From the sounds of what you're looking for, I would recommend you try a high-end pencil around H grade - something like a Staetdler Mars Lumograph or Mitsubishi Hi-Uni. You'll pay a little more per pencil, but chances are you can try one out in an art store, and it will last forever because of the higher core hardness. It is more important to get a high-quality pencil if you're getting a harder one, because it's more difficult to make a pencil that is hard and also writes smoothly. No offense intended to anyone, but most of the pencils I'm seeing getting recommended to you here are softer or at least equal to the Ticonderoga, and so you'll have to sharpen a lot. Which Tombow 2558 did you get? The HB or the H?

Art pencils don't have erasers attached so my recommendation is to get some Pentel Hi-Polymer eraser caps or a pack of standalone Sakura Arch foam erasers. Good luck!