Thanks for a very good video. I've been using these for about 30 years and they are great pencils for both drawing and writing. I write with the F grade as the point retention/darkness ratio is superb. Blackwing are over-priced for what they are: a Japanese pencil (which is allegedly made by Kitaboshi), which is falsely trading on the real Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 legacy. The Mono 100 has been in production since 1967, and was designed as a competitor to to the Hi Uni range. There is a very detailed article about the evolution of the Tombow and Uni pencils on the "Pencil Talk" blog.
Cool to know! I recently bought both the mono and hi uni to compare are personally prefer the hi uni, but I still think that the mono is a great pencil and a close second.
@@cb7560 well I personally found the uni to be a bit scratchier (which is better for my use on Kent paper) and have a far superior sharpening experience. along with being a bit smudgier and erasing cleaner (which makes it a better fine art pencil) all while having a fractionally softer lead.
When I first got into premium pencils the Blackwing was my first choice. I liked the Extra Firm but also the 602. After exploring Japanese stationary more I landed on the Mitsubishi Hi Uni pencils for writing. The "B" hardness feels dead between the Blackwing Natural and the 602. That is the pencil for me!
Thanks for this great review! The Mono 100 is my favorite pencil for general writing and I've long since given up on fountain pens. My only hesitation is that the 12 pack comes in a plastic case, which I recycle of course. I just prefer not to use too much plastic and would prefer a simple cardboard box. I hope this changes in the future because I'll be buying them as long as they're in production. When I realized that I used my pencils much more than my fountain pen with a gold nib, I sold the pen and bought a really nice sharpener and I haven't looked back! I think being left handed and the angle at which I wrote often created problems for me when using fountain pens--beautiful tools but they were not reliable for me and I was kind of sad about it. But like you said, the organic materials and the sensory experience of dragging the graphite on the page, even the meditative fragrance of cedar--there's a warmth that I feel when I use pencils and it's so pleasurable, inspiring.
Thank you for watching! Curious what sharpener you use? Always keen to hear recommendations. I have found the KUM long point to be most reliable, as well as a Muji desk sharpener.
@@BlankFirstPage I use the Blackwing Hovel and the Blackwing Two Step Long Point! The Hovel makes me look like a crazy person but I really love using it--thinking about a desk sharpener as well !
I've always wanted to try a Blackwing, but there are two deterrents: 1. They cost basically a week's worth of groceries. 2. The eraser makes them incredibly ugly. If I'm spending that much money on a box of pencils, said pencils should look like they're ready for a night out on the town. I'm liking this Tombow alternative. I prefer pencils without erasers. Thanks for sharing!
I am very new to "pencils" and all their heady ramifications. Amazing. To me your video was intelligent, exquisitely fair and unbiased. Nice learning experience. Doctor George Whitehead
Can't believe it. I rewatched this vid, and in the last two weeks I apostosised to HB. My conversion is complete. Yes, in Mono 100, but also to other brands. They are indeed dark enough, and--I can barely believe I'm saying this--better. After decades of using, and extolling the virtues of, 2B-4B. Even the Dixon Ticonderoga is now enough for me. (Though you have to make absolutely sure you get the ones made in China, not Mexico.)
Nice! Welcome to the middle! Thanks for mentioning the Dixon, it is a pencil I have not heard of before, and will be trying out! Thank you for watching.
@@BlankFirstPage There's something very nice about the Ticonderoga, and once you've seen it you'll clock it on lots of American film and TV. It really is ubiquitous. But since they shifted production outside the USA, the quality has plummeted--unless you get those made in China. The Mexican ones are utterly awful. If you had a PO box or something, I'd send you one, Lukas. But they are on Amazon and eBay, etc.
I'm very new to pencil mania and it's kind of amusing how rabid people get about it. My journey started 3 years ago when I found a long forgotten box of EF Ebony 6325's in the Art supply cabinet of a high school I was substitute teaching. I had never seen them before but took an immediate liking for how they wrote. The assignment lasted a few months and I ended up taking 5 of them from the box and left the rest for posterity. I also bought a box of Blackwings the same year that were colored green and commerorated the New York Public Library. These are more pencils than I will use for the next decade but they are nice to have. I am actually a fountain pen fanatic.
