EVERY PENCIL IS
A SANDW ICH
Everything you wanted to know about a timeless
creative tool.
[Link]
TAB L E OF
CONTENTS
3
4
6
7
9
11
A Word from the Pencil Pushers
Pencil History
How a Pencil is Made
The Lead Pencil Myth
The Graphite Grading Scale Explained
How to Get More Info
About the Author
Alexander Poirier is a writer who has
worked with [Link] for over three
years. A seasoned pencil pusher, his
favorite pencil is the Palomino Blackwing
602. Chat with him on Twitter or
Instagram @pencilscom.
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
Whats inside
ave you ever wondered how they get the lead inside of a pencil? Or what the 2 on
a #2 pencil really means? Well, then let us introduce ourselves. Were [Link],
and weve been the go-to source for pencil facts, news and information for nearly
20 years. But thats not all; were also one of the webs leading providers of woodcased pencils,
notebooks, sharpeners and creative tools.
In this ebook, youll discover the truth
behind the lead pencil myth, learn the ten
steps to making a quality pencil, unearth
the location of the worlds first graphite
deposit, and find out why 1+1 = HB.
Behind [Link] is California Cedar
Products Company, the worlds leading
supplier of wooden slats used in the
production of wood-cased pencils. Our
wood is used in Palominos writing products
as well as many of the top pencil brands
worldwide, including most of the woodcased pencils sold on this site.
A fourth generation, family-owned company, Cal Cedar has been built on a tradition of
excellence both in the production of superior products and in our dedication to building strong
relations with our customers. When it comes to experience in the pencil industry, the family
goes back seven generations.
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
P E N C IL
HIS TORY
The earliest known woodcased pencil,
courtesy of Faber-Castell.
The Earliest Forms of Self-Expression
Did you know that modern pencils owe it all to
inserted into hollowed-out wooden sticks and,
an ancient Roman writing instrument called a
thus, the wood-cased pencil was born!
stylus? Scribes used this thin metal rod to leave
a light but readable mark on papyrus (an early
Nuremberg, Germany was the birthplace of
form of paper). Other early styluses were made
the first mass-produced pencils in 1662.
of lead, which is what we still call pencil cores
Spurred by Faber-Castell (established in 1761),
even though they are actually made of non-
Lyra, Steadtler and other companies, an active
toxic graphite (more on that later). But pencil
pencil industry developed throughout the
history doesnt stop there
19th century industrial revolution.
Graphite came into widespread use following
the discovery of a large graphite deposit in
Borrowdale, England in 1564. Appreciated for
leaving a darker mark than lead, the mineral
proved so soft and brittle that it required a
holder. Originally, graphite sticks were
wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
Pencil History in the United States
Early settlers depended on pencils from overseas until the war with England cut off imports.
William Monroe, a Concord, Massachusetts cabinet-maker, is credited with making Americas first
wood pencils in 1812. Another Concord native, famous author Henry David Thoreau, was also
renowned for his pencil-making prowess.
The American pencil industry took off when The Joseph Dixon Crucible Company (now Dixon
Ticonderoga) and more pencil manufacturers started getting into the act and, towards the end of
the 19th century, New York and New Jersey hosted several factories established by prominent
German pencil manufacturers, including Faber-Castell, Eberhard Faber, Eagle Pencil Company
(later Berol) and General Pencil Company.
The first mass-produced pencils were natural and unpainted to show off high-quality wood
casings. But, by the 1890s, many pencil manufacturers started painting pencils and imprinting
them with brand names.
Following the Wood
Early American pencils were made from Eastern Red Cedar, a strong, splinterresistant wood that grew in Tennessee and other parts of the Southeastern
United States. To be nearer to the source, Northern manufacturers migrated
south and set up wood mills until, eventually, the greatest concentration of
U.S. pencil manufacturers had established factories in Tennessee. To this day,
Incense-cedar
has a smooth,
the remaining U.S. pencil producers are primarily concentrated in the South.
fine grain that
By the early 1900s, however, additional sources of wood were needed. Pencil
sharpens evenly
manufacturers turned to Californias Sierra Nevada mountains where they
found Incense-cedar, a species that grew in abundance and made superior
pencils. California Incense-cedar soon became the wood of choice for
domestic and international pencil makers around the world.
To ensure the continued availability of Incense-cedar, forest workers and
landowners have carefully managed the stands of trees, and timber
companies have committed to harvesting Incense-cedar on a sustained-yield
basis. Sustained-yield means that the annual growth of the forest is greater
than the amount harvested from the forest. Forests managed on a sustained-
and provides a
superior pencil
performance
when compared
to other wood
species.
yield basis are abundant and healthy and will continue to provide wood for
people and habitats for animals for generations to come.
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
Every pencil is like a
sandwich.
6
THE LEAD PENCIL
MYTH
Heres a myth buster: There is no lead in pencils. Rather, the core is made
up of a non-toxic mineral called graphite. The common name pencil lead
is due to an historic association with the stylus made of lead in ancient
Roman times.
