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User:Kimsuzu/Pencil: Grading and classification

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A grading chart ranging from 9B to 9H

As of 2009, a set of pencils ranging from a very soft, black-marking pencil to a very hard, light-marking pencil usually ranges from softest to hardest as follows:

Graphite pencil hardness grading and typical applications
Tone and grade designations Character Application examples
Europe USA RUS
9B extreme soft,
black
for artistic purposes:
  • sketches
  • studies
  • drafts
8B
7B
6B
5B
4B
3B soft
  • freehand drawing
  • writing (restricted)
2B
B #1 M
HB #2 TM medium
F #2½*
H #3 T hard
2H #4 2T
3H very hard
  • technical detailed plans
  • graphical representations
4H
5H
6H extreme hard,
light grey
for special purposes:
7H
8H
9H
*Also seen as 24/8, 2.5, 25/10