We all remember the many school supplies we had as children. In our kit, there was the gum which was very useful in mathematics, drawing or biology classes. This eraser is composed of two parts, red (the most used) and blue which no one really knows the usefulness. But did you know why the two ends are different in texture and color?
Find out what this little-known function of the blue end of the eraser is.
What is the blue side of a gum for?
Duo-Gom two-tone gum is manufactured by the French company Maped and has been present in school children’s kits for years. The pink end is used to erase drawings and words drawn in pencil, however, the blue part is often misunderstood. Many believe that it erases ink, but this idea is false. According to our colleagues at CNews, the blue end is designed to be used on harder surfaces than conventional paper, such as cardboard, tapestry or walls. In other words, it is useful for erasing pencil strokes on hard materials.
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Why does the eraser erase the pencil?
You have created a beautiful text or drawing using a pencil, but unfortunately, there is one mistake, one word or one stroke too many. Fortunately, an eraser can solve this problem. But how exactly does it work?
The rubber, made from rubber, is able to remove carbon particles deposited on the paper by the pencil. Using the gum, the graphite particles are torn from the paper and stick to the gum, forming black peels. However, it is important not to erase too much to avoid damaging the paper.
Why is this blue and pink gum still being sold?
The two-tone eraser is often used mainly for the pink part, which is used to erase drawings and words drawn in pencil. The blue part is less used because it is designed to be used on harder surfaces such as cardboard, tapestry or walls. However, why does the Maped brand continue to market this dual-use eraser? According to the brand, this is for marketing reasons, as parents buy this eraser primarily because of its symbolic status as an object associated with school and a souvenir of their childhood.
The reactions of Internet users following this discovery
People were very surprised when they learned what the blue part of the gum was for. Here are the reactions of some of them on this subject:
“I always thought that the blue part prevented the eraser from finishing completely and allowed it to be firmly attached to it”
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Another user said, “I thought the pink side was used to erase pencil marks, and the blue side to erase eraser marks left by the red part.”
“I knew that the blue part was used to erase ink, but that it could also damage the paper,” said another user who was surprised by the reactions of those who are only now discovering this detail.
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