sharpening pencils

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David Rock

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
883
Is it just me, or does sharpening pencils dull a knife really quickly?

David Rock

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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
It's not just you!! When you sharpen the pencil you cut the lead centre and this material is abrasive to knife edges.

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"Come What May..."
 
Too right! I find it takes the edge off my knives faster than anything else I do with them. Often thought that I should work out an edge holding test based on pencil sharpening
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. When I have a lot of pencils to sharpen for my students, I just cut the wood away and let them shape the point on abrasive paper.

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Clay
Sydney, Australia

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....here it's tomorrow already.


 
And to think Mike Turber wasted all that money on 600 feet of rope!

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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
I know but then I wouldn't have a "lawful excuse" for having a knife in a school
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.

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Clay
Sydney, Australia

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....here it's tomorrow already.


 
Clay Kesting wrote:
I find it takes the edge off my knives faster than anything else I do with them.
Click to expand...
Clay, ever try cutting through a staple?
DOH!!!!
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"Absolute safety is for those who don't have the balls to live in the real world."
St. Mary's County, Republik of Marilundt

 
LOL I can see a complete series of tests developing here, particularly suitable for a "gentleman's knife". Main advantage is that they could all be performed without having to leave your office desk. Let's see, sharpening pencils, cutting staples, opening envelopes. Any other suggestions?

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Clay
Sydney, Australia

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....here it's tomorrow already.


 
Cutting string, tape, opening packages, trimming drawings or other large printouts to size, cutting off the lid of a meal served in one of those plastic clamshells, coring and slicing an apple, and working around products trimming insulation on wire, trimming flash and sprues, etc.
 
Untying knots and (not to be confused with cutting them open, which is often easier) is a good chore for folders. Also pulling staples, trimming fingernails (not recommended for trial with a Trailmaster or Basic 9), etc.
Then again, if you're not ready to dull your knife, what reason is there for having it? That is one of the beauties of folders; you can cut stuff with them and keep them in your pocket for daily carry. Of course, I still don't like using my "pretty" blades any more than the next guy. Hell WILL freeze over before I use my 710 to sharpen a pencil! I guess I don't practice what I preach. Oh well... listen to me anyway, 'cuz I gotta knife!

Howie
 
I'm a happier person knowing I can sharpen a pencil and touch up the edge on the knife without having to wait until I get home. I have access to no less than EIGHT sharpening implements right now, and that's just the ones I keep in my office or on my person! Man, am I crazy or what! And it's not like I don't have a spare blade or two or three as well.

David Rock


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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
That "lead" is powdered graphite mixed with clay and fired to hold it together -- in other words, you're cutting pottery. The main ingredient of most clays is aluminum oxide ... hard stuff. It's very fine-grained, though, compared to an aluminum oxide sharpening stone. It'll certainly dull your knife faster than cutting wood, but not fast enough to make me give up sharpening pencils with a knife.

Recently I sharpened a whole box (24) of hard pastels, which are also bonded with clay ... I suspect some of the pigments are probably pretty abrasive, too. I used an ordinary cheap pencil sharpener and found it got too dull to cut at all before I was halfway through the box! I steeled the blade with an improvised tool several times and managed to finish the job, but the pencil sharpener is beyond salvage now. Next time I sharpen pastels I'll do it with sandpaper.

-Cougar Allen :{)
 
The tip of my Spyderco Matriarch is perfect, with it's downward bent, for neatly piercing paper and cutting backwards neatly to remove a small clipping.

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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
I use the most expensive sharpener in the world - sebenza - and it keeps up well!
 
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