# How do I sharpen pencils with long leads?



## SlowSteve (8 Jan 2015)

Hello all.

Not sure if this is the right forum, but it seems the most fitting I think.

When I look at youtube videos of the master craftsman types - John Bullar, Paul Sellars etc, I notice that they have somehow sharpened their pencils with very long points, which makes things like marking into dovetails much easier.

Is there a trick to doing this? I seem to keep breaking the leads when sharpening with a knife, and they are much longer than a regular pencil sharpener produces

Steve


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## marcros (8 Jan 2015)

use a knife for marking out- much easier IMHO.

use the pencil where less accuracy is required- roughly cutting to length.


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## blackrodd (8 Jan 2015)

At a guess, I'd say You probably have too soft a lead in the pencil!
Get some Staedlers, too hard won't mark and too soft don't last and break. this is the small ones we had in school
2 h seems to be a good all rounder, and get at least 4 at a time! 
The so called "carpenters pencil" The flat Staedler , is also available in different grades not quite so useful, I find.
After a while, the Kids will buy you loads at Christmas! (then you can't find them!)
Regards Rodders


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## Jacob (8 Jan 2015)

Yes 2H for precision, HB for general use, 2B for rough sawn.
If you buy different brands for each grade you then have them colour coded.
I don't use a knife at all (for marking) except for those few cuts which are best started with a knife cut, or the corner of a chisel. Best avoided IMHO.
(But I do use a knife for pencil sharpening.)


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## wizard (8 Jan 2015)

belt sander simples


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## mouppe (8 Jan 2015)

I have this pencil sharpener screwed to the side of my bench. It has various diameter holes which means you can sharpen a pencil to different tapers, and all different-sized pencils. It works really well. 14 quid on amazon. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/X-Acto-EPI1031- ... p_office_2


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## Random Orbital Bob (8 Jan 2015)

I've tried everything to get the perfect pencil lead...from useless gadgets like bits that go in the chuck of your drill to the electric version of what Mouppe just linked above. I'm with wizard on this, belt sander is just right for me. Twizzle the pencil as you go and the angle you hold it at determines how long the point is (how far back the wings are ground 

However...as a pencil sharpener.......lets be honest...its a bit of a luxury. Other substitutes include the ubiquitous stanley knife and of course a well sharpened chisel. (For sharpening and marking out in fact)


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## John Brown (8 Jan 2015)

Don't you end up smearing pencil "lead" all over the next thing you sand?


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## Woodmonkey (8 Jan 2015)

These are great
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Staedtler-techn ... B000WL4WEC

There's a sharpener built in the end and you can extend the lead out to access hard to reach areas. Best 6 quid I ever spent


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## Retire2004 (8 Jan 2015)

A smoothing plane turned upside down. Hold the pencil at the required angle and draw it backwards in strokes, turning as you go. Touch up with sand paper a few times until a re- sharpen is required.
Tudor


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## marcros (8 Jan 2015)

If hollow grinding a pencil, should I use a 6" grinder or do I need an 8"? What grit wheel should I use?


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## John Brown (9 Jan 2015)

Hmmm. Single bevel, double bevel or Jacobean style? This one could run and run.


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## woodpig (9 Jan 2015)

I've got one of these. It has five different settings.

http://www.cultpens.com/i/q/KT29109/kut ... -sharpener


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## Mark A (9 Jan 2015)

Penknife


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## blackrodd (9 Jan 2015)

Sharp Chisel and don't use gadgets! just the oilstone.
Rodders


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## Racers (12 Jan 2015)

Steve

Sounds like your knife isn't sharp enough to cut the lead with out putting too much pressure on it.

