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For more than 165 years

STABILO graphite pencils

Absolute multi-talents

Graphite pencils are available in different degrees of hardness: from the very hard and thus pale 9H, through the average hardness HB, which is also the most commonly used in Europe, to the very soft and thus dark 9B. The "B" stands for "black" due to the intensive graphite emission.

Which grade of hardness to choose depends on the use. For elementary school students, average to rather softer leads such as HB, B or 2B are recommended. If you want to draw lines on a picture and then erase them without leaving any residue, you should choose a harder pencil with 2H or more. For the vast majority of everyday uses, however, HB is probably the best choice. 

All graphite pencils

Frequently asked questions:

Graphite pencils are often used by artists for drawing. There are a number of different degrees of hardness, ranging from the very hard and thus pale 9H to the average hardness HB, which is also the most commonly used in Europe, to the very soft and thus dark 9B. The "B" stands for "black" because of the intense graphite output. The darker a shade is to be, the softer the hardness grade should be. The finer the line or the more erasable it should be, the harder the pencil should be.
Graphite gives a pencil its outstanding properties. It makes it erasable, can be combined with clay in various mixing ratios to produce different degrees of hardness, and makes it one of the most flexible and easy-to-use pencil technologies. 
Graphite pencils are available in different degrees of hardness, ranging from very hard and thus pale 9H, to the average hardness HB, which is also the most commonly used in Europe, to very soft and thus dark 9B. The "B" stands for "black" due to the intensive graphite emission.

The degree of hardness that should be selected depends on the use. For elementary school students, average to rather softer leads such as HB, B or 2B are recommended. If you want to draw lines on a picture and then be able to erase them without leaving any residue, you should choose a harder pencil with 2H or more. For the vast majority of everyday uses, however, HB is probably the best choice.