My name is Kevin and I’m an idiot for pencils.

You might think this is because they’re erasable or because they’re archival or maybe you think it’s because they’re comparatively cheap or because they write very nicely.  You might even think it’s because they evoke a sense of open ended learning we all experienced in childhood.  You wouldn’t, necessarily, be wrong but there’s more to it than that.

I love the process of using a pencil.  The sound as it scratches across the page fills me with a feeling of productivity.  The variance in pencil brands and grades makes choosing which pencil to draw out of the cup very fun and sometimes even whimsical.  Taking a break from writing to sharpen a pencil while my brain still churns on tends to coalesce my thoughts into something more expressible.  Some smell amazing yet some don’t smell at all ¹.  I love all these things about pencils and so much more!  So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my top pencils!

Apsara Absolute  My favorite offering from Hindustan Pencils², the Apsara Absolute sports a smoothly lacquered hex barrel that is a graphite grey with a slight warm copper tinge and a blue end dip.  Its core is thicker than standard lending it some break resistance.  While ungraded, it says “Extra Dark”, the core seems to me a bit like a 2B and the point retention is very much like a 2B.  I have no idea what wood these are made of (White Fir?) but it looks like Incense Cedar but doesn’t smell like it.  It sharpens very well and my box³ came with a very good eraser and a little plastic sharpener that works so well it’s in my top 4 sharpeners!  These pencils write VERY smoothly and would be worth a try at 3 times the price.  As of the time of writing you can find these for around 5$ a box.

General’s Layout No. 555 Sporting a large round barrel and an extra thick core that is very smudge resistant considering how dark it writes.  The General’s Layout also has surprisingly great point retention, meaning it stays sharp longer than it ought to given how dark it is.  It is a phenomenal pencil!  The Layout has scratchy feedback which can be a refreshing change of pace compared to the buttery smoothness found in other premium pencils.  The printing on the barrel is white and uses a classy vintage type face⁴ which, unfortunately, wears off really quickly leaving a plain gloss black.  Actually, the plain gloss black is kinda boss now that I think of it.  The best part of these fantastic pencils is that they’re sold at most craft stores!

Palomino Blackwing 602  There’s a near endless amount of people waxing on and on about Blackwing pencils.  I’ll try not to add too much.  I like all the Blackwings I’ve tried and the 602 is my favorite.  The ferrule is cool too.

Mitsu-Bishi 9800 B  Oh sure, when talking about Mitsu-Bishi pencils it’s almost sacrilege to not mention the venerable Hi-Uni.  And, of course, Those are great if a bit pricey (for pencils, at least).  But the 9800 is a simple green pencil that is extremely well made and writes VERY smoothly.  What’s more, they won’t break the bank.  They’re made of Incense Cedar⁵ so they sharpen well and smell great while doing it.  Also, they say “Matured” on them and who doesn’t like a bit of nonsensical branding?

Tombow Mono 100 2B  Here is the peak of what Tombow offers and they do not disappoint.  They’re smooth, dark, well lacquered and have a cool cap with a white stripe.  The box they came in is basically a display case for your desk.  Having come out in 1967 as a high end drafting pencil, using one fills my mind with images of pocket protector clad “buzz cuts” using slide rulers to get to the moon.  Great image, great pencil.

Well, there you have it.  5 pencils that a pencil idiot loves…today.  I might have 5 new pencils next week.  I’ll try to update this regularly.

1. I have 1 that smells like soy sauce, weird.
2. Though the Apsara Platinum isn’t too shabby either!
3. Hindustan Pencils tend to come in boxes of 10 instead of the more common dozen. (A dozen, in the US, is twelve.  As I understand it, in the UK a “dozen” is a type of meat filled pie served to coal miners.)
4. Which I’m told is Windsor Ultra Heavy.  Thanks, Giovanni!
5. I have heard of some being made of White Fir.  My box, happily, isn’t.