Noch recht neu auf dem Markt ist der Ultra CLN von KUM. Das Versprechen des „super soft erasing“ hat mich spontan zugreifen lassen, auch wenn mir die Gestaltung1 des Radierers nicht sonderlich zusagt.
Laut Manschette kommt der Ultra CLN ohne PVC, Phtalate und Latex aus; zudem soll er nicht krümeln sowie papierschonend und für alle Oberflächen geeignet sein. Was mit „No discolouration of the eraser on paper“ gemeint ist, erschließt sich mir allerdings nicht. – Neben diesen und den üblichen Angaben auf der Manschette findet sich „037“ als Blindprägung direkt auf dem Radierer (ein Produktionscode?).
Der Ultra CLN ist etwas weicher als der Tombow Mono, aber härter als z. B. der Hinodewashi Matomaru-kun, und so neigt er im Gegensatz zu letzterem nicht zum Einreißen. Seine Radierleistung empfinde ich als gut bis sehr gut und die Krümelbildung als gering (ich habe jedoch den Eindruck, als krümele der schwarze geringfügig mehr als der weiße). Positiv ist auch, dass er selbst bei weicheren Bleistiften2 nicht schmiert. Der Ultra CLN hat viel weniger „Grip“ als die beiden genannten Radierer, kommt aber trotzdem mit geringer Anpresskraft aus. Dies ist besonders bei empfindlichem Papier wie dem mit 52 g/m² sehr dünnen Tomoe River von großem Vorteil, denn es verringert die Gefahr der Beschädigung deutlich (so benutze ich den diesen Radierer bevorzugt im Hobonichi Techo). Obendrein ist der Ultra CLN sehr sparsam.
Fazit: Der KUM Ultra CLN ist für mich eine sehr erfreuliche Radierer-Neuheit. – Meine Exemplare habe ich im örtlichen Schreibwarenhandel für 80 Euro-Cent pro Stück gekauft.
- Zum Einsatz kam hier übrigens der Font Bauhaus von 1975.↩
- Getestet mit STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph 100 2H bis 6B und radierbaren Arterase-Farbstiften von Mitsubishi/uni.↩
What a coincidence! I received the black version of this eraser yesterday. So thank you for this article, now I look forward to test mine! But I have so many erasers, it’s becoming like for pencils: one eraser for each type of pencil on each type of paper :)
Ich nehme an, mit „no discolouration of the eraser on paper“ ist gemeint dass der Radierer das Papier nicht einfärbt, sprich schwarze Schlieren hinterlässt. Jedenfalls ist das stets meine Sorge bei farbigen Radierern, so dass mir ein entsprechender Hinweis von Herstellerseite sinnvoll erscheint.
Wie verhält sich der kleine Kerl denn im Vergleich zum Staedtler Mars plastic?
Matt: This is a funny coincidence! I hope you like this eraser. And you’re right – this could be the consequence ;-)
Andi: Diese Interpretation liegt nahe, doch das steht auch auf der Manschette des weißen Radierers. – Die Sorge ist nachvollziehbar. Bis jetzt ist mir nur ein einziger schwarzer Radierer untergekommen, bei dem ich den Eindruck hatte, dass er das Papier zumindest leicht einfärbt (übrigens war dieser auch von KUM). – Einen Vergleich mit dem STAEDTLER Mars plastic kann ich noch nicht vornehmen, da ich diesen zurzeit nicht zur Hand habe.
Excellent review Gunther. Seems we have a new contender in the heavily contested eraser market. The price in Germany is comparable to that of the Staedtler or Faber erasers?
In my daily graphite use, I usually rotate between the Tombow Mono, Staedtler Rasoplast, and the Edding DR20. I’ve found that even thought the Mono and Rasoplast are quite close in performance and overall feel, they behave differently depending on paper and pencil/ lead brand. When none of these work as expected, I usually bring out the Edding to do the heavy lifting. So, I would love to see how these KUM erasers fare on my daily work.
Hopefully the local importer for KUM sharpeners will come to its senses and bring some copies of these erasers to market. We really need more choices!
The Bauhaus font is definitely a throwback to the disco-age, but then again, this font is far older than that, so I find it rather appealing. That Registered symbol is an entirely different matter, thou.
