Tombow 62039 Fudenosuke Brush Pens, 3-Pack - Soft, Hard, and Twin Tip Markers for Calligraphy Review (2026)

What is actually in the box

The set pairs three distinct Fudenosuke pens rather than three copies of one pen. The hard tip pen produces a firmer, more controlled stroke that runs roughly 0.2mm to 1.2mm depending on pressure, the soft tip pen flexes more and covers about 0.3mm to 1.3mm for looser, more expressive script, and the twin tip pen carries black ink on one end and gray on the other so a letterer can add tonal shading without buying a second marker. Manufacturer Tombow lists all three as odorless, water-based pigmented ink pens that are non-refillable, meaning each one is disposable once it runs dry rather than a barrel you reload.

Why the range of tips matters for practice

Small brush pens like these live and die by how the tip responds to pressure, and having a hard, soft and twin tip side by side lets a beginner feel that difference directly instead of guessing from a single pen. The hard tip is the easier starting point because it snaps back to a fine line quickly, which suits envelopes, planner spreads and small cards where control matters more than dramatic swells. The soft tip rewards a lighter, slower hand and produces the wider swells associated with modern brush calligraphy, while the twin tip's gray end is useful for adding shadow strokes to finished letterforms or sketching guides before inking in black.

Paper choice makes or breaks these pens

Tombow specifically recommends smooth surface papers for the Fudenosuke line, naming marker paper, tracing paper, smooth mixed media paper, vellum and HP Premium 32 laserjet paper as good matches, while cautioning that ordinary copy paper will compromise how the tip performs. This matters more with brush pens than with ballpoint or fineliner pens because the fibers in rough or absorbent paper can fray a brush tip over time and cause the ink to feather instead of holding a clean edge. Practicing on the wrong stock is a common reason new letterers think a pen is bad when the paper is the actual problem.

How it stacks up against other small brush pens

Against Tombow's own 62038 two-pack, which offers only the hard and soft tips, this 3-pack costs more but adds the twin tip pen and its shading option, making it the more complete starter kit if the goal is to explore Fudenosuke tips broadly. Compared with the SAKURA Pigma Professional Brush 6-piece set, which leans toward drawing-oriented brush sizes, the Fudenosuke pens are built specifically around calligraphy-style pressure control rather than illustration linework. Pentel's Fude and Sign Touch pens are a reasonable alternative if a letterer wants brighter felt-tip color options, since this Tombow set stays entirely in black and gray.

Verdict and who might look elsewhere

At our score of 9.2 out of 10, this is a strong pick for anyone who wants to compare Tombow's core Fudenosuke tip styles before investing in a full Dual Brush Pen collection, and it remains a staple recommendation in lettering classes for good reason. Choose it if you letter mostly in black ink on envelopes, cards or planner pages and want to feel out hard versus soft brush control. Look elsewhere if you need bright colors for your practice, since this pack is black and gray only, or if you already own the 62038 two-pack and do not need the added twin tip pen.

Frequently asked questions