I only discovered Blackwing recently. I started with the Matte because I like soft lead. It’s become my first choice whereas in the past I was always a Staedtler fan. The other day I thought I’d use one of my trusted Red/Black Staedtlers but the lead felt “oily” to me. The Blackwing is quite messy, but I’m a messy writer. A just happened to have received one of the Tombows in a recent pencil sampler but haven’t use it until today. It’s pretty good but I still prefer the Blackwing.
Very enjoyable comparison video -- thank you! And if you ever need a third pencil "just in case" your lifetime supply of both Blackwings and Mono 100s end I recommend the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni!
The Mitsubishi are very nice, particularly the ""MITSU-BISHI"" lettering (including the quote marks, which is why I put double quote marks here). However, some are also marked "GENERAL WRITING", which doesn't work for me, as I often want to write something specific.
I was just gifted a Mitsubishi pencil by my Japanese tea supplier, it's still in its packaging and I got the impression it was a mechanical pencil. But possibly there are both types available.
Thanks for comparing these two excellent pencils. The Tombow is the best value. For people who must have an eraser on their pencils, putting a good cap eraser (like the Pentel Hi-Polymer) is a good option, and frankly a better eraser than what comes on a Blackwing. The Tombow is for people who use pencils, the Blackwing (most of their releases) are for people who are collectors. Thanks again!
The Blackwing is a smoother writing feel. The Mono 100 gives a bit more feedback. I find them both to have very durable leads. I use a holder for my Mono that has a clip and eraser. It also allows usage of the pencil when it’s too short to hold. For me, the Mono is a working pencil and the Blackwing is one I like for straight up writing. Can’t go wrong with either.
Interesting comparison, thank you. One difference that occurred to me is that you can’t use a pencil extender on the Blackwing, so once it’s too short to hold comfortably, it’s done. Another cost consideration perhaps. I really like the look and feel of the Blackwing line.
You can but it's Blackwing's own extender, not a universal one, so you can only use it with the Blackwing eraser ferule. You take the eraser out and put the extender in there.
@@jessicasblack - interesting! I didn’t know Blackwing made an extender for its pencil line. I have used the 602’s before, from back before they were discontinued, and I liked them. Unfortunately, though I would love to try out their Matte pencil for drawing, I can’t afford to buy a box of them to find out if I like them enough for the price. Nor do I want the Audition box, since I only want the Matte, not the other three.
Good to know that there is a decent Blackwing alternative. Ever since u have turned me on to the Blackwing pencil, I become sad using anything else, lol.
I did not use anything other than blacking until I got some recommendations for the nice people in the comments here. The Mono100 is definitely a unique alternative
Watching this video made me in the mood for pencils... I would like to try the Tombow Mono 100 and the Mitsubishi. I have to admit I am not that impressed by the Blackwing extra firm... I mean, I really do want to love them (they are cool, good design, love the eraser) but in the end I find the dollar store HB pencils more pleasing to write with...
Pencils are great! If you’re not a fan of the blackwings, the tombow or Mitsubishi are good alternatives. Whatever works for you, nothing wrong with a dollar store pencil, even better in fact because they’re more readily available!
I used the HB - yes the set I got is all HB, I'm not too sure if that's available for all hardness grades, but you can definitely get a set with all the hardness variants in it.
I prefer pencils that have an eraser for quick erasing and a block eraser for erasing big portions of text. I could never get used to a pencil that didn't have an eraser because I would keep trying to erase with the end that should have an eraser but dosen't.
Having tried the original EF BW, Monos and Unis, I, to my great regret financially, never bought a second box of BWs. They were cool looking, love the silver paint, but just didn't write any better. I think, at the time, they were cheaper than the Japanese ones. I didn't love the BW eraser, though I'm happy, as a collector/user to have something different. I missed out, or was skeptical of, the new pseudo-blackwings. They are highest quality pencils, but IMHO the right grade of Uni or Tombow is as good or better. It's just Japanese vs German lead. For an ideal user pencil, I've settled on the Tombow 8900. If I want an eraser, something Pentel, either a cap or the clic.
Thanks for that insight. What about the 8900 do you like? I was looking at getting a box of them to compare, also got a few Mitsu-bishi pencils to test against. What's your comparison of the 8900 vs the Mono 100?
