Pencil Bundle: Japanese HB Explorer

The Camel natural pencil has become quite an icon in design and use.  The attachment on the end of the pencil is indeed an eraser, which works surprisingly well and doesn't seem to come loose or fall off.  The HB core writes with a smooth, dark line. Established in 1949, Camel is one of several remaining pencil manufacturers in Japan. They’re known for their unique eraser design, which features on many of their writing pencils. Made in Japan.

The Kitaboshi 9606 is designed for 'General Use' and 'Academic Writing' and is a great everyday pencil.  If you're buying a full box of 12, the added bonus is the attractive packaging of Kitaboshi pencils.  Historically Japanese pencils included their intended purpose on their label to standardise various qualities of pencil, and many of these labels remain. Founded in 1913 and located in Katsushika, Japan, Kitaboshi is a small family-owned pencil company. The founder of Kitaboshi is famously quoted to have said “A pencil sacrifices itself to serve people. Both humans and pencils need cores.” Made in Japan.

The 9000 for 'General Writing' is one of the flagship products of the Mitsubishi Pencil Company.  This vintage version features the 'Japan International Standards' (JIS) mark and does not have a barcode printed on the pencil.  This pencil is smooth to write with, has great point retention, and comes in a beautiful green. Unrelated to the car company, Mitsubishi Pencil Company was founded in Japan in 1887 and is considered one of the leading manufacturers of pencils still operating in Japan. Today they are also well known for their Uni-ball brand of products. Made in Japan.

The Hi-Uni represents the top-of-the-line graphite pencil created by the Mitsubishi Pencil Company. These pencils are impeccably designed, down to the smallest details including the gold band and small yellow mark on the end of each pencil.  The full range of Hi-Uni pencils come in 22 grades (10B to 10H).  These pencils are a dream to write and draw with, and are considered premium artist quality pencils. The full set of 22 Hi-Uni pencils can be purchased here. Unrelated to the car company, Mitsubishi Pencil Company was founded in Japan in 1887 and is considered one of the leading manufacturers of pencils still operating in Japan. Today they are also well known for their Uni-ball brand of products. Made in Japan.

The Japanese classic yellow pencil, the 2558 is lauded for it's effective eraser that is designed to prevent eraser dust and not harden with time.  Typically Japanese pencils do not come with an eraser, unless they're designed for the US and International markets. Tombow Pencil Co. was founded in 1913 in Japan. Tombow means ‘dragonfly’ in Japanese, as featured on their logo. Tombow no longer manufacture most lines of their pencil products in Japan, however maintain a very high level of quality. Made in Vietnam.

The high-end 'MONO100' was released to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Tombow in 1967. Named 'MONO100' as the fineness of the core particles was increased to 10 billion particles per cubic millimetre. It is the highest-quality of all Tombow pencils and comes in a range of 17 degrees of hardness from 6B to 9H. The high-density structure of the graphite lead allows smooth drawing and dark lines on the paper.  The gold engraved letters and ring cap stand out against the smooth and glossy jet black body. These are truly beautiful pencils to look at and to use. Tombow Pencil Co. was founded in 1913 in Japan. Tombow means ‘dragonfly’ in Japanese, as featured on their logo. Tombow no longer manufacture most lines of their pencil products in Japan, however maintain a very high level of quality. Made in Vietnam.