Wooden vs. Mechanical Pencils: How to Choose
Whether it's drawing your favorite scenery or jotting down something important right before a meeting, you'll always need a pencil. It's become such a normal part of our lives that we don't even consider it stationery per se — it's an everyday essential like having snacks at home.
Just think about it: Do you know anyone who doesn't have a pencil in the home? Exactly.
You'll find two types of pencils on the market today: a wooden pencil and a mechanical pencil. In particular, over the past few decades, the best mechanical pencils have gained particular popularity and relevance due to their increased convenience and utility. In this article, we'll discuss the pros and cons of both types, and what you should consider a better purchase to suit your needs and preferences.
Sharpening Frequency
A wooden pencil is cast in thin wood, hence the name, which is also why you'll have to sharpen it whenever the nip becomes blunt.
On the other hand, a mechanical pencil is more advanced and comes with a replaceable part called a lead. This lead is used to make precise lines of consistent width, without the need for any sharpening in drawing and quick and neat writing.
Not only does this make it an excellent choice for fine-art drawing, but it's also the first choice among students, artists, and designers since it doesn’t have to be sharpened.
Environmental Impact
The mechanical pencil is definitely a better option for those who prefer eco-friendly products. You see, it's reusable and lasts for longer, with you only having to replace the lead.
A wooden pencil is good too, but you have to buy another one after some use, which means more trees have to be cut. Not what an environmentalist would want, right?
Price
Cost-wise, mechanical pencils are more expensive than wooden pencils.
If you lose a wooden pencil, it isn't a big loss, which isn't the case for mechanical pencils. So the former is a fantastic option to keep at your place of work or carry it to school.
User-friendliness and Consistency
We've already mentioned how artists, designers, and students prefer mechanical pencils to wooden pencils because of consistency. The main problem with wooden pencils is that they get lighter and thinner over time – an issue you'll never face with mechanical pencils.
You can be more expressive and imaginative with your work without compromising consistency, while also easily being able to erase and edit.
Safety
Not many people consider safety when purchasing a pencil, but it's actually an important consideration, especially when you're buying stationery for kids.
The fact that a mechanical pencil isn't as sharp as a wooden pencil, making it less hazardous for children. On the contrary, plenty of accidents have been reported where students have ended up getting stabbed by wooden pencils, which leave marks for years.
Durability
Mechanical pencils last longer than wooden pencils, hand down – but there are definitely issues that you may face.
While you don't have to sharpen them often, they tend to crack or break off easily, and the lead may get jammed due to dust, etc. Wooden pencils have a shorter life span as you have to sharpen them, and eventually throw them away.
Customization
You have the option of customizing a mechanical pencil by adjusting the point and size of the lead. That said, keep in mind that replacing the lead might be problematic later down the line.
Understandably, customization isn't a possibility if you buy a wooden pencil, but you can always jazz up the exterior.
Performance
Undoubtedly, the best features of the mechanical pencil are its precision and resistance to natural aging. The quality and shade of every lead remain identical, the grip is good, and there is also a variety that allows you to choose between the width of your strokes.
In addition, you can do all of this without ever having to worry about the nip getting blunt or having to stop work to sharpen the pencil. However, mechanical pencils can be fragile since they cannot bear the extra pressure and tend to break often.
Writing with a wooden pencil can get difficult to read after time and hard to photocopy. It also makes scratchy sounds at times while writing. So performance-wise, mechanical pencils score higher.
The Final Verdict
Choosing between mechanical pencils and wooden pencils would depend on your needs, budget, and personal preference.
Nevertheless, if you consider all the above aspects, the mechanical pencil is obviously the superior one of the two. Wooden pencils are cheaper and definitely do not snap easily, but otherwise, mechanical pencils remain the winner.
Resources— Mustangs E-News, Devine's
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