There is an FAA accepted test of paint film hardness that requires special calibrated pencils, available ONLY from Mitsubishi pencil company, in packages of 17 for $224. Each pencil comes with an individual certificate of calibration shows that it meet's it's specified hardness level. The test is ASTM D 3363, "Standard Test Method for Film Hardness by Pencil Test"
In Japan numbers have meaning. Haiku have a 5-7-5 pattern - which gives you 17 as a sum. And saying the number 17 in Japanese sounds like youth and vitality. Might not be so odd after all.
> Masaki had the idea to register a three-diamond trademark, along with the "Mitsubishi" name, which means 'three diamonds.' (It may surprise you to learn that this was ten years before the much better-known Mitsubishi Group of heavy industry companies registered its name and identical mark. Mitsubishi Pencil has no connection to the numerous other Mitsubishi companies in Japan; it is and has always been a manufacturer of writing and drawing supplies.)
Well, I learned something new today. I always thought the pencils were part of the group but apparently they're not.
Seeing the iconic three diamond mark along with the name always made me think the pencils were related to the cars.
Upon learning of a third Asahi branded thing, I once made the observation that Asahi must make everything. There's Asahi Pentax cameras, Asahi beer, and now this forgotten other thing. At which point someone kindly informed me that Asahi means rising sun, and seeing it in a company name is roughly equivalent to seeing "federal" or "national" in a US company name.
Nobody could blame you, Japan famously does have conglomerates making completely different products under the same brand. If Yamaha makes motorcycles and pianos, why wouldn't Mitsubishi make cars and pencils?
I have a bunch of these pencil brands Tombow, Mitsubishi. I usually buy them on ebay. Its an amazing experience to write with them... I usually use the H, HB to write, and its fascinating, how the premium ones H differs from an ordinary H. There is some paraphernalia that goes with it - sharpners, erasers.
I had lost the writing habit..coding invariably takes you to the keyboard. Gradually I'm writing more, and it slows down, and that helps. Its a very analog experience, and is a form of digital detox. I am also learning to draw, hence the splurging on pencils in the first place. While I'm not an artist (yet!) - its a whole another world with an amazing spectrum of varieties of pencils.
I appreciate this isn't about Japanese pencils, but if anyone is ever visting the LAke District in the UK, I highly recommend going to the Derwent Pencil Museum. It's absolutely fascinating how pencils came to be, the number of steps to make them etc.
I really appreciate old school manufacturing and pencils were the top tech around the turn of the century!
Yes, these museums are geeky fun :-) same goes for Faber Castell in Stein close to Nuremberg, Germany; there you can also get a tour in contemporary production.
You know what is great about that blog post? The pictures. There is something so pleasing about those shallow depth of field macros of carefully laid out pencils and other stationary. (I found some of those items on Amazon, BTW.)
[I missed the HN edit window so I am replying to my own comment.] Note that you can get the stationary items from stlartsupply.com. No need to go to Amazon.
My most treasured tools when I used to draw were Pentel 0.3 sliding sleeve pencils, model PS523. The sleeve let me put a lot of pressure on a very fine lead without breaking. And of course the lead was wonderful to use, very smooth. B was the softest lead available in that diameter, so it was hard to get a really dark black, hence the need for pressure.
I've bought a number of mechanical pencils since the model was discontinued and have been only disappointed. Few enough have the sliding sleeve, and on the few that do, the sleeve does not move at all smoothly. There may never be another pencil like it.
For ink drawing I have a set of Sakura Pigma Micron pens in different widths, also a lovely tool, and for general writing, Uniball micros are my pen of choice.
I think it's more than coincidence that all these are Japanese.
I guess that the nature of their writing system has either driven both their artistic expressiveness and excellence of their writing accessories, or vice versa, but, regardless, their craftsmanship is outstanding and admirable.
I, too, was a Uniball micro man until I switched to pencils and have been a Pentel Twist-Erase III man for a long time, indeed, with 2B lead instead of America's #2 standard. So smooth, and such a great eraser!
[I also must make my usual recommendation for NHKOnline's videos, where they have many, many shows about traditional Japanese crafts. Our family's favorite is now called "Design Stories", where it used to be "Design Talks Plus". They interview famous Japanese designers of all kinds, including a couple of Manga and many graphic design folks, as well as some stationery shops and Washi paper producers, plus architects and potters. I've only seen a few less than excellent episodes, but they're all good in the least.]
I know this post is about old-school wooden pencils, but, as a dedicated pencil pusher, I've got to tip my hat to my favorite pencil for the past, at least, 12 years: the Pentel Twist-Erase III mechanical pencils, in 0.5 and 0.7 (they also have a 0.9, but I don't use those).
The key to these outstanding pencils is the perfectly fat eraser that is over an inch long. Its formulation is excellent (neither too hard nor too soft) so it erases superbly and lasts quite a time, and it has refills in packs of three that can sometimes be found in Office DepotMax.
I must also suggest a lead softness/hardness of 2B, instead of the normal "Number 2 pencil lead" that is standard for test taking here in America. It glides onto the paper more smoothly and yet erases easily and mostly completely.
Readit News
https://www.gardco.com/Products/Hardness-Testers/Scratch-Har...
Well, I learned something new today. I always thought the pencils were part of the group but apparently they're not.
Seeing the iconic three diamond mark along with the name always made me think the pencils were related to the cars.
Deleted Comment
I had lost the writing habit..coding invariably takes you to the keyboard. Gradually I'm writing more, and it slows down, and that helps. Its a very analog experience, and is a form of digital detox. I am also learning to draw, hence the splurging on pencils in the first place. While I'm not an artist (yet!) - its a whole another world with an amazing spectrum of varieties of pencils.
Want to buy some pens?
I really appreciate old school manufacturing and pencils were the top tech around the turn of the century!
https://www.faber-castell.com/corporate/faber-castell-experi...
https://pencilly.com.au/product/pencil-bundle-ultimate-gift-...
I've bought a number of mechanical pencils since the model was discontinued and have been only disappointed. Few enough have the sliding sleeve, and on the few that do, the sleeve does not move at all smoothly. There may never be another pencil like it.
For ink drawing I have a set of Sakura Pigma Micron pens in different widths, also a lovely tool, and for general writing, Uniball micros are my pen of choice.
I think it's more than coincidence that all these are Japanese.
I, too, was a Uniball micro man until I switched to pencils and have been a Pentel Twist-Erase III man for a long time, indeed, with 2B lead instead of America's #2 standard. So smooth, and such a great eraser!
[I also must make my usual recommendation for NHKOnline's videos, where they have many, many shows about traditional Japanese crafts. Our family's favorite is now called "Design Stories", where it used to be "Design Talks Plus". They interview famous Japanese designers of all kinds, including a couple of Manga and many graphic design folks, as well as some stationery shops and Washi paper producers, plus architects and potters. I've only seen a few less than excellent episodes, but they're all good in the least.]
https://paperwhisper.com/blogs/blog/write-smarter-the-hidden...
Seem like the Uni Kuru Toga Dive is the peak mechanical pencil.
The key to these outstanding pencils is the perfectly fat eraser that is over an inch long. Its formulation is excellent (neither too hard nor too soft) so it erases superbly and lasts quite a time, and it has refills in packs of three that can sometimes be found in Office DepotMax.
I must also suggest a lead softness/hardness of 2B, instead of the normal "Number 2 pencil lead" that is standard for test taking here in America. It glides onto the paper more smoothly and yet erases easily and mostly completely.