How to choose a mechanical pencil

Good morning to everyone!

Today our post  is aimed at those people who love carbon writing and want to find the perfect mechanical pencil for every occasion.

Developed in 1822, the first pencil was patented  in Britain by Sampson Mordan and John Hawkins.

Used for writing, drawing or painting, this writing instrument consists on a hollow tube made of plastic or metal with refillable mines inside and with a mechanism that allows the mine to advance.

Today we give you some tips to keep in mind before choosing a mechanical  pencil. Keep reading!

• Diameter of the mine

The most common mine diameters are 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm and 0.9 mm.

Know  its main characteristics and  uses:

• 0.5 mm: Recommended for people with a small handwriting. Their fine stroke allows a greater precision. If you are a drawer who writes softly and easily this diameter is also suitable.
• 0.7 mm: Ideal for numerical writing, it is a more resistant writing mine. When writing, it is not necessary to press the pencil as with 0.5 mm mine, which leaves fewer furrows on the paper  when erasing errors. Advisable for a drawer looking for precision. Both 0.5 or 0.7 mm mine are ideal for technical drawing.
• 0.9 mm: If you are a drawer who puts a lot of pressure on the pencil, use a 0.9 mm mine, these mines are darker and because of their thickness leaves fewer furrows on the paper.

There are other sizes available for artists and drawers, such as 2mm or 5.6mm. For these thicknesses many pencils, usually called sketch pencils, incorporate a sharpener, because with the use they will need to be sharp despite being used in a mechanical pencil.

• Hardness of the mine

The hardness of the mine will influence the writing as the softer the darker. The most popular mines are: HB, B and 2B.

We explain what these acronyms mean:

- H  means hard: If the H is higher the hardness will we higher.

- B means black: If the B is higher the darkness will we more intense.
- HB is the interval between soft and hard.

The usual average hardness is HB, if the mine has no identification, it is likely to be this hardness. This is the best option for those who are not sure which hardness should use.

Soft mines draw darker lines while the hard mines draw lighter lines. To draw, a hard mine is ideal for outlining and then for darkening and shading a soft mine is better.

If you need to mold the mine, the softer the mine is better, they are simpler and faster to mold. However, they quickly lose the edges as opposed to the hardest.

• Material and design of the pencil

In addition to the size and hardness of the mine it is essential to choose a pencil that is comfortable and easy to use, especially if you have to work with it several hours.

Additional attributes we can find in some mechanical pencils:

- Rugged area at the end to improve the grip.
- Incorporation of a sharpener.
- Incorporation of rubber.

We hope this post helps you to choose the ideal mechanical pencil!

At Iguana Sell we are at your disposal to help you throughout the process of choosing your mechanical pencil..

If you have any questions about our products or services do not hesitate to contact us through comments on our blog, our mail, by calling (+34) 91 441 50 41 or at our boutique in Núñez de Balboa 90 Madrid. We wait for you!

Wishing you the best day,

The Iguana Sell Team