Why are Electric Pencil Sharpeners Made in the '80s Better than New Ones?
And why do we have to shop vintage just to get something that works?
By Rain Noe
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in
Object Culture
After graduating design school and finding work as a CAD jockey, I donated all of my studio materials to a young design student who needed them. Berol Prismacolors, Koh-i-Noor Rapidographs, circle and ellipse templates, French curves, you name it. I never missed any of that stuff, except one object I really regret giving away: My Panasonic pencil sharpener from the '80s. Lately I've been using more old-school pencils in my shop and could really use the thing.
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The Panasonic was made in Japan and looked like this:
It had more metal than plastic inside it and was heavy. That, combined with its four rubber suction-cup feet, prevented the machine from moving backwards while you pushed a pencil into it. The motor ran strong and the shavings dish was a good size.
Electric pencil sharpeners come in one of roughly three form factors. The first has narrow frontage and a deep body, shaped like a Manhattan store.
The second is shallow in depth but wide.
The third type takes the pencil from the top.
I prefer the first type of form factor so that I can place the thing on a shelf in my shop and not have it take up a lot of side-to-side room.
I went online to see if Panasonic still makes it, and of course they do not. On Amazon I found a model with a similar form factor, this Chinese-made X-Acto model:
The reviews are horrific: "Stopped working within a month," "Often sticks, overheats," "Stalled the motor on the first pencil," et cetera. Here's the most damning one:
This "sharpener" won't sharpen. When you try to use it, the pencil tip comes out slightly lopsided, with the lead covered with wood on one side all the way to the tip -- wood beyond the farthest reach of the lead. Result: the wood-tipped pencil won't write, won't even deposit a mark on the paper….
The cause of the problem seems to be [that] the X-Acto , with its single cutter, doesn't seem to hold the pencil at the correct angle….
I suspect that this model requires precision assembly, so that the cutter is installed at the perfect angle. Since other reviews suggest that this model sometimes works, my conclusion is that buying this model is a gamble…. You may get a properly assembled one that works, and you may get one that doesn't.
Yes, we now live in a time where even something as basic as an electric pencil sharpener cannot be relied upon. And companies will keep producing garbage like this as long as we keep buying it. There's no pride of design in the X-Acto model and there certainly isn't any pride of craftsmanship.
In the video below, a repairperson opens up a vintage Panasonic model similar to the one I owned, alongside a newer X-Acto model similar to the one above. You can see the inferior built quality of the X-Acto and most damningly, how poorly and weakly it performs. The lighter weight also means that the X-Acto slides backwards across the table as you push the pencil into it.
The X-Acto is priced around $17, because we Americans are suckers for stuff that costs less than $20. I've heard that below that price point, most people won't go to the trouble of attempting to return something that fails.
I just spent $30 on eBay to order a vintage Panasonic like the one I owned. I'd rather support some guy in Oregon than a factory that produces junk.
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Max Pencil Diameter: 10 mm |
Sharpening Time: 3 seconds
The X-ACTO School Pro Electric is a workhorse pencil sharpener made for high volume usage across a variety of pencil types, including color, graphite, and charcoal of varying hardnesses. This unit has six preset pencil diameters covering a wide range of sizes up to 10 millimeters. The shavings are collected in a large, clear container, so it's easy to see when it needs emptying. This machine helps combat oversharpening (and thus, pencil waste) by disengaging the “fly away” spiral blade once it achieves a fine point.
Despite how impressive we found this sharpener, the suction cup feet often required resetting on our smooth desktop. It's also not as quiet as we would like for library or classroom use. This issue is more apparent when sharpening large diameter pencils since the machine slows under the load. Lastly, this model is relatively expensive compared to the other contenders we reviewed. That said, few of the sharpeners in our lineup can bring such a wide variety of pencils to a fine point as fast as the X-ACTO School Pro. If you're in the market for a new pencil sharpener but want to avoid spending a ton, take a look at our top-rated budget option, the Toolsand Electric. It's ideal for a variety of pencils and works both as a manual or electric sharpener.
Want more information on Electronic Pencil Sharpeners? Feel free to contact us.
Max Pencil Diameter: 8 mm |
Sharpening Time: 30 seconds
The KUM Long Point uses two separate sharpeners in one unit. It first renders the wood into an elongated cone and then shaves the lead to a fine point. The palm-sized sharpener easily fits into a briefcase or tote, and the clear shavings bin allows you to see when it's time to empty the filings. The sharpener is designed for the 2- and 3.15-mm lead common to art pencils but can handle 8 mm diameter pencils as well.
