The Dixon Ticonderoga #2/HB soft is perhaps one of the finest pencils on the market, having a multifunctional use as a vehicle for multiple choice examinations, doodling during lecture, drawing on walls for posterity, and doing math and science homework.
The yellow and green contrast is subdued by the soft grain of the wood and the faded pink of the eraser. A freshly sharpened pencil is a delight to see, as the graphite captures the ambient light well and reflects it in an arc that exudes confidence. Handling the pencil, one can feel its healthy weight resting against the flesh between his thumb and forefinger, a weight that demands acknowledgement of its presence, yet is light enough to accomadate the production of a line as faint as the chick's feather.The Ticonderoga is indeed a pencil to be admired.
I bought my set of Ticonderogas at Staples in a set of 12, primarily for my MCAT. However, their presence on my desk since then has led me to see the light of pencil functionality.