Helix Metal Desktop Pencil Sharpener

[artie]

Can someone who actually uses those please tell us what is the reason for them?
In what situation is it useful to have a wide flat lead rather than a point?

This may help you.

 

[minilathe22]

And for stirring tea, or at a push, spooning noodles out of the pot when someone has nicked your spoon. DAMHIK

Perhaps the shape was specifically designed for optimum tea stirring, the pencil was a secondary purpose added later

 

[pcb1962]

This may help you.

Thanks but I didn't find any of that very convincing.
Marking a line on some rough sawn wood would have been a better demo than a brick. That's the only scenario so far that I can see where these things have an advantage.

 

[artie]

Thanks but I didn't find any of that very convincing.

ok thanks for the feedback.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

As a stocking filler Christmas present I was given a flat carpenters pencil with a built in spirit level! Tiny bubble but quite fun.
As for personal preference, I recently followed Peter Millard's advice and bought some 9mm Bic disposable retractable pencils and replaced the leads with white ones for marking up dark woods. Easier to see a white line than a grey one.

 

[billw]

And for stirring tea, or at a push, spooning noodles out of the pot when someone has nicked your spoon. DAMHIK

It's lucky that pencil lead doesn't contain lead if that's what you use them for!

 

[billw]

As a stocking filler Christmas present I was given a flat carpenters pencil with a built in spirit level! Tiny bubble but quite fun.
As for personal preference, I recently followed Peter Millard's advice and bought some 9mm Bic disposable retractable pencils and replaced the leads with white ones for marking up dark woods. Easier to see a white line than a grey one.

I spent forever today trying to find pencil marks on a dark surface. You can get white leads?

 

[Doug71]

You can get white leads for the Pica pencil I linked to earlier, in fact you can also get red or yellow as well if it takes your fancy!

 

[Noho12C]

i have one similar to the Helix, but with batteries. Just put the pencil in it, wait couple of seconds, and perfectly sharp. Once of my few power tools

 

[Sandyn]

I do like carpenters pencils, they have their place, they are tough for basic marking, the point doesn't snap in your pocket when you bend over, easy to hold, the point remains longer, they are easier to use as a marking edge. You can sharpen to a fine point, but for precision, I do use a fine point round pencil or a blade for scoring. They are cheap, so I have lots of them all over the place. If I got something expensive, I would just loose it, then have to spend ages looking for it. because it's expensive. I keep pencils inside my pocket, if I had a clip on pencil, I would loose it in confined spaces, then never find it again.
I usually have 2 flat and 2 round, I keep them short, so they don't stab me if I fall. I also keep red, black and blue indelible pens for other marking. I'm a walking marking machine!!!
I also always carry a 6" steel rule, a small square, a calculator, a small electricians screw driver, tape measure, hearing aids, phone...... and knee pads in knee pad pockets. If I could buy a suit with knee pad pockets, I would have one!

 

[Just4Fun]

I also recently purchased the helix sharpener shown above, my only disappointment is that the clear window is just that, it's a window only and not a drawer, so removing the shavings when full is a bit faffy. I seem to remember the ones at school had a removable drawer.

I have an old model. How old is it? I don't remember. Where did I get it? I don't remember, it is just something I have always had. I do know I had it in the 1970s. Mine has a little drawer as you describe, so your memory is good even if mine isn't.

I have recently started using 9H pensils for marking out. I didn't even know 9H pencils existed until I found them in a local shop. The combination of those pencils and the helix sharpener hits a sweet spot for me.

 

[shed9]

I have an old model. How old is it? I don't remember. Where did I get it? I don't remember, it is just something I have always had. I do know I had it in the 1970s. Mine has a little drawer as you describe, so your memory is good even if mine isn't.

The newer one I have has a drawer so not sure when that change occurred in that cycle. To my knowledge all the new versions have small drawers.

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

I spent forever today trying to find pencil marks on a dark surface. You can get white leads?

Yes, i bought from amazon: Amazon.co.uk : white lead refills

 

[shed9]

I've noticed you also now can get mechanical pencil versions that uses carpenter style leads, i.e. a lead with a rectangular profile. There are some interesting options with a similar approach to snap off craft knife blades in that the leads are notched with new chisel edges along the length. I can see the merit in that over a standard carpenter pencil for doing rough cuts, especially if you can fit other colours in the barrel.

 

[phil p]

Happy New Year everyone.

Tried all types of sharpeners over the years and by FAR the best one I have is the current on I have.

It's an M & R Grenade.

Not much to look at, just a plain brass knerled drum with a blade, however it has a lovely weight to it and sharpens fantastically well every time.

You can buy replacement blades, however I must have sharpened literally 1000's of times with no problems and think you could just remove the blade and a few swipes over a fine stone would do it if needed.

Sharpen from totally blunt (or snapped lead) to a pinpoint in around 10 seconds and if I lost it I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Very highly recommended.

Regards
Phil

 

[mikej460]

I'm forever losing pencils so when I bought a new pack of Staedtler's I bought these holders that I can stick onto the side of machines, tables etc. but I do like the idea of a propelling pencil with a white lead. I also use carpenters pencils for rough work.

12 PCS Stainless Steel Pen Pencil Holder Clips with Adjustable Spring Loop I1W9 194982853027 | eBay

 

[doctor Bob]

I thought you pro's used those horrible flat carpenter's pencils?

No, we use the linisher and normal pencils. I buy 1800 at a time for 7 of us. I have never seen any pencil less than half size, no idea where they go.

 

[mikej460]

I have an old model. How old is it? I don't remember. Where did I get it? I don't remember, it is just something I have always had. I do know I had it in the 1970s. Mine has a little drawer as you describe, so your memory is good even if mine isn't.

I have recently started using 9H pencils for marking out. I didn't even know 9H pencils existed until I found them in a local shop. The combination of those pencils and the helix sharpener hits a sweet spot for me.

I remember every teacher having a crank handle pencil sharpener on their desks in Primary School in the 1960s until we were issued with ultra modern biros in the 4th year!

 

[Ollie78]

I am a pica dry convert. Its about the only pencil I have not managed to loose within a day or two.
Its the holster thing that helps.

Ollie.

 

[mikej460]

Happy New Year everyone.

Tried all types of sharpeners over the years and by FAR the best one I have is the current on I have.

It's an M & R Grenade.

Not much to look at, just a plain brass knerled drum with a blade, however it has a lovely weight to it and sharpens fantastically well every time.

You can buy replacement blades, however I must have sharpened literally 1000's of times with no problems and think you could just remove the blade and a few swipes over a fine stone would do it if needed.

Sharpen from totally blunt (or snapped lead) to a pinpoint in around 10 seconds and if I lost it I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Very highly recommended.

Regards
Phil

just bought one thanks