Lead grade, in the context of pencils, refers to the system used to indicate the hardness or softness of the pencil's core, which influences the darkness and sharpness of the mark it leaves on paper.
Understanding Pencil Grading Systems
The most common grading system uses a combination of numbers and letters:
- H: Indicates hardness. Higher numbers (e.g., 4H) denote a harder lead, producing lighter and sharper marks.
- B: Indicates blackness or softness. Higher numbers (e.g., 6B) denote a softer lead, producing darker and broader marks.
- HB: Represents a middle ground, often considered standard writing pencil grade.
Example: A '4H' pencil is a hard pencil that creates a light, sharp mark because of its core's hardness. (Reference: 26-Jun-2020)
