Maruzen Art Shoji Thumb Holder Slim Refill (Black) 4B Pack of 7

Truly impressed with the performance of these Japanese leads. They are incredibly smooth and with a buttery feel lacking the rough spots you find on lesser quality products; the dark graphite lines it lays on the paper are great for sketching but if used at an angle, it proves quite capable for shading purposes. It smudges easily, so you've got to be careful if that's not your intended purpose, but again, if you like to use blending in your work, it's quite recommended.Compared to the 4B leads from Uni Mitsubishi, there leads are a tiny bit darker, but equally smooth. Point retention is not its strong suit, but that is not to be expected on these grades.The tiny plastic tube they are supplied in, is useful and secure to keep them in storage and also reusable for other leads.Price-wise, these leads are a bargain compared to the Technograph leads by Caran d'Ache. They both take a couple of weeks to arrive, but these certainly are a better value for your money.

My purchase arrived a bit over a week earlier than estimated, which is much appreciated. The container the graphite was sent in, kept all the pieces unbroken and in excellent condition. I prefer your method . . . of packaging container over the others I have received similar products in. It is a container I’ll keep for storage of other lead refills in the future. The small piece of sponge as a buffer is a nice touch I’ve not seen used in other lead refills. The end caps are also a nice detail aiding in the overall design. All other quality issues being equal, the storage/packing container will most likely have me purchase your brand over another. I have only briefly tested the graphite. So far the lines come out a smooth rich dark. Using one of my favorite lead holder sharpeners, I’m able to create a wonderful graphite powder excellent for shading and laying down tone. The color is a beautiful rich dark almost completely neutral except for just a tinge leaning towards cool rather than warm colors. It is a beautiful rich dark. I look forward to using them in my drawing.

It is dark, and smooth; it writes wonderfully. I also love the tube it comes in; I wish I could buy a set of those.