Castell 9000 graphite pencils, 4B & HB Castell 9000 - a genuinely classic pencil - was launched by Count Alexander von Faber-Castell in 1905. Its quality and finely graduated degrees of hardness have made it a firm favourite with artists and illustrators. Its lead is fully bonded with the wood surround and is therefore particularly break-resistant. The Castell 9000 is available in 16 different degrees of hardness, making it the ideal pencil for all technical and artistic applications.