The history of the eraser

The origin of the eraser  can be traced back to the early 19th century. At the time, the erasing tools people used were mainly parchment paper or crumbs. However, these tools come with some drawbacks, such as parchment leaving behind residue and bread crumbs not being as clean as they should be.

In 1819, British chemist Charles Davy discovered a new material-rubber. He discovered that rubber could be used to erase pencil marks without leaving a residue. Soon after, people began using rubber to make erasers.

The original erasers were made by hand, and the production process was very tedious. Later, with the development of industrialization and the advancement of machine manufacturing technology, production became simpler and more efficient.

In the early 20th century, the types of erasers began to increase, and erasers of various shapes and colors appeared. At the same time, materials have also changed. In addition to rubber, some new materials are used to make erasers, such as polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene.

Today, erasers have become one of the indispensable items in people's daily lives, and are widely used in schools, offices, and homes.

Types of erasers

1. Ordinary eraser

Ordinary eraser is the most common type of eraser. It is usually white or pink and has a rectangular or cylindrical shape. This kind of eraser has a better erasing effect, but it easily leaves eraser chips and needs to be cleaned frequently.

2. Oily eraser

Oil eraser is a special type of eraser that can erase pencils, colored pencils, crayons and other materials without leaving eraser shavings after erasing. However, they are more expensive and prone to dust, requiring frequent cleaning.

3. Water-based eraser

Water-based eraser is a relatively new type of eraser. It is usually blue or green in color and has a rectangular or round shape. This eraser can erase handwriting made on various materials such as water-based pens and watercolor pens without leaving eraser shavings.

Eraser material:

1. Natural rubber

Natural rubber is a kind of rubber extracted from rubber trees. It has good elasticity and toughness and can be made into erasers of various shapes. Natural rubber has a very good erasing effect, but is more expensive.

2. Synthetic rubber

Synthetic rubber is a type of artificial rubber that is made through a chemical reaction. Synthetic rubber is slightly less elastic and tough than natural rubber, but it is cheaper.

3. Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a polymer material that has good elasticity and toughness and can be made into erasers of various shapes. Polyurethane erases very well and leaves no eraser shavings.

4. PVC

PVC is a common plastic material that can be made into various shapes of erasers. PVC has a mediocre erasing effect and tends to leave eraser chips.

5. Silica gel

Silicone is a polymer material that has good elasticity and toughness and can be made into erasers of various shapes. Silicone erases very well and leaves no eraser shavings.

https://www.greenwillplus.com/The-evolution-of-the-eraser-From-rubber-to-multifunctional-artifact.html