Why are carpenters pencils flat? If you want to know the answer to this question, take a look at the following article.
1. What is a carpenter pencil
There are many types of pencils because of their different uses and users. The carpenter’s pencil is specifically designed for use by carpenters. It differs from a regular pencil in three main ways. A carpenter’s pencil is larger than a regular pencil. It is flatter and has a harder core. It is generally rectangular or oval in cross-section, which prevents rolling.
2. Advantages and disadvantages of carpenter pencils
Why are carpenters pencils flat？This is actually an advantage of a carpenter’s pencil. Compared with ordinary pencils, carpenter pencils have four main advantages.
First, because their shape has a larger surface area, carpenter pencils are easier to grasp than ordinary pencils.
Second, the lead of a carpenter’s pencil is generally oval, so it is easy to draw lines of different thicknesses by slightly rotating the pencil.
Third, the carpenter’s pencil is strong. For example, when a carpenter throws a pencil into a toolbox and mixes it with other heavy tools, it can still be intact.
Fourth, a carpenter’s pencil can mark the surface of concrete or stone. It is very suitable for construction-related professionals.
The disadvantages of the carpenter’s pencil are also obvious. Its flat shape makes it impossible to sharpen in the pencil sharpener specially designed for round pencils. At present, there is no pencil sharpener specially developed for carpenters’ pencils on the market. People are mainly cut with knives or other sharp tools.
3. Why are carpenters pencils flat?
Why are carpenters pencils flat？The main reason why are carpenters pencils flat is to prevent rolling. Carpenters pencils are usually shaped as flat ovals, octagons, or rectangles. The flat shape prevents the pencil from rolling when the user sets it down on the table. If it is prismatic, it will still roll when you finish using it and drop it on the table. So the flat shape means the user doesn’t have to worry about the pencil rolling around and falling off as they work.
For those who seek efficiency, finding pencils is a waste of time. Most woodworking pencils are made in a bright red color. This is also so that the next time you use it, you can easily find it at a glance, without having to rummage through a pile of tools.
4. How to sharpen a carpenter’s pencil
First, you need to prepare a sharp sharpening tool, then take out your craftsman pencil. Hold the end of the pencil firmly in one hand while holding the sharpening tool in the other hand at an angle to the wooden tip of the pencil.
The carpenter pencil has two wider sides and narrower sides. We start by chipping the two sides with the wider surface, cutting off the outer wooden shell, and chipping off the inner layer of wood until the graphite core inside is exposed.
Then gently rotate the pencil and sharpen the narrow edge. The knife cuts into the wood, and after feeling the graphite lead core no longer sharpening the lead core downward with force, but warping the wood off the narrow edge with force.
This gives you a pencil with a rectangular core. If you need a different core shape, you can adjust it yourself.
5. Other design shapes
The cross-section is round, square polygon, oval, etc. The shape of a pencil affects the grip and comfort of the pencil. For the user, it may also affect the writing style. So when you pick a pencil, the shape is also an area to pay attention to. Different pencil products contain many design ideas within them.Why are carpenters pencils flat? This is for users.
5.1 Round
A round pencil is the basic shape of a pencil. Their smooth surface makes it easier for them to make different prints than hexagonal or triangular pencils, so they are widely used. But around pencil is probably the hardest to hold. The sleek shape makes the user have to hold the pencil harder. Users are prone to fatigue. And the round pencil is easy to slide or even fall on the desktop. Falling will increase the risk of pencil lead breakage and make it inconvenient to use later.
5.2 Hexagonal
For the manufacturer, the hexagonal pencil will have a lower waste rate for the wood. For the user, the hexagonal pencil has a clear edge and the user can easily hold it anywhere in the pencil. It does not roll off the table as easily as a round pencil and can be easily fixed on the table. However, some users have commented that the hexagonal pencil is more likely to cause calluses on their hands.
5.3 Triangles
The triangular pencil has three wide edges and three sides that correspond to the exact grip of three fingers. This makes it easy to use for kindergarten students who have small hands and lack the skills to use it. The triangular pencil is widely used in the daily life of kindergarten and elementary schools. For adults, however, the wide edge hinders finger dexterity.
6. Summary
Why are carpenters pencils flat？ This shape is for the convenience of carpenters. Every shape of a pencil has its meaning. If you want to know the process of making pencils, you can click here: How are pencils made？
