Why are pencils hexagonal?

[msagro]

HEY Y'ALL,

 

Why is a pencil made with 6 sides? I know that they make round pencils so the hexagon shape can't be for grip. Any suggestions?

[flyboy]

because they could

[clarisse]

Because round pencils can roll and fall off your desk :/

[JustStuit]

Well, when there are more than one rows in a pencil box they would stack better.

 

clarisse's quote -

Because round pencils can roll and fall off your desk :/

This seems like the best reason.

[clarisse]

Not rolling seems like the main reason though.

... ... No comment ... ...

[JustStuit]

I was agreeing with you. I should have quoted it.

[Easybeat]

I agree with the rolling off the desk however the hexagonal pattern is also more efficient in terms of production (It tessellates).

[herpguy]

Because round pencils can roll and fall off your desk :/

my pencils still roll off my desk

 

Maybe they should make them square.

[ecoli]

Pencil's that have flat sides are easier to shave with a safety scissor

[starbug1]

The diameter's of both types of pencil are usually the same, and by using a shape that can fit into a circle, less wood is used and that is more economic.

 

Also, the typeface prints better on a flat side.

[MindOfChaos]

Pencil's that have flat sides are easier to shave with a safety scissor

 

I like this reason.

[rakuenso]

roundness != easier to fall

 

the chicken egg for example is designed so that it would swirve in a circle, the reason that its circular and not hexagonal is to faciliate birth.

 

of course non of YOU have to give birth to a pencil

[X facter]

of course non of YOU have to give birth to a pencil

 

Do you?

[MindOfChaos]

roundness != easier to fall

 

the chicken egg for example is designed so that it would swirve in a circle' date=' the reason that its circular and not hexagonal is to faciliate birth.

 

of course non of YOU have to give birth to a pencil[/quote']

 

In that case roundness does not equal easier to fall but a round pencil isn't really designed to swivel round in a circle.. Theres not much point to designing it circular to faciliate birth either so thats another reason to not have round pencils.

[JustStuit]

It may be easier to grip and write

[clarisse]

I was only joking. My answer wasn't meant to be taken seriously

[ecoli]

I like this reason.

 

Thanks... shaving pencils is one of my favorite activities... and I don't see how easy this would be if pencils were perfectly round.

[JustStuit]

[silkworm]

Pencil's that have flat sides are easier to shave with a safety scissor

 

Classic.

 

I think it's a homage to bees. Here I'd like to mention that Kansas was the first state to name the honey bee as the state insect (1976, I think).

[EverCurious]

hexagonal pencils have less wind resistance

[MindOfChaos]

hexagonal pencils have less wind resistance

 

lol, finally I think we have found the real reason.

[Callipygous]

I [/i']was only joking. My answer wasn't meant to be taken seriously

 

 

its one of the better ones...

 

aside from getting more pencils out of the same block of wood its the most likely.

 

(i know that hexagonal pencils will still roll off a desk if you face it toward the slope. but a round pencil will roll off even if you have it very close to perpendicular to the slope.)

[ski_power]

How about this one...

 

The National Comittee for Prevention of Cruelty towards Trees initially banned pencils. But then they realised that due to this there would be s shortage of pens and such which would lead to a price hike and the poor people won't be able to pay for it...

So they passed the bill to get maximum efficiency from a single log of wood.

Hence the Hex pencils

[gcol]

I [/i']was only joking. My answer wasn't meant to be taken seriously

 

Round pencils are more versatile. I can pick my nose and my earwax more comfortably than with hex pencils.

[gutter_princess]

personally i am of the belief that, pencils were made hexagonal so as to produce a wibbly line when sharpened.