It's the sharpener. I use the sharpeners attached to our wall( like we used in school). I also have used a pen knife.

I don't use anything special. Seems to me they all have problems with some kinds of fabric..I've been using
plain white chalk that I sharpen in a regular pencil sharpener. Works great and just a towel moisten with
water to remove the chalk lines when done.

I've had a bit better success whittling a point with a paring knife. The chalk just kept breaking off when I tried to use a sharpener.

The **** "lead" still seems to break off in 1/4 inch sections, though.

i'd like the answer too

The secret is the sharpener! Remember eye liner pencils doing the same thing! Well the trick is to find a good sharpener. The hand held metal ones with the replaceable blades are best.

Did you know there's a whole line of Frixion pens? I found many more than I've ever seen in my office supply store at jetpens.com. Wide range of colors and point sizes. Also Frixion pencils in various colors.

To those of you who want to know about the gel pens. They're calld FRIXION ball pens and are made by Pilot. They are erasable, gel rollers (like some of their ball points, and refillable.) There are 8 fine line (0.7mm) in a package with several different colors.

I think the "lead" (or chalk) in those pencils is too soft or too brittle to withstand normal handling of the pencils before they are sold. Every one I've ever bought has been all broken inside the pencil. You sharpen the tip and the next tiny bit falls right out. It sucks. Maybe if we all brought them back as defective, the companies would come up with a better pencil!

This has been my experience, too!

Unfortunately, quilting pencils are the same as the old coloured pencils that we used in school, 50 years ago. If dropped the lead inside gets cracked. As you get to that portion of the pencil with the sharpener, it breaks off. Our teachers used to tell us to treat coloured pencils like babies....don't drop them. I have switched to the Clover Water soluble as soon as I heard about it.