I am a pencil connoisseur. I have tried all of the major brands and many of the more exotics. I like a lot of those other pencils, but I came upon the Mitsubishi 9852EW EB after reading some very detailed reviews online. WoW! Do these ever live up to expectations. The lead core is firm but writes smooth, soft, and reliably dark... but not so dark that it's hard to erase! Keeps a nice point for a long time, and even writes very well when dull. No breakage, no scratchy bits, and writes smooth and fast on a variety of papers. Eraser is also firm yet soft and VERY effective with a low amount of crumb debris. These are the "eco" version of the 9852, hence the minimal "natural" finish. Also, if you look carefully, they wood in the pencils is joined so they've utilized otherwise too-short blocks of cedar. The joins sharpen incredibly well and do not affect the performance of the pencils in any way. I will be buying these again and again, and I recommend them highly to anyone who is a fan of wood-case pencil writing. Read more
I really like this pencil. I wish it came in a 2B lead version as well, then I would love it!!! I especially like how there's no coating on the pencil, so it stays put in your hand even if you are sweating or you use lotion on your hands. The embossing doesn't come off if you clean the pencil with rubbing alcohol. The more you use this pencil, the more it sort of soaks in your skin oils and takes on a patina that looks really cool. I am weirdo! When sharpened, the pencil has a slight cedary smell that takes me back to middle school, for a moment I am 12 again. It smells like pencils did when I was a kid, though the scent isn't too strong. I know that sounds strange, but it's a nostalgia thing. This pencil sharpens nicely in little wedge and blade sharpeners (I don't know their actual name is), in old school wall mount hand crank sharpeners, and it even handles being sharpened with a knife. The lead is nice and strong. And smooth! So far I have felt no grit in the lead (this was an issue with the pencils back when I was a kid). The pencil does smudge a little, but I am left handed so all pencils smudge for me. This is my go to for writing on paper, but I can see how it would be good for use in woodworking too (with lighter woods). It is a little too light for use on cardboard though, I find myself losing the marks, this is why a 2B would be so much better. I really like this pencil and like I said I would like it so much more if there was an option for 2B lead. Read more
I bought these to compare to my $29 BLACKWING Matte pencils... They are insanely good quality and they write smooth and function in a balanced manner. GREAT value for the money. They really are master writers. Read more
I may like these pencils for hipster reasons. But so be it. I tend to gravitate towards things made in Japan. I just feel Japanese products are often better. Better engineered, more entertaining, etc. I’m no pencil nerd. But these are great. Holds a point well, writes dark with out much pressure, the pencils themselves have an elegant look about them. Crazy to me that this brand has nothing to do with the Mitsubishi auto group. Completely unrelated company even though they basically have an identical name and logo. But they’ve been making pencils since 1887. They obviously know what they’re doing and they make a good product. Recommended. Read more
I am willing to admit publicly that I bought these for the aesthetic of the packaging, plus the novelty of Mitsu-bishi branding. But the pencils themselves seem really great. More importantly, they smell heavenly – if you bottled the scent of freshly-sharpened pencils, that's what you'll get with this box of pencils. I also grabbed a really nice sharpener, and these pencils have been a dream to write with AND sharpen. They stay sharp and erase easily. If you have someone in your life who would dig the look, do it. (I got this for a grown man's Easter basket, for context. haha) Read more
Writes good and they have a fresh wood smell. Read more
Great quality pencils would recommend to anyone. Read more
Good design, works well, holds a point, not smudgey. Cutest box ever. Read more
