The pencil “lead” is actually a mixture of graphite and clay. More clay in the mixture makes the lead harder. A harder lead has a higher number. Pencils are numbered from 1-3 but most people use a ...

Best erasers: Prismacolor Premier Kneaded ... Strathmore's prices are fairly reasonable, too, so you can sketch away. Best graphite pencils: Staedtler Pencil Mars Lumograph 12-Piece Set If ...

The eraser was then added in 1858 by Hymen Lipman who patented the idea. Creating different hardness' to pencils was discovered by Nicholas Jacques Conté. Mixing powdered graphite with clay and ...

What do you see? Not much meets the eye — there's some wood, lacquer, the printed labeling, graphite lead, a bit of metal, and an eraser." And yet, the pencil goes on to explain, collecting its ...

Pencils, erasers, ballpoint pens - it was always fun ... which became popular - but as the centuries rolled on, graphite found favour from the mid-1500s as it leaves a darker impression on paper.