I love drawing in pencil and this is an exceptional set that would be appreciated by anyone who likes to sketch.
The carrying case is what originally sold me on this purchase because I wanted a neat and portable way to tote a few different grades of pencils around with me. There is however, far more to appreciate about this set then just the case itself (which is lovely).
You receive7 different pencils: HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B, 9,B and a water soluble 4B as well as a kneaded eraser, a metal pencil sharpener, a pencil holder and extending tip.
A few things I did note which do not affect my personal rating of this set (but it may yours) is that the HB pencil is too narrow to use with the included pencil holder, even if you attach it to the extending tip first (the slider ring should tighten the clasp snug around the pencil but it doesn't even come close to accomplishing this). Not a big deal since you wouldn't use the holder or extender with a brand new pencil, but the benefit of having these tools is so that you can use every last bit of your favorite pencils. The other pencils do fit properly though and if you're like me, you'll probably never actually make use of the extender anyways (I just dislike having something not entirely functional in my set and if I take it out, then I have an empty space staring back at me and it'll bring out my inner OCD :D).
The kneaded eraser is a kneaded eraser. I think they're junk but it's still convenient to have to pick up any unwanted graphite shedding from your paper when drawing with any of the softer pencils. If you use a stump or tortillon for any shading work, it's also nice to have if you want to clean off some excess graphite from the tip.
Love the nice dark bold lines I get with the softer pencils and that I have full utilization of the tip to create greater depth in my lines since there's no wood to get in the way. The HB pencil is great for drawing some clean lines if your sketching an outline and you're not ready to go bold, or writing. Haven't tried the water soluble pencil yet but I'll get around to that eventually I'm sure. The plastic lining on the inside of this tin is a bit cheap (as another reviewer mentioned, one of my pencils arrived already poked through the plastic) but the case itself is solid and neat. Although these are woodless pencils, there's a light lacquer on the outside to prevent your fingers from wearing away at the graphite. Interestingly enough, I did notice that my 6B pencil is the only one not branded "CretaCOLOR Monolith" and instead reads "Pure Graphite WHSmith". I wonder if they're the same company or if they'll be changing up this product in the near future? I hope they don't ever get rid of this set because if I ever lose mine, I'll definitely want to buy a replacement - I like the carrying case that much :).
A perfect gift, one that I highly recommend!
| Manufacturer | CRETACOLOR |
|---|---|
| Brand | Cretacolor |
| Item Weight | 8.6 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 7.25 x 4.9 x 0.65 inches |
| Item model number | 15-20-430 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color | Gray |
| Closure | Twist |
| Pencil Lead Degree (Hardness) | HB |
| Material Type | Graphite |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
| Paper Finish | Matte |
| Point Type | broad,fine |
| Ink Color | Gray |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 15-20-430 |
