Derwent Onyx pencil

Derwent Onyx pencil

In 2008, Derwent announced a new graphite pencil line, the Onyx.

According to Derwent, the Onyx “… is made from smooth dark graphite and delivers dense, rich, jet-black tones, darker than a Graphic 9B. Due to its non-crumbly texture, the 4mm wide core is capable of sharpening and holding a fine point.”

After some testing, I have to conclude that Derwent’s claims are absolutely correct and without exaggeration. Yet experiencing the pencil doesn’t explain the mystery of the formula.

The pencil is round with an 8mm diameter and a 4mm core. It comes in two grades, “Medium” and “Dark”.

Derwent Onyx pencil

The Dark version is capable of a very wide range of shades. The claim about pressure is correct – the dark rich tones seem to appear in reaction to pressure. Of course all pencils do that to some extent, but the Onyx is somehow different – with light pressure, it gives no signs of being a super dark pencil.

Additionally, the claim about holding a point is correct – it has a much stronger point than typical soft grade pencils.

Derwent Onyx pencil

The Dark Onyx on the left, and the Derwent Graphic 9B on the right:

Derwent Onyx pencil

I have to admit amazement. Presumably, Derwent have used very different ingredients (or process) to create this wonder of a pencil.

Derwent Onyx pencil

Definitely worth a test. Have you tried it?

Felissimo pencils

A few people have asked, “What happened to the Felissimo pencils?”

About a year and a half ago, I wrote about an unusual offering of 500 colour pencils. (I learned about this set from Japanese pencil blogs.) I was soon contacted by the manufacturer, who were planning a global launch, and was offered a set of pencils in exchange for some modest publicity.

Felissimo had a very unusual sales model – 500 colour pencils for sale, but delivered in twenty monthly sets of twenty-five!

I wrote about the first few sets they sent me, and then – the New York based program was relocated to company headquarters in Japan. I was really surprised – it seemed like a complete success story to me. I believe these pencils gained more prominent US media coverage than any recent pencil offering of any type. (New York Times, Martha Stewart, and many others.)

Since then, there was a gap of several months, followed by some pencil sets arriving in fits and spurts. I don’t have any contacts at the company, and I’m not sure if I will receive all 500 pencils. I’ve not complained. Some of the original staff may have been laid off, so some perspective is called for.

I thought I would show just what happens when a monthly Felissimo set arrives.

First a cardboard box arrives via Japan Post EMS:

Felissimo pencils

There is a cellophane wrapped interior box:

Felissimo pencils

Sans cellophane:

Felissimo pencils

An insert forms a guide to the pencils, if you can read Japanese:

Felissimo pencils

The order in which the pencils are sent seems to vary, based on what I’ve read online. A small circled numeral seems to represent the box number:

Felissimo pencils

This set seems to be dark blue and purple variations:

Felissimo pencils

Slightly closer:

Felissimo pencils

In an acrylic display:

Felissimo pencils

I’m not sure where this is all leading, but I’ll show more if there is interest.

If the pencils don’t suffice, Felissimo just announced a 500 crayon set.

FILA’s global pencil

Dixon Ticonderoga, Fila Temagraph, Lyra Temagraph

Made by the FILA Group, these pencils from subsidiary brands appear to be roughly the same. They are made at FILA’s main plant in China, and sold under established national brand names. Very established brand names – LYRA (Germany) dates from 1806, and Dixon (USA) from 1795. FILA itself is a relative newcomer, established in 1920.

The Dixon Ticonderoga seems to be the model for the others. It looks just like predecessor versions, minus the “U.S.A.”

The FILA Temagraph is an established brand, but it has been redesigned to resemble the Ticonderoga. The version with an eraser is pretty much a Ticonderoga clone. The one without eraser has an interesting metal cap, with the grade in large letters. It carries on the Ticonderoga ferrule look in an alternate form.

