M. Manoj with the graphite chain with 212 independent links.
A veterinary postgraduate student of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for carving the highest number of chain links from pencil lead.
M. Manoj carved 212 independent graphite links to achieve the feat. The chain of freely movable links is 45 cm long.
“The Guinness World Records team officially informed me on the achievement on May 17,” said Mr. Manoj, who is currently pursuing MVSc in Veterinary Public Health at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode. He hails from Parasuvaikkal in Thiruvananthapuram district
Earlier record
The earlier record was by Lee Chien Chu from Taipei, whose graphite chain had 168 links, Mr. Manoj said.
He had been carving sculptures on graphite for five years. “During the previous lockdown period I applied for a record titled ‘The most chain links carved from pencil lead,’” he said.
“I made the chain by strictly adhering to the guidelines set by the Guinness Book authorities. I did not use any adhesives to attach the links,” he said.
He used Artline Black Beauty pencil. Its graphite’s diameter was less than 2 mm and the work was completed with surgical blade no. 11 and 12. R.S. Rajesh, teacher, Government Higher Secondary School, Aryanad, and Anne Briskilla, surgeon at the Government Veterinary Hospital, Nediyamcode, Thiruvananthapuram, verified the work.
“The major constraint I faced was the number of links I could carve in a single pencil and hence I used two pencils to carve the 212 links. Connecting the links of two pencils was a problem, but I solved it by making a crack on the last link,” he said.
It took nearly one month to complete the work for which he spent four hours a day. Mr. Manoj said he wanted to dedicate the work to his parents, who had inspired him to complete the task.
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