I wasn’t sure there would be any benefit to my newfound left-handed reliance. That’s a close-minded way of thinking, and I gave myself a good shake last week to not let this temporary setback affect my curiosity. Why not embrace the situation, and figure out what makes me smile?
As it turns out, it was a group of stationery that normally doesn’t work for my right-handedness. That group? Softer and darker wooden pencils, such as those found on the B side of the graphite grading scale.
Normally, anything 2B or softer finds its way to the back of my stash. I prefer writing with firm, fine, long-lasting cores, and don’t mind the lighter marks they leave. But that was my right-handed style. Assuming that same style would work when the script was flipped was a mistake.
I’m not sure what made me pick up the Blackwing MMX (Proper name: Blackwing Matte) to test out, but it was a revelation. A pencil core that has traditionally been my least favorite Blackwing core is now my favorite. What gives?
When writing left—handed I’ve discovered that I hold the pencil with a much lighter grip. There is some force behind it, but nowhere near the vise grip surrounding my right-handed writing instruments.
Also, with the softer core, I get a bit of an angle on the tip when writing. That helps with my letter shapes, which still retain the block print style of my normal writing. Unlike the rigidity of a fountain pen stub or cursive italic nib, this edge remains pliable enough to not fight against my strokes, while maintaining character not found with a round-tipped rollerball pen, for example.
The MMX revelation led me to dig into my pencil stash to see what else I have been missing. Here are a few favorites:
Tombow Mono KM-KKS 4B: I’ve raved about this pencil before, but within a drawing/sketching context more than a writing context. It has a smoother, less gritty feel than the MMX, but that’s not to say the MMX is gritty. It’s more that the KM-KKS is viciously smooth. It’s also the best looking pencil of this bunch.
Caran d’Ache Grafwood 2B: I’ve found 4B to be the top of my preferred left-handed writing range, and 2B to be the bottom. Well, except for the next two pencils I’ll mention - for good reasons! The Grafwood has a slightly wider diameter than Blackwings, as well as a slightly wider core. Both of those features have proven beneficial to my left-handed writing.
Musgrave Tennessee Red: I’ve mentioned before that while I found the Tennessee Red to be a beautiful pencil, the core was too soft for me. Well, that softness makes it ideal for me now. Listed as a standard #2/HB core, it is softer and darker than most other HB cores I put it up against.
Ticoneroga Laddie: What is even happening here? I would have never tried the Laddie if a friend didn’t send me one, and I’ll be darned if it isn’t a great pencil. It’s a combination of the three pencils above - the thick core of the KM-KKS, the intermediate barrel diameter of the Grafwood, and the softer/darker than normal #2/HB graphite of the Tennessee Red. That makes it a real joy to write with.
I tested many more pencils than these thinking I might find a few other options, but in the end something about them didn’t work. For example, I thought jumbo pencils with soft cores would be a good choice, but they were too wide. They are a better fit for my casted right hand and pincher grip. Cores softer than 4B failed as well. There were diminishing returns the softer I went, as I couldn’t control the lines as well.
2B to 4B, minus a couple of exceptions, are the pencils I need to be using right now. The Blackwing MMX will continue to dominate my usage, and I look forward to continuing my test for the next several weeks.
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, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
