The fine wood varieties used are extremely robust. Their natural variations in color nuances and structure ensure that each wiring instrument is unique. Wood becomes even more attractive through use and develops into an individual item that bears the "signature" of its owner.
The writing instruments are varnished with natural wax to protect them from soiling, e.g. from sweat on hands. You will notice however, as you work with the instrument over time - the wood will begin to slightly change in color. There will not be another like it.
Graf von Faber-Castell Wood Varieties:
Pernambuco
Pernambuco wood comes from Brazil. It is reddish brown in color and is a very hard wood that is readily workable. Pernambuco is also used to make violin bows. The pieces of wood used to make Graf von Faber-Castell writing instruments are sawn timber. This sawn timber is unsuitable for the production of violin bows only due to its size, although the wood is of impeccable quality. Thus, the collection makes sensible use of raw materials that can no longer be used to manufacture violin bows due to their size.
Ebony
Ebony wood is sourced from Madagascar. It is matte black in color, and is a very hard, dense wood. It can contain isolated small, reddish-brown grains, which are not a quality flaw, but instead a clear feature of a natural material. Ebony wood is predominantly used in the making of musical instruments (e.g. for piano keys). In this case too, the Graf von Faber-Castell writing instruments use wood that is too small for the making of musical instruments.
Grenadilla
Grenadilla wood belongs to the ebony family and is a little denser and stronger. The grenadilla used in the collection is from Kenya. It is primarily used to make classical woodwind instruments, such as oboes and clarinets.
Macassar
Macassar wood is extremely hard and durable. It has a fine texture and is variegated, with variations of reddish brown to brown and black.
Alder
Alder Wood is used for the case of the Perfect Pencil Desk Set either in brown (its natural color) or stained black. Alder wood comes from Germany. It is golden brown in color, is a relatively soft wood, and is easy to work. This is one of the reasons why it is favored by the Nuremberg woodcarvers. It is a particularly popular wood for furniture-making.
Cedar
Californian cedar provides the highest quality wood for the Graf von Faber-Castell Pencils. Cedar wood is almost knot-free, long-fibred and characterized as a consistent growth pattern due to minimal seasonal variations in California. For this reason, it is light and easily sharpened, which are very important characteristics for a high-quality pencil. The cedar used for the Graf von Faber-Castell pencils is brown or dyed black in its entirety. The wood in the black pencils thus retains its black coloring after sharpening.