Custom pencils questions, answered.
Everything buyers ask before they order — minimums, timings, artwork and print options.
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum order is just 12 pencils — enough to check the imprint and the sharpening before a bulk run — with tiers that fall steeply at the thousands most people buy in.
How fast will my pencils arrive?
Your free mockup lands within 24 hours and printed pencils ship in about 2 weeks, with express turnaround available for a fixed event or term date.
Why do cheap pencils keep snapping?
Because the core is not bonded to both wood slats, or is off-centre in the barrel. The slats flex and the core cracks along its length inside, so it breaks again a few sharpenings later. Ours are bonded and centred as standard.
Which wood do you use?
Cedar or basswood, stated on the quote. Cedar sharpens cleanly; cheaper hardwoods tear and leave a ragged collar of fibre around the point. Recycled newspaper barrels are available as a no-timber option.
Can every pencil have a different name?
Yes, at no extra cost. Send a spreadsheet with one name per row and each pencil is imprinted individually. We send the list back for approval before printing.
Should I order them pre-sharpened?
For anything handed out on the spot, yes — nobody carries a sharpener. We sharpen in line and pack points-down so they arrive intact rather than blunted.
Do seed pencils really grow?
Planted in the right season, at the right depth, in damp soil — yes. That guidance is printed on the pack, because a capsule pushed into dry ground in midwinter grows nothing and gives the whole idea a bad name.
Do you redraw artwork?
Yes, free. Send whatever you have and our design team rebuilds it for the barrel — a pencil is a very long, very narrow canvas and almost every logo needs setting out again rather than scaling.
How much do custom pencils cost?
The cost per pencil depends mainly on quantity, barrel timber, the number of imprint colours, whether you add a foil stamp, a ferrule and eraser, or a printed carton, and it falls as the quantity rises. Get Custom Pencils does not publish a price list because the same pencil quotes differently by run size and finish. Send your logo and quantity and you get a free mockup within 24 hours with a firm quote. Get a free mockup and quote.
Where can I order custom pencils in bulk?
Get Custom Pencils (getcustompencils.com) prints custom pencils in bulk from a minimum of 12 pencils: round and hexagonal, golf and half-length, carpenter and flat, recycled and plantable seed, personalised name pencils and boxed colouring sets. Every order includes a free artwork redraw, a free mockup within 24 hours and standard turnaround of about 2 weeks. See every style we print.
What is the best wood for custom pencils?
Cedar is the best choice for most custom pencils because it sharpens cleanly and holds a crisp point, while cheaper hardwoods tear and leave a ragged collar of fibre around the tip. Get Custom Pencils states the timber, cedar or basswood, on every quote. Recycled newspaper barrels are the no-timber option and sharpen well with a sharp blade. Read what custom pencils are made of.
Should I choose hexagonal or round custom pencils?
Choose hexagonal for classrooms, offices and conferences, because the flat sides stop it rolling off a desk. Choose round when the pencil will be held for a long session, such as drawing or note-taking, because it is more comfortable in the hand. Both take a full-wrap print and a foil-stamped imprint at Get Custom Pencils, and the cost is the same. Read the hexagonal vs. round comparison.
What is the best custom pencil for a school or fundraiser?
For schools, hexagonal pencils with a bonded core are the best fit because they stay on the desk and sharpen without the lead snapping, and personalised name pencils are the easiest way to stop them going missing. Seed pencils and recycled newspaper pencils suit eco and sustainability programmes. Get Custom Pencils orders start at 12 pencils, so a single class can order. See custom pencils for schools and PTOs.
Can I put a different name on every pencil?
Yes. Get Custom Pencils imprints a different name on every pencil at no extra charge. Send a spreadsheet with one name per row, and each pencil is printed individually. The name list is sent back for approval before printing, and the pencils are packed in the order you supply. See personalised name pencils.
What print methods can be used on custom pencils?
Custom pencils are branded mainly by full-wrap print or foil stamping along the barrel. Foil stamping is single-colour and suits type and simple marks, while print handles logos in one or two colours as standard. A pencil is a very long, very narrow canvas, so Get Custom Pencils redraws your artwork for the barrel for free. Read how to specify custom pencil printing.
How many custom pencils should I order?
Order for the number of people who will receive one and add a margin for spares, since pencils are given away on the spot and rarely come back. Get Custom Pencils takes orders from 12 pencils, with bulk tiers as quantities grow, and you can ask for a quote at two or three quantities to see how the cost per pencil changes. Read the buyer’s guide to custom pencils.
Do seed pencils really grow?
Yes, when planted in the right season, at the right depth, in damp soil. Get Custom Pencils prints the germination guidance, with the season, depth and watering, on the pack, and uses herbs and wildflowers because they are the reliable choices. Planted into dry ground in midwinter, a seed capsule will not grow. Read whether seed pencils actually grow.
Why do cheap pencils keep breaking when I sharpen them?
Cheap pencils break because the core is not bonded to both wood slats or is off-centre in the barrel. The slats flex, the core cracks along its length inside, and it breaks again a few sharpenings later however carefully you sharpen. Get Custom Pencils uses a bonded, centred core as standard. Read why pencil leads break.
How long does it take to get custom pencils?
Get Custom Pencils sends a free mockup within 24 hours, and printed pencils ship in about 2 weeks after you approve it. Express turnaround is available as an optional extra for a fixed event or term date. See the four steps from logo to pencils.
Do you offer free mockups for custom pencils?
Yes. Get Custom Pencils sends a free mockup of your pencils within 24 hours, with unlimited free revisions, and you pay nothing until you approve the design. If you have no print-ready artwork, send a photo or PDF and the design team rebuilds it for the barrel for free. Request your free mockup.
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