Caran d'Ache Grafstone: a closer look at a remarkable graphite pencil
Most graphite pencils follow the same basic construction: a graphite and clay core, bonded inside a hexagonal cedar casing, finished with a coat of varnish. It is a format that has remained essentially unchanged for centuries, and for good reason — it works. But it is not the only way to make a graphite drawing tool, and the Caran d'Ache Grafstone demonstrates that very effectively.
The Grafstone is not a conventional pencil. It is a stick of pure graphite — no wood casing, no clay filler in the traditional sense, no varnish — encased only in a thin plastic sleeve that makes it possible to hold without coating your fingers entirely in graphite dust. The result is a drawing tool that behaves differently from a standard pencil in several interesting ways, and that occupies a genuinely useful place in a drawing kit that a wood-cased pencil simply cannot fill.
We stock the Caran d'Ache Grafstone individually at Craft and Canvas, currently on sale at £5.60.
What Caran d'Ache is and why it matters
Before getting into the specifics of the Grafstone, it is worth understanding something about the brand behind it. Caran d'Ache is a Swiss manufacturer founded in Geneva in 1915, and it is one of the few art materials brands in the world that genuinely occupies a position at the very top of its field across multiple product lines. The name is a French transliteration of the Russian word for pencil — karandash — and the company has been making drawing and writing instruments of exceptional quality for over a century.
Caran d'Ache's graphite pencil range sits comfortably among the finest available anywhere. Their Grafwood range (also available individually at Craft and Canvas) is widely used by professional illustrators, architectural draughtsmen, and fine artists who value the slightly softer, more buttery quality of Swiss-made graphite over the German alternatives. The Grafstone occupies a different position in the range — not a direct competitor to the Grafwood, but a complement to it.
What makes the Grafstone different
The defining characteristic of the Grafstone is the absence of a wood casing. Where a conventional pencil surrounds its graphite core with wood — cedar in the best cases — the Grafstone is almost entirely graphite, held together with a minimal binder and protected only by a thin plastic sleeve.
This has several practical consequences that are worth understanding.
Mark-making quality. Because the Grafstone contains significantly more graphite than a wood-cased pencil of equivalent size, the marks it produces have a richness and depth that reflects that extra graphite content. Even in HB grade the mark is notably fuller and more satisfying than a conventional HB pencil — and in the softer grades, 3B and 6B, the Grafstone produces a deep, velvety tone that is closer in character to the marks made by graphite sticks than to a standard pencil.
Versatility of use. A conventional pencil can only make marks with its sharpened tip. The Grafstone, because it is graphite almost throughout, can be used in multiple ways. Sharpen it to a fine point for precise line work. Use it blunt for broader, softer marks. Tilt it and use the side of the tip for tonal shading over larger areas. It can even be snapped deliberately to produce an irregular edge, which creates broken, textural marks impossible with a standard pencil. This range of mark-making possibilities from a single tool is one of the Grafstone's most appealing qualities.
Weight and balance. Because graphite is denser than wood, the Grafstone is noticeably heavier than a conventional pencil of similar length. Many artists find this weight an advantage — the pencil feels more substantial and balanced in the hand, with a solidity that encourages a more confident, less tentative mark. It takes a little getting used to if you have drawn exclusively with conventional pencils, but most people find they adapt quickly.
Sharpening. The Grafstone sharpens differently from a wood-cased pencil. A standard pencil sharpener works perfectly well and produces a fine, usable point. A craft knife or scalpel gives more control over the length of the point and the angle of the taper — particularly useful for artists who want a longer, more exposed graphite tip for side-stroke shading. Because the entire pencil is essentially graphite, a knife can also be used to create flat or angled faces at the tip, producing a chisel-like edge useful for calligraphic or architectural mark-making.
The three grades
The Grafstone is available in three grades: HB, 3B, and 6B. This is a deliberately focused range rather than the full spectrum of a conventional graphite pencil line, and it reflects how the Grafstone is most naturally used.
HB is the all-purpose grade — useful for line work, preliminary sketching, and any drawing that requires a balance of precision and tonal depth. In HB the Grafstone is a versatile, everyday drawing tool that outperforms most conventional HB pencils in the quality and fullness of its mark.
