Finally, another sharpener review! This piece is courtesy of our good friend and pencil champion Woodchuck.

KUM and California Republic Stationers have collaborated to introduce a special edition Palomino Long Point Sharpener. This is an adaptation of the premium “Automatic” Long Point sharpener from KUM that features a two step process to acheiving a perfect point. The first step sharpens just the wood leaving the graphite core mostly untouched for step two; sharpening the graphite core to a fine even point. Normally available in a translucent red finish this special edition is translucent orange to complement the Palomino graphite pencil range.

Type: Dual 8mm holes - to sharpen regularly-sized pencils in two steps.
Blade Material: 2 Steel blades (plus 2 replacement blades included).
Shavings Receptacle: Translucent orange plastic with clear plastic hinged lid; oval profile.
Point Type: Long Point (approx 2.3cm from sharpend pencil point to lacquer coat 0.5cm exposed graphite core).
Markings: “Palomino California Republic Stationers” is imprinted in gold on side of the sharpener; “KUM Automatic Long Point” appears on the clear lid with “Made in Germany” on the bottom.
Physical Size: Approximately 2 1/2 inches long X 1 1/2 wide X 1 inch high.
Availability: Palomino Limited Edition through Pencil World Creativity Store; standard KUM Automatic online at Pencilthings.com, Dick Blick and art and office supply stores.

Prior to being exposed to this two-step sharpener I was a devotee of the KUM metal wedge sharpeners favoring either the magnesium two hole or a block type one hole sharpener. I have several varieties of these, both with and without various container formats. I’ve even gone so far as to string a two hole magnesium wedge sharpener to a lanyard for use during fishing trips. I still enjoy the range of magnesium wedge sharpeners for the simplicity, and the clean, short points when I’m using a Golden Bear or Prospector around the house or office.

However, I’ll no longer touch my Palominos with anything but this Long Point sharpener. It provides a fine, crisp point that lasts longer between sharpenings than the wedge point. The feel and performance when writing or sketching is just great. While it does take a bit more care to protect the sharper point for the first few minutes of use than the more blunt wedge shape of other sharpeners, it’s worth the effort. This sharpener also makes the pencil look so much more of a premium product, much better than our initial factory sharpening which does the best job we can do without hand sharpening and creating a higher risk of damage during shipment. If I could find a way to provide the Palominos with this quality point straight from the factory without any damage I’d do it in a minute.

Each sharpener comes with two spare blades and a cardboard case with operating instructions on the two-step sharpening process. The blades are interchangeable, as it’s the design and precision milling of the light magnesium alloy that positions the pencil relative to the blade to achieve a perfect pencil point. The screw-mounted blades are held absolutely immovable, do not loosen, and the pencil does not wobble while turning. Since you’re sharpening the graphite alone in the second step, you can get to a great point purely by feel as you can really sense the lighter resistance of the graphite on the steel blade.

One thing I still don’t quite understand is the name “Automatic”. Though it was explained to me as something to do with the autostop feature so that the 1st step of sharpening the wood alone does not oversharpen the pencil, it seems to me this is really a manual sharpener. Thus the “Automatic” terminology seems a bit out of place, and for our purposes we have dropped the Automatic name from our eBay listing.

KUM produces two standard styles. A red version which is just the same as this Palomino limited edition and blue version which adds a 0.5mm mechanical lead pointer to one side. Both are available through PencilThings.com and other places online.

As far as this special edition Palomino Long Point version is concerned I was first introduced to this sharpener back in January at the Frankfurt PaperWorld fair during a meeting with KUM Owner and Managing Director Fritz Luettgens. I knew immediately I had to pair it with our Palomino pencils to ensure our users had the opportunity to experience the best sharpened point in the world with our fine quality pencils. The whole group at KUM was great to work with and patiently created a series of color variations until we got just what we wanted, a nice translucent orange with our gold California Republic Palomino imprint on one side.

