So how do you sharpen pencils?

[Dick Latshaw]

Doesn't everyone?

Aha! Another FastCap user.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have a little plastic pink two piece $0.99 sharpener with a razor blade that takes big and small round pencils.

I grab the end of the pencil shove it in the hole and twist like maybe three times and it's sharp as a dart.

[Bob Childress]

Another Boston school house cranker here, left by the previous owner.

But I like Brian's method best. It's simple, fast, clean, and efficient.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
My wife bought me a set of little pencil sharpeners at the local dollar store.
They all have one of those little rectanglar shapeners inside a plastic body.
The plastic bodies are all shaped like little tools - hammer - screwdriver - wrench.
Very thoughtful woman.(definate keeper)
LOL! I think it was a bribe so I'd stop whining at her about my chisel

[Andrew Williams]

If I could, I would use a "Made in Syracuse, NY" Porter-Cable pencil sharpener, but I'm afraid I just have to settle for the plain Boston cranker. Mine must have something stuck in it since lately it makes rough pencils.

[Per Swenson]

Pencil?

Razor knife.

No. I mark with a razor knife.

Why?

I buy Ticonderoga's by the case. Panasonic electric sharpener.

I can rarely find either.

I always have a knife. Always.

What I am looking for though, is something to sharpen my wit.

Hammer? You mean a stud straightener. Right?

Per

[Chris Barton]

I use my chainsaw. Gets kind of tough when they get really short.

[Fred Craven]

Being the father of eight children--most of whom are home schooled--and maintaining a home office has necessitated the frequent use of a pencil sharpener.

Regrettably they are almost all junk. I'm note sure how many we have gone through, but I can tell you that most are not meant to take "continuous use". If only Fein or Festool made a pencil sharpener. Alas.

Perhaps a year ago we finally gave in, and sought that heavy duty, hand cranked pencil sharpener that was ubiquitous when we were kids. No, not the ones you see in most stores, that "other one" you know...

So I did some research, and about a year ago we finally bought one.
The big Boston Ranger 55 (now made by X-acto). The ones where you had to empty the thing out.

It's probably not as heavy duty as an original, but it is the best pencil sharpener we have been able to find, electric or manual. Not available in most stores, and teacher supply companies sell it for a premium. I ordered ours from 0fficedepot.com.

Ebay has a new old stock version (item: 260016818267 ) which will set you back over 80 dollars. the new version's MSRP is 45, with a street price of 30 something.

[Daryl Brayman]

On sheet goods I use a pen, easier to see and I'm cutting right though it (on a good day) For marking up I just "borrow" the wifes Soduko pencils. She keeps them sharp but seems to go though them by the gross.

Regards, Daryl

[Dan Clark]

Aha! Another FastCap user.

When I bought my first FastCap measuring tape, I looked at the built-in pencil sharpener and thought, "That's the DUMBEST thing I've ever seen!" Now I use it all the time.

Dan.

[Steve Rowe]

First I fire up my belt sander, starting with 80 grit, then working over to about 220. Then I set up the beals buffing system, stopping just short of the waxing step. A couple of touch-up swashes on the .5 micron abrasive film puts on the fine chisel-edge for accuracy and the pure beauty of a hand-made pencil point.

Following this, I use my big sand-paper cleaner stick, launder the buffing wheels, and wipe down the abrasive film with oil so I don't mark up my wood. I figure it's a lot easier than having a special tool just to sharpen a pencil.

Yeah, right on spot - but don't you use a microbevel to get more beef behind the point and reduce the amount of time for future sharpenings?

When I bought my first FastCap measuring tape, I looked at the built-in pencil sharpener and thought, "That's the DUMBEST thing I've ever seen!" Now I use it all the time.

Dan.

Dan, I thought the same thing with my first Fastcap measuring tape. I also use it all the time.
Steve

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I use the crank type sharpener. But be very careful with it if you do a climbing cut to avoid tearout.

[everett lowell]

Boston school house cranker, if its too far away I use my teef !

[Randal Stevenson]

For accuracy in shop work I use a 0.5m mechanical pencil. For rough in carpentry work, who cares.

Started using a mechanical pencil in the shop, but for carpentry, used pens, markers, those old fat hardware "woodworking" pencils, the knife to sharpen them, and even my own blood, after cutting myself. I do have a fairly good supply of blood, so I should be able to mark quite a bit (marked off as crime scene)

[Norris Randall]

Hello Nice Folks,
I'm fairly new here, BUT, I can't believe no one chucks them up and uses a skew.

Oh, sorry, I thought I was on Turners Forum.