Electric Pencil Sharpeners - Recommendations ?

[Lakewood90712]

Weird question of the week , anyone have opinions of models bought in the last couple of years ?......Many brands and models available, want to get a good one. Unfortunately, I did not smuggle one out of the office on the last day . Thanks in advance. ( # 2 pencil brands, that will be a future thread )

 

[Midpack]

I’d make a recommendation but I don’t want to hurt the feelings of this old timer, still going strong after who knows how long. When I was working I used mechanical pencils, no sharpening - long gone now. DW and I don’t use pencils, or pens for that matter, very often anymore. Good luck.

[edit: I’m not surprised but evidently APSCO was sold off and moved in the 50’s and went out of business in the 80’s under its third owner. As far as I can tell I bought mine in the 60’s or 70’s.]

 

[Lakewood90712]

I actually do have one of those, pilfered from megacorp about 30 years ago, but the spiral blades inside are so worn that it doesn't do an acceptable job.

 

[mystang52]

This thing is is a gazillion years old, but still going strong. I used it as recently as yesterday. Of course, the problem with old reliable products is that it's likely it's no longer made, or not made the same way. But, FWIW:

 

[braumeister]

I switched to mechanical pencils long ago and never looked back.

However, this one gets good reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/JARLINK-Sharpener-Auto-Stop-Heavy-Duty-Classroom-dp-B07DQQDMLH/dp/B07DQQDMLH/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

 

[MBAustin]

I still have my Panasonic electric that I got as a high school graduation present in 1975. Doesn't get much exercise these days but still going strong.

 

[rk911]

we bought one at a local, independent stationary store 30-yrs ago and it still works just fine. don't overthink this.

 

[easysurfer]

I have a Boston that was a Goodwill special. I had another perfectly working Boston model but the Goodwill one was broken but worked even better when I fixed.

A gear inside was worn but I bought a 3D printed gear that is more durable than the original worn gear. Ended up giving my Boston sharpener and keeping the fixed one (shown in attached).

 

[RobbieB]

I like my little "twist and turn" manual from Staples.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

This thing is is a gazillion years old, but still going strong. I used it as recently as yesterday. Of course, the problem with old reliable products is that it's likely it's no longer made, or not made the same way. But, FWIW:

These were in most offices I worked in. Like a familiar aroma, seeing it brought back memories. Mostly good.

 

[Ronstar]

I've been needing a new pencil sharpener in the workshop for a long time. I've had several electric ones burn out. So I just ordered a manual old fashioned one from Amazon.

 

[travelover]

I hate dull pencils, so bought a 12 pack of sharpeners for $1 and spread them all over the house and my workshop. It is so nice to have sharp pencils and always a sharpener at my fingertips. Blow that dough.

https://www.dollartree.com/jot-fun-shapes-pencil-sharpeners-12ct-packs/26571

 

[harley]

I've never found an electric pencil sharpener that was worth a damn. I 've tried, but I always go back to old faithful:

 

[Jerry1]

I've never found an electric pencil sharpener that was worth a damn. I 've tried, but I always go back to old faithful:

I worked with a guy that used a number 2 pencil. Ticonderoga, if I recall correctly. He really preferred the mechanical sharpener. Somehow, it just seemed right to use the mechanical sharpener with the wooden pencil. Old school for sure.

 

[Telly]

I've known for eons that mechanical pencils and me are incompatible! I constantly broke the lead on them... don't sit near me, you'll get sprayed with heavy miniature machine gun fire

I don't think we've ever had an electric sharpener, so no recommendations there.

We have an old Boston Vacuum Mount Self Feeder, (self feeder... ya crank it yerself!) it has the rubber pad on the bottom, and the lever to work it. Works great on a countertop. It looks like the Boston that could be screwed onto a wall, but with the pad and lever instead. We had a Boston wall/desk mount that I mounted to a stud in the garage of our previous house, but I think it's still there.

A thread on pencils would be fine, as eventually we will run out of freebies that we have gotten years ago. The freebie round actual wood ones are decent. Bought some #2 yellow painted hexagonal ones once that were some sort of composite, not real wood, and also the "lead" seemed to be some sort of composite too, no good. They became open season for use as paint, stain or whatever stirrers in quart cans, used as dowels, or when needed to poke something out of something else (no, not eyes out of skulls!).

 

[W2R]

I've been using mechanical pencils since engineering school, and I still have some left from the old days. I'll probably wear out before they do.