[Images and text, Woodchuck.  Used with very kind permission.]

This review is from Gary Varner from Inkmusings.  Many many thanks to Comrade Gary! 

The General’s 3-in-1 Pencil Sharpener:  Form AND Function?

What’s about $5, doesn’t make a mess, and even keeps colored lead shavings from staining your Palomino? Why, the General 3-in-1 Pencil Sharpener, that’s what! But before you run down to your local art supply to pick up one, there’s some good news and bad news.

First, the technical specifications:

Type:  Three blades, double receptacle.
Blade material:  Steel.
Shavings Receptacle:  Two plastic snap-off cups.
Point Type:  5/16” pencils on colored pencil side, 7/16” and 3/8” pencils on lead pencil side.
Markings:  “Made in Germany” on bottom, “Color” on colored pencil cup lid, “Made in Germany” on metal blades.
Physical size:  2-1/2” high, 1-5/8” wide.
Availability:  Online at most art supply sites; local art supply; some office supply stores.

And now, the good news:  the General 3-in-1 definitely scores points for form. The halves snap together solidly and keep any debris from messing up your pocket or backpack. Snap the sharpener open, and there’s a side for colored pencils (yellow) and a double sharpener for non-colored (orange). Separation means your colored pencils won’t gum up the sharpeners for your serious pencils. The black receptacle caps snap off easily to empty the shavings cups, and while not holding a lot, they certainly help when you’re places you don’t want to make a mess. All of this combines into one compact, portable sharpening solution.

So does it score as well for function? Not exactly. The quality of sharpening is okay, but not great. Colored pencils seem fine, but harder lead tends to chatter a bit in turning, but with practice produces a decent point. And that’s the bad news, although not terrible news.

Ah, comrades…don’t despair: the Revolution is all about finding a better way. There is a simple hack that will make this sharpener with its snap-cups and multi-point versatility, a “must take” tool. With a flick of your fingernail lift the plastic stops (see photo), remove the orange double blade, and replace it with…a KUM double-holed wedge. NOW you’ve got a heckuva sharpener, and you won’t incur the wrath of your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/roommate for getting shavings all over the carpet.

Life is good.

[Text and images, G.V.  Used with kind permission.]

It’s been too long since we posted a review, and Ana from Snow Angels was kind enough to write a review of a great sharpener that I also own — and has taken some fantastic photos to boot!

Technical info:
Type: Blade.
Material: Glass and metal, mostly steel.
Shavings Receptacle: Glass inkwell, available in an assortment of translucent colors.
Point Type: Medium.
Markings: “DUX DX2580N Alvin Made in Germany” on the lid; “DUX Germany” (on sharpener body); blade is not labelled.
Place of Manufacture: Germany.
Availability: Art supply shops; online at Utrecht, Alvin Co., Daniel Smith and others.

Originally, when I saw the luminescent-colored, glass inkwells in the art supply shop, I was disappointed to discover that they were not functional inkwells. I do a lot of hand lettering for work and I was really hoping to find a solid inkwell to store my favorite inks. After I accepted that I would have to keep using cheap plastic bottles for my ink needs, I quickly warmed to the idea of an inkwell sharpener. The colors were beautiful, and the sharpeners had the weight and aesthetics to be genuine desk accesories.

Overall the sharpener seemed to be supremely functional. A standard, silver-metal blade sharpener is mounted into the black cap and is fitted with a stainless steel blade. The cap twists off easily to empty shavings. The sharpener fits easily into my hand and its attractive enough to earn a coveted spot on my desk. The sharpener also detached from the cap via two screws.

The true test of any pencil sharpener, of course, is how well it works and I am pleased to say that this is an excellent sharpener. It sharpens smoothly into long curls and sharpens to a good point — though, in a perfect world, I wish it would sharpen to a slightly longer point. The inkwell holds plenty of shavings and since the container is translucent, its easy to tell when its full.