Pete


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## DTR (12 Jan 2015)




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## Jacob (12 Jan 2015)

A woodwork forum and two pages (so far) puzzling over pencil sharpening! :roll: 
I suppose you could always ask a friendly woodworker to do it for you, if it's still a problem


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## deserter (13 Jan 2015)

Personally I would recommend roughing the point out with a Stanley style knife followed by the scary sharp method, ending with a secondary bevel using a 6000 grit water stone. 
In my opinion never hollow grind a pencil, the strength in the lead will be affected, with the exception of a Japanese pencil which always has a slight hollow grind, but that's to do with the 5 part laminated damascus graphite I guess.


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## DTR (13 Jan 2015)

In all seriousness, I just use a chisel.


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## Kalimna (14 Jan 2015)

I found the most useful thing to be bulk ebay buying of Staedtler pencils. The leads, of all the hardnesses, just seem to withstand more pressure.

Adam


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## chipmunk (15 Jan 2015)

Jacob":2hev1dkb said:


> A woodwork forum and two pages (so far) puzzling over pencil sharpening! :roll:
> I suppose you could always ask a friendly woodworker to do it for you, if it's still a problem



...and we've been here before...

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/another-sharpening-thread-advice-needed-t72913.html

:?


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## rafezetter (15 Jan 2015)

chipmunk":pzbm6808 said:


> Jacob":pzbm6808 said:
> 
> 
> > A woodwork forum and two pages (so far) puzzling over pencil sharpening! :roll:
> ...



That link was actually pretty funny worth a read for the silliness, the low angle bronze antique was lovely, but the woodie somehow feels more authentic.

However, I'm just going to add my preference for one of those push button pencils with 0.5 mm lead in it, then I'm going to draw a line under the whole topic.....


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## Jacob (15 Jan 2015)

rafezetter":1mmgczha said:


> ...I'm just going to add my preference for one of those push button pencils with 0.5 mm lead in it, then I'm going to draw a line under the whole topic.....


Ho ho!
Well I followed the advice of some yankee geezer called Schwarz and went for a mechanical pencil with especially hardened leads, but eventually realised that they were effin useless on wood and a good old fashioned wood pencil is far superior.


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## rafezetter (19 Jan 2015)

Jacob":621gamir said:


> rafezetter":621gamir said:
> 
> 
> > ...I'm just going to add my preference for one of those push button pencils with 0.5 mm lead in it, then I'm going to draw a line under the whole topic.....
> ...




Ah well it depends on if you are talking marking up on rough timber or PAR.


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## DennisCA (24 Jan 2015)

I use a mechanical pencil but a lot of the time it breaks off, perhaps if I had a .7mm one, I prefer cheap pencils now anyway, I just keep loosing them anyway. Got an X-acto ranger sharpener, it puts the long lead on the pen. I didn't know that when I bought it, I just wanted it because it was all metal and looked nice, mounted to my shop wall now.


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## Eric The Viking (1 Feb 2015)

DTR":9xohxyyr said:


> In all seriousness, I just use a chisel.



Booooring!

I really liked your other idea  

But seriously, whatever's to hand: marking knife, penknife single sided razor blade (by far the easiest), Stanley knife, or the trusty 1" chisel. I also have a pencil sharpener in the workshop but prefer to do it by hand because you can get a sharper point and it doesn't break the leads so often. The blade needs to be properly sharp and you need to practice.

You get better results with a knife on cheap pencils than you will with a pencil sharpener. With posh pencils (better quality wood), either will do. You can also keep a scrap of 150 grit handy to bevel the end, but it's cheating.
,
I don't get the thing about 2H leads though. I prefer 2B or even 4B as you can use less pressure and they rub out more easily if you make a mistake. With a 2H you might just as well use a marking knife from the outset.

Carpenter's pencil for rough sawn (only).

E.

PS: +1 for Staedler.


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## Graham Orm (2 Feb 2015)

A sharp plane works perfectly, you can hold the pencil at whatever angle you wish and simply draw it back across the blade.


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## gwr (15 Feb 2015)

What angle should the honing guide be for the ultimate sharp ✏ be though


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## Eric The Viking (16 Feb 2015)

When you're making Graphene with each pass, it's sharp enough.


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