History of the Pencil

As we are all writer’s professional or as a passion or both, there is one thing, one object that when we look at it and we think to ourselves why, who and how did the pencil come to be?

What is a pencil?

A pencil is a writing utensil usually constructed from a long, narrow and solid pigment, encased in a protective barrier. The casing traditional made from wood keeps the solid pigment inside from breaking and causing a mess on ones hands. Most pencil cores or there pigment is made from graphite that is mixed with clay, the clay acts as a binder. The point to the pigment is to leave a mark usually grey but can be darker.

When did the pencil come to be the pencil?

It is thought that sometime before 1565, in fact some say before the 1500’s, a very large graphite deposit was discovered in England. The locals found that the graphite from the deposit was very useful to mark their sheep. The graphite was very unique in that it broke down into stick shapes, in was very pure and solid. Chemistry at this point in time was not well known and the graphite was referred to as lead, hence the term “lead pencil.”

The Italians were the first people to come up with the wooden out side or the lead holders. A couple by the names of Simonio and Lyndiana Bernacotti are believed to the ones that created the idea for the casing of the carpentry pencil. In this particular pencil casing plan the wood was flat or oval, the intent here was to make the pencil more compact. The very first creations of the casing were done by hollowing out the inside of a piece of juniper wood.

In 1795 a new method was discovered in creating the pencils, this method consisted of mixing powdered graphite with clay in which was molded into rods and fired inside a kiln. This in turn led to the variations of graphite hardness, which can be seen by the lightness or darkness of the mark left behind on paper. By the 1780’s a company known as the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company was the world’s largest distributor and producer of the graphite pencil. As time went on and by the end of the 19^th century over 240,000 pencils were being used each day in the United States. The most loved casing in those days was made of red cedar, an eye appealing and nose pleasing writing utensil. The red cedar casing pencil has a great reputation of not splintering when sharpened as well. Unfortunately towards the end of the 19^th century and towards the beginning of the 20^th supplies for red cedar had begun to dissipate. Britain had to go as far as declaring it illegal to use pencil sharpeners on cedar cased pencils and manufactures had to recycles old barns and fences to make more pencils of this nature.

Some Interesting Facts and Most Known Pencil Users

• Thomas Edison loved his pencils so much he had his made specifically made by a company known as Eagle Pencil. Edison’s pencils were to be made exactly three inches in length and the lead was to be thicker than the normal pencil.
• Vincent Van Gogh a very famous artist would only use Faber pencils.
• John Steinbeck was said to be a compulsive pencil users. So compulsive in fact it was not uncommon for him to have used up to 60 pencils a day.

Types of Pencils

Carbon: they produce a line that is fuller than graphite, but smooth like the charcoal pencil

Charcoal: produces a very smooth line, smudges very easy and lines are much fuller

Solid Graphite: this is an entire solid stick of graphite, used primarily for the purpose of art

Grease: usually encased in paper and can be used on pretty much any surfaces, including glass

Watercolor: used in water art

Colored: most commonly associated with a child’s school supply list, art work and made of wax making is possible to blend colors

Graphite: you’re most common type of pencil, used for drawing, sketching and writing

So from the marking of sheep wool to our children’s backpacks, the pencil has made quite the journey! Going from being encased in wood now encased in plastic, pencils that bend and pencils that are to large to carry, what an amazingly ever evolving invention.