I got my sharpener at Utrecht art supply for about $5. Many other online art supply shops list them for prices ranging from about $5 to about $8.50. Unfortunately, most online vendors do not offer shoppers the opportunity to select a specific color so I recommend scouting around your nearest art supply shop in order to pick your favorite color. The colors listed are red, blue, amber, or green.

I would recommend this sharpener to anyone looking for a nice, tidy desk sharpener. It holds plenty of shavings and look fabulous while doing it.

(Ed.: Extra blades can also be fitted and purchased from Alvin Co.)

[Images, (c) Ana Reinert, 2006. All rights reserved. Used with very kind permission.]

This review comes from Comrade Bill Brandon. Many thanks to Bill for writing this for us during this very busy time of year!Technical Information
Type: Blade.
Material: Plastic.
Shavings Receptacle: Barrel.
Point Type: Variable.
Markings: See images.
Place of Manufacture: Made in Japan, by Kutsuwa Company, Ltd.
Availability: Locally, and online at Wet Paint Art.

T’GAAL: What the heck is that?
A pencil sharpener review by Bill Brandon

What has a blade, a tank, no batteries, sharpens pencils – and allows you to control the length of the point? Look at Figure 1, which shows identical pencils, sharpened to five different lengths. All five were produced by the same sharpener.

Figure 1 Five points, one sharpener (click all images for larger ones).

These points are the product of the T’GAAL Multi-Sharpener, manufactured in Japan by the Kutsuwa Company. (See Figure 2, which will give you an idea of the size of the T’GAAL.) It’s a handy, pocket-size, blue plastic tool sold mainly to schoolchildren in Asia, but available to anyone.

Figure 2 The compact T’GAAL sharpener.

As you can see in Figure 3, the T’GAAL has a large dial on the side. The blade and its adjusting mechanisms are inside a container (the tank) that catches the shavings. The dial adjusts the angle of the sharpener blade, and therefore determines the length of the pencil point. There are five settings, from short and blunt to very long. The dial also has a sixth position, at which point a small shutter blocks the sharpener opening in order to keep the shavings inside; be aware that this is not a tight seal. The shutter will keep the shavings in, but graphite dust is liable to leak out. However, I have carried mine in the pocket of my jeans without any terrible mishaps.

Figure 3 The T’GAAL Multisharpener.

The sharpener accepts only standard-size pencils. Jumbo pencils like the Dixon Tri-Conderoga won’t fit. The blade appears to be replaceable, but no replacements come with the T’GAAL, and the Kutsuwa web site does not offer any for sale.

The experience of using a product tends to be highly subjective, but I’d have to say that the T’GAAL is very smooth. Shavings come off the pencil in an unbroken curl, no sawdust or crumbs, no broken leads. As long as you let the blade do its work, without jamming the pencil into the sharpener, it is an easy experience to obtain the precise points you saw here in the first photo.

There is some resistance when you turn the dial from “Close” to the “5” position, and you may think that the mechanism is jammed. But keep a firm grip on the (slightly slippery) dial and the shutter will open. The resistance is the result of the way the cam on the back of the dial is set up. To turn to “5” from “Close” you are pushing up over the “hump” onto the high point of the cam. However, once that is done, the dial turns easily to whatever setting you desire. If the resistance bothers you, just make it a habit to always turn the dial to the left – to “1” — and you will find that it turns quite a bit more easily.

The only true (but slight) imperfection involves the small section that slides off to allow emptying the shavings. It can be a little tricky to put back on, and it gives the impression that it might be easily broken or lost. It does open easily, and might come open on its own (though I’ve had no such problem).

The package that the T’GAAL comes in contains a wealth of information. Unfortunately, it’s all in Japanese, which I am unable to read. Fortunately, there are some good illustrations that show how to use the machine. (See Figures 4 and 5.)

