The History of the Pencil and the Process of Inventing the Pencil by Nicolas Jacques Conte
We will not deny the importance of stationery in our lives. Almost everyone needs writing tools in their daily life, such as for writing or drawing. Especially pencils, we need them in almost every teaching and learning activity.
Especially for the National Examination which is often held every year, requires us to use a 2B pencil. But have you ever wondered who invented the pencil? He is Nicolas Jacques Conte. This man who was born on August 4, 1755 lives in Saint-Cénery, Normandy.
He has 5 siblings and comes from a descendant of farmers who have managed the same farmland for 2000 years. The inventor of the pencil, Nicolas Jacques Conte, was touted as the greatest scientist in the 18th century. He invented a modern pencil that already had advantages over a primitive pencil.
The History of the Pencil and the Process of Inventing the Pencil by Nicolas Jacques Conte
Nicholas Jacques Conte
Nicholas Jacques ConteAt first, primitive pencils were created with pure graphite. With these main ingredients, the pencil will leave marks on the hands and make the writing media dirty. In addition, pencils with pure graphite are easily broken when used.
Therefore, Nicolas Jacques Conte then mixed pure graphite powder with clay so that the pencil would last longer and not break easily. Once mixed, he forms the mixture into bars of thin diameter. He also baked the mixture into the fireplace.
With this mixture, he can create various pencils with various color gradations ranging from gray to deep black. A pencil with a grayer color will have a higher level of hardness because it contains more clay.
Meanwhile, a pencil with a solid black color will have a level
lower hardness because it has more graphite content. This mixture and technique is still used and applied today.
Nicolas Jacques Conte obtained graphite materials for making pencils from the Borrowdale mines which were located in England and it was known that at that time France was a fairly large importer of graphite in large quantities from England.
However, in 1794, France experienced an economic crisis and was unable to import large amounts of graphite anymore. Therefore, Conte got the idea to make pencils with graphite powder so that it would save graphite supplies and still be able to produce pencils.
Nichola Jacques Conte's Pencil
Nichola Jacques Conte's PencilNicolas Jacques Conte married in 1776 and studied painting with Jean Baptiste Greuze, one of the great painters of the time. After that, with the support of Napolean Bonaparte, he undertook an expedition to develop science to Egypt.
Considered the inventor of the pencil, Nicolas Jacques Conte was instrumental in developing coins, powder, the windmill, the telescope, the desert transport, the oven, and many other instruments.
Nicholas Jacques Conte died of an aneurysm in his brain. He died on 5 December 1805 when he was 50 years old in France.