@@BlankFirstPage The highest end Uni/Tombow are just a little too smooth for my taste, and i like the feel of the paint better. There are so many coats of black on the 100 that it almost doesn't feel like wood. I do like the end-cap on the 100 vs the bare 8900, but I can always put on my own decorations.
@@BlankFirstPage Won't set you back much. Honestly, I've enjoyed trying a variety of Japanese brands more than any particular pencil. Most of them are quite good.
I hated the fact that I liked the Blackwings so much, having assumed the hype was bullshit. But there really is something very nice about them. However, the Mono is is the same league, merely slightly different. Here in Britain, the Monos can be had for around £2 each, and the Blackwings for about £2.50. I wanted to ask you, Lukas, if you've tried or considered the Mono in 2B? That grade and the B are thought of as the nonpareil by animators and other professional users.
I don't typically consider any of the softer grades due to the amount of pressure I apply (a lot - I am an oaf), and the fact that I generally like thinner lines to help with the legibility of my writing.
Hey y’all, I really liked the Blackwing Natural and Volumes 651 until I met the Mitsubishi 9852EW. The texture of the barrel and the firmness of the lead (HB) are far superior, in my experience. Also, the eraser works much better than the Blackwing, in my opinion. Lastly, the price can’t be beat at less than $9 for 12 pencils on Amazon. Sorry Blackwing, but the Mitsubishi 9852EW is my new favorite! 🤓
Thanks for a very good video. I've been using these for about 30 years and they are great pencils for both drawing and writing. I write with the F grade as the point retention/darkness ratio is superb. Blackwing are over-priced for what they are: a Japanese pencil (which is allegedly made by Kitaboshi), which is falsely trading on the real Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 legacy. The Mono 100 has been in production since 1967, and was designed as a competitor to to the Hi Uni range. There is a very detailed article about the evolution of the Tombow and Uni pencils on the "Pencil Talk" blog.
Cool to know! I recently bought both the mono and hi uni to compare are personally prefer the hi uni, but I still think that the mono is a great pencil and a close second.
Thanks for watching and for that detailed background, things I didn't know!
@@BlankFirstPage My pleasure.
@@blankcanvas5619 There is not much in it really. I think that the Uni may be a fraction wider. Enjoy them both.
@@cb7560 well I personally found the uni to be a bit scratchier (which is better for my use on Kent paper) and have a far superior sharpening experience. along with being a bit smudgier and erasing cleaner (which makes it a better fine art pencil) all while having a fractionally softer lead.
When I first got into premium pencils the Blackwing was my first choice. I liked the Extra Firm but also the 602. After exploring Japanese stationary more I landed on the Mitsubishi Hi Uni pencils for writing. The "B" hardness feels dead between the Blackwing Natural and the 602. That is the pencil for me!
Thanks for this great review! The Mono 100 is my favorite pencil for general writing and I've long since given up on fountain pens. My only hesitation is that the 12 pack comes in a plastic case, which I recycle of course. I just prefer not to use too much plastic and would prefer a simple cardboard box. I hope this changes in the future because I'll be buying them as long as they're in production.
When I realized that I used my pencils much more than my fountain pen with a gold nib, I sold the pen and bought a really nice sharpener and I haven't looked back! I think being left handed and the angle at which I wrote often created problems for me when using fountain pens--beautiful tools but they were not reliable for me and I was kind of sad about it.
But like you said, the organic materials and the sensory experience of dragging the graphite on the page, even the meditative fragrance of cedar--there's a warmth that I feel when I use pencils and it's so pleasurable, inspiring.
Thank you for watching! Curious what sharpener you use? Always keen to hear recommendations. I have found the KUM long point to be most reliable, as well as a Muji desk sharpener.
@@BlankFirstPage I use the Blackwing Hovel and the Blackwing Two Step Long Point! The Hovel makes me look like a crazy person but I really love using it--thinking about a desk sharpener as well !
I've always wanted to try a Blackwing, but there are two deterrents:
1. They cost basically a week's worth of groceries.
2. The eraser makes them incredibly ugly. If I'm spending that much money on a box of pencils, said pencils should look like they're ready for a night out on the town.
I'm liking this Tombow alternative. I prefer pencils without erasers. Thanks for sharing!