The Kutsuwa phone number, web site, and customer support e-mail addresses appear on the package. You might be able to order replacement blades directly – many Japanese businesses use English when dealing with foreign customers.

Kutsuwa Company is a stationery wholesaler, selling to vendors who serve the Japanese education market. They don’t appear to sell directly to retail customers.
I bought my T’GAAL online from Wet Paint Art, but they also have a retail store in St. Paul, MN. The price of the T’GAAL was $14.50, plus shipping and handling. My order was sent UPS Ground (the only option offered) two business days after I placed it, and it arrived at my home near Dallas about three days later.

On the whole, if your work would benefit from variable angles on the points of your pencils, I’d recommend the T’GAAL. I’m not aware of any other sharpener that does what it does. Besides, it’s nice-looking, and clearly marks you as one of the pencil illuminati.

Addition:
A note from Tim, Marketing Manager at Wet Paint Art:

“Thank you and Bill Brandon for the very nice and comprehensive review of the T’Gaal sharpener from Holbein. This is a real staff favorite here at Wet Paint and we were hoping to give this unique sharpener some attention to a community that can really appreciate it.

We’ve had it at a promotion price thru December 31st, and it’s been such a hit that we are currently out of stock– we have more on order and expect them to arrive after Jan 1. Although at that time our price will return to list price ($14.50), we’d like to extend our holiday promotion price exclusively for those visiting your site through the month of January.

Simply have your visitors to type “BB review” in the comments section of their Wet Paint order during January and we’ll give them the discount price of $9.99. Of course any orders taken this week will automatically receive the holiday price.

Thanks again– I’m glad there are websites like yours out there!”

Gordon Coale was very kind in writing the review of the Boston Bulldog sharpener for us (which also appears on his site here).

Technical Information
Type: Blade.
Material: Plastic.
Shavings Receptacle: Barrel.
Point Type: Long-Point.
Markings: “BOSTON” (body).
Place of Manufacture: Made in China, by Hunt Mfg. Co.
Availability: Office Max stores and Mister Art, among other sources.

“The heartbreak of a pencil sharpener.”

This is the second time I’ve written this review of the hand held Boston rotating lid pencil sharpener.

The little Boston hand held sharpener has a lot of things going for it. This biggest thing is that it has a container to hold the shavings. Even better, it has a rotating top that keeps the shavings inside.

It’s big enough to hold a fair amount of shavings but small enough to fit in a pocket. It also puts a nice long point on the lead and the barrel shape makes it comfortable to hold while sharpening. However, there was one teensy drawback. I wrote the first review as I did this one, with my California Republic Palomino HB in my Moleskine notebook. I was almost finished when the little Boston sharpener started to eat my Palomino. The blade had gone dull.
No continuous curls of shaved wood — just sawdust and a broken lead. Oh, heartbreak! Was this relationship to end when it had barely begun? Apparently.

The blade was attached with a screw which means that the blade could be replaced if only I could find a replacement. I Googled high and low, and not a single replacement blade was to be found. I was looking for a long term relationship with my pencil sharpener, and now it appears that I will be forced into a series of short term relationships and one night stands as I search the seedy environs of drug stores and supermarkets for the cheap plastic thrills they offer. I can’t do this. I want a good sharpener that I can settle down with and make shavings.

So I Googled for a sharpener with replaceable blades. There isn’t much. Staedtler had some hand held pencil sharpeners with replaceable blades but I couldn’t find anyone who carried the sharpener and the blades. What has this world come to?

Then I found the hand held sharpeners at Alvin — a fine assortment of spiffy sharpeners and their replaceable blades. Unfortunately, Alvin only sells the sharpeners in blister packs containing many sharpeners. I’m afraid I can’t afford a polygamous relationship with many sharpeners. I am a one sharpener kind of guy. But they did sell the blades in affordable 3 packs. Alvin has Alvin and Kum sharpeners. The Kum sharpeners had a variety of models with containers. The Alvin brand has some nice metal ones including the sublime Bullet, a sharpener reduced to it’s essentials.

