By Andrew Liszewski
On one hand, I really like that these Smencils are made from sheets of recycled newspaper tightly rolled around a #2 graphite core. Not only do they sharpen like a regular pencil, but you also get to see the different layers of newsprint as you grind them down, kind of like the rings on a tree. However, why they felt the need to then soak the pencils in gourmet liquid scents is beyond me. (Supposedly made by an award winning fragrance company.) The Smencils are available in packs of 10 (packaged in separate freshness tubes) and each one has a different scent including bubble gum, cinnamon, popcorn, grape, cotton candy, very berry, chocolate, orange, watermelon and rootbeer. Personally, I abhor anything that comes with a ‘scent’, right back to those scratch n’ sniff stickers of yesteryear (this is supposed to be pizza?!) and the only way I’d buy a set of these Smencils is if they added a ‘classic Faber-Castell’ scent option, which they probably won’t. But you’re welcome to pick up a set from Perpetual Kid for $11.99.
