surfaces; yellow and red for stone, ceramic, concrete and dark materials. This shelf's introduction says graphite disappears on dark stone where white or red shows, and this is the listing that acts on it
Body and fittings
A protective holster with an integrated sharpener and a quick-clip attachment, stated for one-hand access on a ladder or overhead. The holster is where the sharpener lives, which means it cannot be lost separately — and the clip is what keeps the marker off the floor
Material
A soft-touch grip stated to hold firmly with dusty, sweaty or wet hands, in a heavy-duty holster and body stated to resist drops, dust, moisture and impact. A high-visibility orange body, stated — which on a site floor is the difference between finding it and buying another
Functions
Mechanical lead advance. No lead HARDNESS is published — no HB, no 2B, nothing — and neither is a lead diameter, where two markers on this shelf state 2.8 mm (0.11 in). This shelf's introduction says lead hardness and color decide which surfaces take a mark; this listing answers the color half completely and the hardness half not at all
Also stated
Named for plumbers, trim installers, cabinet makers, metalworkers and finish carpentry, and separately for electricians, framers, roofers and HVAC. Every tool inspected before shipping, stated
Amazon reference
B0G7G86R3D
EAN
3760394610069

What the maker puts in writing

  • “The long, narrow tip (6 mm (0.24 in) diameter, 45 mm (1.77 in) length) lets you mark deep holes, gaps, tight corners, hinges and fittings”
  • 6 leads included: 4 graphite + yellow + red. “Graphite leads for wood, metal, drywall, and light surfaces + yellow and red leads for stone, ceramic, concrete, and dark materials.”
  • A protective holster with an integrated sharpener and quick-clip attachment
  • Soft-touch grip engineered to hold firmly with dusty, sweaty or wet hands
  • Heavy-duty holster and body resist drops, dust, moisture and impact · high-visibility orange

No lead hardness. No lead diameter.

Two tip numbers, which nobody else gives

And they answer two different questions.

Six millimeters of DIAMETER decides which hole the tip enters. A fixing hole for an 8 mm (0.31 in) plug takes it. A 5 mm (0.20 in) pilot does not.

Forty-five millimeters of LENGTH decides how far past the face of the material it reaches — which is what marking through a hinge recess, a joist hanger or a cabinet back actually needs.

One other marker on this shelf says extra-long needle-nose and publishes no figure. The only way to know is to try it on the hole.

Which color on which surface

Written out, and only here.

Graphite for wood, metal, drywall and light surfaces. Yellow and red for stone, ceramic, concrete and dark materials.

The reason is contrast, not hardness. A graphite mark is a dark grey line — invisible on grey concrete, dark slate or a black steel section. A yellow or red pigment lead shows on all three.

This shelf’s introduction says exactly this: graphite disappears on dark stone, where white or red shows.

Another marker on this shelf ships ten assorted-color leads and names none of them.

A holster, because the tip is thin

A bare marker clipped to a pocket has its tip against your chest.

It snaps the lead the first time you kneel.

A holster protects the tip and gives the sharpener somewhere to live that cannot be lost on its own.

The cost is bulk on a belt already carrying a tape and a knife.

And no hardness, like everything here

This shelf’s introduction: lead hardness AND color decide which surfaces take a mark.

Five markers on this shelf. Zero published hardnesses — no HB, no 2B, nothing.

This listing answers the color half completely and the hardness half not at all.

Availability

On sale at around 10 € on the American Amazon store at the time of checking.

Prices and availability are what Keepa reported on the date this page was updated; both move.

Prices quoted in this text were read on 8 October 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.

What gets asked here

Why do both tip dimensions matter?

Because they answer two different questions and only this listing answers either. The DIAMETER — 6 mm (0.24 in) — decides which hole the tip will enter: a fixing hole for an 8 mm (0.31 in) plug takes it, a 5 mm (0.20 in) pilot does not. The LENGTH — 45 mm (1.77 in) — decides how far past the face of the material it can reach, which is what marking through a hinge recess, a joist hanger or a cabinet back actually needs. One other marker here says extra-long needle-nose and publishes no figure at all, so the only way to know is to try it on the hole.

Which lead for which surface?

THORVALD writes it out, which nobody else on this shelf does: graphite for wood, metal, drywall and light surfaces; yellow and red for stone, ceramic, concrete and dark materials. The reason is contrast rather than hardness — a graphite mark is a dark grey line, which is invisible on grey concrete, dark slate or a black steel section, and a yellow or red pigment lead shows on all three. This shelf's introduction says exactly this. Another marker here ships ten assorted-color leads and names none of the colors.

