I only used my Clover Blue Water Soluble pencil for the first time on my last quilt, and it worked so well I bought two more to have on hand. I never had a problem like you are describing. I wonder if it's the pencil sharpener? I just used the one that came in a package with a mixed set of General Chalk marking pencils, so maybe there is something different about it so I sharpens chalk pencils as opposed to lead type. Just a thought. I really have no idea, but I didn't have that problem and I used my pencil down to a two inch nub.