# The 'Pencil Trick'



## barkwindjammer (25 Mar 2013)

Another tip for 'noobs'

We've had the ruler trick-so why not !  
I stumbled on this by chance while doing a little drawing with a protractor.

One of the most common sharpening angles for hand tool blades is 25° (ish),
If your a hand sharpener like me you only need a quick reference
while your sharpening to check your in the (ish) zone,
So, how do you find 25° ?
Well, you could make a jig or use a protractor, or have a laser guided cross
hair projected onto the wall of your shed, or onto your hand,,,,,, :? 

Or, you could take a *sharpened (bog standard) pencil, place it with the point away from you
on your stone, DMT, 'Crazy sharp' float glass etc etc
Now, if you place the tip of your index finger, of your free hand
on the tip of the pencil so that it stands up (Ooer missus-snigger) :shock: 
you now have a pencil standing erect at 25° .

*Bog standard pencil sharpener


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## DTR (25 Mar 2013)

Wow, what an interesting observation!

The only flaw I see is that the majority of woodworkers, if they're anything like me, don't have a bog standard pencil sharpener in the shop. The reason being, the shop's already full of non-standard pencil sharpeners!

Incidently, the non-standard pencil sharpeners are probably much sharper than a standard one is likely to be (hammer)


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## Fromey (25 Mar 2013)

Apparently Paul Sellers sharpens his pencils with a chisel. But I bet they end up at 25 deg. Interesting observation barkwindjammer.


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## Phil Pascoe (26 Mar 2013)

I remember technical drawing exams - we were always sent with a newly ground and honed 1" chisel to sharpen the pencils. I doubt it would be allowed now days.


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## Dangermouse (24 Apr 2013)

DTR":1j8zh0ib said:


> Wow, what an interesting observation!
> 
> The only flaw I see is that the majority of woodworkers, if they're anything like me, don't have a bog standard pencil sharpener in the shop. The reason being, the shop's already full of non-standard pencil sharpeners!
> 
> Incidently, the non-standard pencil sharpeners are probably much sharper than a standard one is likely to be



Depends if the standard sharpener is sharpened by the rounded bevel method or not and if the non standard sharpener is sharpened using jig.........................or not :mrgreen:


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Apr 2013)

Dangermouse - to the naughty step!!


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