Mechanical pencil applied at an angle. When excess vertical pressure is applied on the lead, the lead is automatically retracted inwards. Higher-end mechanical pencils often feature a lead hardness grade indicator and sometimes feature a retractable lead guide pipe. This allows the lead guide pipe to retract back into the pencil body, which will keep it protected in storage and during transit and makes it 'pocket-safe'. In spite of the name, pencil leads do not contain the toxic chemical element lead, but are typically made with graphite and clay, or plastic polymers. Compared to standard pencils, mechanical pencils have a smaller range
Lead (tack) if they will not respond to a regular lead. A lead can be made from a variety of materials, including cotton, horsehair (woven or braided hair, usually from a horse's tail), leather, nylon or other synthetic materials. Lead ropes, as the name implies, are round and made of various types of rope, usually between 5/8 and 3/4 inch (about 2 cm) in diameter. Lead lines are usually flat webbing or leather, and are generally wide, though may be narrower for show use. Flat lines are less bulky and more comfortable in the hand for leading and animal, but may lack