Pencil Sharpener

[lardy1]

During my years in the cabinet shop, I learned to use hard lead pencils and to keep an electric sharpener right on the bench. That was years ago and I still abide by it. Sharpeners are cheap.

 

[niget2002]

I grabbed a picture of mine.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Dozerhand]

Here's mine. It lives in the tool box till I need it, then I chuck it up in the vise to use it.

 

[jonshonda]

Picked these two items up from the local thrift store.

20201013_184516 by Jon S, on Flickr

 

[Nineeightyone]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Plastic...Measure-Holder-in-Gray-1-4-in-24285/205489068

I've got two of these, they do fine for when I need to sharpen a pencil (though they require emptying a little more frequently than the nice all-metal ones with the larger body.

Hilariously fun was when I had to sharpen six new pencils -- I chucked them in the drill and ran it for a couple seconds. Beautifully sharp pencils without all the effort.

 

[nmr1981]

I'm a teacher and I love wooden pencils, but I was disappointed to learn that the last batch of Dixon Ticonderoga's were made in China. They once proudly proclaimed to be American made which ticks me off. I actually have been enjoying USA Gold pencils lately, they write very smooth and are of decent quality. As a bonus they are actually made in the USA. General Pencils are also very nice and made here in NJ. I realize I am not going to save American jobs by buying a pack of pencils but it is a pride thing, when I have the choice to buy something small and affordable I will gladly pay a little more for American made.

As far as electric sharpeners I really like my School Smart sharpener. Usually the school smart stuff is terrible but I love this sharpener so much that I don't allow the students to use it...I'll sharpen the pencils for them. Definitely not American made but it is what I was given out of the supply closet and has worked well for years.

 

[dubdoc]

Got an Exacto over my home bench as well.

 

[isb cornbinder]

+I started to buy pencil sharpeners at garage sales, years ago. My wife says I may have 60 of them. She put all but a few into a large box and sent it to storage.
I kept out two German made pencil sharpeners. They are very old and made of Bakelite. Both have a chip drawer, point adjustment and spring loaded pencil holder mechanics.
I have Staedtler mechanical pencils from my drafting and cartoon days. I can write and draw with a pencil, pen with nibs or fountain pen, but, I cannot control a ballpoint pen. I guess I am used to the drag.
I used to have 8 drafting tables with drafting machines. My wife suggested they were taking up too much space, so I am down to two special tables and three machines. I have had my big HAMILTON since the early 1960s. The Hamilton has drawers.
I have a fairly rare Franz Kuhlmann drafting machine. It is the open skeleton style with cables and tension springs. This is a keeper. I have two boxes of new scales.

 

[RTM]

Here is my array of pencil sharpeners. The Boston Ranger 55 is new to me. I turned a nice profit on my old one, so decided to replace it. I really like Dozerhand's vise mount, that will be happening with this one. It will mainly get used for new pencils. The fine tuning of the point goes to one of the newer metal ones, as others have mentioned above. The disk one is nice, does normal and fatter pencils, on two different blades. I have a similar bullet or cylinder one in the desk at work, for the few times I need a wooden pencil. The square yellow thing does a killer job on carpenter's pencils, a nice even & sharp full width edge, not the pointy wimpy thing the rotary sharpeners create. Or the fractured job I can do by hand. And the sandpaper, file, rasp, etc. can get put to use, when times are hard.

I also have a drawer full of 0.3 - 1.0 mechanical pencils, and drafting pencils, but try to reserve those for the Incra marking tools, as they just don't seem "right". I also use marking knives a lot.

 

[Dave455]

I'm a teacher and I love wooden pencils, but I was disappointed to learn that the last batch of Dixon Ticonderoga's were made in China. They once proudly proclaimed to be American made which ticks me off. I actually have been enjoying USA Gold pencils lately, they write very smooth and are of decent quality. As a bonus they are actually made in the USA. General Pencils are also very nice and made here in NJ. I realize I am not going to save American jobs by buying a pack of pencils but it is a pride thing, when I have the choice to buy something small and affordable I will gladly pay a little more for American made.

I’m sorry to hear that. I used those in the U.S. and they’d be great in the workshop.

Buying U.S. made isn’t only about supporting the U.S. (I’m not even an American) but also about quality. I have yet to see any decent product that’s been outsourced to China retain its quality!

Glad you found a domestic made alternative, though there are plenty of other choices, some of which I’ve shown below.

The Staedtler Lumograph I find best for graphic work (in the harder grades) though the red “Tradition” series are not bad. Faber are comparable (subtly different) and Lyra o.k. None are quite as good as the old Berol Turquoise, but I have a good stash of those!

