Lexicon

End cap

The end cap is a colored cap on the end of the pen. For this purpose, the end of the pen is held approx. 2 mm deep in an immersion bath of paint.

DIN EN 71-3

The DIN EN 71-3 standard regulates the chemical safety of toys by defining how much of certain elements (e.g., lead, cadmium, or mercury) may be "released" from a toy. What matters is not the total content of these substances but the actual amount that can migrate, such as through contact with saliva or when swallowed.

The standard specifies mandatory limits for various elements and categorizes toy materials into different groups (e.g., solid or liquid components). This ensures that children are not exposed to health risks during normal use of the toy. Manufacturers and importers must comply with these regulations for their products to carry the CE mark and be sold within the EU.

Colored pencil lead

The lead consists of color pigments and finely ground kaolin. These leads are not fired, but dried in special ovens. The colored pencil leads are soaked in oil to achieve good gliding properties.

Graphite

Graphite is a crystallized carbon, a mineral from the non-metal order. It was first discovered in the Cumberland region in the Middle Ages. The name comes from the Greek “graphein”, which means “to write”. The original English word for graphite is “plumbago” and means “similar to lead”, which certainly led to the misnomer “pencil”.

Degrees of hardness

Different mixing ratios of graphite and clay result in different degrees of hardness. The higher the graphite content, the softer the lead, the higher the clay content, the harder the lead. Firing heat and firing time also influence the final hardness. The B stands for black = soft, the H stands for hard and the F for fine (medium writing strength). The degrees of hardness range from 8B to B (black) and H to 8H (hard). An HB pencil is right in the middle and is also the most common drawing instrument among them.

Planing

The planer is a tool for working wood. The surface of the wood is worked by removing chips from the material with the plane iron. The two pressed-together wooden boards with the leads glued in between are planed into the final shape (round, triangular or hexagonal).

Wood

In the past, cedar wood was almost exclusively used for the production of lead and colored pencils. Today it is still used for high-quality pencils. Today, lime or maple wood is mostly used, but pine is also used.

Cap

This is the name given to the metal cap at the end of the pen. With magnetic pens, the magnet is located under the cap; with black pens, it is only the metal cap. The metal caps are available in silver, gold, copper, blue and green.

Gluing

This is a manufacturing process in which parts are glued together using adhesive. In pencil production, an inserted lead is glued between two grooved wooden boards.

Copy pencil

Invented in the second half of the 19th century, it was originally intended for copying and later served as the only document-proof pen before the invention of the ballpoint pen.

Lacquering

Is the coating of objects with lacquer, a liquid or powdery coating material. This becomes a continuous, solid film through chemical or physical processes. It is used for protection or to achieve a certain color effect.

Groove

The groove is an elongated depression or notch. In pencil production, prefabricated wooden boards are provided with grooves that correspond to the diameter of the leads.

Embossing

Refers to a process of pressure forming in which characters are pressed into a surface. This is done with special embossing machines. Pencils and colored pencils can have an imprint, for example a company name, stamped onto the pencil using a stamp and colored foil.

Preciosa® Crystals

A jewelry crystal made of cut glass from Preciosa® in Bohemia. Crystal pencils have cut crystals at the back and are available in over 21 different crystal colors.

Eraser

Erasers are made of specially manufactured rubber that is suitable for removing pencil or ink strokes.

Lacquered cap

A lacquered cap is a colored cap on the end of the pen. The end of the pen is held up to 2 cm deep in an immersion bath of paint..

Clay

Clay is a natural material which, together with graphite, is one of the basic materials used in the manufacture of pencil leads.

Usage

The pencil is not only suitable for writing, but also for drawing pictures. What is particularly impressive here is the ability to create very fine lines, which is not possible with comparable materials such as pastel chalk and charcoal. Pencils were frequently used, particularly in the landscape drawings typical of the Romantic period, due to their fine lines. There is also graphite chalk, which consists of a thick graphite lead with a foil coating, which is particularly suitable for sketching and coloring large areas.

Certification?

What is it? FSC and PEFC are synonymous with sustainable forest management that takes equal account of ecological, economic and social criteria. However, it is not the timber product that is certified, but the forest management, including timber transportation to the forest road. In the “processing chain” of wood, from the forest to the finished product, each individual company represents an important link in the chain. It is therefore necessary for all companies that work with or trade in wood and wood products to be certified. This certification of the product chain (“chain of custody”) allows the flow of wood to be traced throughout the entire production process, from the certified forest stand to the wood processing company through to the finished product. This ensures that the flow of wood in the processing chain can be traced seamlessly.

Folding rule

The folding rule is usually called a “meter stick”. The term folding rule is derived from the Middle High German “zol”, for a cut piece of wood. Colloquially, the folding rule is also simply referred to as a “meter”.

When unfolded, the folding rule usually has a total length of 2 m (double meter). However, larger versions (3 m) or smaller versions of 1 m or even 0.5 m are also available.

The folding rule usually consists of individual links which are riveted together at the end with the next link (fitting). The “fitting” can be attached both internally and externally. By riveting the individual links together, the folding rule can be folded to a handy size.