 

[Time2]

A thread on pencils would be fine, as eventually we will run out of freebies that we have gotten years ago. The freebie round actual wood ones are decent. Bought some #2 yellow painted hexagonal ones once that were some sort of composite, not real wood, and also the "lead" seemed to be some sort of composite too, no good. They became open season for use as paint, stain or whatever stirrers in quart cans, used as dowels, or when needed to poke something out of something else (no, not eyes out of skulls!).

I'm with you on there are some poor performing pencils being sold.
Sanford Eagle is one.
On the good side I have three Dixon pencils, the Ticonderoga, the Oriole and one just labeled Dixon No.2/HB. Pentech No.2 seems good also.


And then we can get into how long the erasers last before they get hard and useless.



We have had this sharpener for years, works great.

 

[Errollyn]

This School Smart sharpener is what sits on my desk. Sharpens perfectly every time, and because you put the pencil in vertically you don't have to use your other hand to hold it in place. $28 on Amazon (I paid $39 for it in 2012).



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003U6VSHU/

 

[Buckeye]

I've purchased ones like this from Costco to bring to the classroom when I did long term sub jobs. The mechanical sharpeners attached to the wall are the best but I could never count on the one in the classroom being operational and a classroom without an operational pencil sharpener is not a happy classroom! This one is $21.99.

 

[Jerry1]

I've known for eons that mechanical pencils and me are incompatible! I constantly broke the lead on them....

In my early accounting days when we did a lot by hand, I used mechanical pencils and would break leads often. Then I discovered that there are different sizes of lead and started using a .7mm lead instead of the .5mm. The .7 worked so much better. Not the absolute finest line, but good enough for my line of work.

And then we can get into how long the erasers last before they get hard and useless.

Being very anal about erasers, I found these to be the best. That pink thing on the end of a pencil, or it’s big brother the Pink Pearl never leave a clean erasure.

https://www.staples.com/Pentel-Clic-Eraser-Stick-Blue-Barrel-Each/product_500504

 

[Midpack]

In my early accounting days when we did a lot by hand, I used mechanical pencils and would break leads often. Then I discovered that there are different sizes of lead and started using a .7mm lead instead of the .5mm. The .7 worked so much better. Not the absolute finest line, but good enough for my line of work.

I made the same mistake but going from 0.5mm to 0.3mm, and back to 0.5mm. 0.7mm was too broad to me....

 

[easysurfer]

Since retired, my use of pencils have gone down to about 1% of my writing, if not less.

Easier to just grab a pen and write on scrap paper from junk mail, then toss in the recycle bin.

 

[bltkmt]

I got a very old Panasonic one on EBay - those are the best I have found.

 

[Ready]

I’m curious, what does one use a pencil for these days?

 

[aja8888]

Ah, pencil memories...

My first memory of using a pencil was about 1952 or so in grade school. I think the "teach" had a crank sharpener on her desk and we little ones would have to raise our hand and ask permission to use it. I used to use it on in conjunction with a run to the boys room. (efficient little lad was I) (we had crayons too)

Then in junior high school, I had a small wooden hand held one and used that a lot. I remember Mom buying us kids pencils to take to school in our "pencil case". (remember those?)

I went to technical high school in Connecticut and my major was Drafting, where we (9 of us drafting students) were in drafting class two weeks "on" then two weeks in regular subjects for four years. No wonder I have less than respectable use of the English language (and spelling) because we only got about 1/2 the courses in traditional subjects that were taught in "normal" high schools!

In Drafting class, we used mechanical pencils and I really got to like those! We had a plastic shirt pocket insert for holding our mechanical pencil! Very cool in 1957! Ahead of the "crowd" and coupled with a belt carried slide rule, you were envied!

Once graduated, I worked as a draftsman for a couple of years, using, of course, a mechanical pencil! When Uncle Sam called me, I turned in my mechanical pencil for a Colt 45 side arm! Lots of "lead" in that baby!

After the war ended and I was back home in Connecticut, I went to engineering college in 1968 using the G.I. Bill which at that time provided me $222/month. That money, and a part time job in a drug store, paid the tuition, books, some beer money and about 1/3 the rent of a flat in Oakville, Ct. I used mechanical pencils throughout college. Once in a while, I did revert back to the good old wooden ones when in a pinch!

Mechanical pencils followed me through a career and marriages (3 actually-- I was good at picking pencils, but not women) and now that I am retired, my "go to" pencil is a wooden No. 2 with a hand sharpener bolted to my workbench.

There's more to tell here, but let's just say that in a pinch, any sharpener will do!