I still like to write on physical paper with pencils. I’ve stumbled on studies talking about the cognitive benefits of doing this, but is that going to change anybody’s behavior? To be romantic for a sec, I feel like the words I write with pencils belong to me. There’s something about the slower physical constraint of writing that seems to make my choosing of words matter more, and that seems to lead to either better quality writing…or just the perception of it.
This is going to be me over time trying different pencils and commenting on which one’s I like. Pretty simple. Definitely nerdy. Let’s go.
Ticonderoga - 2 HB Soft Black - Link (no affiliate)
These are the nostalgic, American-made pencils from my childhood. The box literally says World’s BEST PENCIL. They’re even made in my homestate of Wisconsin. What a thrill.
- Feel on Paper: B
- Look on Paper: B
- Eraser: A-
- Smell: C
- Feel in hands: B+ (slick)
- Sharpening: A- (clean, easy to get very sharp point)
- Cost: A+OVERALL GRADE: B
Summary: These are the benchmark pencils. They are the standard of pencils in the ‘not dogshit’ category. An overall solid pencil that all other pencils will be gauged by.
Mitsubishi - 9852EW HB - Link (no affiliate)
Pencils from a car company? These pencils are naked wood and say Master Writing on them. Unassuming.
- Feel on Paper: B+
- Look on Paper: B+
- Eraser: B+
- Smell: B
- Feel in hands: A- (wood)
- Sharpening: A-
- Cost: BOVERALL GRADE: B-
Summary: The pencil feels like a slight step up from the Ticonderoga when writing. I have mixed feelings about the naked wood look, but they are easy to grip. They cost twice as much as Ticonderoga which means most people have no reason to buy these.
Staedtler Blacklead Pencils - 2B - Link (no affiliate)
They look similar to a Ticonderoga Black. The eraser is white instead of black though? How does this German-made pencil hold up?
- Feel on Paper: B+
- Look on Paper: B+
- Eraser: C+
- Smell: B
- Feel in hands: A-
- Sharpening: A
- Cost: B+OVERALL GRADE: B
Summary: Subtle differences. It costs slightly more than the Ticonderoga. It’s eraser is noticeably worse. The standout aspect of this pencil is it feels really solid and sharpens in a crisp way. I can’t believe I’m describing pencils like food.
Blackwing Pearl Pencils - Japanese style Link (no affiliate)
The first pencil in the list that’s different. These cost nearly 10x what a Ticonderoga costs. The box it comes in is primo. The erasers are a rectangular. This beauty is decked in all white.
- Feel on Paper: A
- Look on Paper: A
- Eraser: B+
- Smell: A+
- Feel in hands: A
- Sharpening: A-
- Cost: FOVERALL GRADE: A-
Summary: Supposedly these are the pencils used by famous writers. These are expensive. The cedar wood produces a powerful, beautiful scent. It has the smoothest and darkest markings on the page. The eraser is meh. Even the coating on the outside of the pencil feels better than the others. Despite being as smooth as hell, are these worth it? Can you allow these pencils to get down to stubbs with how much they cost? My answer is yes. But I’m the guy writing about pencils on the internet so…