Over the years you tend to settle into those stationery products that really work for you in your day-to-day life, especially with consumable items like pencils. I go through a fair number of pencils regularly, and as I’ve been cleaning up TGS HQ in preparation for some renovation work, I’ve been taking stock of what I’m using most as measured by what’s on my desk and, with regard to pencils, what’s clearly been sharpened dozens of times. On the pencil front, I definitely have a strong preference for darker graphite.
Understanding the Graphite Scale
Here in the United States, we’re accustomed to seeing pencils designated in grades numbered “1-4”, starting with the No. 1 pencil as the softest option available and the “No. 2” as the standard writing or office pencil. (No. 3 and No. 4 pencils feature much harder cores and lighter lines, and are actually fairly difficult to find in the wild.) Once you break into the world of specialized pencils, however, you realize that the subtle variations are endless.
Outside of the United States (and increasingly inside the U.S.), graphite pencils are graded on a more detailed “HB”oriented scale, which measures the ratio of graphite and clay in the core. For example, an “HB” pencil is balanced between clay and graphite, and typically serves as your No. 2 equivalent. From there, pencils are graded as “B” through “10B” for softer, darker pencils that contain more graphite, and H through 10H for harder, lighter pencils that contain more clay. (Of course, there’s also the outlier “F” pencil, which is the equivalent of the rare “2.5” pencil and sits somewhere between HB and H.) For the uninitiated, this grading system can be quite confusing, especially if all you’re looking for is a writing pencil that’s slightly harder or slightly darker than a standard No. 2/HB.
While you can definitely see the progression in darkness as you move up the “B” scale, there are slight variations between brands. For example, the Camel 2B is slightly lighter than the dark Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 2B.
Which Pencils Do I Use for Actual Writing? F through 4B
For the best balance of smoothness and legibility, I prefer pencils that fall on the darker side of the “HB” designation, typically a 2B pencil. (You may recall that I stocked up on a bulk order of 2B pencils back in November.) As long as I use paper with a bit of texture, which tends to hold graphite better, I don’t necessarily have issues with smearing, especially if I’m using a higher quality pencil from Tombow, Uni-Mitsubishi, or Caran D’Ache. That said, I’m willing to live with a touch of smeariness in exchange for a darker line, hence why I will even use 3B/4B pencils that many people find too soft for everyday writing. I also find sharpening pencils to be relaxing and a good “focus point” if I need to take a break at work, so the need to sharpen softer pencils more frequently doesn’t bother me.
On the harder side of the scale, I find “H” and up too light and scratchy for everyday writing. In addition to legibility problems, the feel of harder graphite doesn’t appeal to me. I will occasionally use an “F” grade pencil if I know that I want to be writing somewhere without ready access to a sharpener.
You can tell which pencils see the most use by the length and the “teethmarks” from my Carl Angel 5 sharpener.
Favorite Soft Graphite Pencils
In addition to the Camel 2B, which I wrote about late last year, favorite soft-graphite pencils include the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 2B, the Staedtler Noris 2B, the Tombow 2558 in B, and the Caran D’Ache Edelweiss in 3B. While I can’t actually peg the grade (since Blackwing doesn’t disclose it), the “Soft” original Blackwing is said to be around a 4B, and I regularly use that pencil for writing. Though it still requires a fair bit of sharpening, it has remarkable point retention and a lack of smeariness for graphite that soft.
Further Reading
For a comprehensive overview of graphite grades and the history behind the “grading system,” as well as years of back content full of pencil knowledge, check out this post from C.W. Pencil Enterprise back in 2018. Their archived site is generally an excellent source of information, even if the store itself is no longer open.
This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. Though some of the pencils here are available among the selection of pencils featured in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, others are linked to manufacturers and retailers who have not paid any compensation for being featured here. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.