manufacturers – Page 44 – pencil talk | pencil reviews and discussion

January 13, 2007June 29, 2009

Pentel Black Polymer 999

In addition to Tombow and Mitsubishi, there are other quality Japanese pencil manufacturers. One of these is Pentel. Their top of the line pencil in the Black Polymer series is the 999 alpha. I’ve heard they are great, but have been unable to acquire any. (If you have some for sale, please let me know!) But, I did come across some of their still very fine 2nd rank pencil, the 999.

Distinguishing the two pencils is easy – the 999 alpha has the Greek alpha character in the pencil name, and the slogan “supreme quality for lines of highest density.” It has a glossy finish with the grade printed in black on a silver background. The regular 999 has the more modest slogan “the highest quality for general use”, and less use of silver. The finish is matte, and the top of the cap is painted silver.

Matte vs. glossy sounds like a photo finishing or interior wall paint choice. But it seems it’s also a pencil choice, and Pentel chose matte for the 999. It is very pleasant to hold, looks good, and is not too common in pencils. I have some Lyra pencils with a similar finish, and can’t think of any other manufacturers that have chosen this type of finish. The silver accents on black paint make it one of the most attractive on the market – up there with the Grip 2001 and Nava.

The box it comes in also looks nice for a cardboard box – there is something very adult and stylish about the presentation.

The pencils sharpen easily. The lead is not as rich as that of the other Japanese pencils mentioned here, but still nicer than average. It makes an excellent writing pencil, and goes very nicely with a black journal.

November 25, 2006June 7, 2009

Tombow Mono 100 Photos

To complement a previous post on the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, here are some photos of another pencil legend, the Tombow Mono 100.

The packaging has an outer layer – a silver and black cardboard sleeve. One end is fully rounded, which is not really that much of a flourish, but still untypical. It’s no ordinary pencil box.

The case is black with a silver lid. The lid has a clear window, showing the pencils inside.

Here’s a photo of the Mono 100 with some other top Japanese pencils:

October 29, 2006June 7, 2009

Mitsubishi Hi-Uni Photos

In response to a request, here are some more photos of the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils and their packaging.

It’s a lot of packaging for a dozen pencils. The good thing is that this box seems to actually protect (as opposed to just house or congregate) the pencils. Even with several pencils removed, the remaining ones don’t roll about, due to an insert that separates the pencils. It seems much more useful for travel than just a loose pencil case.

Okay, on with the show.

Here is the green sleeve alongside the pencil box:
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencil box.

The green sleeve has a cutout that corresponds to a degree marking on the box:
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencil box cutout.

The box is black plastic with a clear one-third length lid that flips open:
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencil box lid.

They’re a nice set of pencils:
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils.

Here is Hi-Uni next to a Tombow Mono 100. Two great pencils.
Mitsubishi Hi-Uni and Tombow Mono 100.

October 21, 2006June 7, 2009

Wide lead art pencils: The Lyra Ferby and Grafitkreide

Here are two really fun pencils that I found at a local art supply store.

The first is the Lyra Ferby Graphit 97100. It is a natural finish oversize triangular pencil. The length of the pencil is less than a standard pencil. The lead is also oversize.

This pencil is pure fun. The lead is very dark and smooth, of the same calibre as premium standard sized pencils. Although the pencil might be aimed at children, it makes sense that an art supply store (and a selective one compared to most in these parts) would stock this implement. You can’t help but start drawing or doodling with it.

It lets you do serious things with it, but if you don’t, that’s also fine.

The second pencil is also from Lyra, and it’s actually a pure stick or crayon of graphite with a paper wrapping. It’s identified as the Lyra 1772. This thing can draw some incredible lines. In 9B, it owns any page it touches, with it’s smooth dark markings.

But the fun doesn’t end there – there is a water-soluble variant, the Lyra 1773. Wrapped in blue paper (the 1772 has a black wrapper) , it’s slightly smaller in diameter.

You can dip it in water and start sketching – it creates an amazing silvery metallic finish. Or if your brush skills are up to the task, you can sketch first, and apply a brush with water. My attempts just smeared whatever I drew, but I’m sure a more skilled hand would succeed.

For a buck or two, I think these are a lot of fun.

