Posts filed under Pencil Sharpener

Dux Adjustable and Single Brass Pencil Sharpener Review

Dux Adjustable and Single Brass Pencil Sharpener Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

As far as pencil sharpeners go, I've never been too picky. My go-to sharpeners include the T'Gaal adjustable point and the Sonic Ratchetta. They're incredibly easy to use and also collect pencil shavings for easy cleanup. They also require zero skill, which I didn't know could be a thing in terms of picking a sharpener.

I recently picked up a couple of Dux sharpeners to try out because they 1) look really cool and 2) are incredibly small and easy to store in just about any bag or pouch, making it easy to always have a sharpener on hand. The two I decided to try out are the Dux Brass Single Hole Block sharpener and the Dux Brass Adjustable sharpener. They're both made of brass (except for the blades) and have handy grooves machined into the sides for additional grip. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been struggling with using these two sharpeners, and I'm still not sure if it's pure user error or just the fact that these sharpeners require a level of skill that I'm not prepared to work up to.

Dux Single Brass Pencil Sharpener

Let's start off with the single sharpener. This is the smaller of the two and comes in at just $7, it's the more affordable of the two. Sure, it's expensive compared to other simple sharpeners, but it is made solid brass. The sharpener is pretty easy to use, but it can be hard to hold depending on how hard the wood is in the pencil you're sharpening. Since it's so small, I've noticed that it slips easily and requires me to use a firmer grip than I'd like. I quickly learned that this pencil sharpener doesn't have an automatic stop, or brake, that prevents you from over-sharpening a pencil. If you're wondering what over-sharpening looks like, check out the Field Notes pencil in these images. After the graphite point hits a certain length, it just keeps growing longer like Pinocchio's nose. Not a useful trait for a pencil since it will snap at the slightest pressure. Aside from that little gotcha, this sharpener works just fine. It's not overly pleasant to use, but it gets the job done.

Dux Adjustable Pencil Sharpener Review

Moving on to the adjustable sharpener, I was incredibly underwhelmed. Out of the box, the adjustable dial wouldn't budge. I spent several minutes trying everything I could think of to unlock the secret formula and gesture to dislodge the dial, but nothing work. Eventually, I got out a screwdriver and disassembled the sharpener. On a hunch, I decided to reverse the direction that the small pin faces that keeps the dial gently notched in to the three settings. Sure enough, after re-assembling the sharpener and trying out the dial, it worked perfectly. Now, I'm completely aware that manufacturing is a difficult nut to crack, but this level of quality control seems unfortunately low. This sharpener comes in at $22, which is quite a premium when compared to other options — especially when the expensive feature is (in my case) broken out of the box.

Dux Adjustable Pencil Sharpener Settings

After playing around with the different settings, I quickly learned that you have to experiment with different angles to hold the sharpener in relation to the pencil. In all honesty, I went through at least three pencils trying to improve my technique with this sharpener. I finally got it down, but it's important to note that I don't think it's reasonable that a purpose-built sharpener require practice. What really killed this sharpener for me was the fact that I couldn't successfully sharpen a pencil on the #3 setting, but more on that in a bit.

Dux Adjustable Pencil Sharpener Blade

The adjustable nature of this sharpener allows you to control (to a small extent) how "sharp" or pointy the graphite tip becomes when you sharpen it. Setting #1 is the more blunt option, with the brake positioned closest to the tip. This produces a pretty nice point, but it's a little dull for my taste. Setting #2 is my favorite of the three, but it takes care and attention to achieve. Due to the wide gap of the opening hole, you have to sharpen the wooden part of the pencil and then change the angle so that the graphite comes in contact with the blade. It's tricky, but not too difficult.

Dux Adjustable Pencil Sharpener Setting 3

Setting #3 caused me a lot of grief and is responsible for my wasted pencils. No matter what I did, I could not finish sharpening a pencil to a point without breaking the point halfway up the cone of the pencil (see picture for a good reference). After two and a half pencils, I finally gave up and decided to avoid that setting for good. It was really frustrating, and I'm not sure I'll ever forgive it.

One final nail in the coffin for both of these sharpeners is the lack of a shaving collection bin. This is completely due to the tiny and portable nature of these sharpeners, and I totally understand that. Just know that these kinds of sharpeners will make a mess — mostly from the graphite sharpening instead of the wood shavings!

Dux Pencil Sharpeners

Ultimately, I'm glad I tried these sharpeners out. I know there are other small, portable options for sharpeners that are cheaper and better. I also know that in a pinch, I'm much better at sharpening a pencil with a sharp knife over these two sharpeners.

I really can't recommend these based on my experience alone, but I'd love to know if I'm just "holding it wrong" or something similar. In case you're interested, you can pick up a single hole sharpener or the adjustable cousin over at JetPens, or you can look at much better options as well.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


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Dux Adjustable Pencil Sharpener Case
Posted on December 16, 2020 and filed under Dux, Pencil Sharpener.

Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Review

Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Review

(Update: Blackwing sent me a replacement sharpener, and it is working as well as I expected the first one to work. I tested both sharpeners on new, unsharpened Blackwing Volumes No. 3 Ravi Shankar pencils. The original performed as poorly as it did previously, and the new one performed as well as all of the praise that has been heaped on it.

Original sharpener, top, new sharpener, bottom.

Original sharpener, top, new sharpener, bottom.

Blackwing is sending me replacement blades for the first sharpener to see if we can narrow down the issue. With the way the second sharpener performed, I would have no hesitation recommending it to anyone looking for a premium pencil sharpener experience.)

