While Camel Pencils were added to the shop yesterday, they’re not new to me: I’ve used them for years and other than a short piece to discuss how I seriously stocked up during C.W. Pencil Enterprise’s closing sale back in 2021, I’ve never reviewed them. Why do I like these pencils so much? Because you have a stationery company known for doing one thing very well, and the one thing is a delightful twist on something as “standard” as the woodcase pencil. I love this sort of single-purpose excellence.
The eraser makes the Camel pencil. There is no ferrule (the metal sleeve that holds the eraser on most woodcase pencils), and instead the eraser is fitted to the end of the barrel like a “cap”, where it sits flush. The end result is an extremely well-balanced pencil that combines the lightness of an eraserless, capped pencil with the utility of an integrated eraser. I’ve noticed very few tradeoffs with this type of pencil: other than the one instance where I deliberately removed the eraser, I’ve had no issues with it coming lose, nor have I had the eraser “run out” before I use up the entire pencil. Camel uses high-quality eraser material, which removes marks efficiently without a lot of residue.
The eraser attaches to a notch on the barrel. It’s glued, so it will stay put. I pulled this one off “for science”.
I’ll admit, part of my interest in Camel is the intrigue surrounding the company, which has remained a bit of a mystery outside of Japan despite the popularity of their products. I understand that the company is a very small, family-owned operation that manufactures a handful of products under their own name, and I suspect contracts with other brands and independent stores on a “white label” basis. (I know they have done this for Craft Design Technology). Camel’s website contains only basic information about the company, which dates back to the late 1930s/early 1940s.
Will I ever get through all of these? Probably not, but I’ll try.
The clear lacquered pencils that I currently stock, and which are shown here, contain standard Japanese HB graphite, which leaves a dark line while still erasing well. While a 2B pencil is, generally speaking, my “perfect” grade of graphite, I’ve found that with Camel, the difference primarily lies in the feel. I purchased a half-gross of the 2B C.W. Pencil Enterprise store exclusives, and they aren’t much darker than the HB but definitely have a smoother, waxier feel to them. Both grades are pleasant to write with, and I don’t really prefer one over the other here.
[Note: When I discuss the difference between grades of graphite, such as HB, B, and 2B, it will differ significantly across brands. In general, I’ve found Japanese and American pencils tend to write a darker line for their designation than European equivalents. For example, a Camel HB is roughly similar to a Caran d’Ache or Staedtler 2B.]
Takeaways and Where to Buy
I love Camel pencils - they’re among my favorite everyday writers, and frankly you get a much higher quality writing experience than you pay for. At roughly $2 per pencil (purchased individually), and under $10 for a pack of six, you get excellent Japanese graphite, a cedar barrel, and a good eraser with the cool design. Plus they’re gorgeous to look at and make excellent office conversation pieces. For some reason I always get more comments about my pencils than my fountain pens….
A selection from my Camel Pencils over the years!
As I mentioned above, you can now purchase Camel pencils directly from the T.G.S. Curated Shop in two different lacquered wood tones. At some point we will have more options, and some are currently on order with an indefinite arrival time. Stay tuned!
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