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Take a look at the writing end of abrand new wooden pencil before sharpening it; it appears that the wood casing is one solid piece. This might lead you to believe that pencil makers bore a hole straight down the middle of the wood and then slide in a rod of lead. Although early pencils were constructed in this manner, it is not how most wooden pencils are mass produced today.
Early pencils were crude versions of today's standard model. The first pencil was just a chunk of graphite used by carpenters and artisans to make markings without denting their materials. This evolved into a graphite chunk wrapped in sheepskin, followed by a string wrapped graphite pencil, the first pencil with a rod shaped graphite core. To use one of these pencils, the writer would have to unravel the string as the graphite wore down. The next major leap in design was hollowing out a stick of cedar and sticking a piece of graphite down the hole, an idea often credited to the Italians. The English embraced this idea but simplified the manufacturing process considerably. Instead of hollowing out a piece of wood, they simply cut a groove in the wood, inserted a piece of graphite and broke it off level with the top of the groove. They then glued a small slat of wood on top, encasing the graphite.
Today, most wooden pencils are mass produced from large blocks of cedar cut into slats. A machine cuts eight grooves, half as deep as the graphite clay rod is thick, into the slats, and then places rods in each groove. Once the rods are in place, a second grooved slat is glued on top of the first. When the glue dries, the slats are fed through a cutting machine that cuts the wood into various shapes and divides the slats into eight separate pencils. The seams where the two slats are joined are sanded down and several coats of paint are applied to the pencil, giving it the appearance of a solid structure.
More than 14 billion pencils are produced in the world every year, enough to circle the earth 62 times. This pile of pencils includes a wide variety of styles and widths. If you've ever have taken a fill in the bubble test, you're probably aware that pencils vary in darkness. The number printed on the side of the pencil indicates hardness and darkness of the graphite core: the higher the number, the harder the graphite core. Because a hard core leaves behind less of the graphite clay mixture on the paper, it will have a fainter mark than a softer core.
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What type of lead does a wooden pencil have?
A wooden pencil typically has a lead made of a mixture of graphite and clay. The combination of these materials creates a smooth writing experience when applied to paper.
Parts of a pencil?
well a pencil has led, wood, metal, and eraser
When was a lead pencil invented?
The lead pencil, which actually contains graphite and not lead, was invented in the 16th century. The modern version with a wooden casing was patented in 1806 by the Frenchman Nicolas-Jacques Conte.
What are the parts of pencil?
A pencil typically consists of a wooden barrel, a graphite or lead core, and an eraser at one end. The wooden barrel is usually hexagonal in shape to prevent rolling and provide a comfortable grip.
Do mehcanical pencil lasts longer than a wooden pencil?
Yes it does, if you take good care of it, but you have to keep adding lead.
Where can wooden pencils be recycled?
Pencils DO NOT contain lead. The "pencil lead" is actually a mixture of graphite (a form of Carbon) and clay. Pencil lead is therefore natural and biodegradable, you do not need to recycle it.
How do they get lead into pencil?
Lead isn't actually used in pencils; the "lead" in pencils is made of a mixture of graphite and clay. The graphite/clay mixture is pressed into a thin rod and inserted into the wooden casing of a pencil.
What are the names of the pencil parts?
The main parts of a pencil are the lead (graphite core), the eraser, the barrel (wooden casing), and the ferrule (metal band that secures the eraser to the pencil).
What is the material in a pencil?
The material in a pencil is typically graphite, a form of carbon that leaves a mark when drawn on paper. The graphite is mixed with clay to create the pencil "lead" that is encased in the wooden barrel of the pencil. The hardness of the lead can vary, producing different shades and line thicknesses.
You are taken from a mine and shut up in a wooden case from which you are never released and yet you are used by almost everybody?
A pencil lead.
What is the average volume of a wooden pencil?
The average volume of a wooden pencil is approximately 0.5 cubic centimeters.
What is the percentage of lead in the lead pencil you are using?
A typical lead pencil does not actually contain lead. The "lead" in a pencil is made of graphite, which is a crystalline form of carbon. Therefore, there is 0% lead in a lead pencil.
