I am leaving at 3 a.m. tonight (Thursday morning really) for a train trek half-way across the United States, so I will be offline until the weekend, most likely Monday. In the meantime, it would be great to get some feedback for our pencil Hero Woodchuck, who might stock some great sharpeners from the venerable KUM line at The Pencil World Creativity Store in 2006.
“I’d be interested in feedback from fellow Revolutionaries as to what features seem most important. Are the following value added features something you would pay for or not?
- two hole sharpeners for normal and jumbo diameter pencils
- with or without containers to catch the shavings
- higher quality “luxury style” desktop hand sharpener which includes container in
Aluminim or Gold Plated finish as opposed to plastic container for shavings
- magnesium vs. bronze vs. gold plated finish
- any strong interest in a pointer sharpener to be used with mechanical pencils
- any interest in cosmetic pencil sharpeners
- would you really order replacement blades or not…The medium wedge from a good KUM hand sharpener is my personal preference.”
Any feedback about this will certainly benefit the entire Revolution, since open-stock KUMs are very hard to find online.
Have a great weekend, and safe travels to all who are going home for the holidays before next week! In the meantime, my brother will be monitoring the comment moderation, so don’t be shy with your sharpener comments:)
Please stock the “long point” variety – these seem to be particularly hard to find.
Cheers,
Norman
I would like to see:
“higher quality “luxury style” desktop hand sharpener which includes container in Aluminim or Gold Plated finish as opposed to plastic container for shavings.”
I’ve tried a desktop sharpener within the past couple of months and it was pretty bad. If the Republic can make one based on the specs above I would buy it in a second.
Good luck on your travels!
For Woodchuck, I have just test driven a block shaped KUM sharpener. It works beautifully and it did come equipped with additional blades. I really like the idea of having a sharpener with a container to catch the shavings. Sometimes a girl needs to sharpen in a place that may not be conducive to loose shavings (bus, library, meetings, etc)
Today, in spite of the uncertain review here, I bought the Boston closed container sharpener. It did not open and close smoothly, sharpened decently at best and the cover to keep the shavings contained caused the whole container to come open — completely useless!
The KUM is definitely a better sharpener, just messy! So, Mr. Woodchuck, can I have sharpener that sharpens brilliantly, contains those pesky shavings and it small enough to be carried in a daily “kit bag”? A lovely silver or gold-toned sharpener would be lovely but would lead me to request replaceable blades so as to keep the lovely sharpener.
Thanks for asking for our input. I look forward to seeing your new products!
I certainly would be interested in the “luxury line” of KUM sharpners. I noticed those on the KUM site and spent an unjustifiable amount of time trying to find somebody to buy some from.
I’d like to see a desktop sharpner that looks like and works as well as an El-casco sharpner, but, not costing as much. I have not been too happy with either the hand crank or electric Bostons. Also would like to see a KUM or KUM type of simple sharpner, but larger in size, maybe somewhat blockier. reason being, folks liek me, with nerve damage in my hands from brain cancer, find it hard to grip a small sharpner.
I have never tried a KUM sharpener, but would love to based on all the positive things I’m reading about them. Something with a container to catch shavings would be marvellous…
I would definitely be interested in a two hole version. Availability of replacement blades would also be much appreciated.
I recently bought a T-GAAL Multi Sharpener ($14.95 + s&h from Wet Paint on line at http://www.wetpaintart.com, or in their store in St. Paul). This sharpener has a dial on the side that adjusts the angle of the blade and therefore the length of the point. There are five settings, from short and blunt (evidently for crayons) to very long.
The blade is enclosed in a container that catches the shavings, and the sixth position on the dial closes the opening. The blade itself is replaceable, but I don’t know where you would obtain a replacement.
The sharpener accommodates only standard size pencils, won’t take one the size of the Dixon Tri-conderoga.
The package is covered with instructions in Japanese, which I can’t read, but there is a good illustration on the back that shows how to use the critter. It also includes a phone number, home page and e-mail address for the Kutsuwa Company, which is evidently the manufacturer. Maybe you could obtain replacement blades by emailing them (many Japanese businesses use English as their language for trade).
