Pencil Sharpener - Fixer Upper

[easysurfer]

Yesterday, saw at a Goodwill an old time Boston pencil sharpener for only $3.99. Took the risk and bought that, but when coming home and trying, the thing wouldn't sharpen.

Doing some internet research, found out the old Boston sharpeners are great except weak gears. Taking apart, I definitely see the gear is worn out. But ebay has places that sell replacement gears.

Going back and forth in my mind, do do a return to Goodwill and get my whole $3.99 store credit, or should I try and repair. Decided the latter so, I just ordered replacement gear for $9.99 on ebay. The replacement gear is one that's created by a 3-D printer.

Of course, I could just buy a new sharpener, but that would spoil the fun .

 

[GrayHare]

Sounds like the replacement gear is plastic. The metal rollers will erode that plastic over time, but unless you sharpen pencils daily it's probably good enough to last decades.

 

[easysurfer]

Sounds like the replacement gear is plastic. The metal rollers will erode that plastic over time, but unless you sharpen pencils daily it's probably good enough to last decades.

I had same thought. Since, FIRE'd, I seldom use pencils except to mark wood for cutting. Otherwise, pen or typing.

 

[38Chevy454]

I still use a mechanical pencil a lot, guess that's a holdover from being an engineer. For my construction projects I have a specific manual razor blade type sharpener for the traditional construction pencils that are not round. I also have the manual sharpener for std round pencils. I recall many of the geared sharpeners while in school however.

 

[Walt34]

I still have one of those geared sharpeners, it's mounted on the side of a workbench downstairs. When I was active building R/C model airplanes from kits I needed a sharp pencil to mark cut lines since tolerances were small.

 

[Tadpole]

Fixing it will be a lot more fun than returning it.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I just looked at mine, it has Boston KS on the side and metal gears. If the gears are worn out, the sharpening burrs will probably be dull too.

 

[easysurfer]

All Fixed!

Got the pencil sharpener gear today.

The replacement looks a lot more durable than the old one. The old one was brittle and broke apart as I was changing.

Works great now and sharpener gives a nice growl while sharpening .

 

[aja8888]

This thread reminds me of my task of rebuilding my 22 year old garage door opener. New worm gear assembly, bearings chain sprocket = $20

 

[Red Badger]

I keep a pencil sharpener in my tool chest. It has no gears. It requires rotating the pencil.

But I'm a fan of anything mechanical/analog (except my devices).

Good luck - keep building1

 

[CRLLS]

I hope your new gear lasts a lifetime. I've got a Panasonic battery powered sharpener that keeps going and going, just like the Energizer Bunny.

When I am in the garage and need to sharpen a pencil, it is too far away. I power up the bench grinder and sharpen the pencil against the side of the wheel.

 

[easysurfer]

I hope your new gear lasts a lifetime. I've got a Panasonic battery powered sharpener that keeps going and going, just like the Energizer Bunny.

When I am in the garage and need to sharpen a pencil, it is too far away. I power up the bench grinder and sharpen the pencil against the side of the wheel.

From where I bought the gear on ebay, the seller said that the plastic material he used for the 3-D printing is like the kind of plastic for plastic bottles, which he said is stronger and lasts longer and doesn't wear off like ABS plastic. I'm not sure if that is true or not, but peaked my interest.

I do own a grocery bag that is made of recycled plastic bottles, and that is one of my favorite reusable grocery bags and seems very durable.