My favourites in the softer grades are the Swiss Caran d’ache and the British Derwent Graphic. Both give a lovely dense line for general writing, and the Derwent are superb for sketching. I use these in B grade daily.

I’ve recently been using the Tombow Mono 100, made in Japan. These are superb. They are stocked by a local art shop who tell me customers are buying them by the dozen! They are a more expensive option but, as always, people are generally prepared to pay for the best!

 

[akalian]

Here's my X-atco KS.
I mounted it on a small piece of plywood and when it comes to sharpening time, I just clamp it in the vice and sharpen all the dull ones, then back on the shelf till the next time.

.

 

[NoahG]

There are three pencils makers left in America. General Pencil Co. in New Jersey and the Musgrave Pencil Co. and J.R. Moon Pencil Co, both in Tennessee.

My current pencil of choice in the shop is a 2H Musgrave Unigraph sharpened by a CARL Angel-5

 

[jshillin]

I have an electric sharpener and it works great. I only buy Dixon Ticonderoga, have for years. After reading above, I did just order a pack of Mitsubishi's to try.

 

[casmurbax]

The staple of pencils! Jim

https://www.amazon.com/Ticonderoga-Wood-Cased-Graphite-Pencils-13872/dp/B00125Q75Y

Thanks for this post I have 96 pencils on their way.

I bought this sharpener 2 years ago, works great, batteries, USB or 110volt. Is it the best, probably not. It does what I need it to do, sharpen a pencil.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QOCJYM8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[American Locomotive]

My current favorite pencil is the Palomino Blackwing 602. They're made in Japan using California cedar. Beautiful pencils, perfectly centered graphite, double crimped oversized brass eraser ferrule with removable/serviceable eraser.

Pencil sharpener of choice is a vintage Boston Model 18.

 

[Den69rs96]

I bought a 8 hole manual pencil sharpener and mounted it to the wall. I bought it at Staples and its their own brand. Its similar to the xacto ones posted here. It makes a point so sharp, its great. My kids use it all the time.

 

[jonshonda]

My current favorite pencil is the Palomino Blackwing 602. They're made in Japan using California cedar. Beautiful pencils, perfectly centered graphite, double crimped oversized brass eraser ferrule with removable/serviceable eraser.

Pencil sharpener of choice is a vintage Boston Model 18.

And just when you think "a pencil is a pencil...right?"

 

[American Locomotive]

And just when you think "a pencil is a pencil...right?"

The Blackwing is a really sweet pencil. But at nearly $2/Pencil, they're a bit expensive to be a daily driver.

I like giving them out as rewards to students.

 

[RTM]

But when you find a partial box at a garage sale for $1, you celebrate. I buy any vintage pencils by the box I find, got some vintage Black Ticonderogas, Koh-i-noor Mephistos, and others running around.

 

[Jagmandave]

I have a Boston sharpener too, I've had it for more than 50 years, still works great.

 

[Jland]

Ok I'm in... here are mine.. the Berol sharpener I've had for years.. amazing haw something so insignificant can be so necessary

 

[username2]

I think that pencil sharpeners is one of those things where vintage is definitely better. I felt totally ripped off after buying some Chinesium name-brand ones on Amazon.

I ended up with an older electric thing from Salvation Army, works great.

 

[RTM]

All

When I posted my pencil sharpeners last week, I forgot about this one. Not frequently used, because its kind of an inconvenient size and footprint, but I think its cool as heck. Back when I bought it, Lee Valley was selling a repro, and a replacement blade, which was nice, since the razor blade that was in it was not up to the task. I bought this in an antique mall in Paso Robles, while en route to visit the family for Turkey day 2011. I had just seen it in the LV catalog, so instantly recognized it. This picture was taken on the counter in the antique mall while they rang me up, with the original example pencil, gnawed to heck, and the razor blade. It now functions fine, and I keep it on the desk where I do most of my tool research.

And later, unwrapped.

Its not the most expedient thing, especially with a new pencil, but it is great therapy during the stress of no shop time to at least make some shavings.

 

[SRU1436]

This guy had been growing strong since 1980.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I just looked at my stock of wood body pencils. Most of what I have ae VENUS Made in Canada. They are 1600 HB. I love them. There is always one beside my computer with a note-pad.

 

[Stubby1743]

Swiss made Wyna2 sharpener. About 70 years old.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Swiss made Wyna2 sharpener. About 70 years old.

Nice! Love those "ears" adjusters.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found this APSCO "Dexter" at a flea market a few weeks ago. It's 106 years old!

More photos on my thread down on the Vintage Tools Discussion forum here.

 

[neophyte]

Swiss made Wyna2 sharpener. About 70 years old.

I think Caran D’ache still makes or rebrands that sharpener.
Expensive though.