Lead wear and line thickness depend on the texture of the drafting surface used and not on writing pressure alone. When choosing the grades: use a harder lead for very fine lines, hard and rough surfaces. Use a softer lead for normal lines, hatching and rendering.

For tapered lead points:Twist the pencil gently between thumb and index finger while drawing the line. This will prevent the point of the lead wearing down on one side only, and the lead will retain its point longer.