The pencil “lead” is actually a mixture of graphite and clay. More clay in the mixture makes the lead harder. A harder lead has a higher number. Pencils are numbered from 1-3 but most people use a ...

Erasers are made of a unique blend of synthetic ... They are great for clearing away mistakes on paper, because the graphite used in pencils sits on the surface of the paper, rather than sinking ...

The history of erasers dates back to the 1770s, when bread was the primary tool used to erase pencil markings. People would roll up and moisten bread to remove graphite marks effectively.

The eraser was then added in 1858 by Hymen Lipman who patented the idea. Creating different hardness' to pencils was discovered by Nicholas Jacques Conté. Mixing powdered graphite with clay and ...

Pencils, erasers, ballpoint pens - it was always fun ... which became popular - but as the centuries rolled on, graphite found favour from the mid-1500s as it leaves a darker impression on paper.