Can you tell if an eraser is for lead or for a pen without the package it comes in?

Most of the time no eraser will work on a ballpoint pen and a pencil one definitely won’t.

Well, try it.

I had an “erasable” ballpoint pen once with an eraser that was almost the same as a pencil eraser, but felt a little denser. It would also erase pencil. Not sure if that’s the type you mean or not. I seem to remember also having an “ink eraser” at one point that was very grainy, designed to scrape off surface ink, which tended to scrape off the top layers of paper, too.

White can remove pen and pencil. Orange pencil only. Blue can remove pen.

I remember ink erasers years back, but I haven’t seen one in quite some time. There used to be ones that were pink on one end, white on the other. The white side felt dry, and gritty, and erased ballpoint ink. You had to be gentle. The pink end felt smooth, and pliable. It worked for pencil, but only smeared ink.
Those brown ones which look like opaque rubber bands stink, and don’t work well for anything except throwing at the boy who sticks his tongue out at you.

Thanks. Beware before you use an eraser from now on. Even the one on a regular pencil supposedly only for lead.

^^ Why?

Good to know @Zaku and @RedDeerGuy1 , and @Patty_Melt
I saw a green one on a pencil, I haven’t tried it.

If it’s on a pencil it’s to erase pencil.
I think the ink ones are white and more rubbery than ones for pencil.