The Many Advantages of Mechanical Pencils
I still remember the time when I was a sixth grader. I simply hated sharpening my wooden pencils. The lead used to break each time I applied even the slightest pressure. And if I ever forgot to carry my sharpener, then it meant having to write the whole day with a blunt leaded pencil which produced a really thick print on the paper. The days are much better now. I hardly use pencils and even when I do, I prefer using mechanical pencils. I have gained much better control over my handwriting. Mechanical pencils are pencils made of synthetic materials like polystyrene and have an internal mechanism that propels the graphite lead through the tip. The best part about them is that the writing is fine and consistent. These are ideal for technical applications like drafting, drawing etc.
Advantages
There are many advantages of mechanical pencils as compared to wooden pens. Here are some of them.
- No more sharpening: You no longer need to sharpen the lead. The line will never be too thick or too thin. All that you do is refill the lead.
- Consistent line: If you are an engineering student, then an inconsistent line is the last thing that you need. With mechanical pencils, you can vary the thickness of the line by holding the pencil in varying angles. Also, if you need a line that is 0.5 mm thick, you simply go and purchase a graphite lead of that measurement. Try achieving that with a wooden pencil.
- The balance: The wooden pencil keeps getting shorter each passing day as you continue to sharpen it and this keeps changing the balance as you write. There comes a point when it becomes too short to hold comfortably and write. You have simply no choice but to discard it.
The only negative aspect about mechanical pencils that I could come up with is the fact that they are not prepared from very environment friendly materials.