Mechanical Pencils | Propelling Pencils | Write Here Pens (2024)

FAQs

Is 0.5 or 0.7 lead better? ›

With modern leads, 0.5mm is quite strong enough for most people, but more heavy-handed people do sometimes find they snap such thin leads, and 0.7mm or even 0.9mm leads are better for them. Some have cushioned lead, where an internal spring cushions the lead against rough treatment.

Theory #3: Mechanical Pencils Help You Cheat

One such tale is that a student put a tiny camera inside his mechanical pencil and used it to take pictures of the test. Another cheating theory is that students could roll up ripped-out pieces of test booklet sheets and fit them in the empty barrel of a mechanical pencil.

A: If the eraser will not lock in place on the Paper Mate Clearpoint Mechanical Pencil, spin the eraser out until it will go no further. Then hold on to the twist and push the eraser down until it will go no further. Once fully pushed in twist the eraser back down and retry.

Pencils are graded in the following order: 9H, 8H, 7H, 6H, 5H, 4H, 3H, 2H, H, F, HB, B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 9xxB. Standard drawing sets usually run from 2H through to 6B because these grades allow you to achieve most of the techniques you'll need for your drawings.

0.7mm is the most common lead size used for mechanical pencils. The writing style matches closely to the size of a fine ballpoint or rollerball, and is available in the widest array of hardnesses. The lead thickness is great for day to day writing, sketching and can be used for less detailed technical drawings.

Therefore, we recommend it for artists that want to draw with precision. Both 0,5 and 0,7 mm are perfect for technical drawing. 0.9 MM: If you usually apply much preassure to your mechanical pencil, use a 0,9 mm lead as they are darker and leave less grooves on the paper.

You can also bring a few pens with black or dark blue ink for completing areas on the exam booklet covers and for free-response questions in most exams. Although they are fun to work with, mechanical pencils, colored pencils, correction fluid, and highlighters are not allowed.

Cons of Mechanical Pencils

In the long run, they are actually a little bit more cost effective because you only have to replace the lead. However, the lead refills can be hard to keep track of and eventually misplaced.

Mechanical pencils last longer than regular pencils because they don't need to be sharpened, but you do have to buy lead (graphite) to keep them filled.

The degree of hardness of a pencil is printed on the pencil.

H stands for "hard". HB stands for "hard black", which means "medium hard". F stands for "firm".

What does h mean on a pencil? ›

The H in pencil grades stands for hardness, and the B stands for blackness. The harder a pencil lead is, the lighter the lines they produce will be. Conversely, softer leads make darker marks, and thus fall into the 'B' side of the HB Graphite Scale.

1 Pencil (B Grade): Higher in graphite, softer, prone to smudging, and ideal for artistic or bold writing.

I consider 0.5mm lead the best for sketching, and I use it in most of my sketches due to the simple fact that it allows for much greater precision.

While it's technically possible to insert 0.5mm lead into a 0.7mm mechanical pencil, it's not recommended. Using lead that's too narrow for the pencil can lead to breakage and instability during use.

Pencil lead grades FAQs

HB are known as medium-dark pencils and are the best choice for writing as they produce medium hard lines, whilst also creating soft marks. 2B pencils are a dark lead as they contain less clay. These are a great choice for all types of drawing.

0.3mm is mostly used for drafting purposes, but it's also used for writing where the user prefers a very fine line.