Pencils

Pencils are writing instruments that use a core of graphite encased in a solid outer material, usually wood. The graphite core, commonly called “lead” though it contains no metal, is blended with clay to adjust hardness. The wooden shell protects the core and provides a grip, and it is typically shaped as a hexagon or a cylinder.

The modern pencil form developed in Europe after a large graphite deposit was found in Cumbria, England, in the 16th century. Early pencils used sticks of graphite wrapped with string or skin. In 1795, Nicolas-Joseph Conté introduced a method to mix graphite with clay and bake the mixture, producing standardized hardness grades. The 19th and 20th centuries saw mass production, the familiar wooden pencil with a ferrule and eraser, and the advent of mechanical pencils with replaceable leads.

Hardness designations range from very hard H to very soft B. The common international scale uses HB as a middle grade; softer pencils leave darker marks and are favored for drawing, while harder ones produce lighter lines and finer details. Colored pencils use wax-based binders and pigments rather than graphite, suitable for artistic coloring and shading.

Most standard pencils use cedar or other softwoods for the outer casing, which is glued around the core and finished with paint or lacquer. Environmental considerations include responsible forestry practices and recycling of wood waste from sharpening. Pencils remain widely used in education, art, and technical fields for their simplicity, portability, and erasability.