Pencil Information
A pencil is a handheld instrument used to write and draw. It differs from pens in the material used to make a mark, and the fact that erasing is possible. Although long called "lead pencils", pencils are not made of lead, but rather of graphite, originally found only in England. Italians first thought of wooden holders for graphite.
Today pencils hold a mixture of graphite, clay powder, and water formed in long strings and fired in a kiln.
Pencil leads come in a variety of grades from 9H (hardest), 8 H,....2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B,..., 8B, 9B (softest). In the U.S. numbers only are sometimes used: #1 = B (softest and darkest), #2 = HB (most popular), #3 = H, #4 = 2H (hard and light).
A mechanical pencil or propelling pencil is a pencil that has an internal mechanism that pushes graphite through the tip, and therefore does not need to be manually sharpened. Mechanical pencils come in a variety of lead sizes -- from 0.3mm up to 5.6mm. If you buy a 0.5mm pencil, you must use 0.5mm lead.
A number of different types exist including ratchet-based (lead advanced by a button on the end or side) and twist-based (lead advanced by twisting the head of the pencil). Most have a locking mechanism that allows the lead to be pushed back into the pencil when not in use. Most also have a rubber eraser on the end.
Many brands produce beautiful mechanical pencils to match fountain pens, ballpoint, or rollerball pens. PenCity carries a variety of mechanical pencils in a wide range of styles and prices. We also carry regular wood pencils, and a large assortment of lead refills.
