How to Really Sharpen a Pencil
David Rees believes he can sharpen pencils . He says that people have entrusted 1,500 pencils to his sharpening business. I know a thing or two about working with sharp pencils, and let me tell you that if you ship your pencils for sharpening, you are a fucking amateur.
I am studying botanical illustration with both graphite and colored pencils. If you cannot keep the point of the needle on your drawing tool, you will not be able to do precise work. I can’t send my pencils for sharpening because I have to touch up the tips every few minutes.
Yes, I know his video is a joke. I’m checking the facts anyway.
Statement : “You will need a fair amount of equipment … you can buy whatever you need for less than a thousand dollars.”
Facts : He’s right. Yes, you can easily buy a pencil sharpener for under $ 1,000. You end up with a fair amount of sharpeners, mechanical and electrical, and none of them will be perfect. Rees shows us what he says is a sharpener circa 1905, and there is some truth to his quest for antiques. You see, you can make anything work with graphite, but with colored pencils it is more difficult, since they tend to glue burrs and blades. If you want to get your hands on the crayon artists’ room to fight, offer to sell thevintage Panasonic KP-4A to the highest bidder.
Statement : “Pencils number two [are] the only type I sharpen … We are responsible for choosing which pencil to sharpen.”
Facts : Number two pencils are actually a great choice. But you should choose a pencil based on how it draws when sharpened well, not which one is best sharpened.
Pencil number two is the art term for the HB pencil. In fact, it was the only type I was allowed to use for my first 18 hours of botanical illustration. We spent the entire first day, I’m not kidding, carefully painting over the boxes so that we can explore the full range of grays this pencil can give and so we can appreciate the importance of a sharp tip.
You see, paper has a “tooth,” and a blunt pencil cannot put its graphite into microscopic nooks and crannies. You need to lightly rub the tip against the paper, rubbing off the pieces of graphite so that they fall into these little craters and stay there, forming the pattern. This is why a sharp edge is so important and why it fades so quickly.
Statement : “You should take a couple of hours to look around your house and find a pencil that works for you.”
Facts : Right. I don’t know where the hell are all my pencils. They should be in a drawer next to my art desk, in a plastic case, but sometimes they are in a bag instead. Or graphite ones are mixed with colored pencils. Or my children will steal them. The pencil you need is always there where you least expect it.
Cheap graphite pencils are almost as good as expensive ones. The problem is, they might have tiny bits of clay or wax that you won’t notice if you write your shopping list, but they will drive you crazy when you try to do the exact job.
A good drawing pencil is the Faber-Castell 9000 , listed at $ 1.75, but you can probably get it cheaper with a coupon from your local art store. I know artists who spend money on Caran d’Ache pencils for $ 3 to $ 4 each, but can I look like I’m made of money?
Statement : “Is it centered? …. Is it straight? …. Open up the graphite, then shape the graphite … “. I move with such a gentle hand that I exposed the graphite, leaving minimal ulcers and almost no scratches. “
The Facts : If your $ 1.75 pencil isn’t straight, and your lead is more or less centered, then you’ve hit it. But you can still sharpen it, especially if you use a knife like this guy. Just cut the leash wherever it is.
Reese is right about two steps in the process: you have to cut the wood before worrying about indicating graphite. But instead of carefully cutting out the pencil, you can run it through any available sharpener or even chop it with a kitchen knife. It doesn’t really matter how you got the pencil in its rough shape. The important part is the last millimeter.
Statement : “Now we’re reaching for our sanding block or our high-grit sandpaper, whatever fine abrasive surface we need … It’s deliciously messy and wasteful …”
Facts : Yes, people grind pencils. Although I see no point in lugging around a block in a vintage case, when you can just carry an emery board with you if you like.
I use the x-acto knife instead. I don’t even have a sling. After giving the pencil a rough point, I scrape off any burrs or hard edges on the side of the blade. Even my best sharpeners leave the tip a little imperfect, but if you carefully scrape off the pencil, you can get down to business.
When I use a pencil, if it gets a little uneven, but I’m not ready to re-sharpen it, I just rub the nib on a piece of rough drawing paper to get it back in shape.
Bottom line: his pencils are fine, but mine is better
David Rees’ pencil sharpening techniques are good, but it takes too long and doesn’t seem to even start with a good quality pencil. From the mention of tubes and labels, we can assume that these pencils are never or rarely used, making them poseurs , examples of supposed craftsmanship, divorced from the joy and functionality of actual use.
On the other hand, my pencils may not be sharpened on an antique table, but I do a damn good job, I do it quickly, and I do it many times an hour. When I’m finished, I’ll have a tiny stump of pencil and a piece of fine art, not a pointed sculpture that will sadly sit in a window display until artisanal pencil sharpening goes out of style.
Learn to sharpen your pencils yourself. This is the best way.