A single blackwing pencil is $5.50 in Australia. But I agree the whole eraser on the end is icky. Not at all attractive.
The fix eraser is indeed an awful thing!
The pencil with an attached eraser feels a bit heavy when writing.
I am very new to "pencils" and all their heady ramifications. Amazing. To me your video was intelligent, exquisitely fair and unbiased. Nice learning experience. Doctor George Whitehead
Thank you for your kind comment!
Enjoyed the comparison very much! Excellent video! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks for watching!
Can't believe it. I rewatched this vid, and in the last two weeks I apostosised to HB. My conversion is complete. Yes, in Mono 100, but also to other brands. They are indeed dark enough, and--I can barely believe I'm saying this--better. After decades of using, and extolling the virtues of, 2B-4B.
Even the Dixon Ticonderoga is now enough for me. (Though you have to make absolutely sure you get the ones made in China, not Mexico.)
Nice! Welcome to the middle! Thanks for mentioning the Dixon, it is a pencil I have not heard of before, and will be trying out! Thank you for watching.
@@BlankFirstPage There's something very nice about the Ticonderoga, and once you've seen it you'll clock it on lots of American film and TV. It really is ubiquitous. But since they shifted production outside the USA, the quality has plummeted--unless you get those made in China. The Mexican ones are utterly awful. If you had a PO box or something, I'd send you one, Lukas. But they are on Amazon and eBay, etc.
I'm very new to pencil mania and it's kind of amusing how rabid people get about it. My journey started 3 years ago when I found a long forgotten box of EF Ebony 6325's in the Art supply cabinet of a high school I was substitute teaching. I had never seen them before but took an immediate liking for how they wrote. The assignment lasted a few months and I ended up taking 5 of them from the box and left the rest for posterity. I also bought a box of Blackwings the same year that were colored green and commerorated the New York Public Library. These are more pencils than I will use for the next decade but they are nice to have. I am actually a fountain pen fanatic.
I only discovered Blackwing recently. I started with the Matte because I like soft lead. It’s become my first choice whereas in the past I was always a Staedtler fan. The other day I thought I’d use one of my trusted Red/Black Staedtlers but the lead felt “oily” to me. The Blackwing is quite messy, but I’m a messy writer.
A just happened to have received one of the Tombows in a recent pencil sampler but haven’t use it until today. It’s pretty good but I still prefer the Blackwing.
I am curious about what a pencil sampler is - sounds like a great idea!
Very enjoyable comparison video -- thank you! And if you ever need a third pencil "just in case" your lifetime supply of both Blackwings and Mono 100s end I recommend the Mitsubishi Hi-Uni!
The Mitsubishi are very nice, particularly the ""MITSU-BISHI"" lettering (including the quote marks, which is why I put double quote marks here). However, some are also marked "GENERAL WRITING", which doesn't work for me, as I often want to write something specific.
Thanks! I've got a pack of Mitsubishi 9850, will have to try the Hi-Uni as well!
I was just gifted a Mitsubishi pencil by my Japanese tea supplier, it's still in its packaging and I got the impression it was a mechanical pencil. But possibly there are both types available.
Thanks for comparing these two excellent pencils. The Tombow is the best value. For people who must have an eraser on their pencils, putting a good cap eraser (like the Pentel Hi-Polymer) is a good option, and frankly a better eraser than what comes on a Blackwing. The Tombow is for people who use pencils, the Blackwing (most of their releases) are for people who are collectors. Thanks again!
Thanks for watching!
The Blackwing is a smoother writing feel. The Mono 100 gives a bit more feedback. I find them both to have very durable leads. I use a holder for my Mono that has a clip and eraser. It also allows usage of the pencil when it’s too short to hold.
For me, the Mono is a working pencil and the Blackwing is one I like for straight up writing. Can’t go wrong with either.
Interesting comparison, thank you. One difference that occurred to me is that you can’t use a pencil extender on the Blackwing, so once it’s too short to hold comfortably, it’s done. Another cost consideration perhaps. I really like the look and feel of the Blackwing line.
True but you can always cut off the eraser holder if you wanted to use an extender!
You can but it's Blackwing's own extender, not a universal one, so you can only use it with the Blackwing eraser ferule. You take the eraser out and put the extender in there.
