Generally, I find them hardened in the store and warehouse. That is why I use 4B almost exclusively. It is soft enough for the darkest darks, and hard enough to bear down without breaking. I use a pencil lead holder, so I do not need to sharpen any wood repeatedly. You would benefit if you chiseled your point more often with a shanding block. You will find that your lines are even more expressive when you maximize the tip with a chiseled point. You will have darker darks, more control, and a greater variety of lines at your disposal. If you don't sand the tip, you limit yourself to a monoline.
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