The word “basic” is often used to describe something contrived or uninspiring. But basic also refers to fundamental and timeless staples, like an antique watch or a classic black dress. In stationery, one of the leading brands of basic products for everyday professional and school use is Tombow Mono. It takes inspiration from the Greek word monos, which means “the only one” and “unequaled,” and as such, is well-loved for its reliable products. Below, we have compiled a comprehensive guide that breaks down this popular brand’s beloved products.
Fans of Rilakkuma and Sumikko Gurashi will love these limited edition Tombow Mono Graph Shaker Mechanical Pencils! Each pencil is adorned with illustrations of these charming San-X characters.
Tombow Mono pencils, whether wooden or mechanical, contain high-quality break-resistant graphite lead that is encased in thoughtfully and beautifully designed barrels.
Wooden Pencils
Tombow Mono’s wooden pencils are excellent for drafting and sketching.
Outside, all Mono 100 pencils have a beautiful glossy black paint exterior with shiny bronze embellishments. Inside, each pencil contains a high-density lead core of very fine particles. This product is called Mono 100 because each lead core has 10 billion fine particles per cubic millimeter—or, one hundred 100 million particles. They're break-resistant, yet incredibly smooth to write with and easy to erase.
The Mono 100 pencils have 17 lead grades and can be paired with Tombow Mono’s many erasers.
Mechanical Pencils
Mechanical pencils are loved for their thin, precise lead and long-lasting bodies that don’t require sharpening. Tombow Mono offers well-designed and built-to-last mechanical pencils that are a pleasure to use in the classroom and workspace. They come pre-filled with HB Mono Graph Lead.
Tombow Mono Graph Shaker Mechanical Pencil Features
The Tombow Mono Graph Shaker Mechanical Pencil marries form and function, deservedly winning the 2014 Good Design Award and 2016 Red Dot Design Award. It provides multiple options for retrieving lead. For a traditional approach, use the side clicker on top to retrieve lead. For a more “fun” alternative, simply shake the pencil and watch the lead magically extend. To prevent lead waste, the shaker mechanism can be geared off with a switch on its side. The popular Tombow Mono eraser is installed at the top of the pencil and can be twisted out for use.
This product comes in two lead sizes—0.3 mm and 0.5 mm. It is available in an array of colors—including standard, pastel, and neon options. Eraser refills are available. For a demonstration of the shaking mechanism, watch the video here.
The Tombow Mono Graph Grip Shaker Mechanical Pencil adds a firm rubber grip to the classic Mono Graph pencil. This is perfect for long writing sessions as the grip makes it easier to hold the pencil for longer periods. It also features an upgraded sturdy metal clip. All the other features are the same as the Mono Graph pencil, including the shaker mechanism, twist eraser, and more.
The Graph Grip Shaker comes in eye-catching metallic bodies. There are also limited edition Graph Grip Pencils, which include Studio Ghibli motifs. Find eraser refills here.
The Tombow Mono Graph Lite Mechanical Pencil incorporates some of the elements found in the Graph Grip pencil in a slimmer body. It has a textured rubber grip to prevent your fingers from slipping and a retractable eraser. It does not include a shaker mechanism, instead utilizing a top push button to dispense lead. These pencils are available with 0.3 and 0.5 mm lead. Eraser refills can be found here.
Tombow Mono offers a wide selection of leads in different sizes and grades. Its sleek lead cases aesthetically match Mono’s mechanical pencil barrels and have an innovative “double guide” cap. To open the cases, slide the cap to the right to get one piece of lead and to the left to get multiple pieces of lead.
The Tombow Mono Graph Lead product line flaunts lead with a high-performance core that combines sturdiness with darkness. It offers smooth writing, crisp lines, and great break resistance. The leads come in shiny and colorful cases, including Tombow Mono’s standard blue, white, and black case, which contains 20 pieces of lead. They also come in monochromatic color cases, which contain 40 pieces of lead. The leads are available in multiple sizes (0.3 mm and 0.5 mm) and hardness grades (HB, B, 2B).
We tested all of Tombow Mono’s erasers and divided them into sections based on usage. Read on to learn more about Tombow’s range of different erasers.
Basic Erasers
Tombow Mono’s standard eraser is higher quality than the stereotypical pink school eraser. It will serve you well whether you’re drawing, writing, or working.