The KUM utilizes two razor blades, one for each stage of the sharpening process. These blades are effective, but the second stage tends to break off the fine lead point if you're not careful. Moreover, this unit doesn't do well with charcoal or colored pencils. Odd-shaped pencils are difficult as well, such as those with a triangle cross-section. Finally, given the manual nature of this model, sharpening a brand new pencil is quite slow. Despite these shortcomings, the sharpener is a boss for its size and produces one of the finest tips of the group. If you find yourself using a wide variety of pencils the OfficeGoods Electric and Battery Operated may be better suited. Its ability to handle color and charcoal pencils as well as three different sharpening levels provides plenty of versatility.
Max Pencil Diameter: 8 mm |
Sharpening Time: 7 seconds (electric mode)
The handheld Toolsand Electric is unique in that it is both a manual and battery-powered device. If the situation calls for it, or you're just out of batteries, you can silently clean up the tip of your pencil. This model can handle a variety of pencil shapes, sizes (up to 8 mm), and types (color, graphite, and soft charcoal).
Although it's versatile, the Toolsand struggles with some tasks. For instance, the sharpener doesn't do well with hexagon-shaped charcoals or pencils on the harder side of the spectrum. Furthermore, we do not recommend this sharpener for kids because it requires a fair amount of grip strength to hold the pencils against the single razor blade that shaves them down. Despite these limitations, the Toolsand is inexpensive, versatile, compact, and effective. If you require a sharpener with easy-to-use operation, the one-handed Bostitch Personal Electric is worth considering as an alternative.
Max Pencil Diameter: 12 mm |
Sharpening Time: 7 - 15 seconds (user dependent)
The scholastic classic X-ACTO Ranger Wall Mount may induce feelings of nostalgia for elementary school arts and crafts. This hand crank unit requires neither desk space nor electricity. The wall mount makes turning the handle a breeze, and the lack of a motor keeps the sound to a minimum. Moreover, this machine can handle a broad range of pencil diameters ranging from 4 to 12 millimeters and will bring all these sizes to a fine point.
We like several features of the Ranger, but for some users, these same features could be perceived as drawbacks. For starters, it's a wall mount sharpener. If you don't have a place to mount it or you don't want to put screws into your wall, then it's not for you. Also, if you don't like hand cranking, this model is a no-go because there is no electric option. Finally, this model won't sharpen charcoal. However, look no further if you want a reliable, quiet machine produced by a company that will stand behind its product. For those who don't find themselves needing a wall mount sharpener take another look at our editor's choice X-ACTO School Pro Electric as an all-around, versatile sharpener.
Max Pencil Diameter: 8 mm |
Sharpening Time: 7 seconds
The OfficeGoods Electric and Battery Operated pencil sharpener is a nicely designed product, and it handled all the pencil types that we threw at it — namely graphite, colored, and charcoal. The machine sharpens fairly fast (7 seconds for an 8 mm graphite pencil) and, perhaps best of all, you can set the tip angle to blunt, medium, or sharp to match your intended use or preference.
Conversely, the OfficeGoods sharpener requires you to be alert when bringing pencils to a point because the machine does not effectively stop sharpening when the desired angle is reached. As such, if you're not paying attention, it can unwantedly eat up a pencil. The single blade digs into the pencil forcefully enough to make holding a pencil stationary relatively difficult. That said, we think this machine is a good product all around for those sharpening a diverse pencil selection to a variety of point angles. Moreover, the two power options (battery or plug-in) gives the user flexibility.
Max Pencil Diameter: 8 mm |
Sharpening Time: 3 seconds
The AFMAT Heavy Duty Electric has a narrow range of pencil types that it performs well on. When using a standard 8 mm pencil, however, it works great. While the unit only uses a single spiral blade, its construction is entirely metal — a more robust design, to be sure. Finally, its shavings bin is amply sized for infrequent emptying and heavy use.
Unfortunately, the feet of the AFMAT are not very grippy, which makes using it a two-handed operation — one to hold the machine in place and the other on the pencil. Additionally, if you don't monitor the sharpening, the machine can eat up a pencil. Nonetheless, this machine will sharpen most charcoal pencils as well as achieve beautiful tips on round, triangular, or hex graphite pencils. If you are in need of something more portable, take another look at the Kum Long Point, ideal for bringing to school, the office, or for artists on the go.
Max Pencil Diameter: 8 mm |
Sharpening Time: 6 seconds
The unique design of the Bostitch Personal Electric lends it an interesting look. It sharpens standard pencils to a fine, though steeper point. Additionally, the unit's feet have a strong enough grip to allow for one-handed operation.
While we like the look of the Personal, the tapered sidewalls make emptying a full tray a messy affair. Additionally, this product is limited to standard 8-mm pencils. Although it can't handle colored lead, it can bring charcoal pencils to a point with little effort. So, if you're looking for an electric model that can be used one-handed and looks interesting to boot, this is the ticket.