@@jessicasblack - interesting! I didn’t know Blackwing made an extender for its pencil line.
I have used the 602’s before, from back before they were discontinued, and I liked them. Unfortunately, though I would love to try out their Matte pencil for drawing, I can’t afford to buy a box of them to find out if I like them enough for the price. Nor do I want the Audition box, since I only want the Matte, not the other three.
I think mono 100 are recently now made in Vietnam, the Mono J are made in Japan, which is really good as well
Thanks for the tip!
Good to know that there is a decent Blackwing alternative. Ever since u have turned me on to the Blackwing pencil, I become sad using anything else, lol.
I did not use anything other than blacking until I got some recommendations for the nice people in the comments here. The Mono100 is definitely a unique alternative
@BlankFirstPage When it ain't broke, no need to fix it, haha. Keep up the great content!
Watching this video made me in the mood for pencils... I would like to try the Tombow Mono 100 and the Mitsubishi. I have to admit I am not that impressed by the Blackwing extra firm... I mean, I really do want to love them (they are cool, good design, love the eraser) but in the end I find the dollar store HB pencils more pleasing to write with...
Pencils are great! If you’re not a fan of the blackwings, the tombow or Mitsubishi are good alternatives. Whatever works for you, nothing wrong with a dollar store pencil, even better in fact because they’re more readily available!
What is the hardness you used? looks tempting… is it one hardness for all the pencils in the set?
I used the HB - yes the set I got is all HB, I'm not too sure if that's available for all hardness grades, but you can definitely get a set with all the hardness variants in it.
They have different hardness grades sold on Amazon.
I prefer pencils that have an eraser for quick erasing and a block eraser for erasing big portions of text. I could never get used to a pencil that didn't have an eraser because I would keep trying to erase with the end that should have an eraser but dosen't.
Having tried the original EF BW, Monos and Unis, I, to my great regret financially, never bought a second box of BWs. They were cool looking, love the silver paint, but just didn't write any better. I think, at the time, they were cheaper than the Japanese ones. I didn't love the BW eraser, though I'm happy, as a collector/user to have something different. I missed out, or was skeptical of, the new pseudo-blackwings. They are highest quality pencils, but IMHO the right grade of Uni or Tombow is as good or better. It's just Japanese vs German lead. For an ideal user pencil, I've settled on the Tombow 8900. If I want an eraser, something Pentel, either a cap or the clic.
Thanks for that insight. What about the 8900 do you like? I was looking at getting a box of them to compare, also got a few Mitsu-bishi pencils to test against. What's your comparison of the 8900 vs the Mono 100?
@@BlankFirstPage The highest end Uni/Tombow are just a little too smooth for my taste, and i like the feel of the paint better. There are so many coats of black on the 100 that it almost doesn't feel like wood. I do like the end-cap on the 100 vs the bare 8900, but I can always put on my own decorations.
@radellaf interesting- I’ll have to compare the two
@@BlankFirstPage Won't set you back much. Honestly, I've enjoyed trying a variety of Japanese brands more than any particular pencil. Most of them are quite good.
I hated the fact that I liked the Blackwings so much, having assumed the hype was bullshit. But there really is something very nice about them. However, the Mono is is the same league, merely slightly different. Here in Britain, the Monos can be had for around £2 each, and the Blackwings for about £2.50.
I wanted to ask you, Lukas, if you've tried or considered the Mono in 2B? That grade and the B are thought of as the nonpareil by animators and other professional users.
I don't typically consider any of the softer grades due to the amount of pressure I apply (a lot - I am an oaf), and the fact that I generally like thinner lines to help with the legibility of my writing.
I LOVE the Tombow Mono 100 but I HATE the giant plastic box. A small cardboard box like their other pencils would make them perfect.
Hey y’all, I really liked the Blackwing Natural and Volumes 651 until I met the Mitsubishi 9852EW. The texture of the barrel and the firmness of the lead (HB) are far superior, in my experience. Also, the eraser works much better than the Blackwing, in my opinion. Lastly, the price can’t be beat at less than $9 for 12 pencils on Amazon. Sorry Blackwing, but the Mitsubishi 9852EW is my new favorite! 🤓
My favorite things: Tokyo Toilet cleaners and BFP.
Good company to be in, thanks!