Hi Malcom ... batteries are not needed for the earlier screw-mount pencils, or the Speed Graphites <LOL> One of the classic 20th Century pencils, Dixon's Ticonderoga 405 No.2, is still available from many sources. Those sources will usually carry manually operated notebooks as well.
For those who are unfamiliar with the subtleties and the history of this tool, may I suggest a wonderful book entitled "The Pencil : A History of Design and Circumstance" by Henry Petroski. http://tinyurl.com/7dsqo Shel > [Original Message] > From: Malcolm Smith > Can you still get the batteries for this pencil item?