Is a holster better than a clip?

For a mechanical marker with an exposed thin tip, yes. A bare marker clipped to a pocket has its tip against your chest and snaps the lead the first time you kneel; a holster protects the tip and gives the sharpener somewhere to live that cannot be lost separately. The cost is bulk on a belt already carrying a tape and a knife. One other marker on this shelf also uses a holster and adds a drainage hole in its base to let moisture out; this one states a quick clip for one-hand access instead.

More marking pencils

  • THORVALD deep-hole marker in orange with its narrow extended tip

    THORVALD Deep-hole marker with seven leads

    A marker built to reach through a drilled hole or into a recess — a 6 mm (0.24 in) tip on a 43 mm (1.69 in) reach, which no flat carpenter pencil can do.

    Amazon reference
    B0BD8J7K6F (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    3760312570567
    Stated dimension or range
    6 mm (0.24 in) tip · 43 mm (1.69 in) reach
    Marking medium
    seven leads
    Body and fittings
    integrated sharpener and clip
    • A 6 mm (0.24 in) tip on a stated 43 mm (1.69 in) reach, so it marks through a hole or into a recess
    • Seven leads supplied, with an integrated sharpener and a clip
    • A narrow lead breaks more readily than a carpenter pencil's

    Best for: Marking through an existing hole — the job a flat pencil physically cannot reach.

    Check price on Amazon
  • Werkzeyt carpenter pencils in orange with their matching sharpener

    Werkzeyt Carpenter pencils, six with sharpener

    Six flat carpenter pencils with the sharpener that fits them — the pencil that does not roll off the beam, in the quantity they are actually lost at.

    Amazon reference
    B01E5LSL2I (identical on 6 markets)
    EAN
    4035300893553
    Also stated
    Six pencils
    Stated dimension or range
    175 mm (6.89 in)
    Body and fittings
    oval section
    Supplied
    sharpener included
    • Six in a set, which is the honest quantity for a tool that disappears
    • An oval section, so it does not roll off a beam or a bench
    • A wide graphite line is a millimeter or more thick — not a precision mark

    Best for: Timber work, where the line is going to be cut on and a millimeter of pencil is inside the saw kerf anyway.

    Check price on Amazon
  • Hultafors Dry Marker HDM pencil in its holster with built-in sharpener

    Hultafors Dry marker in holster, roll stop, drained holster

    The only marker here whose holster has a drain hole — and the only one that stops both halves rolling away.

    Body and fittings
    A ROLL STOP on BOTH the pencil and the holster, stated. Every other marker on this shelf that addresses rolling addresses only the pencil — and a holster left on a sloping surface rolls away with the sharpener inside it, which is the half nobody else thinks about
    Also stated
    A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLSTER, stated to lead dirt and moisture away from the pen for longer durability. Nobody else on this shelf publishes drainage, and a closed holster on a wet day is a tube of water around a lead: it is the mechanism by which a holstered marker rots rather than wears
    Functions
    A sharp and accessible sharpener placed in the HOLSTER, stated, and Hultafors adds the reason: the marker is easy to remove from its holster so you do not have to let go of what you are working with. The sharpener staying behind is the point — one hand keeps hold of the work
    Supplied
    The dispenser is stated to double as a BLADE SNAPPER and to fit the handle of Hultafors SRP knives. A second function nobody else on this shelf has, and a real one: snapping a blunt snap-off blade without pliers is a daily job
    Material
    A grip-friendly ergonomic design, stated, and easy lead changes. No barrel material, no lead diameter, no lead color and no HARDNESS is published — fewer figures than any other marker here
    Stated dimension or range
    Not published. No tip diameter, no tip length and no lead count appears, and the shape of the holster is stated to keep the pen in place when you move
    Amazon reference
    B07L22N2WD
    EAN
    7317846501015
    • A roll stop on the holster as well as the pencil
    • A drain hole in the holster base, unique here
    • No lead diameter, so a refill is a guess

    Best for: Wet and dusty work, where a holster normally turns into a reservoir

    ≈ $16
    Check price on Amazon

Elsewhere in the spares drawer

  • Stanley lacquered brass plumb bob with its pointed tip

    Stanley Brass plumb bob

    A plain lacquered brass bob — denser than steel for its size, which means a smaller body for the same settling behavior.

