Product Review: Bohin Two-Sided Chalk Pencil

Another week, another marking utensil review.  So this one happened in the spur of the moment.  Dad left the other day from work having shortness of breath and discomfort (he is fine now, don't worry), bt it just so happened that I found out on my way to the shop for one of our group meetings.  Cancelling wasn't an option at that point, and Mom and John were already on their way to the ER to meet him, so I hung out for updates.  My plan was to go to the ER after the group left, and of course this was the ONE TIME I didn't have a phone charger with me or my sewing kit.  So I made an embroidery pattern on the fly, and we had one of the Bohin Two-Sided Chalk Pencils out as a tester.  So I used it. 

Specs

• Wooden, two-sided pencil
• White and red chalks
• Cost: $1.25

Pros

• Awesome visibility for both colors

• Thick chalk is difficult to break even with significant pressure
• This stuff stays where you want it. You can rub on it with your finger, and it stays pretty well, little to no smudging. 

Cons

• It is thicker than a regular pencil, so a standard sharpener doesn't work very well. 
• Chalk is thick, not ideal for detail work
• It's a little more work to remove than your standard chalk.  On my test piece, the white came of with cold water and a little dabbing, but the red was more challenging - I had to use a little white vinegar mixed with the water.  

Conclusion
★★★★☆
This might be my new go-to.  I have been working on that embroidery regularly since I made it last Monday, and the lines are still clear and bright.  I wish the red was easier to remove, but for how well it stays I think I can tolerate the minor inconvenience.