Whoever tagged this as “MORE BS–IF IT WERE TRUE GRAMPS WOULD BE DEAD” needs to get a clue. Pencil “lead” has never been made from the (toxic) element known as lead. It has always been graphite. Graphite is simply a form of carbon, and is not harmful. I’ve known plenty of people with small pieces of graphite stuck in their skin with absolutely no ill effects, even after years or even decades.
The reason pencil lead is called lead is because when solid graphite was discovered in the 16th century it was thought to be a form of lead, not because actual lead was ever used in pencils.
wndrwrthg almost 16 years ago
You can forget christmas this year kid.
McGehee almost 16 years ago
Bad news, Doc – it ain’t just kids.
eriknielsen almost 16 years ago
Whoever tagged this as “MORE BS–IF IT WERE TRUE GRAMPS WOULD BE DEAD” needs to get a clue. Pencil “lead” has never been made from the (toxic) element known as lead. It has always been graphite. Graphite is simply a form of carbon, and is not harmful. I’ve known plenty of people with small pieces of graphite stuck in their skin with absolutely no ill effects, even after years or even decades.
The reason pencil lead is called lead is because when solid graphite was discovered in the 16th century it was thought to be a form of lead, not because actual lead was ever used in pencils.
MotherOfMoses almost 16 years ago
I am typing this on my prehistoric computor.