The newest of the bunch is the LYRA Temagraph. The cap has a splash of colour, and is part of a scheme used by other LYRA pencils such as the Robinson. Though the box says the pencil is made in China, the pencil itself is stamped “Germany”.

Dixon Ticonderoga, Fila Temagraph, Lyra Temagraph

Though they look roughly alike, the pencils seem to have different cores.

Are there others in this series? Do you like what FILA has achieved with this pencil line?

Update: November 18, 2010 There is indeed at least one more! Please see AMOS DIXON Ticonderoga at Bleistift.

Roxy No. 188 12B pencil

It goes to 12!

Roxy No. 188 12B pencil

If you think 10B is the softest grade on the market, note that Taiwanese brand Roxy offers their No. 188 pencil in 12B.

Roxy No. 188 12B pencil

Unfortunately, the Roxy 188 is a scratchy carbon pencil, leaving a line perhaps comparable to – I’m not sure what. Even “hard” compressed charcoal is smoother and more usable.

Roxy No. 188 12B pencil

The “12B” label seems to be a gimmick. The pencil does have a triangular shape and a nice enough finish.

Roxy No. 188 12B pencil

My thanks to blog reader Robert for sending me this pencil.

Mitsubishi’s extremely soft pencils

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

For drawing and shading, the super dark marks of the softest grade pencils can be very appealing. These soft grades typically go up to 6B in the ranges of many manufacturers. Anything beyond that can be very hard to find, especially as a traditional graphite pencil.

Some manufacturers offer very dark pencils in “carbon” or “ebony” lines – but these are typically composed of charcoal, carbon (soot or lamp black), or oil based, rather than graphite.

And some pencils that use the traditional B grades, like the Staedtler Mars Lumograph 100 7B and 8B, are carbon based pencils.

Tombow stops at 6B, as did Mitsubishi – until 2008, when they added 7B, 8B, 9B, and 10B to the Hi-Uni lineup.

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

On Strathmore Bristol 300 series 260gsm (100lb) paper (acid free, white, smooth), trying the new Hi-Unis is like tasting county fair caramels – they are all amazingly smooth and delicious. The 9B and 10B have decidedly wider cores. On this paper, and others such as Fabriano Disegno 200gsm (94lb) paper (acid free, toothy), I have trouble really seeing any greater saturation or darker line among the various grades.

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

I think these pencils provide a really interesting and satisfying experience, which I recommend to anyone seeking to lay down exceptionally dark lines.

Now the above are the mainstream pencils – but there are (at least) three others. The fude enpitsu (brush pencil) is a gold finshed 10B pencil with a Hi-Uni cap. We took a look at it in 2008. I still agree that it a has a waxier feel. On paper, it may be just a shade lighter.

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

The Super-DX remains an amazing specimen of pencilcraft – the finish is just astounding. As noted previously, it has a very wide core. And a couple of years after first looking at the Super-DX, I still find it to be smoother than the “regular” 8B Hi-Uni, and the lead possibly just a degree more saturated.

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

There is one more – a “secret” Hi-Uni 8B that predated the official 2008 extension of the Hi-Uni line. There is some background information at Brand Name Pencils. The “Kouhitsu Yo” has different markings and a wider core than the new 8B Hi-Uni, but otherwise seems to be the same pencil.

If you understand Japanese, it would be greatly appreciated if you could advise on the meaning of the text on these pencils.

Close up, the cores of course look very different from office/school pencils:

Mitsubishi's extremely soft pencils

If you’ve used any of these super soft grades, please share your thoughts!

Related reading:

Mitsubishi 10B pencils: the brush pencil (fude enpitsu) and the Hi-uni (pencil talk, November, 2008)

Mitsubishi Hi-Uni Super-DX and Hi-Uni 8B pencils (pencil talk, November, 2008)

Mitsubishi 10B – Part 2 (Dave’s Mechanical Pencils, October, 2008)

Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 10B premium wooden pencil and Pencil Extenders (Lung Sketching Scrolls, December, 2008)