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As technologists, let's not overlook Thoreau's tech work [0] - he made the lead pencil into a profitable product in the US: and could be said to have invented
by dmckeon 9y ago
As technologists, let's not overlook Thoreau's tech work [0] -
he made the lead pencil into a profitable product in the US:
and could be said to have invented the "Number 2 lead pencil"
in that the technique of blending graphite and clay made
it possible for his family's company to produce different
grades of pencils.
To be fair, European pencil-makers were using a similar
process as a trade secret at the time, and the market share
of Thoreau pencils was helped by high tariffs. Still,
HDT was not just a dreamer and writer in the woods, but
a technologist improving the very tools he wrote with.
[0] http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/482/482readings/03%20thoreau%20s%20pencil.pdf http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/482...