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Thread: Is this considered a Hand Tool?

  1. #1
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    Is this considered a Hand Tool?

    Hi, I recently purchased this vintage Boston 55 "Ranger" Draftsman's Pencil Sharpener (I'm a draftsman, among other things), from ebay after looking at brand new imported ones from amazon. This was about $4 more than a new one, but had a better paint job, and the handle is wood instead of plastic.

    The steel cutters were caked solid with years of packed-in graphite, cedar, and oil that formed a hardened mass like dried glue. I doused it with WD40, let in soak, then ran a pencil down each spiral "trough", more WD40 with a toothbrush... then a bath in simple green and warm water, a few minutes in a 150F oven to chase all the water out, reassemble with a spot of wax and a drop of mineral oil... a little never-dull on the case, and it works like new! It doesn't shave the wood quite as smooth as the electric ones, but the shape and length of the point is superior... perfect for the refined draughtsman.

    -Pete











    Last edited by Peter Pedisich; 10-01-2014 at 12:05 AM.

  2. #2
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    Oooooh it even has a point selector. I'm jealous, you suck and all those other comments.

    Though I do have a pencil pointer on the end of my electric eraser. The one I had to take apart once and fix.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  3. #3
    Dude, that thing is sa-weeet! Awesome Deco, too. I'll keep an eye out for one of these, and FWIW I have a buddy who goes to estate sales and always sees one (a typical Boston or the like) screwed to a wall and he invariably asks if it's available. The looks he gets are priceless.

  4. #4
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    That's a sweet sharpener Pete. I too am a draftsman mostly in my former career, but still have my board set up and draw by hand. I would have bought that sharpener over a new one too.
    Jim
    Ancora Yacht Service

  5. #5
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    And I thought that my Boston KS was cool. Shows ya what I know.
    Great resto.
    Bill
    On the other hand, I still have five fingers.

  6. #6
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    That is a nice sharpener. Mine are just the standard run of the mill variety. I thought a draftsman's sharpener could also just remove the wood,leaving the naked,unsharpened graphite sticking out. You could then sand the graphite into a chisel edge,or other special edge as desired.

  7. #7
    A good find. I too liked Deco stuff. A pencil sharpener that looks like a photo of the Chrysler building taken from a helicopter! So much better than the post apocalyptic looking buildings ,and pencil sharpeners, currently TURNED (get it?)
    out.

  8. #8
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    That's fantastic. seriously, a must have.

  9. #9
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    "Draughtsman", years - quite.

    I hope "Vomax the insatiable" devours your
    favorite Staedtler 4H

    * you suck *

  10. #10
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    That is a really neat pencil sharpener. Congratulations on the find. I am very curious, though, if you will use it in your work. It has been many years since I saw a draftsman/designer using a drawing board instead of a computer.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Art Mann View Post
    That is a really neat pencil sharpener. Congratulations on the find. I am very curious, though, if you will use it in your work. It has been many years since I saw a draftsman/designer using a drawing board instead of a computer.
    Art,
    For work I use AutoCAD, but for my own work - in my own shop - I've switched over to full scale details to work out joinery and proportion. I know sketch up and AutoCAD are great, and I've used it, but after doing it all day I need a break from the computer, so in my home shop I go back to doing it the way I began in 1979!
    I still have a solid oak Mayline drafting table, but it's covered in hand tools, so expect it to be buried and inaccessible for the next five years...

    Here's what I do with my cedar & graphite pencils:




  12. #12
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    I had a Ranger 55 just like it. When we moved it was packed in a box. My wife didn't like it, threw it away.
    It looked like new.
    -Tom

  13. #13
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    Classic technique.

    Nice hand, and sensitive shading.
    Kudos

  14. #14
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    Peter, perhaps a silly question but I am serious, what type or brand cedar and graphite pencils do you use? And where might they be sourced? Thank you, Patrick

  15. #15
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    I have a pencil sharpener next to my bench. It has the different size holes. In addition to sharpening pencils, it is good for pointing dowels.

    I have been using the plastic pencils that come with the .7 leads and a white erasers. They come 15 to the package and can be thrown away when the break. The fine line they leave is erasable with the soft white eraser on the pencil. The cost just a few dollars for the package.

    I worked as a draftsman for many years, but prefer AutoCad now. I do still have two Fugle pencil pointers. I disposed of my electric erasers.

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