Pencils have been around for almost as long as the dirt used to make them. Well maybe not quite:) But they are arguably one the earliest forms of technology? Write up there with fire (pun intended sorry…) Especially when you consider all the technology that was birthed by means of a pencil.
The first pencil produced looked more like a mechanical pencil. It featured many hallmarks of the present-day mechanical pencil[1].
A mechanical pencil has a mechanism to extend a solid pigment core known as the lead. The lead is not connected to the outer casing of the pencil. The lead is usually made of graphite, clay, and a thin stick of wax.
- SKETCH - DESIGN - INSPIRE - Does your life revolve around your creative passions? Do you want the freedom to create when ever and where ever you happen to be when inspiration strikes? Do you love the feel and smell of leather?
- SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED ORGANIZER FOR… Artists, designers, architects and creatives.
- PERFECT - Sure there is room for a small laptop or tablet for the digital creative, but this isn't designed for the board room but the drawing room. And since the whole world is your studio you'll love the carry strap and hooks. Carry it under you arm like a classic padfolio or throw it over your shoulder like a messenger bag
- DIMENSIONS: Exterior is 13.6" by 12.2" and about 2" deep. Inside the padfolio will comfortably fit a standard 9x12 sketchbook. The accordion pocket will fit a 9"x12" laptop, the zippered pocket will fit a 6.75"x9.5" tablet. The slit on the writing side of the padfolio will fit a slim clipboard. The other side has 18 pen loops.
- NEW STRAP DESIGN & MATERIAL! (This listing is for the leather padfolio and strap only. All other contents, devices, tools and accessories are shown for display purposes only).
Different names in different countries know mechanical pencils. In the UK, they are referred to as “propelling pencil,” and in India, they are known as the delightfully oxymoronic “pen pencil.” A mechanical pencil that is meant for drawing and sketching is often referred to as a drafting pencil.
Contents
History Of Mechanical Pencil
A mechanical pencil is a simple tool. Its invention and development took decades. Being an ever-sharp pencil, it was a perfect tool for writing and still is.
In 1567, the first pencil produced looked more like a modern mechanical pencil than a wooden pencil. It depicts a wooden stock that held replaceable graphite. It did not have the convenience of accessing more leads in one click.
1822: Invention
In 1822, Samson Mordan and Gabriel Riddle in England invented the mechanical pencil. It was like a refillable lead holder. Users used to carry uniform pieces of lead in their pockets. During that time, there was a shortage of soft graphite used in regular pencils. So there was a need to import lower quality graphite. This was a source of inspiration for Samson and Gabriel.
1860: Along Comes A.W. Faber
A.W. Faber invented a more advanced version of the pencil in 1860. This model helped drafters in architecture. Faber, a renowned maker and manufacturer of writing tools made a holder. It was hollow, and it could fit longer lead in it. After a year, he then invented and patented a twist lock-clutch model.
1862-1899: Innovation
Mechanical pencil took a giant leap in 1879. Joseph Hoffmann invented a push-button clutch pencil in New York. The mechanical pencil became impressive at that time and had a design flow.
Several inventors implemented many small innovations in the 19th century. The most noticeable was the spring-loaded pencil. It was developed in 1877. The twist-feed model was introduced in 1895.
1915: No Longer A Lead Holder
The lead pencil was known by many names, mostly some push pencil or lead holder variation. In 1915, two men from different countries came out with innovative designs. It changed the mechanical pencil model.
In Japan, a metal worker, Tokuji Hayakawa, implemented a metal shaft, sharp lead, and a screw-based mechanism. The mechanical pencil was introduced as the ever-ready sharp pencil. However, it did not sell overnight. Many people were not familiar with the body of the pencil. So they were hesitant to buy.
The major companies in Tokyo and Alaska then put in large orders. The pencil started selling up fast. After a few years, Hayakawa named the company from that pencil, Sharp. Hayakawa’s model was screw-based.
Charles Keeran from Illinois developed a similar pencil in the US, but it was a ratchet-based model. In this, two or three jaws at the tip of the pencil hold the lead. The user can press the button at the opposite end, and the lead comes out.
1939
In 1939, the leads appeared to be thin. The first-ever lead had a diameter of 0.9mm. Then 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.3, and 1.4 mm lead was introduced. Today we have 0.4 and 0.2 size leads as well.
From then on, the pencil was named as Mechanical Pencil. Almost every businessman and educational institution uses mechanical pencils. Today, manufacturing and sales of pencils are higher and better. Some factories are designed to produce and test pencil products and designs.
Using A Mechanical Pencil
Extending the lead
Mechanical pencil lets you extend the lead out from the end of the pencil.
- Push Button. A mechanical pencil has a button that extends the lead every time you press it. The button is located at the top of the pencil. Some pencils have buttons on their clip or side.
- Shaker. Some mechanical pencil work by shaking the pencil up and down. A sliding weight inside the pencil pushes a button inside the pencil to extend the lead. Along with it, it includes a conventional push button as well.
- Twist. Some mechanical pencil works by twisting the knob at the top end or twisting the pencil’s nose cone. Twist pencil can hold only one lead at a time.
Retracting The Lead
If you overextend the lead, you will need to retract it. You can hold the button down for the shaker and push-button pencil. Then push the lead back into the tip. For a mechanical twist pencil, you can twist the knob in the opposite direction.
