Why do I have to use a No. 2 pencil? | The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (2024)

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Why do I have to use a No. 2 pencil? | The Children's Museum of Indianapolis? ›

1 -- the softest -- pencils were prone to smudging, the No. 2 pencil was the perfect balance of softness and hardness. Though new machines are getting better at correctly scanning other types of writing utensils, we suggest sticking with a good ole' No. 2 pencil until you're instructed otherwise.

Softer pencils like No. 1s smudge, so they're just impractical to use.

1 Pencil (B Grade): Higher in graphite, softer, prone to smudging, and ideal for artistic or bold writing. No. 2 Pencil (HB Grade): A balanced mix of graphite and clay, offering versatility for writing and drawing, making it a popular choice for schools and offices.

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.

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.

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.

2 pencils are needed for standardized tests that use Scantron sheets. The first Scantron sheets were scored or "read" by feeding the sheets through a machine that measured how much light was blocked.

Higher numbers indicate a harder lead, which gives you a finer point and crisper lines. Lower numbers indicate a softer lead, which is good for shading. #2 is the Goldilocks of pencils: not too hard, not too soft, and good for pretty much all of your pencil needs.

Strong Graphite Lead

The pencils #3 glide smoothly over paper and have break-resistant number two cores. Their HB (no 3) hardness grading makes them perfect for most types of writing, drawing, and sketching.

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.

How to tell if a pencil is no 2? ›

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. In reality however, there is no specific industry standard for the darkness of the mark to be left within the HB or any other hardness grade scale.

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.

Here's the deal with the number: it actually tells us how dense the lead in the pencil is. The higher the number, the more dense the lead. For the purposes of a test, a No. 1 pencil is a little too soft, and smudges easily; as you get higher in number, the lead becomes too dense and brittle to write and erase easily.

The first Scantron sheets were scored or "read" by feeding the sheets through a machine that measured how much light was blocked. No. 2 pencils were required to fill in the circles on the sheet because the graphite in the pencil is an opaque substance that absorbs the light that hits it.

Higher numbers indicate a harder lead, which gives you a finer point and crisper lines. Lower numbers indicate a softer lead, which is good for shading. #2 is the Goldilocks of pencils: not too hard, not too soft, and good for pretty much all of your pencil needs.