The No. 2 pencil could be called the Goldilocks of pencils, because it's not too soft and not too hard, making it the preferred choice on that school supply list.
PORTLAND, Ore. — School starts in less than a month at area schools and one of the most requested items on the school supply list are those No. 2 pencils.
As the preferred writing utensil to help fill in those bubbles on a standardized test that everyone loves to take, the No. 2 pencil is the gold - or yellow - standard for schools.
The history of the pencil dates back to the mid 1500s when a large deposit of graphite was found in England. It was first used to mark sheep.
The carbon, known for leaving a dark mark, was cut into sticks to be used as a writing utensil. It left a mark everywhere when used.
"When you did that of course your hands got really dirty and slippery." said Henry Petroski, a retired distinguished professor of civil engineering at Duke University.
To fix the mess that graphite left behind on the hand, it was wrapped in string and later pressed between two cut pieces of wood, eventually evolving into the kind of pencils we use today.
When England discovered that graphite could also be used in making cannonballs, it took control of mining operations. During the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, the relationship between France and England began to sour, and England cut off the supply to France.
In 1795, a French artist named Nicolas-Jaques Conté started mixing powdered graphite with clay to make pencils. Depending on the amount of graphite and clay used, it produced a different darkness and hardness of the pencil.
It's estimated more than 15 billion pencils are produced each year, and the No. 2s are usually only one that teachers prefer students bring to the first day of class, making them the Goldilocks of pencils.
"No. 2 was the one that was a happy medium between being too hard and being too soft." said Petroski.
That number two rating is based on a scale for hardness: 1, 2, 3, or 4.
That scale was created by American poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau when he was working at his family's pencil factory.
Credit: Library of Congress
American graphite was inferior to English graphite, and to separate the pure from the impure graphite, Thoreau created a machine that would separate the two. Thoreau also started using a mixture of clay and graphite to create pencils and began making pencils with different levels of clay and graphite mixed together.
The lower the number, the lighter the black and softer the graphite, the higher number the darker the black and harder the graphite.
"In America we pretty much buy pencils according to this number," said Petroski. "It doesn't have to be pressed too hard to make a readable line and it's not so fine a line usually."
That makes the No. 2 pencil the number one choice for teachers.
There are two scales for grading pencils, the American one devised by Thoreau and an European scale that measures pencils using letters and numbers:
4H – 3H – 2H – H – F – HB – B – 2B – 3B – 4B – 5B – 6B
A "HB" or "Hard Black" rating on the European scale is roughly equivalent to a No. 2 pencil.
FAQs
The number two is a mid-range graphite hardness, which makes it suitable for academic use because it makes a mark that is sufficiently dark (and therefore able to be read by scantrons) and also easy enough to erase. The higher the number, the harder the graphite.
What does number 2 mean in pencil? ›
Instead of the varied H, B, and HB gradations, it employs straightforward numbering: #1: Softest lead, akin to 'B' in the HB system. #2: Medium, comparable to 'HB'. #3: Hardest lead, similar to 'H'.
Why do schools only allow number 2 pencils? ›
According to Dictionary.com, early machines that scanned and recorded test scores couldn't properly detect marks made by hard pencils. While No. 1 -- the softest -- pencils were prone to smudging, the No. 2 pencil was the perfect balance of softness and hardness.
What grade is a No 2 pencil? ›
Generally, an HB grade about the middle of the scale is considered to be equivalent to a #2 pencil using the U.S. numbering system.
Are all pencils no 2? ›
Standard, run of the mill pencils used for general writing purposes are classified as HB. Pencils classified consecutively as B, 2B, 3B, 45, 5B, and so on are softer, darker pencils. Working in the "opposite direction," pencils classified as F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, and so on are lighter, harder pencils.
Is 0.7 pencil number 2? ›
The size of the lead you use has no bearing on whether or not it is a #2 pencil.
Do you need #2 pencils for AP exam? ›
You should bring several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers for completing multiple-choice answer sheets.
How old is the number 2 pencil? ›
The origin of the #2 pencil
In the 1500s, according to common legend, a large deposit of graphite was discovered in England when a storm uprooted it along with a tree. The graphite was pure and solid, perfectly suited for writing, although the only people using it at first were shepherds marking their sheep.
Why are number 2 pencils yellow? ›
The one thing that is agreed upon is that in the late 1800s, when people started painting pencils, the finest graphite in the world was coming from China. And so yellow became a color that was associated with a pencil because it was a way of indicating that your pencil was made with superior Chinese graphite.
What makes a #2 pencil so special? ›
An American #2 pencil (roughly) corresponds to an HB pencil on the rest of the world's scale. The lead is not too dark and not too light, and it's not too hard or too soft.
The first graphite grading scale is a numeric scale. Using this scale, the hardness of the core is often marked on the pencil — look for a number (such as “2” “2-1/2” or “3”). The higher the number the harder the writing core and the lighter the mark left on the paper.
What does f mean on a pencil? ›
The F pencil grade means Fine. This pencil is hard which means that it maintains a fine point. What makes a pencil grade harder or softer? The core of a graphite pencil is a mix of graphite and clay filler.
Why do schools use no 2 pencils? ›
2s are usually only one that teachers prefer students bring to the first day of class, making them the Goldilocks of pencils. "No. 2 was the one that was a happy medium between being too hard and being too soft." said Petroski. That number two rating is based on a scale for hardness: 1, 2, 3, or 4.
What color is a No. 2 pencil? ›
The No. 2 on your trusted yellow writing stick can also be represented by HB. The number system is the preferred way in America while the letter system is more broadly used across the world. Where the pencil falls on the graphite scale indicates what the graphite to clay ratio is.
What does the number 2 lead pencil mean? ›
A #2 pencil is the same as an HB, with lower numbers for softer pencils and higher numbers for harder. This numbered system only covers a range from B to 2H - enough to cover most office use, but not enough range for drawing and sketching.
What size is a number 2 pencil? ›
A standard, hexagonal, "#2 pencil" is cut to a hexagonal height of 6 mm (1⁄4 in), but the outer diameter is slightly larger (about 7 mm or 9⁄32 in) A standard, "#2", hexagonal pencil is 19 cm (7.5 in) long.
Which pencil is darker, HB or 2B? ›
The 2B pencil has a higher blackness, and the marks drawn are relatively black, while the HB pencil has a lower blackness, and the color of the marks drawn is relatively light, which is very different. ... 2B pencil is darker in color and lower in hardness.
Is HB or 2B better for writing? ›
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.
What is the difference between No 2 and No 3 pencils? ›
2 pencil leaves less graphite on the paper than the softer No. 1 (which makes darker marks), but more than the harder No. 3 (which makes lighter marks). According to a more common classification system, a No.