New sharpener, left, old sharpener, right. If you didn’t have anything to compare it to you might think the original sharpener was fine, but comparisons show it wasn’t.

New sharpener, left, old sharpener, right. If you didn’t have anything to compare it to you might think the original sharpener was fine, but comparisons show it wasn’t.

--Original Review--

If there is anything I have learned about Blackwing over years of reviewing their products, I have learned that you should always wait until version two of their accessory releases to make your purchase. The new Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener is no exception to that rule.

I can't argue that this isn't a compelling looking sharpener. The design is modern, and fits Blackwing’s new art style and aesthetic. The big problem with it is that it doesn't sharpen pencils well. That's kind of its job, right?

Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener

I was able to quickly test out this sharpener at the Baltimore Pen Show earlier this year and felt that it performed poorly. I chalked that up to the moment, and the minute or two I had with it. I looked forward to receiving my own model to test at home to see what I missed the first time around. Nothing, apparently.

On paper, the sharpener should give you a short, sharp, clean, concave tip on your favorite pencil. I was able to get sharp, sometimes. Other times, the tip of the graphite broke off inside the sharpener, despite my trying different hand pressures when sharpening. At least three times for this review alone I had to unscrew the top to retrieve a snapped lead.

Sharpened with Pollux, top, and Blackwing One-Step, bottom.

Sharpened with Pollux, top, and Blackwing One-Step, bottom.

Concave I could get, too. The problem is that the concave cedar was left ragged and messy. The results looked terrible. Worse than any other sharpener I recall using. To use this sharpener was an exercise in frustration.

There is no pencil sharpener I own that isn't better than this one.

Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Testing

Side by side tests were the most telling. Blackwing's own Two-Step Long Point sharpener is far superior, and is half the price. So is the KUM Masterpiece, and the glorious Pollux, which is what this sharpener strives to be. The results show that it’s not anywhere close. The desktop Uni KH-20 sharpener is a far better investment if portability isn’t required.

Yes, all of these fall into the expensive sharpener range, but at $20, so does the Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener. If you are paying this price, you expect performance commensurate with that. It's not in the ballpark, and is close to unusable - especially when compared to every other sharpener in existence.

Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Shavings

Hyperbolic? Sure. But this sharpener continues a long line of version one Blackwing products that perform poorly. Hopefully there is a version two in the pipeline that works as well as the most basic sharpeners on the market. Until then, there are numerous better choices.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


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Posted on June 15, 2020 and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Sharpener, Pencil Reviews.

Carl Ein Pencil Sharpener Review

One of the most fun parts about being obsessed with stationery isn’t just discovering new writing instruments, but also the accessories that go with the writing instruments. I’ve developed a fondness for wooden pencils over the years, and as much fun as I have trying new ones and discovering my favorites, I also enjoy exploring pencil-adjacent accessories, like pencil sharpeners.

The Carl Ein Pencil Sharpener is the latest to hit my desk, and has a feature I wasn’t aware I needed: Two stages of tip sharpness. Why is this important to me? I’m so glad you asked!

Not all pencil cores are created equally. Traditional writing pencils, like your standard HB, have a graphite core. They sharpen to a pointy, durable tip and write well from the moment they hit the page. Colored pencils use a clay-based core, making them softer and more prone to breakage when sharpened to a point as fine as I like with my writing pencils. Have you ever sharpened a colored pencil in a regular sharpener and snapped the tip of the pencil off the moment it touched the page? That’s why.

The Carl Ein helps with this issue by having two settings in one sharpener: An 0.5 mm standard pointed tip for traditional writing pencils, and an 0.9 mm broad, stub tip for pencils that are softer or use different core materials, like colored pencils. This setting is simple to swap between with a simple twist of the knob on the handle side of the sharpener.

While the selling point of the sharpener works as intended, Carl and I had a rough start. When my package arrived and I pulled out the box I noticed a lot of rattling. Opening it up, there were small, loose parts everywhere. The front, slide-out panel had become completely disassembled in shipping. Putting it back together was a 20-30 minute exercise in frustration. It’s one of those things that requires three hands to assemble, and unfortunately, I was only born with two.

This had me worried about the overall build and sturdiness of the sharpener from the jump, but it has proven to be a workhorse and no further issues with functionality have been detected.

One design feature I noticed and appreciated with regular use was the sloped top cover of the sharpener. Desk sharpeners usually require two hands to operate, one on the crank and one on the top of the sharpener to hold it steady. I didn’t even realize this feature until I was switching back and forth between my favorite Uni KH-20 sharpener and felt that the Carl was easier to hold on to. It’s also slightly wider and has a wider base, so that contributes to its sturdiness.

0.5 mm on the top of each pair, 0.9 mm on the bottom

I’m happy overall with the Carl Ein, but their is one final gotcha to be aware of: The price. This is a $40 desktop pencil sharpener. I’ve used great desktop sharpeners in the low-$20 range, like the Classroom Friendly. My personal favorite is the aforementioned KH-20, which runs $30.

Does the Carl Ein offer enough in its added features to justify the extra cost? For me personally, no. I will recommend the KH-20 every time over the Carl. But, for hardcore colorists and soft-pencil core users I can see the benefit of having dual point sizes built into a single sharpener. And for that, I think the Carl Ein is a good choice.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on December 10, 2018 and filed under Carl Ein, Pencil Sharpener, Pencil Reviews.