EARLY GRAPHITE DISCOVERIES
Graphite came into widespread use following the discovery of a
large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England in 1564. As the
story goes, a passerby found bits of a shiny, black substance
clinging to the roots of a fallen tree. The whole countryside was
abuzz with talk about this mysterious mineral, which eventually
came to be known as plumbago or, more commonly,
Blacklead. They found it left a dark mark, making it ideal for
writing and drawing, but so soft and brittle, some type of
holder was required. Initially, they wrapped graphite with
string. Later, the graphite was inserted into hollowed out
wooden sticks. The wood-cased pencil was born!
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
In 1795, a French chemist named Nicholas Jacques Cont
patented a new process for making graphite pencil leads. This
method mixed powdered graphite and clay in a water slurry,
then formed sticks which were hardened in a kiln. These
composite graphite-clay leads allowed for more efficient use
of graphite and revolutionized the pencil industry. Not only did
the formula reduce costs, but by adjusting the ratio of clay and
graphite powder, the changing hardness allowed more control
of the lightness and darkness of the graphite mark left on the
PENCIL CORES TODAY
paper. Its proved to be a win-win for creative folks ever since!
Todays graphite writing cores are a
mixture of graphite and clay. By varying
GRAPHITE IN AMERICA
the graphite to clay ratio, pencil makers
adjust the core hardnessusually
identified by a number ( 2, 2-1/2 or 3)
In 1821, Charles Dunbar (author Henry David Thoreaus
or letters ( HB,2B, H or F). Head over to
brother-in-law) discovered a graphite deposit in New England
page 9 for more info!
that proved to be of a quality superior to any previously found
in the United States (though not typically up to the European
quality). Still, his finding spurred the U.S. pencil industry to set
up their manufacturing centers close to these graphite
deposits. Eventually, the Thoreau pencil factory came to be
known as one of the finest makers of pencils in America.
GRAPHITE EUREKA IN SIBERIA
gold in Siberian streams when he came upon some very round,
some 270 miles until he came to the source of his discovery.
There he set up a mine but, during the first seven years of
operation, the mine produced graphite of marginal quality.
Then a rich and unbroken deposit of the highest-quality
graphite was uncovered, a find that yielded pieces of pure ore
weighing as much as 80 pounds!
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
have been carried a long distance downstream, he trekked
H
IG
very smooth pieces of pure graphite. Reasoning that they must
TL
O
SP
In 1847, French merchant Jean-Pierre Alibert was searching for
Henry David
Thoreau
designed
pencils at his
fathers
pencil factory
before
retreating to
Walden.
GRAPHITE GRADING SCALES
EXPL AINED
A pencils graphite grade actually refers to its graphite
hardness. This grade can generally be found towards the
unsharpened end of the pencil, as seen here. There are
two graphite grading scales used around the world: the
numerical graphite scale and the HB graphite scale.
Contrary to popular belief, however, there is no industry
standard for these scales.
NUMERICAL GRAPHITE SCALE
The first graphite grading scale is a numeric scale. Using this
scale, the hardness of the core is often marked on the pencil
look for a number (such as 2 2-1/2 or 3). The higher
the number the harder the writing core and the lighter the
mark left on the paper. As the pencil core becomes softer
(through the use of lower proportions of clay) it leaves a
darker mark as it deposits more graphite material on the
paper. Softer pencils will dull faster than harder leads and
require more frequent sharpening.
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
HB GRAPHITE SCALE
GRAPHITE SCALE COMPARISONS
The second graphite grading scale is known as the
Generally, an HB grade (about the middle of the
HB scale. Most pencil manufacturers outside of the
scale) is considered to be equivalent to a #2 pencil
U.S. use this scale, using the letter H to indicate a
using the U.S. numbering system.
hard pencil. Likewise, a pencil maker might use the
letter B to designate the blackness of the pencils
In reality however, there is no specific industry
mark, indicating a softer lead. The letter F is also
standard for the darkness of the mark to be left
used to indicate that the pencil sharpens to a fine
within the HB or any other hardness grade scale.
point.
Thus, a #2 or HB pencil from one brand will not
necessarily leave the same mark as a #2 or HB
Historically, pencil makers also use combinations of
pencil from another brand. Most pencil
letters to tell us about the graphite a pencil
manufacturers set their own internal standards for
marked HB is hard and black, a pencil marked HH
graphite hardness grades and overall quality of the
is very hard, and a pencil marked BBB is really,
core, some differences are regional. In Japan,
really black! Today, however, most pencils using the
consumers tend to prefer softer darker leads; so an
HB system are designated by a number such as 2B,
HB lead produced in Japan is generally softer and
4B or 2H to indicate the degree of hardness. For
darker than an HB from European producers.
example, a 4B would be softer than a 2B and a 3H
harder than an H.
Finding what works best for your own artistic and
writing needs is generally a matter of personal
preference and experimentation with different
brands of pencils.
EVERY PENCIL IS A S ANDW ICH
10
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