Mitsubishi Pencil 9852 HB Pencil with Eraser, 1 Dozen K9852HB

You really can't seem to go wrong with mitsubishi pencils -- every box I have purchased has been of very high quality when compared to brands that were once great (Ticonderoga, for example). If you are still using Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, try these and see if you stay a Dixon fan... you won't. These pencils are great and less costly than I would expect for the quality and writing experience.

I’m getting into pencils and these Mitsubishi 9852 “HB” are excellent. They write nice and smooth, as all Japanese pencils do. I also have the amazing Mitsubishi 9850 “HB” (red paint and white eraser) which are also godly to write with. I’m collecting Japanese pencils for their quality to write with (and the boxes look retro too).For other pencil aficionados: these 9852 “HB” orange are very similar to the 9850 “HB” reds, though I would say the reds are a “hair” darker and lose their point a “hair” more than these oranges. Apparently Japanese grading is a bit darker than US. But both pencils write as smooth as butter and are worth having. Just know the reds are a slight hair darker (by a hair) if that matters (which, if you’re reading this, it might ha ;) ).Have fun and enjoy the best pencils out there!

Back in the mid-90s I spent some time in Japan. As a stationary fan, it was no surprise that I ended up with lots of pencils and paper from the wonderful time I spent in that country. So, almost 30 years later I'm at the end of the Mistsubishi pencil that writes oh so nice (and no eraser left), and considerably better than the well-known North American brand that I have been an avid fan of since my elementary school days. Not wanting to miss out, I checked to see if perhaps these were available in the US, and much to my not a surprise (seems we can get everything these days), they are available! I quickly ordered these and they arrived quickly. They are a silky smooth as the mid-1990s edition, buttery and glide across the page with seemingly no resistance. I can't be more detailed than these are better than what's available in the US (that also being said, that I am not an artist, just a fan of non-mechanical pencils). Highly recommend!

Almost speechless. This is one fine pencil. Precise crafting, and the lead has a waxier smoother finish to it. I would expect it to wear down and crumble a bit faster than it does. It’s got the darkness and softness to it, but no crumble, and a bit more durable than other B composition leads. Wood is good, straight, knotless. Sharpens very smoothly. Color me impressed.

These are great - better than the current Blackwings... and way better than Dixon Ticonderoga black. These are smooth with darker writing.

I like the way these pencils write

This pencil is so similar to the Tombow 2558, it's hard to believe! The lead, the ferrule, the eraser, the paint color...all the differences are incredibly subtle. I would say that the only significant differences are that the Mitsubishi's imprinting and lacquer are slightly more well-executed, as usual, and, more significantly, the wood on the Mitsubishi sharpens much better. I also prefer the silver and blue Mitsubishi imprinting to the Tombow's brown imprinting. At any rate, this is a truly superlative writing instrument, and I could say with fair confidence that it is the finest eraser-tipped pencil I have tried (and I have tried many). The lead is truly smooth and dark, and well-centered. The eraser is best-in-class, better than the Mitsubishi 9850 and not smudgy as I heard in a few reviews. I suspect that Mitsubishi responded to criticism and improved their erasers at some point recently.

The Mitsubishi 9852's are legendary for writing. Great feel, BUTTERY writing experience in the B (rather than the usual #2/HB) variety. Note that it is slightly softer than the HB, so while the graphite lines will be darker, you'll have to sharpen them more frequently. But you'll find that you can press a lot more lightly if you're used to a harder, grayer lead. So it's a real treat, and the usual Mitsubishi build quality. 100% recommended.