All I Wanted was a Pencil Sharpener

[Jim Tabor]

So all I wanted was a plain old pencil sharpener for my shop. Nothing that plugs in or uses batteries, just the kind that you turn the handle and you end up with a sharp pencil.
I went to Wal-Mart and all they had was electric or battery models. Went on down the street to Office Depot, they had just one non-electric for $18.95. So how could it be worth $18.95, you ask? Well this is not just a plain old pencil sharpener; this is a Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener. And, it includes the following features:
1. Tip Saver Technology, prevents over sharpening and extends pencil life.
2. One-hand easy turn 8 size selector dial.
3. HHC ™ replaceable dual cutter for 6X longer life.
4. High capacity easy clean shavings tray.
5. All metal construction with die cast base.
6. Oversized ergonomic kid grip for ease of use.
7. Easy mount base includes screws and table clamp hardware.
8. Anti-microbial protected
And I was just looking for a plain old pencil sharpener. I almost missed this.

[Dan Orcutt]

So all I wanted was a plain old pencil sharpener for my shop. Nothing that plugs in or uses batteries, just the kind that you turn the handle and you end up with a sharp pencil.
I went to Wal-Mart and all they had was electric or battery models. Went on down the street to Office Depot, they had just one non-electric for $18.95. So how could it be worth $18.95, you ask? Well this is not just a plain old pencil sharpener; this is a Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener. And, it includes the following features:
1. Tip Saver Technology, prevents over sharpening and extends pencil life.
2. One-hand easy turn 8 size selector dial.
3. HHC ™ replaceable dual cutter for 6X longer life.
4. High capacity easy clean shavings tray.
5. All metal construction with die cast base.
6. Oversized ergonomic kid grip for ease of use.
7. Easy mount base includes screws and table clamp hardware.
8. Anti-microbial protected
And I was just looking for a plain old pencil sharpener. I almost missed this.


I bought two cases of Boston pencil sharpeners for the shop (cut down on walking time) none of them sharpen Ticonderoga pencils correctly. They are off center, at $ 20 each. What a shame. ($ 4 at Wal marts work fine.)

Jim, Have you been to the LK Saw Shop? He has some special inline air blowguns.

[Stephen Tashiro]

this is a Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener. And, it includes the following features:
1. Tip Saver Technology, prevents over sharpening and extends pencil life.
2. One-hand easy turn 8 size selector dial.
3. HHC ™ replaceable dual cutter for 6X longer life.
4. High capacity easy clean shavings tray.
5. All metal construction with die cast base.
6. Oversized ergonomic kid grip for ease of use.
7. Easy mount base includes screws and table clamp hardware.
8. Anti-microbial protected


But, did you buy the extended warranty?

[Sam Murdoch]

Check this out - watch the video -http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,42936,42452&p=68746

[Bruce Page]

I have one. I can’t remember where/when I got it, it’s been so long, probably in the 70’s. No Tip Saver Technology either - it’ll turn a new pencil into a stub fast. Just ask my 6 year old grandson.

[Doug Ladendorf]

$8 on Amazon. Works fine.

261173

[Larry Whitlow]

What size dust collection port?

[Dan Orcutt]

What size dust collection port?

NEVER! NEVER! Never hook a pencil sharpener to your dust collection system.

It contaminates all of your sawdust into hazardous material.







:D

[Jim Tabor]

I have now sharpened three (3 ea.) pencils, common yellow, black lead, number 2, with my new Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener, and I can report that it will indeed sharpen a pencil.
I was able to turn the “ 8 size selector dial” with only one hand, and I think the “Anti-microbial protected” feature is working, I have no more sores, rashes, or puss pockets on my hands than I did yesterday, and I still have five fingers and a thumb on each hand.
It may be some time before I can report on the “Tip Saver Technology” and how much it extends pencil life. But I hope I can save a couple of trees per year.
Need some advice; since this is a “Professional” model should I get more experience sharpening common yellow, black lead, number 2’s before I try a red lead pencil? Or should I take a chance and jump right in?
And darn it, I forgot to ask about an extended warranty.
Sam, I have to get that Leevalley sharpener!

