Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-30
PENCIL LEADS.
Some Of the Best Worth Very High
Prices.
Wonderful Variety HAS Developed in the
Growth Of the Trade.

tive stationer when the reporter found
him alone in the back shop at noon
time, ARE made of graphite. also called
black lead, though it contains no lead
mixed with other substances, such as
| clay. The leads are formed by fore
ing the material of which they are
composed, ground up and moistened so
as to give it suitable consistency,
| through forms or moulds. From these
| forms the material comes out, like
string or cord. Left to itself 1t would
coil up like string. This IS cut INTO
| the lengths required for the pencils in
which it is to be used
The finest of artists pencil leads
are made of remarkably fine and
pure Siberian graphite that is worth
perhaps half its weight in silver. This
is ground and reground to give it a
perfect uniformity Of texture, and it is
then subjected To process called
sluicing. in which the powdered graph
its is foated upon the surface of
water.
themselves from it here and sink, the
graphite being then skinned off There
is mixed with this. for the making of
the pencil leads. some proportion of
German clay that is itself of Il texture
81 fine that n finished cl,rfnra of il bn <
, To the touch the smoothness Of silk
This admixture Of clay is requisite to
hold the lead together, the degree of
| the leads softness being governed
| largely by the proportion Of clay used
| Leads of this sort, not enclosed in
wood but made to be used in hollow
| pencils. are very soft and easily brok-
en-. Such leads are put up for sale in
trim. long. flat boxes containing half a
| dozen leads ranged side by side. each
lead in a deep little chamber of its
own. The finest and softest leads Of
this sort sell at retail for 50 cents a
box. some for as much as g. cents. or
|
high To one unaccustomed to buying
that kind of pencil or pencil leads. but
he can buy a cedar pencil Of the con-
ventional size and form, containing a
| lead of the same kind and quality. for
ten cents. a pencil that years ago was
sold for Is cents. Ten cents for a
| w 10 ~
but while the lead in the wooden pencil
| is somewhat longer it is of only about
| half the diameter of the leads of this
| kind sold separately. and the separate
leads are actually cheaper.
There are other artists pencil leads
put up in fiat boxes like those de-
scribed, which are further protected
by placing each lead first in a slender.
delicate glass tube; these tubes. each
with a lead enclosed, being dropped
into the several chambers of the box.
Leads thus put up are in various col
ors. and cost less than those above
mentioned, but with less diameter OF
|
| to be broken.
Pencil leads and complete pencils
for various artistic purposes are pro-
duced in great variety and at various
prices. In a single line of cedar pen
ellis with colored leads there are to be
found As different colors and shades
|
uses by many persons. by artists,
architects, draughtsmen, map makers,
photographers and others.
AS to lead pencils in general, there
are few articles of more worldwide
common use, and few things that are
made in greater variety. Lead pencils
are made as to shape. round, square.
triangular, hexagonal. octagonal, OBJ
long and oval, and in many sizes: and
the leads are likewise made in many
shapes and of many sizes, as well as
being produced in many colors. There
are many styles, as to color and shade
of wood. and the manner of lettering
| many MINUS VI ptICllGlops.. anu IIlcFt
u are many kinds of the hollow pencils,
with which separate leads are used
Pencils are produced mot only for
many special uses. but for special mar
kets and countries, and pencils that
were in demand in one country might
not be wanted in another In one
country the pencil user likes to have a
pencil with the familiar lettering on it
stamped in gold; in another country
he may prefer to have that mark
stamped in silver. Some people like
one sort of top on a pencil. and some
like another, and some people prefer
one kind of pencil to another or some
particular sort of that kind, and all
these preferences, whatever they may
be are taken into account.
One pencil manufacturer produces
for the American market alone be-
tween 200 and 800 Varieties of lead pen
ellis. and as many more varieties spec