Have you ever wondered why pencils and crayons have the classic hexagonal section and not, for example, square or circular? It depends on several reasons.
The characteristic shape of most of the pencils is explained by at least three reasons: the hexagonal section allows an optimal grip; prevents the pencil from rolling on the table; in case of storage with other pencils, it allows the latter to fit perfectly with each other, saving space as much as possible.
It would be the same thing with square section pencils, but these would be uncomfortable to hold, while in the case of cylindrical ones, although widespread, the defect consists in their easy “rolling”.
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY ORIGIN. Despite its simplicity (a graphite stick wrapped in wood), the pencil was invented only in “recent” times: its first modern version was made in France in 1795, although the first prototypes date back to the second. mid 16th century.
As for the characteristic hexagonal shape, it was devised by the American pencil manufacturer Ebenezer Wood in the 1920s, and was soon recognized as the most practical and therefore quickly spread all over the world.
