rOtring 600
I spend a lot of time writing by hand and the rOtring 600 is the most satisfying pencil I own. Heavy in the hand like a solid, well balanced tool. Its only flaw is a fragile lead sleeve which isn’t likely to survive a drop — a small price to pay for a superb pencil. I keep a couple on my desk and take another everywhere I go.
Old Mechanical Pencils
My favorite pencil is the rOtring 600, but I have a soft spot for old mechanical pencils loaded with dark (2B or 3B) lead. There’s something about pencils from the 70s and 80s. My all time favorite is the Berol TL5, which has been out of production for years. They were a standard issue office supply at the national lab in my hometown, so they activate that sense of wonder I had as a kid when I saw them on my grandfather’s desk.
Making your own graph paper
Specialty papers cost and arm and a leg these days but making your own is pretty affordable. All you need is a decent printer and a ream of office supply paper. I am a big fan of making the exact sort of paper I want to use for diagrams and long calculations. The pdfs linked above work best if you can print at 1200 dpi. They are also great for use on a tablet in a note taking app.
The Physics Writing of Ingemar Bengtsson
Most subjects in physics have been written about a thousand times. The people who do the writing usually approach these subjects with more or less the same perspectives. They cover similar topics, emphasize similar points, and illustrate with similar examples. It can feel like there is not much variety. But occasionally you stumble across someone whose presentation stands out and, for whatever reason, just works for you. I have always admired Bengtsson's clear explanations, sensible organization, and the economy of his presentation. His writing reminds me of a lecture where you leave the room thinking "how could it be any other way?"
