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Dumb Question - Pencil Sharpener

4K views 55 replies 35 participants last post by  ssnvet 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
OK, so by clicking on the title of this post, you are already aware that this is going to be a stupid question (yes, they do exist).

I've had the same old battery powered pencil sharpener in my shop for over a decade now. It has put a nice long and sharp point on my Ticonderoga #2's every time I asked it to… until last week. Ol' faithful gave out on me as I was sharpening up the box of dull pencils I keep on the bench. I bought a new one off amazon for about $10 and the thing was crap. Didn't actually put a sharp point on the lead. So I stopped by a hobby lobby and grabbed another thinking that a fancy artsy one would work… but it doesn't have enough torque to actually cut the wood.

Anyone have a lead on an electric sharpener that puts a long tapered point on a pencil?

Before you try and talk me into using some mechanical, refillable, lead extruding contraption, I actually enjoy my Ticonderoga #2 pencils. I have a box of sharp unused pencils in the bench well that I reach for and a box for dull ones when they start to dull. Once the dull box fills up, they all get sharpened and go back to the sharp box. It is a simple system and I am a simple (read: stubborn) man and I don't want to change! :)
 
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#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yeah, I gave that some thought. But, when I go to sharpen, I end up sharpening a whole box of dulls (maybe 50+ pencils or so) and the battery is nice. Not necessary, but nice.

I didn't think there was going to be this much hassle in getting a new sharpener or I would have taken apart the old one and tried to fix it before I threw it away.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I currently have a Boston Manual from the 50's in my shop and had 2 electrics: Boston as pictured above and an Xacto (cheap plastic whinny junk model). The Boston above was the best of the three in regards to quality of cut and point.

I much prefer the small single bladed sharpeners used typically by artists. A few KUM 400 long point pencil sharpeners have served me well in the shop and similar sharpeners used by my kids until computers basically eradicated pencils in the class room.

 
#18 ·
#19 ·
Yeah, I gave that some thought. But, when I go to sharpen, I end up sharpening a whole box of dulls (maybe 50+ pencils or so) and the battery is nice. Not necessary, but nice.
Just me, but I don't find the hand crank models to be a handicap even when doing a whole box.

With the best of the electrics it is a tie when they are working well. The worst ones or when they are not working at their best I give the edge to hand crank because I find the electrics often waste pencil by over sharpening and eating up more length.
 
#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
LOL, had similar question 3-4 years ago when both of my electric sharpeners died in same month. :(

Bought a highly rated battery powered version from Ama-dud and it was junk, inconsistent edges and eats batteries quick. So asked my kids what schools use these days, and if they worked well. Also dug through online reviews, and found similar answers?

The 'best' voted manual is split between the X-ACTO or the Uni KH-20. Bought one of each, and I like the xacto better. It will resharpen a dull point in one crank or less. The Uni requires opening pinch clamps that spring load and feed pencil consistently and is pain with a lot of pencils. Uni is convenient for new pencils without point, as it it's designed to feed length needed with even pressure to get point and stop. FWIW - The xacto's are what my local schools installed in new buildings in last 5-10 years.

Neither of these is robust as the old Boston or Berol sharpeners found in schools when I was kid many decades ago, but the xacto is supposedly made by remnants of Boston company. :) When I bought mine, there were even a few retailers with Boston/X-ACTO brand labeling. The metal shaving case is as thin as you could possibly make it, but it has worked in shop for last couple years despite being knocked on floor occasionally?
If you buy Uni KH-20, watch out for Chinese made cheap clones; they do not work as well. DAMHIK You want the Japan import versions made by Mitsubishi in Japan.

Kids told me when a teacher has an electric sharpener in class room, it's either the X-ACTO #1675 or more expensive XACTO commercial #1612 sharpener. Not wanting to spend $100 on commercial sharpener, picked up an X-ACTO ProX #1675 electric sharpener for office. It works really well. Has a auto feature to stop when pencil is sharp. Frustrates my kids, as they cant' procrastinate doing homework by grinding pencils forever.

Hope this helps, as always YMMV.
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have/use/love the "old time" wall mounted hand crank model. Not only does it get a nice point, but the shavings are contained in the metal housing until you're ready to dump them in the trash can. This old time stuff was well thought out that way. Since there is that adjustable size plate on the front, it can be used to taper the end of some dowels as well.
I went to school in a different century, and we all used pencils back then. If you were a SMART young boy, you tried to sit near the pencil sharpener which was usually mounted on the wall near the classroom door. You could watch the girls come sharpen their pencils, which required bending over to turn the crank, which caused their "posteriors" to wiggle back and forth, and if they had anything else to jiggle, that was similarly watched. Heh heh heh. Yep, we sure learned a LOT of useful information back in them thar days.
BTW, I mostly use round #2 pencils, as in 32 years with my company, a crap load of them followed me home. When I do use a flat Carpenter's Pencil, it gets sharpened with the Victorinox Swiss Army knife.
 
#22 ·
#23 ·
I sure am glad that I'm not the only loony in the bin and that yall value a good sharp pencil. You have also encouraged me to give the old hand crank a go. Ordered the X-acto today. There are some Boston's on ebay but for the price, I'll start with the x-acto.
 
#24 ·
Does it have to be battery powered? I have a very old antique I inherited from my Grandmother and it s still going strong and puts a damn fine tip on a pencil.

Nickel Cylinder Household hardware Machine Metal


- HokieKen
I'm with Ken

It will even work in a complete power outage, dependable doesn't come close to describing it. Best part yet, is you use the food it most likes to eat.
 

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#26 ·
I have to say, my favorite shop pencil is by far a crusty old 2mm clutch lead holder.
Office supplies Writing implement Pen Ball pen Office instrument


I keep a pointer (sharpener) for when I need a round, sharp point and a small block of steel with some 2000 grit paper glued to it for when I want to shape it to a knife edge. With the different hardnesses of lead available and the ability to shape the point however I need it and adjust the length the lead extends out quickly and easily, that's what you'll find in my hand more often than not. I also love the hexagonal barrel and the knurled stainless finger grip. A well-made one is a true pleasure to use. If you haven't ever tried one, give it a shot. But buy an old Kohinoor, Alvin or Faber one. Not the $.99 POS from China.

The one problem I have with it though is that it's too heavy to tuck behind my ear. So there's always a dozen or so good old wooden pencils scattered around the shop too ;-)
 

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