They come in a variety of grades: B pencils have more graphite in them, so they make dark and soft marks, while H pencils have more clay in them, which provides harder and more precise lines.

For graphic and artist pencils and for companies outside the U.S., systems get a little complicated, using a combination of numbers and letters known as the HB Graphite Scale. So why are testing ...

The higher the number, the harder the graphite. 9. The No. 2 pencil is most popular because it uses a medium-grade graphite which makes it best for writing. 10. A No. 1 pencil has a softer ...

also known as the HB scale, ranges from 9H on the lightest end of the spectrum to 9xxB on the darkest side of the spectrum. Pencils below the number two are filled with softer graphite and can ...