The Castell 9000 Graphite Drawing pencil is a genuinely classic pencil. It was launched by Count Alexander von Faber-Castell in 1905. Its' quality and finely graduated degrees of hardness have made it a great favorite with artists and illustrators. Its' lead is fully bonded with the wood surround and is therefore particularly break-resistant. The CASTELL 9000 is available in 16 different degrees of hardness, making it the ideal pencil for all technical and artistic applications.This top-quality graphite pencil is excellent for writing, drawing and sketching. It features environmentally safe water-based varnish and extra break-resistance due to SV bonding.