Pencils

How to fix a broken mechanical pencil

How to fix a broken mechanical pencil

Mechanical pencils are a popular tool with students, writers, artists, engineers, and architects thanks to their constant line width, durability, and precision. However, as with all stationery, things can occasionally go wrong with mechanical pencils. Luckily, issues can usually be resolved relatively quickly. Let’s look at what a mechanical pencil…
The best pencils for artists

The best pencils for artists

You may have heard the proverb, “a bad workman blames his tools”, which suggests it is the workman who lacks skills. However, a talented artist could legitimately blame their tools for an unsatisfactory output if they had chosen them without due care and attention. In other words, it is worth…
When to use a pen grip

When to use a pen grip

Using a pen or pencil grip is an excellent way to help improve your pencil grasp and handwriting. Both adults and children can use pen grips. A pencil grip teaches the child how to correctly hold a pen and form neater letters in the early years. Adults may use a…
How a wooden pencil is made

How a wooden pencil is made

In a world full of writing and drawing instruments, the humble beauty of the wooden pencil is often overlooked. However the pencil manufacturing process leaves much to be marveled at. The art of pencil making is surprisingly interesting and varies little between manufacturers. Discover how a wooden pencil is made…
Five ways to sharpen a pencil

Five ways to sharpen a pencil

You might be reading this and thinking, ‘surely there’s only one way to sharpen a pencil?’ — in which case, prepare for your eyes to be opened to a whole new world! Otherwise, the chances are you are reading this because you know there are various ways to sharpen a…
A guide to pencil lead grades

A guide to pencil lead grades

Graphite originally became popular in England in 1564, and as the mineral was so soft and brittle that it required a ‘holder’. From here, people began wrapping graphite in string and later began inserting the graphite into wooden sticks, which is how the pencil was created. Pencils are a perfect…
A guide to mechanical pencils

A guide to mechanical pencils

Propelling pencils, also known as mechanical pencils, are a popular product on our site, so it’s time to dedicate a blog article to them. We sell a wide variety of pencils, including woodcase, clutch pencils, and mechanical pencils, but in this blog post we’ll focus exclusively on mechanical — or…