September 26, 2006June 7, 2009

Top Japanese Pencils: The Mitsubishi Hi-uni and the Tombow Mono 100

Hello, it’s been a while since this blog has been online or updated. Good news: The server hosting the blog survived being in storage, and has again been cranked up and placed online!

Thank you to those who wrote notes of encouragement about the blog. They were definitely appreciated.

Even better news is that there are lots of things to write about. I thought I would start with two top Japanese pencils. A couple of years ago, these were very hard to acquire in North America. Thanks to the internet, they’re now possible (though still far from easy) to source.

The intriguing cap of the Tombow Mono 100

The intriguing cap of the Tombow Mono 100

The Mitsubishi Hi-Uni is the top woodcase pencil in the Mitsubishi Pencil Company’s line. There seems to be no doubt that mechanical pencils are much more widely used in Japan, with woodcase pencils like these considered niche products.

This pencil’s packaging announces it – a light green cardboard sleeve with a cutout that lets one see a half dozen pencil crowns. Taking off the sleeve, there is a black plastic box with a clear plastic lid that pops up to allow access. The interior of the box has a many-spoked divider that keeps each of the twelve pencils separate. It’s heavier than any pencil box I’ve encountered, and definitely indicates that the contents are valuable.

The pencils are offered with a heavily varnished maroon finish, topped by a black crown. The stamping is gold, along with a white barcode. The pencils are also distinguished by the orange dot on their tops.

The intriguing cap of the Mitsubishi Hi-uni

The intriguing cap of the Mitsubishi Hi-uni

They sharpen easily, and in HB have a very rich dark lead that doesn’t crumble. On paper, the markings seem reasonably smear proof. I look forward to trying some other hardnesses. I haven’t spent too much time with them yet, but hope to soon give them a lengthier workout. I’ve found that some pencils which do well for a few jottings aren’t necessarily great all day writers.

The Tombow Mono 100 is a legend, especially in the animation field. It has a reputation as a high quality professional pencil. Dick Blick calls it the “gold standard.” I’ve spent quite a few dollars not getting this pencil – ordering it and being sent something else. Anyhow, I’m glad to finally have a few in my stash. They’re black, with gold band, and a white stripe that traverses the pencil’s cap.

They’re just a wee bit longer than any non-erasered pencil I have. A slight compensation for their price, I suppose.

They sharpen well, and like the Hi-uni, have a dark rich lead. I have tried them for a sufficient period of time to confirm that they make a great writer.

To my eye, the finish of both pencils is disappointing. Maybe I was expecting too much, but they’re overcrowded with too many font faces – both of them. A pencil just doesn’t have room for six different fonts without being very distracting. And of course the almost ubiquitous bar code makes them less sleek. They do have superior paint finishes, though.

Now as pencils – they’re really good. They seem to have the dark lead (the right combination of graphite, clay, wax, and other ingredients) that’s so pleasing to see on paper, without the crumbling or quick point erosion that some other attempts at dark leads have seen.

July 5, 2006June 7, 2009

Graf von Faber-Castell pencils.

Graf von Faber-Castell pencil closeup.
Wow. I have wanted to write about these pencils for some while. They are the ultimate woodcase pencil. They have an incredible look, feel, and composition. They even smell nice, with an incredibly rich cedar fragrance.

They are sold in various formats, variants and packages, but here I’ll address only the full length standalone pencils. They are round with ribbed grooves, and have a silver-plate cap. Their circumference is larger than the typical office pencil. They look like finely crafted works of art, which incidentally happen to be pencils.
The Graf von Faber-Castell pencil on a picnic bench.
I’ve got a set of five, and also a set of two that came with a white eraser with ribbing that matches the pencils. The eraser also has a silver-plate cover. Until I can get some eraser replacements, I’m leaving the eraser in the plastic, as I don’t find that white erasers tend to stay white too long.
Various Graf von Faber-Castell pencils.
The series extends to silver-plate sharpeners. I have a large one that’s really a joy to use as a desk sharpener.
Graf von Faber-Castell Large Sharpener
The pencils are definitely top class, with a smooth writing dark lead. In one’s hand, they are very easy and pleasant to grip. They’re also beautiful and luxurious like no other woodcase pencil. Using this pencil is definitely enjoyable, and I recommend trying them to anyone who likes pencils.