Not Your Basic Pencil: The Mechanical Pencil
What is a Mechanical Pencil? The mechanical pencil (Figure 1) is a writing tool that has replaceable graphite sticks instead of a solid graphite core. Typically, they are a combination of plastic and metal. You might have mistaken a mechanical pencil for a click pen before. Mechanical pencils are special because their lead is separate from the pencil, which means you can sharpen your pencil with the push of a button.
Figure 1: Mechanical Pencil
What Do I Need to Know About Mechanical Pencils?
Measurements Length: Approximately 5.86 inches (about the width of your head) Diameter: Approximately 0.32 inches (about the size of your pinky)
10 Basic Parts of a Mechanical Pencil Take a look at the basic parts of a mechanical pencil in Figure 2 below and then keep reading to find out what each one is.
J. Lead refills A. Cap
I. Lead B. Eraser sleeve H. Chuck C. Eraser holder G. Coil spring
F. Lead reservoir tube E. Body D. Pocket clip
Figure 2: Side view of a mechanical pencil’s basic parts
A. Cap: The detachable cap reduces wear on the eraser. Because caps are easy to lose and serve little purpose, few companies attach them to their mechanical pencils anymore.
B. Eraser: The erasers on mechanical pencils work just like the erasers on your regular pencils. Mechanical pencil erasers tend to be smaller than regular pencil erasers. When your current eraser becomes too small to be effective or when you misplace your eraser, you can buy refills.
C. Eraser Holder: The eraser holder—often metal—keeps the eraser firmly in place while the user transports the mechanical pencil and uses the eraser.
D. Pocket Clip: Typically metal or plastic, the pocket clip is semi-flexible. With the pocket clip, users attach their mechanical pencil to the front breast pocket of their dress shirt—as originally intended—or, more frequently, slip their mechanical pencil into the spine of their favorite notebook, into a backpack or messenger-bag pocket, or into a favorite book as a bookmark.
E. Body: The body of a mechanical pencil acts as a shell to protect the inner mechanisms from daily wear.
F. Lead Reservoir Tube: Inside the body of the mechanical pencil is the lead reservoir tube, which holds extra pieces of lead. The lead reservoir tube in Figure 2 holds up to three sticks of 0.5 mm lead; some mechanical pencils hold up to ten sticks of lead.
G. Coil Spring: The metal coil spring of a mechanical pencil provides the necessary tension to advance the lead.
H. Chuck: The chuck expands and contracts in concert with the spring, advancing the lead in small increments.
I. Lead Sleeve: The tip of a mechanical pencil, the lead sleeve, stabilizes the lead stick during use to reduce instances of breakage.
J. Lead Refills: Users typically keep their lead refills in their mechanical pencil. If users desire more storage, though, they can keep their lead in the small plastic container that they came in—it easily fits into a pants or shirt pocket or bag.
How to Use a Mechanical Pencil Writing with a mechanical pencil is just as easy as writing with a regular pencil. There are just three steps to begin writing with a mechanical pencil. 1. Insert the Lead: Remove the cap and/or eraser and its holder to reveal the lead reservoir tube. Drop three to four lead sticks into the reservoir and replace the cap and/or eraser and its holder.
2. Advance the Lead: Pressing on the eraser or the button where you hold the pencil to write once will move the lead one click. To start a new piece of lead, continue clicking the eraser or button until you see lead come out of the lead sleeve. Ideally, the lead should stick out of the lead sleeve by about 1/16 of an inch.
3. Write: Write with your mechanical pencil just as you would with a regular pencil. If the lead breaks or wears down, simply repeat step two to instantly sharpen the pencil without having to leave your seat or clean up pencil shavings.
Why Does Any of This Matter? Mechanical pencils are an easy, convenient alternative to traditional pencils. These types of pencils are especially popular among students who need to take notes quickly and do not have time to sharpen their pencils every ten lines. Now that you know more about how they look and work, try using one to complete your next homework assignment.