[Solved] Which type of pencil has the hardest graphite lead? (2024)

FAQs

[Solved] Which type of pencil has the hardest graphite lead? ›

H pencils have the hardest graphite leads among graphite pencils, offering light marks and maintaining sharp points for detailed work, ideal for technical drawings and precise lines.

HB GRAPHITE SCALE

The letter “F” is also used to indicate that the pencil sharpens to a fine point. Historically, pencil makers also use combinations of letters to tell us about the graphite — a pencil marked “HB” is hard and black, a pencil marked “HH” is very hard, and a pencil marked “BBB” is really, really black!

The Numbers

B on its own is just a little softer than HB. 2B, 3B and 4B are increasingly soft. Further up the range, 9B is the very softest lead available, but so soft and crumbly that it's rarely used. Anything over 4B is probably too soft for most people's day-to-day use.

The 2B pencil has a higher blackness, and the marks drawn are relatively black, while the HB pencil has a lower blackness, and the color of the marks drawn is relatively light, which is very different. ... 2B pencil is darker in color and lower in hardness.

From there, pencils are graded as “B” through “10B” for softer, darker pencils that contain more graphite, and H through 10H for harder, lighter pencils that contain more clay. (Of course, there's also the outlier “F” pencil, which is the equivalent of the rare “2.5” pencil and sits somewhere between HB and H.)

Drawing pencils range from 9H to 9B, where 9H is the hardest.

'H' stands for hard leads, ideal for technical drawing due to their fine lines and lighter marks. 'B' represents black or soft leads, known for their darker, bolder strokes, perfect for expressive sketches and shading. The middle ground is 'HB,' balancing hardness and blackness for everyday writing and basic sketching.

1 Pencil (B Grade): Higher in graphite, softer, prone to smudging, and ideal for artistic or bold writing. No. 2 Pencil (HB Grade): A balanced mix of graphite and clay, offering versatility for writing and drawing, making it a popular choice for schools and offices.

The 19 degrees of graphite pencil hardness are: 14B, 12B, 10B, 8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, and 6H. Graphite pencils with hardness degrees of 3B to 8B are ideal for artistic, pictorial drawing with their very soft to extra soft, very black graphite.

Pencils that fall into the B grade, on the other hand, make a darker mark because they're softer and don't contain as much filler. Pencils are graded in the following order: 9H, 8H, 7H, 6H, 5H, 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 9xxB.

What is a F grade pencil? ›

The F pencil is thought to have been developed for the Japanese market, where softer pencils are generally preferred. A Japanese 'HB' grade was found to be too soft for writing and so the F (standing for 'fine' or 'firm') was introduced as a writing pencil, and then somehow found its way into the artists' pencil tin.

Graphite is relatively nonpoisonous. There may be no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they may include stomachache and vomiting, which could be from a bowel obstruction (blockage). The person may choke while swallowing the pencil.

It's counterintuitive but I have found that how well you can erase pencil marks depends on the pencil hardness scale, with the middle levels being the best. The best erasing pencils I have are, as you noted, almost always 2B or thereabouts. HB can be harder to erase because you are applying more pressure.

A #3 pencil is harder, so the line it lighter, but it is more durable and requires less frequent sharpening. On the standard H-B hardness scale it is usually H, although some manufacturers vary their formula so it might be 2H or even F (between HB and H).

HB pencils are in the middle, as the number increases to the left like H, 2H,3H…the pencils get lighter and harder, but when the B side gets higher ( 2B,3B,4B…), the pencils get softer and darker to 9B (the darkest I know).

Size: 5.6mm. The largest of the common lead sizes. This chunky sized lead will need regular sharpening. It's prowess lies in shading and sketching larger objects.

Derwent pencils are marketed by an English company based in Keswick in the Lake District (The Cumberland Pencil Company) with a great reputation as being the most active in producing new quality art materials. At the core of their range are the hardest of the pencils and some of the longest in their production.