This stupid manual pencil sharpener

It's things like this that make you question whether buying more expensive "quality" items are even worth the bother.

As I've said before, I use pencils (Ticonderoga, specifically). Why? They don't splotch, they don't blotch, they never run out of ink, and compared to pens they never have to be "encouraged" to start writing properly by shaking them. Press to paper and go.

I had a battery operated electric pencil sharpener, but I did something stupid with it. I left the batteries in it too long, they leaked, and ruined the sharpener. Yes, I tried cleaning the contacts, but that didn't work, so I tossed it in the trash.

In the house was an older pencil sharpener, seen above. I tried it.

Immediately, I noticed it sharpened better and faster than the electric one ever did. The pencil tip was sharper and shaved wood on the sides smoother.

There are no shortage of electric sharpeners. But as I've found out, the cheap-as-chips 2 hole manual sharpeners actually do a better job.

If you're not familiar with the two hole sizes, typically that means one is for pencils and the other for crayons. If you need more pencil sizes, manual wall mount sharpeners still exist. If you're old enough to remember, it's the same kind used in elementary schools of the '70s and '80s. Chances are if you actually need one of these, it would be for jumbo pencils (specifically RevMark jumbo) used by guys for drawing on wood and walls and other construction type work.

I may never buy another electric pencil sharpener again. Why bother when the seriously cheap one works so well, and does a better job?

Published 2022 Dec 22