3B is where the Grafstone's character begins to become distinctive. The 3B produces a noticeably richer, softer tone than HB and blends beautifully with a finger or stump. It is well suited to tonal drawing, figure work, and any subject where a range of mid-tones is important. The combination of HB for line work and 3B for tone is a very effective two-pencil working method for many drawing situations.
6B is the softest grade and the most expressive. At 6B the Grafstone deposits graphite generously with minimal pressure, producing a deep, dark tone that approaches the richness of charcoal in quality — though remaining firmly within the controlled, precise world of graphite. It is excellent for the darkest accents in a drawing, for expressive gesture work, and for bold, immediate mark-making. Used on its side, even briefly, a 6B Grafstone covers significant paper area with rich tone very quickly.
How the Grafstone fits into a drawing practice
The Grafstone is not a replacement for a conventional graphite pencil range — it is an addition to one. Its particular strengths make it most valuable in specific situations.
For artists who work with a standard pencil range like the Faber-Castell 9000, the Grafstone 6B is a natural companion for the moments when you need a broader, more expressive dark than a conventional pencil tip provides — covering backgrounds quickly, establishing bold shadow masses, or working on a larger scale than fine pencil work allows. The Grafstone covers that ground without requiring a separate box of graphite sticks.
For urban sketchers and those who draw on location, the Grafstone's versatility — its ability to function as both a precision pencil and a broader tonal tool — makes it a highly practical choice when carrying fewer tools is important. One Grafstone at 3B or 6B alongside a finer conventional pencil covers a wide range of drawing needs.
For artists interested in expressive, gestural drawing, the 6B Grafstone used in its various orientations — pointed, blunt, tilted, snapped — produces a range of mark types that genuinely extends what graphite can do, without crossing into the quite different territory of charcoal.
Frequently asked questions about the Caran d'Ache Grafstone
Is the Grafstone the same as the Caran d'Ache Grafwood? No — they are different products. The Grafwood (also stocked at Craft and Canvas) is a conventional wood-cased graphite pencil available in a wide range of grades from 4H to 9B, with the distinctive feature of a barrel colour that corresponds to the grade. The Grafstone is a woodless graphite pencil available in three grades — HB, 3B, and 6B — that produces a different quality of mark and offers different mark-making possibilities.
Can I use the Grafstone with a standard pencil sharpener? Yes. A standard pencil sharpener produces a usable point on the Grafstone. A craft knife gives more control over the shape and length of the point and is preferred by many artists. Because the pencil is almost entirely graphite, sharpening produces a longer exposed graphite tip than a wood-cased pencil, which is useful for side-stroke shading.
Does the Grafstone smudge easily? Graphite always smudges to some degree, and the Grafstone — with its higher graphite content — is no more or less prone to smudging than a comparable grade of conventional pencil. Fixative should be used on finished drawings to protect the surface, as with any graphite work.
Is the Grafstone suitable for detailed fine line work? In HB grade, yes — a sharpened Grafstone holds a fine point and produces a precise line comparable to a conventional pencil. For very fine, sustained detail work across a large drawing, a conventional wood-cased pencil like the Faber-Castell 9000 may be more practical because the wood casing makes the tool easier to control over long periods. The Grafstone excels at a slightly broader range of work.
What paper works best with the Grafstone? The Grafstone works well on any paper suitable for graphite — smooth cartridge, Bristol board, hot press watercolour paper, and similar surfaces. The higher graphite content means it deposits more generously on textured papers than a conventional pencil of the same grade, which can produce attractive results on papers with more pronounced tooth.
Does the plastic sleeve make it difficult to hold? No — the sleeve is thin and unobtrusive. Most artists hold the Grafstone exactly as they would a conventional pencil and find the grip perfectly comfortable. The slightly greater weight relative to a standard pencil is the more noticeable handling difference.
How long does a Grafstone last compared to a conventional pencil? Because the Grafstone is almost entirely graphite, it wears down faster than a wood-cased pencil of the same length — there is no wood to conserve the graphite. However, because you can use the entire diameter of the tool for mark-making (not just the sharpened tip), the effective lifespan is longer than the length alone would suggest.
Shop the Caran d'Ache Grafstone at Craft and Canvas
We stock the Caran d'Ache Grafstone individually in HB, 3B, and 6B at Craft and Canvas — currently on sale at £5.60 per pencil. We also stock the Caran d'Ache Grafwood range as individual pencils. Come into our Hebden Bridge shop or browse at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
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