New Apple Pencil Sandpapered to Look and Feel Like a Real Pencil

[MacRumors]

A few months ago, the second-generation Apple Pencil was released with a more seamless design and a matte rather than glossy finish. However, like the original, the new Apple Pencil is only available in an off-white color.

A variety of skins are available for customizing the design of the Apple Pencil, but Reddit user Cedric M. from Frisco, Texas decided to take the do-it-yourself route with some sandpaper, synthetic fabric dye, and paint, transforming his second-generation Apple Pencil into one that closely resembles a No. 2 graphite pencil.

What makes this customized Apple Pencil unique is that Cedric achieved a wood-like texture with sandpaper. He then used synthetic fabric dye and paint to color the tip, shaft, and collar of the pencil and shared photos on Reddit.

Cedric spoke to MacRumors about the project:

I saw a few "pencil" decals for the Apple Pencil 2 but didn't like the idea of something that could be misaligned or peel. I experimented a bit with Rit dye and have some experience using it at my job - I knew that it could be used to dye plastics with relative ease. I wanted to replicate the texture and feel of an actual wooden pencil and was happy with the results I achieved with some careful sandpapering.

The finished product looks impressive, and we award Cedric full marks for creativity, although we don't recommend everyone follow these steps since it is still cosmetic damage to the Apple Pencil. For most people, this $6 skin from dbrand is the cheapest and easiest way to make the new Apple Pencil resemble a No. 2 pencil.

The second-generation Apple Pencil magnetically attaches to the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models. It also features automatic pairing, wireless charging, tap to wake, double-tap gestures to switch drawing tools, and a more seamless design with no Lightning connector, cap, or chrome ring.

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A variety of skins are also available for the original and second-generation Apple Pencil from Amazon and elsewhere.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: New Apple Pencil Sandpapered to Look and Feel Like a Real Pencil

 

[sputnikv]

ew, that’s so tacky

 

[gsmornot]

I think it looks nice. I write on my iPad daily but don't use the pencil, I use the marker since its just a bit more bold. None the less, this is not bad.

 

[Mr Dobey]

Kinda rad. That would be some very wide graphite.

 

[GuruZac]

Not really a fan of the texturizing look, but he did an awesome job. I would just use a skin if I wanted that look. Call me crazy, but I like the look for the Apple Pencil, and I'm just using the Gen 1.

 

[Unity451]

Clearly this guy thought about the design more than apple does these days.

 

[Bacillus]

I hope Tim and Phil will survive their excitement (well, kinda...)

 

[dazzer21-2]

Until he tries to sharpen it!

 

[webbuzz]

New product from ColorWare coming, only $499!

 

[Moonjumper]

Is this is what the Apple Pencil would have looked like if Apple had continued with skeuomorphic design?

 

[lunarworks]

Hope the dye is fast and doesn't leech into your skin while using it.

 

[nburwell]

Definitely not something I would do with my Apple Pencil, but it looks nice.

 

[NightFox]

I have the dbrand skin on my original Apple Pencil (not something I would normally buy, but needed to up my basket to get free postage so it effectively cost me next to nothing). Unlike the iPad Pro skin which is beautifully precision fitted, the pencil skin isn't very good, I have about .5mm gap around the barrel and the "rubber" end looks pretty rubbish - though I guess that's inevitable to an extent fitting flat stickers over a tightly rounded shape. It does look like a pencil at first glance, but on closer inspection the skin just looks like something cheap off eBay.
[doublepost=1546460022][/doublepost]

...However, like the original, the new Apple Pencil is only available in an off-white color.

I suspect Apple would say that it's all the whites you're comparing this to that are off-white; they probably use dye extracted from the individual hairs of unicorn pelts.

 

[Kabeyun]

The Forstall Pencil looks interesting, but I’d never paint the very tip. The feel as the point moves across the iPad screen is perfect; not too slick, not too grabby. I’d never risk messing with it.

 

[cedricchase]

The Forstall Pencil looks interesting, but I’d never paint the very tip. The feel as the point moves across the iPad screen is perfect; not too slick, not too grabby. I’d never risk messing with it.

You're right about painting the tip; however, the tip you see here is dyed. It doesn't change the texture or function of the tip in any perceivable way.
[doublepost=1546463366][/doublepost]

Is this is what the Apple Pencil would have looked like if Apple had continued with skeuomorphic design?

Ha! Probably.

 

[555gallardo]

That is perfect!

 

[Kabeyun]

You're right about painting the tip; however, the tip you see here is dyed. It doesn't change the texture or function of the tip in any perceivable way.

Actually, the article says he used both dye and paint. Since the body of the pencil looks dyed (textured and less opaque) I assume the tip was painted. It certainly looks like it.

Edit: oop, just read his Reddit post and saw that he did use dye for the tip. Also read that the work killed pairing on one of the two pencils he modified. Polite pass.

 

[arn]

Actually, the article says he used both dye and paint. Since the body of the pencil looks dyed (textured and less opaque) I assume the tip was painted. It certainly looks like it.

Edit: oop, just read his Reddit post and saw that he did use dye for the tip. Also read that the work killed pairing on one of the two pencils he modified. Polite pass.

I believe you are also responding to the person who did the mod. @cedricchase

arn

 

[truettray]

I think this looks incredible!

 

[cedricchase]

Actually, the article says he used both dye and paint. Since the body of the pencil looks dyed (textured and less opaque) I assume the tip was painted. It certainly looks like it.

Edit: oop, just read his Reddit post and saw that he did use dye for the tip. Also read that the work killed pairing on one of the two pencils he modified. Polite pass.

It’s me! Tip was dye only. The damaged Pencil is strange, it -tries- to pair but just never succeeds. I’m confident I can safely do this mod without making the same mistake again, the process is pretty tame as far as mods are concerned.

 

[willmtaylor]

@cedricchase , are you the chap responsible? If so, cheers! That looks fantastic!

 

[Greenmeenie]

Looks cool. But ain’t no way i’m doin’ that with my apple pencil. Nope. Lol.

 

[7thson]

I think it looks good. It does take a bit of trust in your skill at doing stuff like this. I painted my AirPods, after the warranty ran out, because I was curious if I could do it without damaging them. No logical reason to do things like this other than to scratch that itch some of us get.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Excellent attention to detail. Really captured the look of a real pencil.. Thumbs up in my opinion.

 

[Eduardo1971]

Kudos! That took some thought, dedication, and patience-great work!