My Favorite Pencils for Left-Handed Writing

I wasn’t sure there would be any benefit to my newfound left-handed reliance. That’s a close-minded way of thinking, and I gave myself a good shake last week to not let this temporary setback affect my curiosity. Why not embrace the situation, and figure out what makes me smile?

As it turns out, it was a group of stationery that normally doesn’t work for my right-handedness. That group? Softer and darker wooden pencils, such as those found on the B side of the graphite grading scale.

Normally, anything 2B or softer finds its way to the back of my stash. I prefer writing with firm, fine, long-lasting cores, and don’t mind the lighter marks they leave. But that was my right-handed style. Assuming that same style would work when the script was flipped was a mistake.

I’m not sure what made me pick up the Blackwing MMX (Proper name: Blackwing Matte) to test out, but it was a revelation. A pencil core that has traditionally been my least favorite Blackwing core is now my favorite. What gives?

When writing left—handed I’ve discovered that I hold the pencil with a much lighter grip. There is some force behind it, but nowhere near the vise grip surrounding my right-handed writing instruments.

Also, with the softer core, I get a bit of an angle on the tip when writing. That helps with my letter shapes, which still retain the block print style of my normal writing. Unlike the rigidity of a fountain pen stub or cursive italic nib, this edge remains pliable enough to not fight against my strokes, while maintaining character not found with a round-tipped rollerball pen, for example.

The MMX revelation led me to dig into my pencil stash to see what else I have been missing. Here are a few favorites:

Tombow Mono KM-KKS 4B: I’ve raved about this pencil before, but within a drawing/sketching context more than a writing context. It has a smoother, less gritty feel than the MMX, but that’s not to say the MMX is gritty. It’s more that the KM-KKS is viciously smooth. It’s also the best looking pencil of this bunch.

Caran d’Ache Grafwood 2B: I’ve found 4B to be the top of my preferred left-handed writing range, and 2B to be the bottom. Well, except for the next two pencils I’ll mention - for good reasons! The Grafwood has a slightly wider diameter than Blackwings, as well as a slightly wider core. Both of those features have proven beneficial to my left-handed writing.

Musgrave Tennessee Red: I’ve mentioned before that while I found the Tennessee Red to be a beautiful pencil, the core was too soft for me. Well, that softness makes it ideal for me now. Listed as a standard #2/HB core, it is softer and darker than most other HB cores I put it up against.

Ticoneroga Laddie: What is even happening here? I would have never tried the Laddie if a friend didn’t send me one, and I’ll be darned if it isn’t a great pencil. It’s a combination of the three pencils above - the thick core of the KM-KKS, the intermediate barrel diameter of the Grafwood, and the softer/darker than normal #2/HB graphite of the Tennessee Red. That makes it a real joy to write with.

I tested many more pencils than these thinking I might find a few other options, but in the end something about them didn’t work. For example, I thought jumbo pencils with soft cores would be a good choice, but they were too wide. They are a better fit for my casted right hand and pincher grip. Cores softer than 4B failed as well. There were diminishing returns the softer I went, as I couldn’t control the lines as well.

2B to 4B, minus a couple of exceptions, are the pencils I need to be using right now. The Blackwing MMX will continue to dominate my usage, and I look forward to continuing my test for the next several weeks.

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Cult Pens x Caran d'Ache 849 Ballpoint Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pen is a classic design that catches nearly everyone's eye. It's prevalent enough to be seen on Amazon, but still difficult to discover unless you happen to be in the right circles with the right browsing and shopping habits for a recommendation to pop up. Once you see one, it's easy to see why they're popular due to the unique barrel shape and vibrant color options. Plus, they're not terribly expensive in terms of premium ballpoint pens.

The 849 I have the pleasure of using today is a custom color provided by Cult Pens. The dark blue on the pen matches their online branding, but it also happens to look particularly handsome on this hexagonal body. Aside from the color, you won't find any other differences on the pen itself to distinguish itself from the regular lineup of color options. But, it does come in a nice case that features a hinge and small magnets that keep it shut. It's satisfying to open and close, and I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out even though I have a pretty ruthless rule of always throwing out or recycling packaging. The case is the only object that has any branding on it, with a prominent "Cult Pens" logo on the top side of the tin.

For the uninitiated, the 849 is a fantastic ballpoint pen, and it also comes in a variety of other formats as well, including mechanical pencil and fountain pen. Across the lineup, the design language is identical. They all feature the sleek hexagonal body with a smooth tapered cone. The body is uniform in color and is one solid piece, so the only accents come from the recognizable clip and the nock on top. In most models, these are a shiny chrome color, but you'll see some slight variance (like a completely black version) in some models. There is some small branding on the body of the pen: a small "SWISS MADE" stamp between the top of the clip and the nock, and a small "849 Caran D'Ache" logo underneath the clip arm. It's easy to miss if you aren't paying attention, and I've always enjoyed the minimal branding on this lineup of writing instruments.

