Pencil FAQ
Q What is the origin of the pencil?
A:In the 15th century, Italian painters wrote or painted with a stick-shaped tool that held a piece of charcoal in a wooden plank. Before that, the main writing instrument was a lead and tin alloy silver needle. This stick-shaped tool was commonly known as the lead pencil; however, lead pencils differ from the pencils we use today, and the modern graphite pencil, which contains no lead, has been mistakenly considered to contain lead.
Q How did the pencil that we know today come to be?
A:In the mid-16th century (approximately 1560), pure graphite was found used in England to replace the silver pen made of pewter or charcoal and was greatly favored by people at that time. In 1760, Germany invented the graphite powder vulcanization that improved the quality of lead. In 1790, the French combined graphite with clay to produce lead through high-temperature calcination, making it suitable for writing and mass production. The standard type of modern pencils was officially created and quickly developed during the Industrial Revolution.
Since the German company FABER standardized the raw materials and manufacturing process of pencils in 1851, modern pencils with standard graphite refills in the fixed-length hexagonal penholders were finalized. Colored pencils began to be produced in 1865. Various pencils, such as those with round or triangular penholders, were gradually developed based on the standard type previously set. In Asia, pencils were first produced by Masaki Pencil, formerly Mitsubishi Pencil, in 1887.
In 1971, Liberty worked with Mitsubishi Pencil to establish China Mitsubishi Pencil in Taoyuan, which later achieved prosperity in the field of pencil production. The next year, the Angel Series was marketed and has been popular ever since. The No. 88 Pencil was first produced in Nangang Plant in 1958.
Q What do 2B and HB mean？
A:These abbreviations refer to the hardness of pencil lead (Hard) and the concentration of graphite clay (Black). The bigger the number next to B, the thicker the graphite content; the writing touch is softer, and the pencil lead is blacker and thicker. The bigger the number next to H, the thinner the graphite content, the lighter the color, and the thinner and harder the pencil lead. HB refers to 50% graphite and 50% clay (commonly marked No. 2 in the U.S.). This type of pencil features the most suitable writing touch and concentration of graphite clay and has long been the world's general standard for writing. However, pencil manufacturers around the world have highlighted their production technology by producing pencil leads with higher concentration levels. Liberty has the manufacturing capacity of 17 levels, which is worthy of the world’s attention.
Q How important is the shape of a pencil?
A:Most people know that a pen with a triangular penholder is the best type of pen to hold. Hexagonal penholders have similar characteristics as triangular ones. Round penholders are the easiest for production and print processing. The thickness of a penholder should respond to a user’s ability to hold a pen. Therefore, 2B pencils are suitable for preschool children to practice. Since holding a pencil is the same as holding chopsticks, pencils can be used to train preschool children to use chopsticks.
Q How do I choose a good pencil?
A:good pencil is clean and has its refill located in the center of the axis; its wood is easy to cut, and the refill is firm; it is easy to both write and erase. These are basic requirements for a good pencil. Safety concerns, such as chemical toxicity, are subject to the government’s control and business integrity.