[David Weaver]

Did/does it have a country of origin on it? I inherited an old boston electric sharpener at work, it's US made and does a good job. I'd like to get a decent manual sharpener at home, too, and one that's not electric as my daughter (3) has a habit of feeding it pencils for no reason and about the only place she hasn't figure out how to get to yet is the top of the fridge. I was thinking about making one from scrap since I have little bits of O1 everywhere, and I'd imagine the reason a lot of the plastic versions don't work that well is because the blade isn't very sharp.

[Jim Tabor]

China, that's the only place a Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener can be manufactured to such high standards. :D

[David Weaver]

So much for that then, I guess I'll make one.

[Kevin Bourque]

You can't adjust the sharpening angle with the Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener. I prefer a low angle pencil point for casework.

[Matt Meiser]

Wow! Tip-saver technology? I need to throw my old Boston out and get a new one!

[Greg Portland]

2mm-3mm sized lead holders are a great option -if- you keep track of your pencil.

[Jim Koepke]

I like the small hand held type of sharpener.

261189

The crank type are nice, but then you need to have one for the house and one for the shop and one for where ever else. Attached to a wall the crank sharpener can be a bit noisy at 3:00am.

My main two are both made in Germany though many years apart. The first one has a brass body and was purchased at an art supply store and at the time spare blades were bought. The second one was bought on ebay.

They both do their jobs very well and quickly.

jtk

[Jim Tabor]

Kevin,
You make a good point (ha ha point) about not being able to adjust the point angle with the Stanley Bostitch Professional Manual Pencil Sharpener. I believe it has something to do with the Tip-Saver Technology. I guess it's a trade off, is it better to adjust the angle of the point or to help save trees? It’s my understanding that the engineering and tooling cost to make charges to the Tip-Saver Technology would be prohibitive in today’s economy.

[Pat Barry]

Hey Dan, what exactly is so hazardous about the pencil shavings? I can't tell you how many times I hold one in my mouth. I think kids all around the world do this. Maybe all pencils should be banned?

[Dave Verstraete]

Our favorite store has a great big pencil sharpener
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32281&cat=1,42936

[David Weaver]

I wonder where that one is made. I fondly recall that sharpener with the brown metal flake finish on it and the drab barrel. Most of the sharpeners in school were Boston KS, though.

I remember in school, each room had a sharpener. You had to ask to get up and sharpen your pencil if you didn't do it right when you got back from recess or lunch, and sometimes the answer was no to keep kids from breaking the points off the pencil and interrupting class.

Everyone knew which sharpeners worked well, some of them were defective to some extent (maybe the cutters were loose or something) and if you didn't use a really light touch, they broke the lead off every time. I don't know if we stressed about it, but you knew on the first day if your classroom had one of those you were in for a long year of breaking points off of pencils and leaving the pencil partially dull to do it.

[David Weaver]

I wonder if we could get people interested in a little contest to make a pencil sharpener. One with no prizes other than pride and accomplishment.

I'm a lunkhead with anything precision and power tools, so I'm going to make one entirely with hand tools, and see if I can get the HT woodworkers interested in taking a shot at that. Should be something doable in an hour or two, including cutting, filing and heating and tempering the iron.

Anyone else interested? You don't have to make yours antimicrobial with auto shutoff or anything.

[Jim Tabor]

David,
My wife thinks I'm crazy for starting this thread. Should I let her read your post to prove I'm normal? :D

[David Weaver]

Yeah, go for it :) My wife starts every other sentence to me with "normal people don't....".

[Jerome Stanek]

I just use a utility knife for my on job sharpening. I do have a nice Boston on work unit. and I carry a Boston electric when out of town.