I’d be happy to take a picture of this sharpener and write up a review similar to the above, but I am not certain how to post it to Pencil Revolution. Maybe I’m not paying attention closely enough.
As for two-hole sharpeners (for the Dixon Tri-conderoga), I found an enclosed one at Staples. Leak-proof shavings tank, replaceable blade, accommodates standard pencils and whatever-you-call-the-Tri-conderoga-size. I think I paid $2 and some change for it. You can’t carry the Staples-branded merchandise in the PWCS (can you?), but somebody makes these and probably has a generic version. While Dixon “gives” you a two-hole sharpener with every package of six Tri-conderogas, these freebies don’t have a shavings tank.
Give me a one-hole sharpener for regular diameter pencils. Make it bronze – heavy is good. Make the screw that holds the blade on have a knurled top rather than a little screw so that I can change/sharpen blades without a screwdriver.
I just picked up a brass KUM wedge last week at a local art store ($1.80 USD). Sharpens very well, but a little messy as others have said.
The KUM wedge has to be ultimate in portability and pocketability.
But you almost can’t help getting graphite on your hands while using it.
The KUM Iris model I think? -Has a spring loaded door in the pencil opening to contain graphite and shavings… might be a good candidate for pocket carry.
Best pocket sized sharpener I’ve had;
When I was in college and enrolled in the art program I had a plastic body sharpener that was more or less tear drop shape. Had the pencil hole in the smaller end, which was flanked with two small levers. The levers were spring loaded and the interior ends of the levers worked as a clutch, holding the pencil in the unit while you sharpened.
To sharpen; there was a self-retracting pull cord with a ring attached. 3-5 pulls and the pencil would have a nice sharp point.
Depress both side levers and release the pencil.
The shavings were kept in the body of the unit. To empty, both sides of the sharpener flipped or hinged outwards and you could tap and or blow the shavings out. The unit itself was black along with the levers. The hinged doors on both sides were red, giving the sharpener a look not unlike a ladybug.
Ingenious little thing… I have hopes that I may still have it somewhere. I haven’t yet found one on the web to validate my description. :-)
I believe this is the KUM Iris I spoke of… From the description, it sound like it has a metal wedge sharpener inside?
Sharpener
Here is the egg shaped sharpener I was describing!
http://users.erols.com/bobcan/fun/sharpeners/Misc/Misc.html
Haven’t been able to find anything else yet…
Now I’ve got myself wanting one again. :-)
Gabe
In a hurry, I got the Staples brand single and double sharpeners. After they chewed up every pencil that even came near them, I tossed them. Staedtler, Kum, or Baumgarten — they all work well.
Anonymous: Try http://www.thepencilgrip.com/cat.php?k=28111 — a variety of KUM sharpeners. I’ve got an elliptical Prismacolor one like the elliptical ones shown on this page, and looked inside; it’s “powered” by a KUM. These sort of sharpeners catch the shavings and seem among the most portable.
Looking at misterart.com, they’ve got lots of interesting sharpeners. I am especially intrigued by the Faber Castell Grip sharpener. Does anyone have one of these?
I have the Faber Castell Grip. It works well and looks very classy. The weak points are primarily:
• Not portable (if you want portable)
• The “hinge” is probably not that sturdy (plastic), and sometimes it can be a bit difficult getting it open wide enough to sharpen the pencil without stressing the hinge
• Takes a little getting used to opening/cleaning
• The Staedtler and KUM sharpeners seem to work just a tad better
That said, I do have several of them and think they’re attractive and functional (the Faber Castell logo itself is the best). If the hinge breaks, I suppose it will just be a little less cosmetically attractive from the back but it would still fit together, I think.
I would *absolutely* buy replacement blades for pencil sharpeners! I’ve been searching for those for years, without any luck. If I knew I had a source for replacement blades, I would buy even yet another pencil sharpener just in order to get one that was compatible with the replacement blades.