Sharpening Pencils

[Blind]

This may sound like a pretty silly topic, but...

Can anyone recommend a good sharpener for Prismacolor pencils? This shitty little aluminum one I have (see pic below) lost it's edge after only a dozen or so sharpenings (not that I expected it to last forever for $0.59!) and I'm finding out the hard way that Prismacolors, as well as some of my Derwent graphites and General charcoals do not like being manhandled. I know I can just get refill blades for this sharpener, but I'm wondering if there isn't a more efficient way to be doing this. I chewed through half of a brand new 50% Warm Grey before getting a point. I'd get almost there, point snaps, almost there, point snaps... argh.

So, aside from sharpening manually with a knife, is there some secret? Is it worth getting a good electric sharpener, or will I just have the same problem?

http://www.dick-blick.com/items/214/16/21416-OA2ww.jpg

[ljefe]

it's all about the electric sharpeners. they are the only way to get that nice, fine tip that i have found. Occasionally, you can get a good steel sharpener, but since i always lose those, i have to recomend the mechanical.:p

[Coma]

Sharpeners of any kind will break soft leaded pencils.

Razor blades is the only way I've seen good results.

[Blind]

argh... ok, one person from each camp! Heh... anyone else? Is there a particular brand sharpener somone would recommend? In Blick theother day, it seemed like most were battery operated. I wonder if that's worth it.

[Sadclown]

I have an electric pencil sharpener and it works just fine with my prismacolors. My personal opinion is that they're very much worth it.

[Blind]

Got myself one of these last night. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but it fits in my easel! I'm a bit leary of how quickly it's going to chew up batteries, though. We'll see...

http://store5.yimg.com/I/brandsmall_1719_62081066

[ljefe]

you can also get plug in ones...like with a cord...that goes in the wall. yeah
but i got a battery one for xmas, and let me tell you, it sure is nifty and useful!

[mtomczek]

A little known secret to getting the sharpest prismacolors is to actually take apart your electric sharpener. Electric sharpeners are the way to go, but to make it better take it apart, and inside the cutting assembly, where the pencil slides into, is a small tiny little stop. This little bump of metal stops the pencil from going any farther, and reaching the holy land of sharpness. Take the assembly out, and grind that little stop away(easiest way to find it is to slide a pencil in and see where it rests at the bottom), reassemble, and enjoy the world of sharp pencils. (note pay attention when sharpening now, cause if you dont it will just keep on going, so you removed the stop :) )

[Blind]

Really, mtomczek? I've got to rip this sucker apart now. You've got me all curious. Heh... tinker time. Pictures at 11 >B)

[Blind]

Ok, well... I took it apart, and it almost didn't go back together. Heh... after taking the housing off I was holding the sharpening assembly in my hand, when the bottom panel fell away and three greasy gears scattered onto my desk. Figuring out where each of those went was fun. But there was no stopper on mine. I put it all back together and tested it out on my Prismacolors and it works beautifully. The points are easily twice as long as the handheld and they feel like they've been fine-sanded they're so smooth. Very nice. Perhaps there was a stopper and it scattered with the gears and never went back in? >8) But the damn thing is screeching loud! Something like what I'd imagine castrating a pterydactyl sans anesthesia might sound like. I had to shut my office door otherwise I'd wake up my 8 week old son sleeping in the next room! >8)

[Faxtar]

I knew a teacher who used a razor and sandpaper. I never tried it though.

[Android]

I myself have always been on the etearnal search for the perfect electric sharpner, and I finally found one that put the rest to shame, here is the link to order it.

I can sharpen 12 prismal color pencils, in under a minute, it the fastest sharpner I have come across and it shaving tray holds more pencil waste that any onther sharpener I have ever seen, its 50 bucks but its welll worth the investement.


http://www.dickblick.com/zz214/17/products.asp?param=0&ig_id=4409

[MindCandyMan]

Comes with a two year warranty too...that rocks! I'm gonna have to get one of those for my birthday.

[Blind]

You know, I was looking at that Boston School Pro on Blick the other day. I'll have to check one out. Andrew: I bet you go through many more Prismacolors than I do in a given time period. You've had no trouble losing the blade on that sharpener? How long have you been using it?

[Blind]

For anyone interested in that sharpener that Andrew mentioned, the Boston School Pro: I found it a bit cheaper at a place called Bender-Burkot. I am not endorsing these guys, though. As I have never bought anything from them, nor even heard of them, I don't know if they're reputable. But for $10 to $15 lower than most other places sell that sharpener, perhaps it's worth checking out. I'm personally going to keep looking a bit.

Boston School Pro (http://www.bender-burkot.com/product_detail.asp?id=345020&type=School)

[Blind]

Whoa! This place has it even lower at $34.99! Again, I don't know if they're reputable or not.

Art Supply Warehouse (http://www.aswsale.com/bos16schoolp.html)

[Blind]

Ok, found it even lower again at $29.99! And this time from a more well known source. What the hell? If I keep looking maybe I'll find someone giving them away?

Office Depot (http://www.gearshark.com/cgi-bin/s/s_click_through.pl?m_id=29&to_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.officedepot.com%2Fshop%2Fc atalog%2Fsku.asp%3FID%3D595671%26LEVEL%3DSK)