The basic Tombow Mono Eraser is one of the most popular erasers in Japan. In fact, designers awarded it the 2011 Long Life Design Award for its quality and versatility. Available in six different sizes, this unassuming eraser sports a velvety smooth surface and removes marks efficiently without creating a lot of dust. It comes in traditional white as well as a black version whose surface doesn’t show graphite smudges. The slim Smart size is just over a centimeter longer than the medium eraser and a mere 5.5 mm thick. It’s designed for easy maneuverability and precise removal of stray marks without disturbing anything you want to keep.
The Tombow Mono Study Eraser is a great basic eraser with a few meaningful upgrades. It erases with a light touch and minimal dust, and is formulated to be effective even on dark lead grades like 4B and 6B. Its sturdy perforated sleeve can be shortened as the eraser is used, and the corners of its sleeve are notched so they won’t dig into the rubber with vigorous erasing. The sleeve even includes a space to write your name.
Light Touch Erasers
Erasing too hard on thin paper can lead to unwanted wear and tear. No one wants paper damage from over-erasing, especially when working on a final school project or finished drawing. That’s why Tombow Mono has a wide selection of light touch erasers.
The Tombow Mono Light Eraser has a soft rubbery feel and its design reduces the pressure needed to remove mistakes. Of Mono’s various light touch erasers, this product performed averagely, erasing well but still requiring some noticeable pressure to use.
This blueish eraser removes mistakes instantly with minimal pressure, making it a perfect tool for those who can’t tolerate paper damage. This eraser also works wonders for removing colored pencil marks as long as your shading is done with a light hand. Of Tombow Mono’s “light touch” erasers, it works best, though it does create lots of dust and has a powdery texture that some may dislike.
Stick Style Erasers
To erase numbers, words, or other small details, consider these slim and miniature products to save desk and bag space.
According to Tombow, 80% of marks erased at work or school are three characters or less. Thus, Tombow Mono designed the One Holder Eraser so that people could efficiently erase their mistakes. Easily mistaken for lip balm, this petite eraser is a great alternative to the typical chunky eraser. In addition to coming with 6.7 mm of high-quality eraser, it sports a smooth rubber grip that prevents finger discomfort and a convenient plastic cap that protects the eraser from collecting dirt. It includes a roll-proof hook and a hole at the top for attaching to keychains, which can help you prevent losing your eraser easily.
The Knock 3.8 Style Eraser works like a clicky pencil with its comfortable rubber grip and knock mechanism, but is actually an eraser. “Knock” refers to the motion of pressing down on a button to extend the refill. It has a simple and attractive transparent body design. Its slim 3.8 mm diameter can fit into any pencil case and can be used to remove stray marks without erasing surrounding areas. Of all the erasers tested, however, it requires the most pressure to work and creates the most noticeable feedback.
Most erasers are advertised for how much they can erase. Yet erasers that can erase precisely are just as important, especially for cleaning up small details in drawings and designs. These retractable erasers meet that need with your choice of a minute, 2.3 mm circular eraser or a 2.5 mm x 5 mm rectangular eraser. It is also equipped with a short feed knock mechanism that prevents it from dispensing too much eraser. For this eraser, we recommend erasing carefully with a light hand if you’re removing bigger details, or else unwanted paper damage may occur. This eraser is available with a plastic or metal body and can be refilled.
Dust Minimizing Erasers
Eraser dust is so minuscule that it’s almost negligible—except when it creates messes or triggers dust allergies. Eraser dust is especially onerous to deal with when a large area needs to be erased or when it gets stuck in other media, such as watercolor. To keep the workspace tidy, consider some of Mono’s dust minimizing erasers.
The Mono Dust Catch is a black eraser that, when used, produces a long string of rolled up dust that can be easily removed with fingers. Of all of Mono’s dust minimizing erasers, it performs the best. One word of caution is the black material, while camouflaging the pencil marks on the eraser, can actually transfer onto paper. This can be remedied by gently erasing the stained surface.
The Non Dust Eraser may look like any standard white eraser, but the dust that comes from this eraser rolls up into very manageable clumps for easy clean up. Though less bendy and more solid to hold than the Dust Catch, it does produce more clumps.
Ink Erasers
If correction tape isn’t for you, you might appreciate the magic of ink erasers. In addition to removing ink, these niche products can be used to create a faded, vintage look on calligraphy projects.
This eraser is a multi-purpose product, comprised of a white rubber side for erasing pencil and a gray rubber and sand side for erasing ink. While the white pencil eraser side of the pencil is not as smooth as Tombow Mono’s basic white eraser, the Sand & Rubber eraser is still a handy product for those who use both pens and pencils but only want to carry one eraser.
