Pencil Sharpener

Most people are familiar with the pencil sharpener, its function being to sharpen the writing point of a pencil by shaving away the wood or other material around it. Prior to pencil sharpeners being developed, pencils were pared with a knife. While the knife got the job done, the results were inconsistent and not at all uniform.

In 1828, French mathematician, Bernard Lassimone, was the first person to patent a device dedicated to sharpening a pencil.  Since then, pencil sharpeners have come a long way, particularly since the electric pencil sharpener hit the market around 1917.

Mechanical pencil sharpeners are powered by hand. They are easily portable and usually small. Sometimes they have a receptacle around them for holding the shavings. A sharp blade is mounted in the larger side of the pencil sharpener and the pencil is inserted into a hole aligned with the blade. The sharpener is then held stationary while the pencil is twisted around, skimming the edge along the blade to shave off the wood and add a sharp point to the pencil lead. This type of sharpener is called the prism pencil sharpener.

Another form of mechanical pencil sharpener uses the cylindrical cutter method. These are usually larger units that mount onto a countertop or wall and work by using a crank. In these sharpeners, the pencil is inserted into a hole between the cylindrical cutters that have been placed at angles to one another. The crank is then turned to grind the cylinders around the tip of the pencil, quickly producing a precise point.  Some of these types of sharpeners also have a spring driven means of holding the pencil in the slot for one-handed operation. The cylinders on these pencil sharpeners are usually enclosed within a metal case, which can be removed periodically to empty the shavings.

Electronic pencil sharpeners have become increasingly popular in schools and offices. Though the portable prism sharpener remains very commonly used due to its portability, for frequent use, an electric sharpener is the way to go.  These work on a similar principal to the mechanical cylindrical sharpener, but the cutters are rapidly rotated by a small internal electric motor.  These are available in two types, the ones that run off AC power and are plugged into a wall with a cord, and the ones that are operated by batteries. The battery operated pencil sharpener is great, as it is portable. A heavy duty electric pencil sharpener is ideal for an office or school where it will get heavy use, as these will stand up to the wear of constant sharpening.

There are different types of pencil sharpeners for different needs, from the portable prism sharpener to the electric pencil sharpener. All of them do the job, but some will do a better job than others for a specific task.