There Are More Types of Erasers in the World Than You Think.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” your mother told you. “That’s why pencils have erasers.” But did she ever tell you how many different kinds of erasers there are? If you think that there is only one – pink pins on the end of a pencil or in the shape of a wedge – you are mistaken. There is a surprising number of different types of erasers, each designed for a very specific purpose. If you’ve ever tried to erase something and ended up with a smudge on the shattered surface, you’ve probably used the wrong tool. Here’s a guide to a surprisingly large number of erasers, so at least you won’t make that mistake twice.
Rubber erasers are the most common.
Those erasers that are on the end of the No. 2 pencils and in the wedges are made of rubber. While the classic rubber eraser is pink, you can find them in a wide range of shades. Rubber erasers are neither the hardest nor the softest; they seem to be in the middle. This makes them best for erasing graphite from pencil marks without destroying standard weight paper, but also means they are not particularly effective on other markings or thinner paper – for example, if you use a rubber eraser on tracing paper, you will get confused. with torn mess. Rubber erasers also kind of work, crumbling, leaving a lot of dust. You can find “dust-free” versions that leave behind crumbs that can be easily rolled into a ball for quick disposal.
Plastic erasers can erase ink
These erasers are usually white, are actually made of vinyl, and usually come in a sleeve. They can process virtually any marking material, including ink, on a wide range of surfaces including paper, parchment and even film. The downside is that they will absolutely destroy delicate materials like paper if you’re not careful.
You will also often see “combo” versions of a plastic eraser, where one end is dedicated to erasing ink and film, and the other end is dedicated to cleaning graphite on paper. If you are working on a delicate surface such as art paper or tracing paper, the Magic Rub Vinyl Eraser is designed to erase cleanly without damaging it.
Technical erasers for professionals
These white plastic erasers work with graphite and charcoal, but not with ink. They look like other plastic erasers but are usually labeled “technical” or “technical” erasers. They are essentially “professional grade” erasers that drawing professionals use to erase marks on technical drawings as they are very accurate and durable. This is usually overkill for those who aren’t working on blueprints or whatever, although they allow you to be very precise when erasing.
Erasers for artistic rubber bands work on fabric
Rubber erasers (also known as art erasers) are also rubber erasers (usually brown or clear), but much softer than your regular pink eraser. They work the same way—they crumble to absorb graphite or other marks from surfaces—but because they crumble into a fine, dry powder, they can also be used on fabric or even leather, as well as paper, erasing marks without damaging the material. You probably won’t need a rubber eraser for everyday use, but it can come in handy if you ever need to erase marks on clothes or if you’re concerned about the mess of a regular eraser.
Kneaded erasers for artists
The kneaded erasers are very soft and can be shaped into different shapes. Instead of crumbling, they work by removing markings from the surface. Found in grey, black, or even white, they are mostly used in artistic applications as they can be shaped into any shape and used to subtly lighten or blur areas of a drawing in very precise ways (especially when working with charcoal, although they will work with graphite as well). ). They can be useful any time you need to erase something without damaging the surface because they are non-abrasive.
Kneaded erasers get dirty over time because they soak up what you’re erasing. They can be cleaned and even washed , however, giving them a new life.
Erasers work like a pencil in reverse
Erasers or ” pencil erasers ” are just rubber erasers, but they come in the shape of a pencil – they can even be sharpened like a pencil. So while they’re not technically another kind of eraser, they’re good to know about – if you ever need to erase very thin lines, you can sharpen one of these to point and erase with extreme precision. Instead of the standard rubber-tipped eraser, you can find rubber-tipped pencils, making it easy to switch between them.
Soap erasers are designed for big jobs
These white, soft and large erasers are often shaped like soap bars. They are used to quickly erase large areas with minimal chipping or surface damage. While they are mostly useful for artists, they can be used by anyone who works with pencils or charcoal who sometimes just needs to erase all day’s work before bursting into tears.
While they can’t erase all of your mistakes (unfortunately, no eraser can deal with relationship confusion and bad memories that still haunt you), there is a perfect eraser for most of them. Choose wisely.