There is a collection of gadgetry that you will never, or shouldn’t catch, a modern office without, and a mechanical pencil is at the top of the list – well, for most people.
Mechanical pencils are those simple office items that make the workplace life much easier and smooth. Perhaps we are in the electric pencil era, but mechanical pencils still have their place in most people’s offices.
But sometimes, these types of pencils come with their challenges, which can become some pain, for example, when you need to change the eraser or the lead.
This can make for an awful experience at a time when you need to get things done like yesterday.
But a simple jam shouldn’t make you throw away the mechanical pencils that cost you a pretty penny. You see, the lifespan of the mechanical pencils can stretch as much as a decade if you take care of them well.
Just learn how to remove the eraser and other small basics, and you will be okay. There are simple ways to get the eraser out of the ever-ready sharp pencil or the auto-feed pencil. We discuss a few of them below.
Why Do You Need to Get the Eraser Out?
Sometimes, the mechanical or automatic pencils will get a lead jam when you least expect it. Every invention has its problems, and mechanical pencils are no exception.
Perhaps the little pieces of the broken lead cram the nose or the clutch of the pencil. This sort of thing happens if you are using 0.2 or 1.3mm HB, which are harder and break easily.
Regardless, there will also be a jam if you install a wider lead than the diameter of the pen mechanical pencils. It is bound to happen if you don’t use the correct size for the pencil.
But apart from failing to maintain a consistent line width, some people will put two or three sticks of graphite simultaneously, and the result is a jammed and unusable uni-mechanical pencil. It’s a surprise what people can do to the mechanical pencil.
The other situations where you need to get the eraser out include during replacement. Certainly, there will be a time when you can no longer use your original eraser. It is consumable, which is also the same case for mechanical pencil leads.
You will eventually need graphite leads for your uni-mechanical pencil, and to replace the current leads effectively, you may need the eraser off.
Therefore, removing the eraser is as inevitable as death and taxes. It will happen eventually, and knowing how to do it makes your life a little bit easier. If any of the above takes place, you may need to the eraser off to remove the block.
Easy Ways to Remove Eraser from Mechanical Pencil
There are more techniques than one to skin a cat, and that’s the same with removing erasers from the mechanical pencils. That said, here are one or two tips on removing the eraser.
Use Paper Clip
A worn-down uni mechanical pencil eraser may get too far to use. But whatever the case, you will need to remove and replace it with a new one.
First, try with your fingernails to pry the rubber off. But if that doesn’t work, get a paper clip, unbend it, and then insert it into the eraser at a steep angle.
Hold the central part of the clip and rotate it down the eraser, and then away. In most cases, this action will chuck the eraser off the mechanical pencils, and you can go ahead and replace it. Fold the paper clip and put it back.
Tweezers May Help
You can also try grasping the eraser off the uni mechanical pencil with a tweezer. Tweezers come in handy for grabbing things too small for the human hands and are a staple for most homes with first aid tools.
To remove the eraser, hold the tweezers as you would when plucking hair from eyebrows, and then carefully dig it into the eraser. Pull the eraser out if it is not too stuck inside, which mostly it is not.
But if the eraser wouldn’t budge off the mechanical pencils, you can bring in the cavalry, which is using the craft knife.
Craft Knife Works
Sometimes, the eraser can be stubborn for the tweezers or paper clip. You need to use force to remove it, and that is where a craft knife comes in.
Hold the craft knife at an angle and dig into the eraser. Twist as you would with twist pencils, and chuck it out. One move usually does the job, but you can repeat the process if there’s still some of the eraser remaining.
Warning
Be careful when using sharp apparatuses such as the craft knife on your uni mechanical pencil. One slip can injure your fingers or other parts of the body.
https://www.high-endrolex.com/4But apart from the injuries, too much force can break the pen and make it unusable, which is not what you want. Be careful. You only need a little pressure to get the eraser out, and slight twisting of the paper clip or craft knife is enough.
Choose your graphites well, and only buy from safe brands, mainly if kids use the mechanical pencil. Usually, the cheapest is not the safest or the best quality. Don’t go down the cheap road with graphites and erasers.
FAQs
Q: How do you clean mechanical pencil erasers?
Your mechanical pencil may jam, and you will need to clean it before using it again. To go about it, unscrew the nose and keep an eye out for blockage. Sometimes dust will clog the nose and affect the functioning of the pencil. Clean it.
Unscrewing the nose gives you a better view of the clutch mechanism, and you can see where the problem is. If it is a lead break, remove it together with any other substance blocking the way.
Sit in a comfortable position, press the push down button, and get to work. With the clutch at a good reach, use the clean-out rod to clear out any dirt or blockage. Be gentle.
U-turn the mechanical pencil and throw any broken leads you find inside, and then fix the pencil back to a working state.
Q: How do you refill a mechanical pencil eraser?
The mechanical pencil’s refillable nature significantly reduces waste and is more convenient to use than the traditional wooden pencil.
Some of these pencils have refillable erasers to avoid the pesky trouble of running out while you still have a couple of leads and a functioning body. You cannot throw away the whole pencil because you have run out of an eraser.
The refill erasers come in a variety of materials depending on the type of mechanical pencil you have. Get a compatible refill and one that suits your needs, and install it as directed.
Consider the eraser color as well while you are at it. In most cases, the color is more for aesthetics than functionality.
Q: How do you replace a pencil eraser?
Replacing the eraser should not be too much of a hassle unless it’s too deep inside. Unscrew the eraser you want to replace until you can pop it quickly off.
Some mechanical pencils will only need you to tug the eraser to remove it. Ideally, you should never wait until the eraser is too down to the top of the pencil. This can give you problems when replacing it.
To make the replacement, make sure to push down the knob side into the top, where the spent eraser was previously.
Push the new eraser in until you hear pop, and screw it down to a comfortable position, where you will easily use it. Here’s a video on how you replace the lead and eraser on a mechanical pencil
Q: How do you fix a cross mechanical pencil?
A cross mechanical pencil comes with a guarantee against a malfunction. It could be a minor block, which you can quickly clean and continue with your work if it happens.
Hold half an inch from the left and right side, and then pull it gently. If the cross pen feels stuck, twist it a bit, with the pen tip facing down. Check for any blockage and clean it out. Your pencil should now be working just fine.
Q: How long is a mechanical pencil eraser?
The refillable eraser is around 1.25 inches and approximately 0.2 inches for the standard eraser. Some of the popular brands, such as the TJ, are 6mm in diameter.
Final Words
The mechanical pencil makes your work easier and reduces waste. The eraser is either refillable or traditional, and it will eventually require refills or replacement.
But refilling or replacing the eraser is not a problem. Sometimes the issue is in plying the old spent eraser out. Use the above tips to get the eraser out and replace it. Fix the new one in place and enjoy your work.