Pencil

A pencil is a writing or drawing instrument consisting of a slender core of graphite and clay encased in a protective outer housing, typically made of wood. When the core is rubbed against paper, graphite deposits a dark mark that can usually be erased. Most pencils have a wooden barrel with one or more graphite cores and an eraser at the opposite end; mechanical pencils use refillable leads and a push- or twist-mechanism.

The core is made from a blend of graphite and clay, whose proportion determines hardness and darkness. Pencils are graded on a scale that uses H for hard, B for black (soft), and F for a fine point; HB sits near the middle. Softer pencils (e.g., 2B, 4B) leave darker marks and wear more quickly; harder pencils (e.g., 2H, 4H) produce lighter lines and finer edges. The modern pencil core was developed in the late 18th century when Nicolas-Jacques Conté devised a method to mix graphite with clay and encase it in wood.

Wooden pencils are commonly made with cedar, though other woods are used. In addition to standard graphite pencils, colored pencils use pigmented cores for art, while carpenter’s pencils have broad, rectangular cores for marking on rough surfaces. Pencils are sharpened with a blade or dedicated sharpener to expose a fresh point. Environmental considerations emphasize sustainable forestry and responsible disposal, while graphite and clay are non-toxic and widely used in both education and art.