What are pencils made from?

Shop for Carpenter’s Pencils and Crayons

Body

The body of a carpenter’s pencil is traditionally made from hardwood.

Hardwood

Types of hardwood used include oak, ash, and beech: these are dense hardwoods, prized for their strength and durability.

Lead

The pencil “lead” got its name because their cores used to be made from lead. Modern pencils have a graphite core.

Graphite

Graphite is a mineral element made from carbon atoms. Graphite literally means “writing stone” as it has been used for many centuries as the core or “lead” of pencils.