So, if the body is one piece, how does one access the refill? Great question! To swap out the refill, you unscrew the nock. The entire retractable mechanism/assembly comes out and then you can just tilt the pen forward to drop out the refill. Thankfully, the spring inside the body stays in place when gravity would otherwise pull it out of the pen, undoubtedly getting lost on the floor. To reinstall the refill, just drop it into the body, put the retractable assembly back in place, push the nock down and twist slightly to let the threads gain a hold, and then screw it back down until it's tight. It's definitely a unique method for switching refills, but I love it if it means the pen body is one piece!

Speaking of the refill, Caran d'Ache uses their own proprietary refill for these pens — the Caran d'Ache Goliath. It's roughly the same size as a standard Parker-style refill, but it uses a proprietary ink formula. The ink is actually really good, and it's come to be one of my favorites. It always has a little trouble with cold starts after being stored for more than a day, but once it starts writing after a couple of squiggle lines, it's smooth, dark, and consistent. It's one of those dependable refills that never lets you down, and I love it for that. You can swap in a standard Parker-style refill in this pen even though the refills aren't the same length. The Parker ballpoint tip protrudes an extra millimeter or two in this pen, but you could either ignore it, or trim it down fairly easily. This is an easy way to use different types and colors of inks in this pen since Caran d'Ache only offers Fine, Medium, and Bold styles of Black, Blue, Red, and Green ink in their Goliath line.

The Caran d'Ache 849 by Cult Pens is a fantastic ballpoint pen for any occasion. It's a super dependable pen at a great price, and you really can't beat the unique aesthetic the 849 offers.

(Cult Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Caran d'Ache Fixpencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Mechanical pencils aren't my main niche, but I do appreciate them and always jump at the opportunity to try something new. Up until I tried the Fixpencil from Caran d'Ache, I had never used a lead holder before. What's a lead holder? It's a specific kind of mechanical pencil that holds a large piece of graphite with a clutch system. Instead of small (0.5mm, etc.) lead sizes, you can use larger 2 or 3mm lead for much greater control and variance.

Just like a wood case pencil, the larger graphite core used in a lead holder wears down the same way. It's a tool used by drafters and artists, and you can probably imagine why it is such a useful tool for anyone who uses graphite.

While the Fixpencil version that I have uses 3mm lead, you can find lead holders that use 5+mm lead! That's a thick chunk of graphite! Of course, you can also use different lead grades with these pencils, from the standard HB to other grades on either side. The lead I'm using is 3B, which lays down a thick and dark line with very little pressure. The point wears down very quickly as a result of this, so it's not the best lead for general writing. But, if you're a drafter or artist, you can probably put this lead to much better use. The ability to hold the pencil at a sharp angle and quickly shade in an area is quite a treat. And, you can easily control the amount of lead that protrudes from the end of the pencil. I imagine this comes down entirely to use case and personal preference, but it's something you can only get away with when using the thick lead core that lead holders use.

Aside from the fascination with this unique type of writing instrument or drawing tool, it's still a pencil. It makes marks when you move the graphite end on paper, but what else does it do? Well, for one, it looks fantastic.

Based on the famous Caran d'Ache 849 line of pens and mechanical pencils, the Fixpencil features some very familiar lines. The hexagonal barrel tapers down to a smooth cone at the front of the barrel, and the shiny chrome clip accentuates the industrial barrel with a subdued elegance. The cap on the top of the pen (red in my case) is chosen randomly when you purchase the pencil. You'll receive either a red, blue, or black with the pencil, but you can also purchase other colors separately in order to easily distinguish different lead types if you use several of these pencils at once.

The inside of the cap (or button) has a hidden lead sharpener that you can use in a pinch. I wasn't too happy with the wide tip it sharpened onto the lead, so I recommend using a better sharpener to get the point you want. Just remember to be gentle because the lead will snap easily if you bend it the wrong way!

Pushing the cap or button down releases the clutch jaws around the lead. You can hold the button down and use your fingers to adjust the amount of lead that protrudes from the tip. Once you're happy, just release the cap and the spring-loaded jaws hold the lead tight. Once you're ready to pack up, just open the jaws again and hide the lead inside the body. When the jaws are empty, they close together to prevent the lead core from sliding out. Nifty!

Writing with the pencil is incredibly comfortable. The hexagonal shape of the barrel and the smooth cone feel great in the hand, and there's enough texture on the barrel to provide good grip.

The clip is really strong and has no problem securing the pencil to whatever you clip it to. As an added bonus, it also keeps the pencil from rolling away when you lay it on your work surface. There isn't much branding on this pencil, aside from a tiny Caran d'Ache Fixpencil logo (and the lead size) underneath the clip, and a small "SWISS MADE" logo above the clip. The branding is small and adds a touch of elegance to the pencil.

There are plenty of lead options to keep you happy and occupied with your art. The lead cores are about 3.5 inches long. The amount of time they last comes down to how you use it and how soft or hard the lead grade is.

If 3mm is a little too large, there's also a 2mm version of the same pencil.

You'll know if this pencil is something you'd enjoy using, and the price is also low enough to make it a great option. The Caran d'Ache Fixpencil is a great tool that offers a ton of flexibility.

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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