I searched the web for an Alvin or Kum sharpener and it’s replaceable blades. I only found two sites, and the selection on both sites was minimal. Oh, where will I find the sharpener meant for me? Maybe there is hope. I had an exchange of emails with Charles Berolzheimer, aka WoodChuck the pencil pusher, President of California Cedar Products Company, from whom all Palomino pencils flow, and I spilled my heart out to him about my fruitless search for a long term relationship type of pencil sharpener. He is going to see what he can do at the Pencil World Creativity Store. Good luck WoodChuck!

Maybe some day in the near future there will be the pencil sharpener of my dreams nestled in my pocket ready to make shavings. A guy can hope.

Many many thanks, Gordon! Be sure to check out Gordon’s other post about pencils and Moleskines.

[Text and images, G.C. Used with kind permission. First image, J.G.]

Kum Wedge.

This is our first review of a sharpener, and this is the sharpener that I currently always have in my pocket. Several people have asked me lately what kind of sharpener I would recommend to them for sharpening quality pencils, so I thought a review of a sharpener (finally!) would be highly appropriate. There are many brands who make the exact (almost) same sharpener, but we are going to stick to this one for today. Just as there are many subtle differences and not-to-subtle differences between different brands of hexagonal yellow pencils, there are, too, such variations on the metal wedge theme.

I have not been able to find this model for sale online, but here is some information about it, in case you can locate it in a local shop. I found them at Plaza Artist Supply in Towson, Maryland, where I stock up on them whenever I am on the East Coast. Rumor has it that KUM New York will sometimes sell to individual customers, and we’ll be sure to ammend if we find out for sure.

Technical Information
Type: Blade.
Material: Magnesium-alloy.
Shavings Receptacle: None.
Point Type: Medium.
Markings: “KUM Precision” (blade); “KUM Made in Germany” (body).
Place of Manufacture: Germany.
Availability: Physical shops, i.e., real stores; possibly from KUM New York (?).

Kum wedge point.

This little gadget is a powerhouse! Not only is it light, durable, compact and comfortable to hold; it sharpens hard and soft pencils alike to a terrific point. As you can see from the photo, the point you can get with this sharpener is somewhere between the very short “factory point” and what KUM calls a “long point.” As such, you can really use this sharpener for both art pencils and writing pencils, since you can carefully stop sharpening once you have the point you want. If you push the sharpener to its apex, you can achieve an extremely sharp point, albeit one that is likely to be too short for drafting or engineering purposes.

Performing the actual sharpening is a breeze, resulting in a fluid motion whereby long strands of pencil shavings fall into the trash can or coffee cup saucer (a la Hemingway) in various geometric designs. Of couse, one of the drawbacks of this sharpener is that it does not have an on-board receptacle for shavings. But one of the advantages is that you can see the point as you are sharpening it, so you know when you’ve achieved your desired point. Even if you do mind that this sharpener makes a mess, that gentle cedar smell wafting from the fresh — and very smooth and clean — cut makes it all worth it.

What makes the KUM model different from some of the others I have tried is the smoothness and ease of sharpening, and the perfectly-designed hole that keeps the leads both centered and safe during sharpening. You will not need a lot of effort or pressure to use this little powerhouse. And, to boot, the blades last longer than one is likely to be able to hold onto this sharpener. Being small, they tend to get lost, so I have yet to actually wear out the blades on one myself. And the brand-new blades do not show any noticeable difference in performance than ones that have sharpened dozens of pencils. The KUM wedge is definitely a nice companion for premium quality pencils.

As for availability, we will keep the Revolution posted about places one can purchase these, if we can locate an online source. But I suspect that these little guys are easier to find in art shops than I think, along with other nice sharpeners that are hard to find online. So it can’t hurt to check your local art supplier.

[Photos copyright J.G. 2005.]