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.
On the opposite side there’s the usual 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.
I’m not sure what the wood is but it’s quite possibly cedar. It sharpens very nicely.
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)
I was going to comment on how weirdly hard they are to get in the UK too!
In terms of Caran D’Ache’s range, I find it really hard to see past the Graf Wood, and Blackwood (try the latter if you’ve not used one – really nice jumbo-ish pencil) but must try an Eidelweiss at some point.
Pop over to Jottershop 5 Ashbourne road Derby DE22 3 FQ
They stock the full range of CaranD’Ache products.
Including the edelweiss HB Pencils. http://www.jottershop.uk