Why Do We Say Lead Pencil When It Is Graphite, Not Lead, That We Write With?

Legend has it the origins of this anomaly date back to 1564 during a particularly fierce storm somewhere in rural England.

When the bad weather finally abated, worried shepherds ventured out to check on their flocks. A number of trees in a wood where the frightened animals had taken refuge had been uprooted. As they searched for the sheep, they noticed at the base of one tree, which had been struck by lightning, curious globules of a dark metallic substance.

They had never seen anything like it before, so decided that the substance must be a strange type of lead ore. While handling the globules, it was noticed that they left very distinct markings on wood.

Being an entrepreneurial bunch, the shepherds began cutting their 'lead' into strips, sharpening them to a point and selling them off as writing instrument. The prototypes broke easily, so it wasn't long before they began placing the leads into wooden or metal sleeves to make them more sturdy and durable.

In time it was discovered that the 'lead' wasn't lead at all, but graphite, a pure form of carbon not dissimilar to diamond, which was mixed with clay to produce varying grades of hardness.