    Amazon reference
    DE B0042ADVJQ · US B01MDMGV57 · GB B01MDMGV57 · FR B00009OYGQ · IT B00009OYGQ · ES B01MDMGV57
    EAN
    0076174479737
    Material
    Lacquered brass
    Also stated
    trade catalog reference
    • Brass is denser than steel, so the same mass occupies less space and hangs in a tighter gap
    • Lacquered, so it does not tarnish onto the line or your hands
    • The listing states the material and nothing else — no mass, no line

    Best for: Dropping a vertical in a tight space, where a bulky bob will not hang free.

    ≈ $22
    Check price on Amazon
  • Stringliner original mason line reel in braided orange

    Stringliner Mason's line reels, braided orange, 250 ft, 3-pack

    The only actual line on a shelf called mason lines and plumb bobs — braided, orange, two hundred and fifty feet.

    Stated dimension or range
    250 FEET per reel, three reels. Every other product on this shelf carries between 10 and 14.5 feet of cord and six of the seven are bobs — so this is the only line on the shelf in any meaningful sense, and it carries seventeen times the length of the longest bob cord here
    Material
    BRAIDED, stated in the title, and ORANGE. Both are the things this shelf's introduction asks for: braided line resists the stretch that makes a twisted line sag differently at each setting, and bright colors stay visible against rubble. A twisted line also unwinds under tension and rolls a brick course off true as it does
    Body and fittings
    A line reel handle of durable polyethylene, stated, with the line securing in a convenient notch. It is a hand reel rather than a retracting one — the notch is what stops the line unwinding in a bag, and it is the whole mechanism
    Supplied
    Three reels at eight dollars seventy-nine — about two dollars ninety a reel of 250 ft. Three is the right number for a trade that loses line: one on the job, one in the van, one cut short and still useful
    Also stated
    TWO bullet points, and that is the whole listing. No breaking strain, no diameter, no material beyond braided, and no stretch figure — this shelf's introduction compares line STRENGTH and STRETCH, and neither appears
    Functions
    Not published: no twine size, no number, no weight. Mason's line is normally specified by a number — a #18 or #21 — which sets its diameter and breaking strain, and this listing gives none
    Amazon reference
    B0F2BCLTMQ
    EAN
    5061094333707
    • 250 feet, where every bob here carries ten to fifteen
    • Braided, which the hub intro says resists stretch
    • Two bullet points, and that is the whole listing

    Best for: Setting out brickwork, fencing or a long datum, where a bob's ten feet of cord is nothing

    ≈ $9
    Check price on Amazon
  • Tajima quick-stabilizing 21 oz chrome-plated plumb bob with tip guard

    Tajima Quick-stabilizing plumb bob, 21 oz, tip guard

    The heaviest bob here, and the only one with bumpers to stop it marking the wall it hangs against.

    Stated dimension or range
    21 oz / 600 g — the heaviest bob on this shelf, where the lightest is 5 oz: a factor of four. This shelf's introduction says weight sets how quickly a bob settles and how little it swings in a draft, which makes this the bob for an open site, a stairwell or a long drop
    Measuring mode
    Quick-stabilizing: stops wobble AND SPIN within 6 seconds, stated. The same figure as the maker's 10-ounce bob on this shelf, which is the interesting part — doubling the weight does not halve the time, because the design rather than the mass is doing the work. Spin is the half nobody else mentions: a bob that has stopped swinging can still be rotating, and a rotating bob with an off-center tip traces a circle
    Body and fittings
    EMBEDDED SIDE BUMPERS, stated to protect both the bob and the work surfaces. Nobody else on this shelf has them, and they solve a real problem twice: a 600 g (21.2 oz) steel bob swinging into a finished wall marks it, and the same impact chips the bob's own plating
    Functions
    A thick ELASTOMER TIP GUARD, stated to keep the tip safe and secure. The tip is what a bob dies of — one drop rolls the point over — and a guard is the other answer to that problem; the brass kit on this shelf answers it with four spare tips instead
    Material
    Chrome plated to resist rust and corrosion, stated. Chrome is harder than nickel and resists the chip that starts the rust — which matters more on a 600 g (21.2 oz) bob, because a heavier bob hits harder when it is dropped
    Supplied
    A snap ring as standard, to connect and disconnect from a plumb line, stated. A snap ring rather than a knot means the same bob moves between a short line and a long one in seconds. NO LINE IS SUPPLIED — this is a bob, not a kit, and the shelf carries 250 ft of braided mason's line for under nine dollars
    Amazon reference
    B00023S4SK
    EAN
    0049296054267
    • Twenty-one ounces: the steadiest bob on this shelf
    • Six seconds, and it stops SPIN as well as swing
    • No line supplied at all

    Best for: A long drop outdoors or in a draft, where a light bob never stops swinging

    ≈ $31
    Check price on Amazon

All marking pencils