# Did you know that if you stick a pencil into a power cable, you can start a fire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831 "2005-06-11T03:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/1 "2005-06-11T03:13:58Z")
Well, now you do. My blackberry charger got bent. Rather than shell out the $8 for a new one, I decided I could fix it myself. I didn’t unplug it; instead, I just stuck a pencil into the bent end to straighten it. Snap! goes the pencil lead. Smoke! goes the charger. There is a power surge in the USB port! goes the computer. Yikes! goes the **Campion**. So, kids, what have we learned? $8 is a small price to pay to prevent forest fires. Also, and I cannot stress this enough, we have learned that if something is broke, don’t ask **Campion** to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/2 "2005-06-11T05:19:37Z")
There’s an old practical joke amongst electronic techs involving graphite pencils, variacs, and such, but I’m afraid that if I tell you how we pranked one another, I’ll get a slapdown. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/3 "2005-06-11T19:31:31Z")
Now you know that graphite is a conductor. Somewhat resistive (and actually the primary component in most resistors) but still conductive. I remember making a variac in electronics school using pencil and paper. Very effective if unpractical. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/4 "2005-06-11T20:43:08Z")
Huh. So if I’d used a pen instead of a pencil, I might not be on my way to the office supply store to get a new charger cable? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/5 "2005-06-11T21:23:50Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Huh. So if I’d used a pen instead of a pencil, I might not be on my way to the office supply store to get a new charger cable? The nib may be plastic instead of metal, but I believe that ink is conductive. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/6 "2005-06-11T23:23:21Z")
Yeah. Next time, use a paper clip like you’re supposed to. 😃 But disconnect the cable first. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-if-you-stick-a-pencil-into-a-power-cable-you-can-start-a-fire/307831/7 "2005-06-11T23:56:12Z")
I remember in high school physics, our prof taught us how to make an arc welder out of a pencil. He said we could use the info the escape from prison. All we needed was something that plugs in and a pencil, and you _might_ be able to weld through the bars.