Faber-Castell 9000 Graphite Pencil Tin Set Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

It's finally spring, here, but when I open a new box of pencils, it's instantly September and I'm ready to head back to school. This set of graphite artist's pencils have that smell that activates the part of your brain that needs to create.

The Faber-Castell 9000 Graphite Pencil Tin Set contains six pencils of different lead grades: HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B, and 8B. The lead is bonded to the hexagonal wood casing (so the lead is very break-resistant), and the body is coated in water-based, environmentally friendly varnish. They're all in the signature Faber-Castell dark green with gold-stamped branding and labels.

Faber-Castell have kept a consistent aesthetic in their 112-year legacy. I found an old tin set in an antique shop last year. I don't know how old this set is, but the lovely pencils are nearly identical to the modern ones.

It's safe to say that 100+ years is enough time to become an expert, so it's no surprise that these pencils are excellent. The leads are strong with a lovely degree of difference in lead grades. They write smoothly with just the right amount of feedback, shade beautifully, erase well, and hardly smudge at all, even in the softest grade. The right side of my drawn line is where I tried to smudge them--and I feel I have to tell you that, because it's really difficult to see any smudge. They all held their points quite well, though the softer ones naturally wore down a little more quickly. They're light and the wood smells enchanting.

The Faber-Castell 9000 is available in 16 hardness grades, sold as open stock or in sets of 6, 12, or in a complete set of 16.

These are great artist's tools. Whether you're sketching, drawing, or designing, these are definitely worth a try. They'd also make a lovely gift for an artist. Harder lead grades may perform well for writing, but sketching is where these pencils shine.

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

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Faber-Castell Ambition Fountain Pen Review

When I read Susan's review of the Faber-Castell Ambition she bought in Paris, the first thought I had was why don't people talk more about this pen? It is priced well, looks great, comes from a historic company - what am I missing? Not much it seems, especially for a $70 pen.

The model I am reviewing - the Ambition in Black with an Extra Fine nib - has been fantastic to use. The brushed resin barrel feels great, and the chrome accents, especially in the cap and the clip, give the Ambition a classic, dignified look. The dot pattern on the nib can be seen across Faber-Castell's steel nib lineup, which is a nice touch.

If there is one thing about the Ambition that people question it is the grip section, or lack thereof. The barrel terminates into a small chrome piece that is used for access to the ink cartridge or converter. There is a small step down where they connect, which begs the question of grip interference.

As a low-gripper, my traditional three point grip lands right above the edge, so I personally have no issue with the barrel digging into my fingers. Your mileage may vary, especially if you have a non-traditional grip. Otherwise, my fingers land on the barrel right where I would hold any other pen. I think it is designed this way. This is an instance where the pen section is designed for utility (barrel access), not for grip. Attempts to hold it there will be met with disappointment and discomfort.

I haven't had the opportunity to use many Faber-Castell steel nibs, but if this one is any indication, they are firm and a bit on the dry side. That is how I like my nibs, but if you are looking for more ink flow I would consider the Medium or Broad. This EF suits my style very well.

The Faber-Castell Ambition is going to find a place on my Top 5 Pens list for fountain pens in the $50-$100 range, likely knocking out the Kaweco Liliput in the 5-spot. I'm glad to discover more options in that bracket to be honest, and this one deserves it.

(Goldspot provided this product on loan to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Graf Von Faber-Castell Deep Sea Green Ink Review

When I think of Graf Von Faber-Castell I think of high end writing instruments like the Perfect Pencil or the somewhat extreme Pen of the Year release. What I haven’t thought about, until now, are their fountain pen inks. I had no idea what I had been missing.

Deep Sea Green is my first foray into GVFC inks and I am completely enamored with it. It was an easy choice actually, because the colors in the rest of the lineup aren’t all that inspiring. They offer ink colors that all fountain pen companies have to offer: Black, blue, red, green, brown, grey. Sure, they have fancier names - “Garnet Red”, “Cobalt Blue” - but they aren’t all that exciting. Deep Sea Green is a clear outlier.

Despite the basic colors, these are not basic inks. All GVFC inks are indelible, meaning they are smudge-resistant, light-fast, waterproof, and solvent resistant. For all intents and purposes, they are permanent. That is something I can get behind despite the blandness of the shades available.

Deep Sea Green has more character than I expected when I received this bottle from Goulet Pens. I’ve been using it in my Sailor King of Pens with a stock medium nib, and it shades well despite the fineness of the nib. There are showings of light and dark greens and blues, plus appearances of grey. It flows wonderfully and dries quickly too. I’ve had nothing but positive experiences so far, and yes, it makes me even want to try some of the more boring colors.

$30 may seem steep for a bottle of ink, and it is, but keep in mind the bottle holds 75ml, which is a 50% increase over the similarly priced Pilot Iroshizuku. And the ink contained within has far more features. The bottle itself is strong, sturdy, and wonderful to look at on a desk or shelf.

Now, if the higher-ups at Graf Von Faber-Castell would mix in a purple or turquoise we would be off to the races.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!