Refilling The Lead
The lead in the pencil gets used up and needs refilling with more lead.
- Picking the right leads. Make sure the size of the lead fits your mechanical pencil. The lead size is printed on the pencil. If you put a narrow lead, it will just fall. If the lead is too wide, it will get jammed inside the pencil.
- Installing the lead. To install the lead in a pencil, pull the top cap of the pencil. If the cap has an eraser inside, pull it up. Add the leads into the pencil. Put back the eraser and cap. The mechanical twist pencil is refilled by putting lead on the tip of the pencil.
Using eraser
Mechanical pencils have erasers built at the top end of the pencil. It is mostly hidden under the cap or push button. You can pull the cap to use the eraser. Some pencils come with twist erasers. You can extract or retract by twisting the top end of the pencil. You can even replace the eraser. Pull up the old ones and insert the new eraser in place.
Benefits Of A Mechanical Pencil
- No Sharpening. As compared to wooden pencils, the mechanical pencil does not require sharpening. At least for the smaller leads. 2 mm lead mechanical pencils do require sharpening. Lead refills are manufactured uniformly in thickness. Then users can merely click to extend more lead as required.
- Consistent Line. The wooden pencil is sharpened. It first writes a thin line and then gets thicker and thicker. With a mechanical pencil, it has the same line throughout.
- Consistent Balance. As the wooden pencil gets shorter while sharpening, its balance changes. It becomes difficult to hold the pencil as well. Mechanical pencil stays consistent. You have to change the lead.
- Refillable. Mechanical pencil is an environmentally friendly option. You don’t have to throw the pencil after use. You can refill the lead. There is no need for trees to cut down.
- Style. The mechanical pencil designs vary in how they look. Some mechanical pencils look like luxury goods, some like technical tools or simple plastic-bodied pencils. Mechanical pencils are designed to look appealing. Mechanical pencils are versatile when it comes to looks and overall aesthetics.
Different Sizes Of Mechanical Pencil
Lead can refill all mechanical pencils with lead. The lead size ranges from 0.3mm to 2mm in diameter or even some fat 5mm options. The thicker lead pencils need to be sharpened. Some have cap sharpeners instead of erasers. Some, usually particular artists and designers will use an emery board (nail file or sandpaper) to put a custom edge on their leads.
The mechanical pencils have different lead thickness and sizes. Lead hardness’ are readily available in HB and B hardness, though you can even find leads in 4H, 2H, 4B, 6B, and even 8B, depending on the size of lead. These harder leads (or lighter value essentially) are often used for sketching and drawing, to get fine lines and subtle shading. The softer leads (or darker values) are used to get those rich dark tones, closer to charcoal color.
Types Of Mechanical Pencil
Today, Mechanical pencils are based on three principles. Ratchet-based, screw-based, and clutch based.
Ratchet-based. Ratchet-based pencils have two to three jaws inside a ring, which holds the lead. A button on the end of the pencil controls the jaws. When the button is pressed at the end of the pencil, the lead moves forward and then separates. When you release the button and the jaws retract, a small rubber inside the tip keeps the lead intact. The lead cannot fall out freely or ride back up.
Screw-Based. Screw-based pencils have a screw inside. The screw, when twisted, moves the slider down the barrel of the pencil. Some screw-based mechanism has a lock system. You can push the lead back into the pencil. This type of pencil was popular in the early twentieth century.
Clutch-based. Clutch-pencils is a variant of a ratchet-based pencil. They also have two to three jaws. But it doesn’t hold the lead. Thicker leads are used in clutch pencils, mostly 2mm to 5.6mm. It can hold one lead at a time.
The Very Best Pencil for Sketching!
Conclusion
A mechanical pencil is a writing tool that is easy to use and can be erased. The use of mechanical pencils has become popular among businesses and students. Some mechanical pencils include an eraser and lead and can be reused. Mechanical pencil stays the same length with a consistent grip throughout.
- SKETCH - DESIGN - INSPIRE - Does your life revolve around your creative passions? Do you want the freedom to create when ever and where ever you happen to be when inspiration strikes? Do you love the feel and smell of leather?
- SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED ORGANIZER FOR… Artists, designers, architects and creatives.
- PERFECT - Sure there is room for a small laptop or tablet for the digital creative, but this isn't designed for the board room but the drawing room. And since the whole world is your studio you'll love the carry strap and hooks. Carry it under you arm like a classic padfolio or throw it over your shoulder like a messenger bag
- DIMENSIONS: Exterior is 13.6" by 12.2" and about 2" deep. Inside the padfolio will comfortably fit a standard 9x12 sketchbook. The accordion pocket will fit a 9"x12" laptop, the zippered pocket will fit a 6.75"x9.5" tablet. The slit on the writing side of the padfolio will fit a slim clipboard. The other side has 18 pen loops.
- NEW STRAP DESIGN & MATERIAL! (This listing is for the leather padfolio and strap only. All other contents, devices, tools and accessories are shown for display purposes only).
Mechanical pencils have evolved significantly over the years. Some models feature liquid graphite nowadays. Samson Mordan and Gabriel Riddle invented the actual mechanical pencil in 1822. After years of refinement and innovation, today’s world is filled with various functional mechanical pencils to choose from.
Here’s a great vid by Lindsay Wilson on how mechanical pencils work:
References:
[1] A Brief History of the Mechanical Pencil