Why Trust GearLab
Our team's analysis of pencil sharpeners was straightforward but exhaustive. We sharpened every kind of pencil commonly available and rated the machines on their performance. Namely, these were round, hexagonal, and triangular-shaped pencils with lead types of graphite, color, and charcoal. We rated the machines on the range of diameters they could accommodate as well. Perhaps most importantly, we delved into the convenience features that each machine offered. For example, we timed how long it took to sharpen a standard pencil, how much noise the machine produced, and whether the blade included an auto-stop mechanism to prevent over-sharpening.
Senior Review Analyst Austin Palmer has been testing consumer goods for the better part of a decade. He often uses a number two pencil to draw out his testing schematics and tools, as well as to take his extensive notes. He knows the value of a sharp pencil and a well-designed sharpening machine. Augmenting Austin's experience is Senior Review Editor Nick Miley. In his previous career as a dendrochronologist, he spent many an hour staring through a microscope at tree cores marking out rings narrow enough to barely accommodate a single dot with a pencil. He appreciates the value of a fine point pencil.
Analysis and Test Results
Our analysis of pencil sharpeners relies on four metrics to examine all aspects of a good pencil sharpener. Specifically, these are convenience, lead type, pencil diameter, and shape, as well as sharpness and point type. Under each of these broad categories were carefully designed tests to provide a full understanding of each machine and who it will best suit. For the details of each metric and the machines that performed best, please continue reading.
Convenience
Admittedly, convenience is not a self-explanatory category title. For our purposes, it covers aspects of sharpeners such as the number of hands needed to operate the machine, how noisy it is when sharpening a new pencil, how long it takes to bring a new pencil to a point, and the size of the shavings bin. Additionally, we looked at whether the machine has an auto-stop to prevent over-sharpening, what kind of blade it uses, and whether replacement parts are available. Without a doubt, the electric X-ACTO School Pro is the most convenient of all the sharpeners reviewed here. It has a “fly away” blade that never oversharpens, a large filings bin that limits trips to the wastebasket, and it isn't overly noisy or slow in its work. Moreover, the manufacturer offers replacement parts for purchase if the need arises.
Alternatively, if you need a sharpener on the go, a desktop machine won't be convenient at all. If this is your situation, then have a look at both the KUM Long Point and the Toolsand Electric Pencil Sharpener. Both units are travel-sized and offer a fair amount of flexibility to sharpen different pencil types. The Toolsand is unique in that it is both manual and battery-powered. For added convenience, it comes with an extra blade and batteries.
Lead Type
As the name implies, the lead type metric looks at the types of pencils that the shaper can reliably bring to a point. Specifically, we tested graphite and color, as well as soft, medium, and hard charcoal pencils for this analysis. Surprisingly, many of the models in our review have blade systems that do not do well with anything save a standard graphite pencil. If you need a sharpener that can do it all, check out the desktop X-ACTO School Pro or the handheld OfficeGoods. Both sharpeners are likely to impress because we saw them effectively sharpen all lead types, including the challenging charcoal pencils.
If you are only concerned with sharpening standard graphite pencils, then have a look at the X-ACTO Ranger. This classic hand-cranked, wall-mounted machine is a workhorse for bringing graphite to a fine point. If colored pencils are your main concern, the Toolsand is a pro. As for charcoal, the electric AFMAT does very well but be aware that it's hard to tell when the pencil is sharp, making over-sharpening and wasting your pencils a real concern.
Pencil Diameter and Shape
There are a lot of different pencil shapes and diameters out there. As such, we looked at the range of shapes and sizes that these machines will accept. Specifically, we looked at round, hexagonal, and triangular shaft pencils. The triangle-shaped pencils posed problems for several sharpeners, as you might imagine. Additionally, many sharpeners are designed for the standard 8-mm pencil type, such as the number two graphite variety made infamous by standardized testing. If versatility is what you desire, look no further than, you guessed it, the X-ACTO School Pro. There isn't much this machine can't sharpen, except for carpenter pencils.
Another notable product is the X-ACTO Ranger, which covers diameters up to 11 mm and pretty much any shape.
Sharpness and Point Type
Regardless of point type, a sharp pencil is desired by all. The angle of that point, however, is a matter of intended usage and preference. For example, a long narrow point, such as that produced by the KUM Long Point or the X-ACTO Ranger, might be desirable if you're doing fine line work. However, you'll likely want a blunt tip if you are working on a rough medium such as wood. Fortunately for those who want options, the OfficeGoods sharpener has three settings (blunt, medium, and sharp) so you can make task-specific decisions.
For more information, please visit Kraft Paper Sticky Notes.
Conclusion
In this review, we analyze and describe every aspect of a good pencil sharpener. Although the desired head on a pencil is an individual preference, we provide all of the details so that you can choose the right sharpener for your needs. Specifically, these features are pencil shapes and lead types that the sharpeners can handle, the time it takes to sharpen them, the quality of the tip rendered, and the noise they produce, to name just a few. So, whether you're a finish carpenter looking for a wide-angle tip for rough surfaces or a sketch artist looking for a long, fine point for detail work, there is a sharpener here for you.
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