Which grades are in the Faber-Castell Goldfaber set?

12 grades: 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B.

What are the H pencils for?

Light construction lines and fine detail that erase cleanly. The B pencils are for shading and darker values.

Are Goldfaber pencils pre-sharpened?

Yes. They come sharpened and ready to use in the tin.

Are Goldfaber pencils good for beginners?

Faber-Castell pitches them at artists and beginners alike, and at the art student. The 12-grade range lets you learn how each hardness behaves.

Do the leads break easily?

The listing says the leads are break-resistant, because the SV bonding process glues the lead along the whole length of the pencil.

Best hard-to-soft range

Faber-Castell

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12)

A tin of 12 pre-sharpened graphite pencils, one each from 4H to 6B, with break-resistant SV-bonded leads of finely ground graphite and clay.

Best for: Art students and beginners learning shading across 12 grades

Grades: 4H to 6B
Count: 12
Case: Metal tin
Wood: FSC-certified

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Buy it if

You want one tidy set that covers light guidelines, mid-tones and shading
You want pencils that come sharpened and ready in a travel tin
You are a student or beginner learning how each grade behaves

Skip it if

You need very deep blacks. The softest grade is 6B, while the MARKART set goes to 12B
You want only a few soft grades. The Staedtler Mars Lumograph set has 6 grades, HB to 8B

What the Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12) is

The Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set is a tin of 12 pre-sharpened drawing pencils, one of each grade from a hard 4H to a soft 6B. Hard grades give light, clean lines for planning a drawing, and soft grades give the darker values you need for shading.

Faber-Castell pitches Goldfaber at the art student and aspiring artist. The leads are made from finely ground graphite and clay, and the SV bonding process glues the lead along its entire length, which the listing says gives excellent point retention and easy sharpening.

Key features, explained

Based on the manufacturer's Amazon listing.

12 grades from 4H to 6B
The set runs 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B. Start a drawing with the H grades, then build tone with the B grades as you move into shadow.
Break-resistant SV-bonded leads
The lead is glued along its entire length, which the listing says makes it break-resistant, holds the point well and makes sharpening easy.
Pre-sharpened and ready to use
Every pencil arrives sharpened, so you can open the tin and start drawing.
Portable metal tin
The metal tin holds all 12 pencils, and the listing pitches it for travel and on the go drawing.
Hexagonal barrel
The listing calls the hexagonal shape ergonomic. A six-sided barrel also rolls less easily than a round one.
Reforested, FSC-certified wood
Faber-Castell says the pencils are made from wood grown in FSC-certified sustainable forests.

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12) specifications

Type: Graphite drawing pencils
Count: 12
Grades: 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B
Lead: Graphite and clay, SV-bonded
Barrel: Hexagonal
Sharpened: Yes, pre-sharpened
Case: Metal tin
Wood: Reforested, FSC-certified
Line: Goldfaber
Model: FC900012
Warranty: 30 days against defects

Who the Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12) suits

Art students. The listing names the art student, and pitches the 12 grades for shading, sketching, portraits and writing.
Beginners learning value. Drawing the same shape with 4H, HB and 6B shows how the grades differ.
Sketching on the go. The pencils come sharpened in a tin, so the set travels well.

Look elsewhere if: you want the darkest possible shadows. The MARKART 14 Sketch Pencils go from 4H all the way to 12B.

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12) vs similar picks

Spec	Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12)	Staedtler Mars Lumograph Graphite Set	MARKART 14 Sketch Pencils
Grades	4H to 6B	HB to 8B	4H to 12B
Count	12	6	14
Pre-sharpened	Yes	Not listed	Yes
Case	Metal tin	Metal tin	Not listed
Choose it for	12 grades, pre-sharpened, in a tin	A short set focused on soft grades	The widest grade range

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12)
Grades
4H to 6B
Count
12
Pre-sharpened
Yes
Case
Metal tin
Choose it for: 12 grades, pre-sharpened, in a tin
Staedtler Mars Lumograph Graphite Set
Grades
HB to 8B
Count
6
Pre-sharpened
Not listed
Case
Metal tin
Choose it for: A short set focused on soft grades
MARKART 14 Sketch Pencils
Grades
4H to 12B
Count
14
Pre-sharpened
Yes
Case
Not listed
Choose it for: The widest grade range

Before you buy

The listing names no eraser or sharpener, so add a kneaded eraser and a sharpener if you do not have them.
The softest grade is 6B. For very dark shading you may want a softer pencil or charcoal alongside it.
Soft B grades smudge more than H grades. Rest your hand on a scrap sheet while you shade.

Frequently asked questions about the Faber-Castell Goldfaber Graphite Set (12)

Which grades are in the Faber-Castell Goldfaber set?: 12 grades: 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B.
What are the H pencils for?: Light construction lines and fine detail that erase cleanly. The B pencils are for shading and darker values.
Are Goldfaber pencils pre-sharpened?: Yes. They come sharpened and ready to use in the tin.
Are Goldfaber pencils good for beginners?: Faber-Castell pitches them at artists and beginners alike, and at the art student. The 12-grade range lets you learn how each hardness behaves.
Do the leads break easily?: The listing says the leads are break-resistant, because the SV bonding process glues the lead along the whole length of the pencil.