Hi-Uni "Super DX" Pencil, 8B

This ultra-deluxe, wide-core pencil is a unique kind of writing instrument: a soft, dark pencil designed for calligraphic strokes. With variable pressure, this type of pencil can produce flowing script—or, more interestingly for artists, it can produce bold and dynamic marks that look like brushstrokes.

This particular pencil is branded Hi-Uni "Super DX," which suggests that it's even more deluxe than Mitsubishi's flagship Hi-Uni drawing pencils. Like normal Hi-Uni pencils, the Super DX is made from California incense cedar, fitted with Mitsubishi's ultra-high-density graphite cores, and finished in gold and deep red.

But unlike normal Hi-Uni pencils, Super DX has an insanely wide core that sharpens to a very long, elegantly tapered cone. It uses a unique blend of graphite and wax that keeps the huge point sharp for longer than you'd anticipate. And the finish isn't plain Uni-red lacquer, but a translucent and multifaceted varnish with glints of red and streaks of burgundy.

The hardness is 8B, which makes it softer than most drawing pencils. Surprisingly, it's very strong and capable of precise marks—particularly if you practice using a light touch.

Sold individually. Made in Japan.

About Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.:

Founded in the 19th century in Tokyo, Mitsubishi Pencil has been one of the world's leading pen and pencil manufacturers for generations. Well-known around the world for their Uni brand of pens and pencils, Mitsubishi continues to innovate and release new products, like POSCA paint markers and an ever-expanding lineup of writing pens.

Fun fact: "Mitsubishi" means "three diamonds," and the name and three-diamond mark of Mitsubishi Pencil predates the better-known Mitsubishi Group by ten years. Despite sharing the same name and symbol, Mitsubishi Pencil is not related to any of the numerous other Mitsubishi companies in Japan.