Caran dAche Edelweiss pointy bit

Caran d’Ache Edelweiss Wooden Pencil Review

10 December 2015 By ian

Caran dAche Edelweiss review

Caran d’Ache generally make quite expensive things, some of which are quite nice. One example is the Swiss Wood, which isn’t expensive when compared to, say, a Ferrari but at £3.50 a piece is not exactly a budget pencil. It’s lovely though. The Edelweiss, on the other hand, costs about 70p.

Price: $1 (USA)
Lead grade options: F, HB (being reviewed here), 3B
Barrel colours: Red (HB), blue (F), black (3B)
Barrel shape: Hexagonal
Eraser?: No

The Edelweiss is a very smart red with crisp white writing. There’s a little picture of an Edelweiss flower on the side, along with all the usual information and the FSC logo.

Caran dAche Edelweiss branding

On the opposite side there’s the usual barcode.

Caran dAche Edelweiss barcode

The lead is a little light for an HB but, perhaps as a result of this, it holds its point fairly well. It’s fairly smooth but every now and then you hit a slightly graining patch.

Caran dAche Edelweiss pointy bit

I’m not sure what the wood is but it’s quite possibly cedar. It sharpens very nicely.

Caran dAche Edelweiss sharpening

Overall this is a perfectly reasonable pencil but in this price range I’d pick a Staedtler Noris or Tradition.

Pros

Looks pretty
Keeps a good point
Good value

Cons

Pale writing for an HB
Very hard to get in the UK (I bought mine from CW Pencils, which makes it a little pricing by the time it’s travelled across the Atlantic)

Caran dAche Edelweiss