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Thank you, Guillermo! I think the Ultra CLN compares very well to the other contenders. – It depends on the store but I’d say the KUM eraser costs a little less than the erasers from STAEDTLER or Faber-Castell.
It’t amazing how differently erasers work with different pencils and paper. Just like Matt said – you’ll end up with an eraser for each pencil and each type of paper ;-)
I hope that the Ultra CLN will be available near you soon!
As far as I know the Bauhaus prototype from Herbert Bayer looks quite different from the ITC Bauhaus used here. Of course it’s a matter of taste but to me it looks a little out of place here. – By the way, they have used the same colour for the text “pvc free …” on the blue sleeve of the white eraser so it is almost unreadable.
Ok, so I finally got to try this eraser (in black).
In real use -office use, with crappy paper- I was very disappointed. Ok maybe not VERY disappointed, but disappointed, it doesn’t erase as well as the Uni Boxy, the W Air-In or the Matomaru-kun (all made by hinodewashi, my current favorite brand or erasers).
Even the Staedtler Mars plastic erased better, so did the Laüfer plasti-combi, and many other erasers I tried.
I admit on smooth and thin/fragile paper, it does ok, and it’s very pleasant to use, but it just doesn’t manage to lift the graphite completely when I write on toothy Canadian crappy paper (what my employer buys). Too bad.
I’m sorry to hear that you are disappointed by that eraser! May I ask you which pencils in which hardness grades do you use?
I tried with many pencils, but I admit, they were probably all on the soft side, think Palomino BW 602, Mars Lumograph 2B, Mitsubishi Hi-Uni 2B. With firmer pencils, the eraser is ok.
I think it’s the combination of softish pencils with very toothy and not very well processed paper that created the bad results with the KUM eraser. For that combination, other erasers work better for me ;)
Thank you for these details. It really looks as if this eraser doesn’t work well with softer pencils! I use mainly B and had no problems so far, even on cheaper paper.
Just a quick update on the black Ultra CLN KUM eraser. Been using it regularly for about 6 months now and I find it to be quite close in performance to my all-time favourite: Tombow MONO.
It erases pretty cleanly and produces few (and rather big) crumbs, which makes them easy to remove from drawings. Something key when you pretend to keep your work clean and tidy.
Really impressed with it. Unfortunately, the local KUM distributor is yet to import them. Hopefully one day!
I’m happy to hear that you like that eraser! May I ask with which pencils do you use it?
Since I’ve become quite involved in drawing and illustration lately, I been using this eraser with everything, from hard 5H, to soft 6B pencils. I recently did a small comparison between this one, the FC Dust Free, Sakura Foam, Seed Radar Light, Seed Clear Radar, and the Edding DR20 and IMHO, the Faber Castell beat all others in performance. It even managed to erase some color leads. Second was the KUM CLN.
Truly a nice eraser. Too bad it is not easily available in the US or here. All the less so, now that CW pencils is about to change course with its products and brands.
The Faber-Castell Dust Free is amazing, and I think it’s one of the best erasers currently available. Have you also tried the standard SEED Radar? – It’s a pity that the UltraCLN is so difficult to get in your region.
Agreed!
Never used the Radar standard. But am inclined to look into it. Have you? Do you recommend it?
As for the KUM, it is quite a shame that they don’t distribute it this side of the pond, notwithstanding that they already have dealers in US and Mexico. Hopefully they will change their ways. At least, you can now buy the Masterpiece in some stores -still my fav sharpener!
After using many different erasers I came back to the SEED Radar a few weeks ago and since then I use only it. Yes, I recommend it!
Yes, I also hope that the UltraCLN will come to stores or online retailers near you some day.
It’s great to hear that you still like the Masterpiece. I haven’t touched mine after the Pollux has arrived!
The only downside to the Masterpiece, is that it doesn’t work as well for writing purposes. For drawing/ illustration is phenomenal.
Besides, it is pretty easy to find replacement blades for it. Those are not as specialized as the Pollux.
The points created by the Masterpiece are quite special, and I can imagine that artists benefit most from this sharpener. – It’s good to hear that replacement blades can be found easily.
I was once very enthusiastic about the Masterpiece but after I got the Pollux I haven’t used the Masterpiece anymore.