# Pencil Lead

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pencil-lead/184893>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [June 28, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pencil-lead/184893 "2003-06-28T00:47:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pencil-lead/184893/41 "2003-07-07T18:17:40Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Frankd6 \*  
> \*\*Do people really use pencils for everyday writing?
> 
> I understand sketching and drawing and all, but I’ve never noticed anyone taking notes at a meeting in pencil, or drafting a letter in pencil.  
> \*\*

I use pencils mostly for doing puzzles. I have a set of different ones, because I find there is a big difference between pencils in how well they write on different types of paper. A pencil that does great for the daily Times often doesn’t work for the Sunday Times. I used to be a big fan of #1 pencils for puzzles since they’d write on anything.

I loved Petroski’s book, btw. Did you know that Henry David Thoreau had time to go to Walden because his father was a big pencil magnate? Thoreau also improved the efficiency of pencil manufacturing greatly - he was more of a practical guy than I had ever imagined.

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