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Pencils were never made with lead, they have always been made with graphite. When pencils were first made it was beleived that graphite was a type of lead, but science has now proven graphite is a type of carbon, not lead.

Well, i didn't want to delete this person's answer, but it is wrong. In fact, lead was used in pencils for hundreds of years, but there was a major problem with using lead. These pencils would form lead oxide on the tips, making it difficult to write, so when people wanted to write, they would lick the lead of the pencil to get the lead oxide off. When people realized that this was dangerous because consuming lead (even in minute quantities) can cause brain damage, pencils began to be manufactured with graphite instead of lead. Coming back to your original question - I don't know when they switched to graphite, but I think that it was sometime in the first half of the 20th century.

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βˆ™ 14y ago
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βˆ™ 5mo ago

The use of lead in pencils began to decline in the 19th century as other materials like graphite became more common. By the mid-20th century, most pencils were made with graphite and not actual lead. Lead pencils are no longer used due to health concerns associated with lead exposure.

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βˆ™ 14y ago

Pencils never actually used lead. When Pencils were created after a tree was knocked down during a storm it revealed a large mass of black substance thought to be lead. When tested it turned out to be a carbon mixture. It was named graphite years later after the greek meaning "to write".

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βˆ™ 12y ago

Pencils have never been made of the element lead -- the substance is graphite, a form of carbon. The name was applied because of the similarity in the appearance of the two substances when graphite was first used (the early 16th century).

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βˆ™ 14y ago

No. Because lead was deemed toxic, it has been changed to graphite.

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βˆ™ 15y ago

Graphite, not lead, is what is used in normal pencils to make them create the black mark. Art pencils contain amixture of clay and pignents to make the various coloured lines.

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βˆ™ 13y ago

Pencils never really did contain lead. It is just called lead because graphite marks look like lead marks.

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βˆ™ 13y ago

no!

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βˆ™ 13y ago

no

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Q: When did they stop using lead in pencils?
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Related questions

What year was lead removed from pencils?

Lead was never actually used in pencils. The "lead" in pencils is actually a mix of graphite and clay. The switch to using graphite in pencils occurred in the 16th century.


Is lead used in pencils?

Lead is not used in pencils. Instead, pencils contain graphite, which is a crystalline form of carbon that leaves a gray mark on paper when used. The term "lead pencil" is a misnomer that dates back to when graphite was mistaken for a form of lead.


Are lead from pencils poisonous?

Lead pencils do not actually contain lead; they are made of graphite. Graphite is not toxic to humans, so there is no risk of lead poisoning from using pencils. However, ingesting graphite or pencil fragments can cause mechanical irritation in the digestive tract.


What should you do to stop your 5 year old son from eating the lead in pencils?

don't let him use pencils until he stops


Can using lead pencil lead that accidentally poked you and left a scratch kill you?

No, the lead in a pencil does not contain lead. Lead that is in pencils are made out of graphite.


Why did people stop making pencils with real lead?

Lead poisoning became a concern as it was discovered that the lead in pencils could be harmful. In response, manufacturers transitioned to using graphite as a safer alternative to create writing instruments.


Why are lead pencils called lead pencils?

Lead pencils are called so because they were originally made using a rod of solid graphite, which was mistaken for lead when graphite was first discovered. The name "lead pencil" has persisted over time even though modern pencils are made with a graphite core.


What are lead pencils made out of?

The lead in pencils are not made out of lead, as is common belief. Pencil lead is made out of graphite.


What is graphite used in?

pencils such as lead pencils


What are legal issues with pencils?

pencils contain lead. lead is dangerous for humans. many students put pencils in there mouth and can lead to lead poisoning. This can bring lawsuits against companies for negligence as the companies know the pencils contain lead which is toxic.


Is lead mostly used in pencils?

Lead is mainly used for pencils and for batteries.Hope this helped :)


What are some unusual uses of lead?

in pencils in pencils