Pencils are common writing and drawing tools that many of us have used since childhood. A pencil contains a core made of graphite mixed with clay encased in wood.

This simple design has remained largely unchanged for decades. But despite their ubiquitous nature, many pencil users wonder – can pencils expire?

Let’s take a look at the shelf life of various pencil types.

How Long Do Wood Pencils Last?

The wood casing is the part of a pencil most susceptible to the effects of time. Wood can warp, crack, or rot when exposed to fluctuating temperature and humidity over many years.

However, an unsharpened wood pencil stored in a climate-controlled environment can potentially last for decades without issue.

According to one manufacturer, an unsharpened, good quality wood pencil has an indefinite shelf life.

Once a wood pencil is sharpened, the exposed graphite core is vulnerable to breakage, moisture damage, and drying out. A sharpened wood pencil will usually last between 1-2 years with occasional use before becoming too short, broken, or dried out to write effectively.

More frequent use will shorten its usable lifespan. If the exposed core of a sharpened pencil develops surface cracks or flakes off, it’s a sign that the pencil is expired.

Proper storage extends the life of wood pencils. Keep them in a steady environment away from excessive moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Storing pencils tip-up in a jar or pencil case helps minimize breakage of the fragile pointed ends.

Do Mechanical Pencils Expire?

Mechanical pencils employ a clutch mechanism to push graphite leads through a tip, rather than requiring sharpening. The leads are the only part of a mechanical pencil that can meaningfully expire. Leads are thinner than wood pencil cores, so they tend to be more brittle and prone to breakage.

Like sharpened wood pencils, mechanical pencil leads last 1-2 years with occasional use. Signs of expired leads include:

• Frequent breakage while writing
• Crumbling or pulverized lead
• Leads that snap upon extruding from the tip

The plastic or metal mechanical pencil body should last for decades unless subjected to extreme conditions like high heat.

The clutch and lead advancement mechanism may weaken over time, but this usually takes many years. Storing mechanical pencils tip-up can help prevent jamming of the delicate lead advancement mechanisms.

Do Colored Pencils Expire?

Colored pencils contain pigments mixed into the core instead of graphite. All types of colored pencils can expire in the sense that the core can become dry, brittle, and difficult to apply smoothly .

Signs your colored pencils are expired include:

• Powdery, flaky core
• Breaking lead points
• Poor color laydown and blending
• Need for heavy pressure to get color

Wax-Based Colored Pencils

Wax-based cores are softer and blend easily, but have higher oil content than other colored pencils. The oil can evaporate over time, causing the pencils to dry out faster. Properly stored wax colored pencils can last 5-10 years before drying out.

Soft, thick leads make wax pencils more vulnerable to breakage as they age. Minimizing exposure to air helps wax cores retain their moisture and smooth texture.

Oil-Based Colored Pencils

Pencils labeled “Premier,” “Artist,” or “Professional” are usually oil-based. The dense, clay-like, oil-based cores take much longer to dry out than wax pencils – up to 15-20 years.

However, oil pencils tend to become brittle and prone to breakage after 5-10 years.

Water-Soluble Colored Pencils

Water-soluble colored pencil cores contain a water-soluble additive to make the colors blend and lift when brushed with water.

The soluble additive can leach out as the pencils age, causing faded color laydown. Properly stored, watercolor pencils last 3-5 years before poor performance.

Extending Colored Pencil Lifespan

To get the longest life from colored pencils:

• Store tightly wrapped in original packaging or a resealable plastic bag
• Keep pencils tip-up to avoid breakage
• Store out of direct light and away from heat sources
• Avoid extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations

Sharpening colored pencils frequently helps keep the exposed points fresh.

Do Prismacolor Pencils Expire?

Prismacolor colored pencils are a popular artist-grade brand. Like most colored pencils, Prismacolors contain a mix of pigments, fillers, binders, and preservatives pressed into a solid core.

Both the wax-based Prismacolor Premier pencils and oil-based Prismacolor Premier Verithin pencils can expire over time.

Prismacolor Premier Pencils

The soft, thick, wax-based cores make Prismacolor Premier pencils prone to breakage as they age. Properly stored, Prismacolor Premier pencils will last around 5-10 years before drying out. Signs these pencils are expired include:

• Powdery residue rubbing off the core
• Frequent broken points while sharpening
• Needing heavy pressure for color laydown
• Poor blending ability

Prismacolor Premier Verithin Pencils

With their hard, dense, clay-like pigment cores, the Verithin pencils have an expected shelf life around 10-15 years. The oil-based cores help them resist drying out for over a decade. However, the slender core shape means Verithins often develop broken points and become difficult to sharpen after 5-10 years.

Do Crayola Pencils Expire?

Crayola produces a popular budget-friendly colored pencil pack for students. The soft, thick cores make Crayola pencils prone to breakage over time.

Properly stored Crayola pencils typically last around 3-5 years before drying out. Since they’re marketed for students, Crayola doesn’t intend for their colored pencils to have an indefinite shelf life.

Signs your Crayolas are expired:

• Powdery core
• Difficulty sharpening without breaking
• Weak color laydown unless you press hard

Crayola colored pencils are meant to be used up by students before their quality degrades too much. Their low price makes replacing them more practical than constantly sharpening stubs.

The Bottom Line

While pencils can technically last for many decades if unused, once in use they become vulnerable to the effects of time. Sharpened graphite pencil cores and colored pencil leads degrade more quickly than their unsharpened counterparts.

With proper care and storage, quality pencils can last upwards of 5-10 years before drying out. But frequent use necessitates more frequent replacement.

By keeping an eye out for signs of brittleness, breakage, and poor performance, you can determine when it’s time to retire those well-loved pencils and bring some fresh points into your studio.