Comments on: Edible pencil made from licorice root http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 07:13:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: SamSam http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1239595 SamSam Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1239595 I'm very confused as to how the lead is put in there. Anyone know? <a href="http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/make.htm" rel="nofollow">Most pencils are made</a> by cutting grooves into a board, laying the graphite rods in the grooves, and sandwiching another board on top. The individual pencils are then created by cutting between the graphite rods. It doesn't look to me that these roots have been split, and I don't know if you create a curved piece of graphite anyway. Maybe the lead is only a cm long, and just pushed in a small hole drilled in the tip? That's my guess (and makes this only interesting as an artistic piece). I’m very confused as to how the lead is put in there. Anyone know?

Most pencils are made by cutting grooves into a board, laying the graphite rods in the grooves, and sandwiching another board on top. The individual pencils are then created by cutting between the graphite rods.

It doesn’t look to me that these roots have been split, and I don’t know if you create a curved piece of graphite anyway.

Maybe the lead is only a cm long, and just pushed in a small hole drilled in the tip? That’s my guess (and makes this only interesting as an artistic piece).

]]> By: Lobster http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238356 Lobster Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238356 Wait, licorice is? Wait, licorice is?

]]> By: BunnyShank http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238286 BunnyShank Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238286 wait, pencils aren't edible? wait, pencils aren’t edible?

]]> By: CH http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238248 CH Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238248 That pencil looks really beautiful (reminds me of pencils I've seen made out of twigs with the bark still on). But, how hard/bendy is licorice root? I have never had one so I have no idea. If it is in any way bendy, that graphite rod will break when you use the pencil... BTDT when trying to make my own pencils out of polymer clay (was fun, though). That pencil looks really beautiful (reminds me of pencils I’ve seen made out of twigs with the bark still on). But, how hard/bendy is licorice root? I have never had one so I have no idea. If it is in any way bendy, that graphite rod will break when you use the pencil… BTDT when trying to make my own pencils out of polymer clay (was fun, though).

]]> By: project1 http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238205 project1 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238205 Graphite is just a form of carbon, carbon is edible. Graphite is just a form of carbon, carbon is edible.

]]> By: blueelm http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238097 blueelm Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238097 Mmmm.... but what is being used as the "lead" here? Mmmm…. but what is being used as the “lead” here?

]]> By: Brian http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238077 Brian Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238077 Is graphite also edible? Is graphite also edible?

]]> By: ROSSINDETROIT http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1238027 ROSSINDETROIT Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1238027 We used to buy chunks of licorice root to chew when we were kids.  We also made sassafras tea from sassafras root shavings.  I guess that's considered unhealthy now because safrole causes liver damage. We used to buy chunks of licorice root to chew when we were kids.  We also made sassafras tea from sassafras root shavings.  I guess that’s considered unhealthy now because safrole causes liver damage.

]]> By: hipdadiddy http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237981 hipdadiddy Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237981 No.  No. Licorice is NOT delicious.  Michael O'Donoghue called it "the liver of candy," and he was being shockingly unfair to liver. No.  No. Licorice is NOT delicious.  Michael O’Donoghue called it “the liver of candy,” and he was being shockingly unfair to liver.

]]> By: Their feldspars http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237970 Their feldspars Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237970 Candy is dandy but licorice, quicker. Candy is dandy but licorice, quicker.

]]> By: fnarf http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237968 fnarf Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237968 What are you talking about? All pencils are edible. Even the ferrule, if you're careful about it. What are you talking about? All pencils are edible. Even the ferrule, if you’re careful about it.

]]> By: Mim http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237937 Mim Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237937 Falling asleep and pooping your pants - just what everyone wants in class and the office. Perhaps this is a "teaching" pencil to train people not to gnaw on their writing devices? Falling asleep and pooping your pants – just what everyone wants in class and the office. Perhaps this is a “teaching” pencil to train people not to gnaw on their writing devices?

]]> By: narddogz http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237938 narddogz Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237938 I look forward to the upcoming blog from Mark Frauenfelder, carefully comparing the taste against one of his beloved vintage Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602s. http://boingboing.net/2010/08/27/first-impression-of.html I look forward to the upcoming blog from Mark Frauenfelder, carefully comparing the taste against one of his beloved vintage Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602s.

http://boingboing.net/2010/08/27/first-impression-of.html

]]> By: madamecp http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237932 madamecp Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237932 If you're only neurotically gnawing or sucking your licorice root pencil lightly (rather than eating it), it CAN have a mild sedative effect. If you’re only neurotically gnawing or sucking your licorice root pencil lightly (rather than eating it), it CAN have a mild sedative effect.

]]> By: Mim http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237925 Mim Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237925 In not such giant quantities, it's also a laxative...  In not such giant quantities, it’s also a laxative… 

]]> By: CharredBarn http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237921 CharredBarn Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237921 Licorice enjoyed in excess can have deleterious effects, yes. So can liquor, sex, and dancing. Still, four of the best things ever.  Licorice enjoyed in excess can have deleterious effects, yes. So can liquor, sex, and dancing. Still, four of the best things ever. 

]]> By: Snig http://boingboing.net/2011/10/09/edible-pencil-made-from-licorice-root.html#comment-1237919 Snig Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=122327#comment-1237919 Tasty, but also causes hypertension, and if you eat tons of these, possible other serious stuff. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/881.html Tasty, but also causes hypertension, and if you eat tons of these, possible other serious stuff.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/881.html

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