--- title: "Tombow MONO Sand Eraser: Erasing Ink & Colored Pencil" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-mono-sand-eraser/" description: "Tombow MONO Sand eraser explained: how silica grit removes ballpoint ink and colored pencil, its 67 mm size, latex, the 2021 Japan recall and when to use it." category: "Accessories" type: "Eraser" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 8 products: - name: "Tombow MONO Sand eraser (US 57304; Japan ES-512B)" brand: "Tombow" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Natural rubber with silica grit, non-PVC, phthalate-free (Tombow Japan, Tombow USA); contains natural rubber latex (Tombow USA)" price_band: "$ (under $5 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd." model: "MONO Sand" mpn: "57304" gtin: "085014573047" url: "https://www.tombow.com/products/mono_sand_rubber_eraser/" --- # Tombow MONO Sand Eraser: Erasing Ink & Colored Pencil > The Tombow MONO Sand eraser is a grey rubber eraser filled with silica grit that removes ballpoint and rollerball ink, colored pencil and some marker by gently abrading the paper surface. MonotaRO lists the Japanese ES-512B at 67 × 16 × 8 mm and 13 g. In the US it's item 57304; the US version contains natural rubber latex. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-mono-sand-eraser/ - Category: Accessories - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![Grey Tombow MONO Sand eraser in its MONO sleeve, drawn to scale at 67 mm, beside blue ballpoint lines with a gap erased](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/tombow-mono-sand-eraser-16x9.png) *The MONO Sand at 67 mm, drawn at 1 mm = 5 px (sleeve artwork simplified).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tombow MONO Sand eraser (US 57304; Japan ES-512B) | Tombow (by Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Not stated | Natural rubber with silica grit, non-PVC, phthalate-free (Tombow Japan, Tombow USA); contains natural rubber latex (Tombow USA) | – | $: under $5 per item | - Made in (Tombow MONO Sand eraser (US 57304; Japan ES-512B)): Not stated. Tombow's Japanese and US pages don't state a country of manufacture, and the Amazon US listing for the 2-pack doesn't either, so check the sleeve. ## Key takeaways - Tombow Japan says the sand eraser removes ink by shaving it off together with a thin layer of paper; it's made of natural rubber and silica powder, non-PVC and phthalate-free. - MonotaRO lists the ES-512B at 67 × 16 × 8 mm (2.6 × 0.6 × 0.3 in) and 13 g. - Tombow USA sells it as item 57304 (UPC 085014573047) and says it's natural rubber latex with silica grit, for colored pencil, ballpoint, rollerball and some marker. - The 2-pack (67304) had 4.5 stars from 3,533 Amazon US ratings and ranked #23 in Standard Pencil Erasers on October 22, 2026. - In May 2021 Tombow recalled about 840,000 Japanese-market sand erasers (ES-512A, ES-510A) made July 2016 to May 2021 after metal fragments were found. ## What is the Tombow MONO Sand eraser? **It's an ink eraser: a grey rubber block loaded with fine silica grit that rubs away ballpoint, rollerball and colored pencil.** Tombow Japan describes it as the MONO eraser for ink, for text written in ballpoint pen or printed, and says it works by shaving the ink off together with the paper. On Amazon US the 2-pack, item 67304, had 4.5 stars from 3,533 ratings and ranked #23 in Standard Pencil Erasers when we checked on October 22, 2026. Tombow USA sells the single eraser as item 57304. ## Tombow MONO Sand eraser specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Japan) | | Codes | US 57304 (single), 67304 (2-pack); Japan ES-512B | | Size | 67 × 16 × 8 mm (2.6 × 0.6 × 0.3 in), per MonotaRO for the ES-512B | | Weight | 13 g (MonotaRO) | | Material | Natural rubber with silica grit; non-PVC, phthalate-free | | Latex | Contains natural rubber latex (Tombow USA) | | Erases | Ballpoint, rollerball, some marker, colored pencil, print | | Price band | $ (under $5 per eraser) | | Made in | Not stated by Tombow | Tombow doesn't publish a size on the pages we read, so the dimensions are MonotaRO's for the Japanese ES-512B. Tombow USA doesn't publish a cross-reference between 57304 and the Japanese code. ![Tombow MONO Sand eraser to scale: 67 mm long, 16 mm wide, 8 mm thick, 13 g](https://stationerytimes.com/images/tombow-mono-sand-eraser-size.svg) *The ES-512B as MonotaRO lists it, at 1 mm = 5 px.* ## How does a sand eraser remove ink? **By abrasion: the grit wears away the top fibers of the paper, and the ink sitting in them goes too.