Worlds Greatest Pencil Sharpener

[ErnieM]

Hi all,

If you're like me, you use a lot of pencils in the shop. I bought a 24 pack this morning and sat down to do some heavy duty sharpening. Putting a decent point on a pencil doesn't seem like a big deal, does it? I pulled my pencil sharpener out of its hiding place and started sharpening. 24 perfect pencil points later, I stopped to look at my sharpener. Man, have we made a lot of progress over the years. Electric pencil sharpeners, battery powered pencil sharpeners that barely have enough power to turn when a pencil is inserted - all made of plastic and guaranteed to break down, clog up, spit out, deform pencils, and occasionally put a point on one.

My sharpener, the world's greatest pencil sharpener, was a gift to me when I started kindergarten at the age of four. I'll be 64 next month so my sharpener is 60 years old. Works like a dream - each pencil perfect - no plastic anything - no batteries - no electric cord. I guess I'm starting to sound like an old coot, which I am, but I wouldn't trade this pencil sharpener for anything being made today. It is a Boston Champion and represents the type of quality we used to take for granted.

Happy sharpening!

Ernie

 

[PChristy]

That is one of the best Ernie - my late wife had one when we got married but I am not sute if it was a Boston -But it does make perfect points - Our daughter has it now I will have to see what kind it is - We had it mounted to the inside of our daughters closet wall when she was growing up - Like you say - no plastic no batteries no electricty = the best ones have gone astray

 

[bwat]

Ditto on the sharpener. My dad had one mounted in his shop and I was quick to make sure I inherited it for the same reasons! Are we the only ones using wooden pencils these days?:icon_scra

 

[PeteQuad]

Nice sharpener, I'd love to have one like it. We had some that looked like that when I was in school - there would be exactly one mounted in each classroom.

What I wonder, is how those blades stay sharp after 60 years. Or is it more like a rasp? You've never had to touch it up?

 

[ErnieM]

Not only pencils. The Boston has a spring loaded adjustable opening that accepts anything from about 3/16" diameter to 3/8" diameter. I use it all the time to sharpen a perfect point onto a dowel when I need to place a drop of glue precisely.

Ernie

 

[ErnieM]

What I wonder, is how those blades stay sharp after 60 years. Or is it more like a rasp? You've never had to touch it up?

Peter,

Nope! I do blow it out with compressed air every 15 years or so.:rotflm:
Here's what the inside looks like.

Ernie

 

[JimmyC]

I had one for years and it followed me until I moved down here in '05. I'm sure that it's still on the basement wall in my old house and the people there don't even realize what a gem they have. I still kick myself for forgetting it:BangHead:.

 

[Mike Davis]

I had one that was made in the 40s, looked just like that except the handle broke and I made one out of brass and ebony.

I don't even know what happened to it, probably lost in one of the moves...

I really need to start shopping for another one.

 

[RandyJ]

That's a good one, Ernie! I have one similar but not quite as "experienced" as yours....probably only 20-30 years old.
As Dad said, "I wouldn't trade it for a share in the railroad". :gar-La;

 

[G_ville_worker]

Your right about the quality. I currently work in a school that is only three years old. Since day one all of the pencil sharpeners have been crap. I can go to any room and use their sharpener and it either doesn't sharpen, or makes the cut off center. I guess it is yet another small metaphor about quality today.

I have an old sharper that was mounted in the shop when I bought the house. Only about 25 years old but works like a champ!

 

[DavidF]

It may seem a funny thing to say, but when I got a similar sharpener as a gift from Carol about 20 years ago, it actually improved my woodworking!! I never chose to wait to sharpen the pencil and just kept a nice point on the whole time instead of trying to mark a line with a blunt rounded end or one that had been "whittled" with a knife. If I want a chisel point on one, I sharpen as usual and just gently rub on a piece of fine grit paper and I have the finest end for marking dovetails etc.

BTW - why are pencils so cheap?? they really shouldn't be, they have great value and work all the time! somebody isn't making enough money manufacturing them.

 

[Trent Mason]

That's awesome Ernie! :icon_thum I usually just use my knife, but never end up with perfect points. Very nice! :icon_thum

 

[ErnieM]

I did a little research on the net and look what I found. It's less than $14.00, made out of genuine metal, and is SOLD OUT! Maybe there's hope for us after all.

Ernie

 

[G_ville_worker]

Don't want to burst your bubble but we have those and the ones we have stink. Oh well. :gar-Cr

 

[ErnieM]

Don't want to burst your bubble but we have those and the ones we have stink. Oh well.

Bryan,

I'm only 20 minutes from you. You're more than welcomed to come over and sharpen to your heart's content. Bring pencils.:gar-La;

Ernie

 

[Gotcha6]

We had those in grade school. The southpaws in class had a time with them. They'd try & turn the crank backwards & the handle would fall off. Tried to buy one several years ago at Wally World & they wanted more for it than an electric. Got a good electric (2 actually) but I know some carpenters that used to mount one on the leg of their saw horse without the dust cover. If I ever see one again in a flea market or yard sale it'll be mine!
Look at it this way Ernie, that's something else you don't hafta have an outlet for. :gar-La;

 

[mlzettl]

I'm going to one up you on this one, Ernie. I have TWO of them! :gar-La;
I can't even remember how old they are, but then that's just one of many thnings I can't remember. One is in the shop, of course, and the other is in my study/computer room. I've even used the one in the shop to sharpen small dowels to use as plugs in misplaced screw holes, allowing drilling of another hole close by. Of course, that kind of mistake rarely happens in my shop. :wink_smil

Matt

 

[nelsone]

I used to have one of those from grade school. Man, I wish I had it back! I was looking for a decent sharpener a while back and ended up sticking with my pocket knife!

 

[flatheadfisher]

The building I teach in was built in 1964 and these were the kinds of pencil sharpeners that were installed when the building was new. They are still there and going strong!

 

[toolferone]

This is a great post, sharp and to the point! I have 3 pencil sharpeners in my shop, one is the new Boston style (like the link) it works great for me.