Preparing to draw today I instictually reached for a pacer, it was broken, it was only a week old, so a scrounged for another, and found three more... all broken...
Da da da.. my mind clicks... pacers suck - they are expensive and they break.... pencils rock, you can sharpen them - at both ends if you please!
So glad to have finally worked this out.
Grinning now and all day as I drew, traced patterns, designed dresses, all with a pencil in hand, and one behind my ear. Yay!