** That's why Tombow Japan says it erases the ink together with the paper, rather than lifting it like a pencil eraser lifts graphite. Use short, light strokes and check often. Because it removes paper, it thins and roughens the spot it erases, so try it on scrap from the same pad first. For erasing in pencil work, a plastic eraser such as the [Tombow MONO](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-mono-eraser/) is gentler. ## Was the Tombow sand eraser recalled? **Yes, in Japan, in 2021.** On May 17, 2021, Tombow announced a voluntary recall of its MONO Sand eraser ES-512A after metal fragments were found in some pieces, and also recalled the MONO Sand Rubber eraser ES-510A, which shared the production issue. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry lists about 840,000 pieces made from July 2016 to May 2021, identified by a paper mark on the barcode side. Tombow said no injuries had been reported. Current Japanese codes are ES-512B and ES-510B; the notices we read cover Japanese-market codes only. ## MONO Sand vs MONO Sand and Rubber: which should you choose? **Choose the MONO Sand for ink and colored pencil only, and the two-sided Sand and Rubber if you erase both ink and pencil in the same notes.** | | MONO Sand | MONO Sand and Rubber | [MONO Dust Catch](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-mono-dust-catch-eraser/) | |---|---|---|---| | Erases | Ink, colored pencil | Ink (sand side), pencil (rubber side) | Pencil | | Material | Rubber + silica | Sand + rubber | PVC tack polymer | | Japan code | ES-512B | ES-510B | EN-DC | | US item | 57304 | Sold by Tombow USA | 57334 | For fixing ink without abrading paper, correction tape such as the [Tombow MONO correction tape](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-mono-correction-tape/) covers the mistake instead of removing it. Our [best erasers](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-erasers/) roundup lists the pencil erasers we rate highest. ## Where is the Tombow MONO Sand made? **Tombow doesn't say on the pages we read, and neither does the Amazon US listing.** Tombow is a Tokyo company founded in 1913. Check the sleeve of the eraser you buy for a country of manufacture. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a sand eraser damage paper? It removes a thin layer of the paper surface along with the ink; Tombow Japan says it erases by shaving the ink off together with the paper. Use light strokes, and don't use it on thin paper. ### Can the Tombow MONO Sand erase gel pen? Tombow USA names ballpoint, rollerball and some marker, but not gel ink specifically. We haven't tested it on gel ink yet, so try a scrap of the same paper first. ### Is the Tombow MONO Sand eraser latex-free? No. Tombow USA lists it as natural rubber latex with silica grit, so avoid it if you have a latex allergy. Tombow Japan lists the ES-512B as natural rubber, non-PVC. ### What is the MONO Sand and Rubber eraser? A two-sided version: Tombow USA says the sand side erases ink and the rubber side erases pencil. In Japan it's the MONO Sand Rubber Eraser, ES-510B. ### Is my Tombow MONO Sand eraser part of the 2021 recall? Only if it's a Japanese-market ES-512A or ES-510A made from July 2016 to May 2021 with a paper mark on the barcode side, per Tombow's notice. Current Japanese codes end in B. ### Can it erase colored pencil? Yes. Tombow USA sells it for colored pencil as well as ink, and also sells a 2-pack as the MONO Sand Colored Pencil Eraser. ## Sources - [トンボ鉛筆: モノ砂ラバー消しゴム/砂消しゴム (Tombow Japan: for ballpoint and printed text, natural rubber and silica powder, non-PVC, phthalate-free, erases by shaving ink with the paper; ES-512B, ES-510B)](https://www.tombow.com/products/mono_sand_rubber_eraser/) - [Tombow USA: MONO Sand Eraser (SKU 57304, UPC 085014573047; natural rubber latex and silica grit; colored pencil, ballpoint, rollerball, some marker)](https://www.tombowusa.com/products/mono-sand-eraser) - [Tombow USA: MONO Sand Colored Pencil Eraser, 2-pack](https://www.tombowusa.com/products/colored-pencil-eraser-2pk) - [Tombow USA: MONO Sand and Rubber Eraser (sand side for ink, rubber side for pencil)](https://www.tombowusa.com/products/mono-sand-and-rubber-eraser) - [MonotaRO: トンボ鉛筆 モノ砂消しゴム ES-512B (natural rubber + silica, 13 g, 16 × 8 × 67 mm)](https://www.monotaro.com/s/?q=ES-512B) - [トンボ鉛筆: 砂消しゴムの自主回収にご協力をお願いします (Tombow recall notice, May 17, 2021: metal fragments in ES-512A; ES-510A also recalled)](https://www.tombow.com/notice/210517/) - [経済産業省: リコール情報, トンボ鉛筆 消しゴム (METI recall record: ES-512A, ES-510A, JCB-112, made July 2016–May 2021, 840,000 pieces)](https://www.meti.go.jp/product_safety/recall/file/210517-3.html) - [Amazon US: Tombow 67304 Mono Sand Eraser, 2-Pack (B00P0PFIW0; UPC 085014673044, 4.5 stars from 3,533 ratings, #23 in Standard Pencil Erasers, read October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P0PFIW0)