Question: is 2b and hb 2 the same?
Answer: There is no real difference between the two; for all practical purposes, an HB pencil is the same as an HB 2 pencil, and is the same as a #2 pencil; the reason is simple: ... Generally speaking, a #1 pencil is the equivalent of a 2B, a #2 pencil the equivalent of an HB, and a #3 pencil is the equivalent of a 2H.