ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Each individual slat goes through a machine called the Groover Machine (not to be confused with someone who can’t stop dancing) that cuts-you guessed it-grooves into the surface of the wood. This preps the wood for graphite.

Detailed explanation-2: -Henry David Thoreau worked on the problem of making a better pencil out of inferior graphite. He solved the problem by using clay as the binder. With clay he created a superior, smear-free pencil whose hardness was controllable. He made the Thoreau company into America’s leading pencil maker.

Detailed explanation-3: -Originally, graphite sticks were wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was inserted into hollowed-out wooden sticks and, thus, the wood-cased pencil was born. During the 19th century a major pencil manufacturing industry developed around Keswick in order to exploit the high quality of the graphite.

Detailed explanation-4: -The modern pencil was invented in 1795 by Nicholas-Jacques Conte, a scientist serving in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte. The magic material that was so appropriate for the purpose was the form of pure carbon that we call graphite.