Stabilo, Part 2

Stabilo seems to be one of those under-appreciated brands, especially in North America, that puts out an excellent product but isn’t often seen as a quality pencil compared to its neighbours in Central Europe. Manufacturing most of its woodcase pencils in Czechia right next to Koh-i-Noor, they have several lines of pencils, mostly aimed at the student market, which I guess is quite lucrative. I feel their pencils match or surpass equivalents from Staedtler and Koh-i-Noor.

Their Othello line is available in the wide range of artist and draftsmen grades, from 4B-4H. It has a true-to-grade lead, generally slightly harder than most Americans would expect but similar to European brands like Staedtler and Caran d’Ache, which I find always run hard. Their Schwan line is more limited and with fewer frills, offering just 3 writing-grade options, and without things like an end-dip varnish.

Their main student-marketed line appears to be the “Pencil 160”, which comes in a ton of different colours and only available in easily-merchandised blister-packs. They also have a couple of triangular-ergonomic sticks, one of which, the EasyGraph, seems mostly marketed in its jumbo form factor for young writers, with large scalloped grooves and both left- and right-handed options with differing directional grooves.

One big surprise I found was with the Trio, marketed very similar to the 160 in blister packs, but with a triangular shape like the EasyGraph, in HB and 2B. The most intriguing feature of this one is its rounded natural wood finish on the end. Not only is it an unvarnished/clear varnished end, but the lead terminates prior to the end, resulting in only the woodcase being visible at the end. It’s actually quite a beautiful detail that I have not seen anywhere else but the rare Japanese Bosco Colleen pencils made by a furniture maker. Showing up on this line of student staples is quite a pleasant surprise.