Category: manufacturers

Let’s continue celebrating the new year by looking at a rare and special pencil.

Sold individually with a cloth pouch and leather strap closure, it is meant to be a masterpiece of pencil production.

The pencil is a Mitsubishi Hi-Uni HB, finished with a traditional Japanese lacquering process. I am not privy to the technical details.

The pencil was produced in black, navy blue, and brown finishes, with thirty pencils produced in each colour. There are no markings or text on the pencil. The only accent is a section of woodgrain near the cap.

The pencil in the photo is the navy blue version, the only colour I was able to purchase.

The charms are on the subtle side, and the design is very restrained and simple.

As a sequel to our recent look at Mitsubishi’s 10B pencils, here are two special pencils in the 8B grade.

First is the Hi-Uni Super-DX. A few pencils have passed this way since the website started in 2005, and I have no hesitation in stating that this is the nicest, most refined finish I’ve ever seen on a woodcase pencil. There are several coats of lacquer which create an impression of depth, with tones ranging from cherry red to rich maroon popping out, depending on the light and angle of viewing. The advanced craftsmanship that went into designing and creating this pencil’s surface is exemplary. The gold lettering and cap are nicely contrasting.

The Hi-Uni 8B is one of five new grades that was introduced by Mitsubishi for the Uni’s 50th anniversary, along with 10H, 7B, 9B, and 10B. Premium Japanese pencils all have first rate finishes, and it is a testament to the Super-DX that it makes the Hi-Uni look relatively ordinary.

The core diameters are quite different – the Super-DX is oversized like the 10B pencils, while the Hi-Uni is closer to traditional size.

Both are great pencils, leaving super dark and rich marks. Yet – the formulas seem to be different, with the Super-DX being even smoother and waxier. Others who have tried both pencils agree.

The Hi-Uni Super-DX is an amazingly great pencil. My apologies, as I don’t think these photos give it full justice.

(The pencils were photographed on a Maruman Mnemosyne 182 notebook, which seems to handle graphite extremely well.)

This is the first luxury woodcase pencil accessory we’ve seen from a pencil manufacturer other than Faber-Castell. In this case, it is Mitsubishi, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their Uni brand. As well as new pencil grades, which we have mentioned, Mitsubishi has unveiled this luxury pencil holder.

As opposed to other holders/extenders, this model can grasp an entire pencil as well as making use of the last bits of a pencil, and includes a full cap with clip.

In the box, it might appear to be a fountain pen. Yet the two woodcase pencils therein indicate otherwise.

The holder has three detachable parts.

The base is the closest to a traditional pencil holder. It is a wood finish holder dyed to Mitsubishi’s traditional maroon colour. Accents are in gun metal and gold. Unlike other holders, the end of the base is hollow, so that the cap of a new full-length pencil may protrude.

A pencil is gripped by a cylindrical chrome clasp that screws on to the base.

The piece that makes this really special is the cap – gun metal with gold clip and gold and black accents. It protects the pencil point when closed, and can be ‘posted’ on the holder to achieve a very nice balance while writing.

The case is a very dark wood, simply marked ‘uni’, with a very efficient hidden magnetic clasp.

Mitsubishi has done a great deal to raise the quality of the manufactured pencil, and this is a great accessory to match.