Not the tastiest type of jam, to be honest. This little guide is taken from our more complete and detailed Guide to Mechanical Pencils, as a quicker answer to this common question, without so much to scroll through!
If you use mechanical pencils, at some point you're likely to have a lead jam. It happens. A tiny bit of lead gets stuck somewhere in the mechanism, and stops it from working. Lead might not click forward, or it might click forward but slide back in when you try to use the pencil.
Most mechanical pencils can be dismantled to some extent to clear a jam. Usually, the part near the tip unscrews, which lets you see the mechanism. If you then push the button down against your desk, the clutch mechanism pushes up. There's a brass ring around the clutch jaws, holding them shut - push it down, and it will release the jaws. Once they've sprung open a bit of sideways tapping should dislodge any tiny bits of lead.
If the mechanism can't be opened up, blockages can usually be cleared by holding the pencil tip-up, with the button held down against your desk, and feeding a cleaning pin in through the tip to push any little bits of lead out from where they're stuck. Some pencils include a cleaning pin, usually attached to the eraser, but many don't. If you don't have one to hand, another piece of thin wire or a pin may fit, but don't force anything too wide into the tip. At a push, a spare piece of lead can do the job, but it takes a steady hand to feed it in without snapping it!
With all that done, you should be up and running again. If you're having trouble with leads snapping or jamming your pencil, and you're using cheap lead, you might find better quality lead is worth it for the extra strength then can bring. See our full range here. We'd especially recommend Pentel Ain Stein leads as being very strong and smooth.
If the mechanism can't be opened up, blockages can usually be cleared by holding the pencil tip-up, with the button held down against your desk, and feeding a cleaning pin in through the tip to push any little bits of lead out from where they're stuck.
Move the clean-out rod around inside the tip as much as possible to clear as much trapped lead as possible. Open the lead reservoir while holding the pencil with the tip facing upwards to empty it fully. Insert a new lead refill, put the pencil back together, press the push button, and see if the jam has cleared.
If you use mechanical pencils, at some point you're likely to have a lead jam. It happens. A tiny bit of lead gets stuck somewhere in the mechanism, and stops it from working.
0.5 MM: Recommendable for those whose handwriting is small, as the stroke 0,5 mm leads create is finer. It is also indicated for artist that draw using little strain. 0.7 MM: Ideal to write numbers since this lead is soft but tougher.
Vegetable Oil. If “all purpose cleaner” isn't in your vocabulary, or if you're looking for a green alternative, try applying vegetable oil to the stain and wiping the oil (and stain!) away with a damp cloth. Note: Do not apply vegetable oil to a fabric stain!
If a person is stabbed by a pencil a piece of lead can break off under the skin. This can cause a permanent colored or blue-grey mark but it is not harmful. Also, the pencil wound can get infected if it is not kept clean.
If the mechanism can't be opened up, blockages can usually be cleared by holding the pencil tip-up, with the button held down against your desk, and feeding a cleaning pin in through the tip to push any little bits of lead out from where they're stuck.
A clutch pencil's mechanism is different to the mechanical pencil. While the mechanical pencil pushes the lead forward with each click, the clutch pencil, also known as a leadholder, releases the clutch that holds the lead in place, letting you decide how much lead you want to work with.
If a person is stabbed by a pencil a piece of lead can break off under the skin.This can cause a permanent colored or blue-grey mark but it is not harmful. Also, the pencil wound can get infected if it is not kept clean. If you find your child has sucked or chewed on a pencil, do not panic.
You may know this already, but one way to reduce breakage is to hold the pencil in your non-dominant hand and the sharpener in your dominant hand. Hold the pencil steady and turn the sharpener rather than turning the pencil. Use sandpaper to file it to a point if you want a pointed tip.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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