The Tombow Mono Tough Eraser is made of extra-sturdy plastic that erases smoothly with no risk of breakage or crumbling away. That said, it isn’t particularly dust free. Its innovative sleeve is cut at angles so that, as you use one corner to erase, the opposite corner is still reinforced. The sleeve also features perforations that can be used to shorten it as the eraser is used up, similar to the Tombow Mono Study.
The Tombow Mono Graph Multi Pen has all the basic writing needs of students and office workers covered. It sports the same oversized twist eraser as the popular Mono Graph mechanical pencils, plus two smooth 0.5 mm ballpoint ink components and a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil component. This lets you take both permanent and erasable notes, as well as color coding and flagging important entries. To extend the refills, simply rotate the band at the top of the pen until the clip points at the component you want. The clip snaps into place at each refill so you won’t accidentally retract the refill you’re using. To retract a component, position the clip between selections. You can advance the pencil lead by pressing the top of the pen.
The Mono Graph Multi Pen comes in several colors. Eraser and ballpoint ink refills are available.
Tombow Mono Drawing Pens are made with artists’ everyday needs in mind. They come in six smooth-writing tip sizes for drawing everything from intricate details to bold outlines. Their water-based pigment ink dries quickly—within a single second on Rhodia paper—so it’s almost certain not to smudge. It’s also waterproof and Copic proof, which makes it great for use with watercolors and other media. In addition to drawing and coloring, these pens are perfect for journaling and lettering. Their light weight makes them easy to handle, and their ink doesn’t bleed through most paper. Even on regular printer paper, only the largest tip size had the faintest hint of bleed.
The Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pen takes the design sensibilities developed in Tombow Mono mechanical pencils and transforms them to a lightweight ballpoint pen. These pens feature a textured rubber grip and precise needle points in both 0.38 and 0.5 mm sizes. Lines from both tip sizes are quick drying and smear resistant, though of course the narrower line dries more quickly. The Graph Lite is available in a basic range of ink colors (black, red, blue) and, if you only need black ink, cheerful body colors too.
The Tombow Mono Edge Dual-Tip Highlighter is reinforced with a plastic sleeve that helps maintain the shape of the tip. You don't have to worry about bending the tip even if you use a ruler or stencil. You can draw neat, clean lines with the 0.8 mm fine tip or do regular highlighting with the 3.8 mm chisel tip, making it perfect to use for color-coding.
If you dislike crossing out mistakes in ink but don’t want to use an eraser or correction fluid, correction tape is a convenient and efficient alternative.
The Tombow Mono Air Refillable Correction Tape is one of our favorite correction tapes. Its reliable application makes covering mistakes a breeze. Multiple tape widths are available, so whether you prefer a narrow or wide-ruled notebook, the Mono Air’s tip will fit right in. The 5 mm width comes in a tasteful selection of body colors. All widths of tape are refillable.
The compact Tombow Mono Pocket Correction Tape, which is about the same size as the Medium Mono Eraser, takes up little space in a pen case. Like the Mono Air, it applies correction tape with a light touch. It has a cap that fully covers the applicator and can be attached to the other end of the body, making it more comfortable to hold. It’s available in five colors, all of which apply 5 mm width correction tape.
Adhesive Tape
Adhesive tape is the unsung hero of students, professionals, and artists everywhere. It’s an alternative to glue that is exponentially easier to remove and less messy to deal with.
Crafters will appreciate this nifty gadget for scrapbooking, card-making, gift wrapping, and other artsy projects. Creating loops of tape ad hoc can be a hassle and glue can be messy and difficult to remove. The mess-free Tombow Mono Tape Runner dispenses adhesive with a convenient sliding mechanism. Tape options include the original Permanent, which requires no drying time, multi-surface adhesive Xtreme, precise Dots, and Removable adhesive for the indecisive. All styles of adhesive are acid-free, safe for archival materials, and photo-safe according to the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). Refills are available.
Founded in 1913, Tombow (which means “dragonfly” in Japanese) is one of Japan’s top five office products manufacturers. In 1967, Tombow launched the Mono 100 wooden pencils to commemorate its 55th anniversary. At the time, an eraser was included with the pencils as a gift. The eraser gained popularity and was launched separately as the "Mono Eraser” two years later. Over time, Tombow Mono became the trustworthy stationery icon that it is today.
Conclusion
Elegant and functional in their simplicity, Tombow Mono products prove that going back to basics is actually a great thing. We hope that this has been a useful guide for understanding the different products available from one of Japan’s most popular brands for students and professionals. Let us know in the comments below what your favorite Tombow Mono products are!
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