Sharp pencils

[Mechanical]

On 11/5/2024 at 11:54 AM, Number99 said:

I was taught how to sharpen pencils into different shapes with a small knife in junior high school and was encouraged to do so by my teachers.

 

I enjoyed your recounting this.  I find it a bit amazing that I wasn't taught to sharpen pencils in shop class.  We all just used the helical crank pencil sharpener in the classroom.

 

What shapes were you taught?  Do you mean like a long point or short point?

[Number99]

16 hours ago, Mechanical said:

What shapes were you taught?  Do you mean like a long point or short point?

The pencil lead is exposed about one centimeter or more and is shaped almost to the root like the tip of a flathead screwdriver, according to the thickness of the line required.

I did this only once, in a drafting lessons, and the rest of the time I sharpened the pencil to a shape that looked like it was sharpened with a pencil sharpener for writing.

I found the image by googling. 

Scroll down to see it, I think it was taken from an angle where the lead looks thin and from an angle where it looks thick.

I read a post by someone who went on to specialize in architecture, and was told that in architecture school, they learn to sharpen normally and actually draft in CAD.

https://cc.musabi.ac.jp/zoukei_file/03/seizu/NewFiles/linetechnic.html

 

P.S.

Change the width of the lead in the first pencil image, i.e., the image taken from the direction in which the lead appears thin.

 

Edited November 7 by Number99

[Black Spot]

On 11/6/2024 at 12:59 PM, Number99 said:

The link I shared in my previous reply is from the website of the company that first invented the cutter knife. (the snap-off blade knife.)

I didn't know much about it, but there was also a page describing how it was invented: https://www.olfa.co.jp/en/birth_of_olfa_cutter.html

 

There were subjects equivalent to shop class in the junior high school, the classroom facilities were similar. There were many old tools that were not used in class or that I did not know how to use.

I learned how to sharpen pencils in drafting lessons.

 

 

 

Snap knives are not as popular in the US as a utility knife also called a cutter Picture below , you will see the snap off blade knife allot more in Europe.

I use both as needed. 

 

I like to watch a show called Japanology, one of the shows was about Olfa and how the snap off blade was invented. 

Based on what I have seen on the internet I expected that a giant robot piloted by a 15 year old girl to sharpen pencils.

 

[Mechanical]

6 hours ago, Number99 said:

The pencil lead is exposed about one centimeter or more and is shaped almost to the root like the tip of a flathead screwdriver, according to the thickness of the line required.

 

Fascinating, @Number99!  I do sometimes flatten the lead so I can use it like an italic nib.  But I hadn't thought to shape it to the size of line I was drawing.  I'll be doing experimenting.

[Chris1]

'How can you hurt your fingers when you're just sharpening pencils?'

Great question, but some folks are just plain clumsy (not us, I'm sure 😁).

I've even seen folks close their penknife whilst their fingers are still in the way!

Yup - Band Aid time 😧.

 

But I it brings to mind Confucius:

- I'm told and I forget

- I see and I remember

- But I do, and I understand.

 

[Number99]

3 hours ago, Chris1 said:

'How can you hurt your fingers when you're just sharpening pencils?'

Great question, but some folks are just plain clumsy (not us, I'm sure 😁).

I've even seen folks close their penknife whilst their fingers are still in the way!

Yup - Band Aid time 😧.

 

But I it brings to mind Confucius:

- I'm told and I forget

- I see and I remember

- But I do, and I understand.

 

It saddens me when you cut out the context and replace the premise of the conversation with another premise that I did not intend, and you make it sound like I said something I didn't say...

😭

[Number99]

22 hours ago, Black Spot said:

I expected that a giant robot piloted by a 15 year old girl to sharpen pencils.

Something like that is happening in Japan these days on Halloween night.

But be careful! The robot is probably a person inside.

 

P.S.

Since this is not cutting a pumpkin, a single-edged knife would probably be suitable for sharpening pencils from the standpoint of Straightness of the blade as it moves forward.

What do you think?

 

20 hours ago, Mechanical said:

  I'll be doing experimenting.

I recommend you not to lengthen the lead.If the lead of a pencil you have taken the trouble to sharpen breaks from the root, it will break your heart.

Edited November 8 by Number99

[Chris1]

1 hour ago, Number99 said:

It saddens me when you cut out the context and replace the premise of the conversation with another premise that I did not intend, and you make it sound like I said something I didn't say...

😭

I did not intend to offend, merely to take the opportunity to, I hope, amuse and, if possible, enlighten.

[Number99]

DELETED.

I will withdraw my statement in order to respect the flow of the thread.

Edited November 9 by Number99

[Estycollector]

I've noticed that when sharpening a dull pencil with the KUM the end/tip is left wide, where making the flat end would be easy. It is the second stage that put the sharp point using the two stage KUM. 

 

I've honed maybe 20 antique straight razors, EDC pocketknives, and chef/kitchen knives without a cut. I went slow at first to build muscle memory. 

[Number99]

1 hour ago, Estycollector said:

I've honed maybe 20 antique straight razors, EDC pocketknives, and chef/kitchen knives without a cut. I went slow at first to build muscle memory

I am curious as to whether they are single or double edged.

Chisels and plane tools that sharpen wood surfaces (one side of the material) are single-edged. aren't kum blades also single-edged?

All knives used in Japan as pencil sharpener knives are single-edged. (cutter knife, higo no kami, kiridashi knife…)

 

P.S.

The first time I made a wooden sword from a dead tree without anyone teaching me how to use a Higo no Kami knife was when I was in elementary school.

It was hard to shape it well, but I don't remember that it was difficult to sharpen the wood. And I never sharpened my Higo no Kami knife.

Edited November 8 by Number99

[Black Spot]

7 hours ago, Chris1 said:

I've even seen folks close their penknife whilst their fingers are still in the way!

 

I only did that once.  You promised not to tell any one. 

[Black Spot]

37 minutes ago, Number99 said:

I am curious as to whether they are single or double edged...  aren't kum blades also single-edged?

 

As far as I know KUM makes pencil sharpeners. I have never seen a KUM knife. 

[Number99]

13 minutes ago, Black Spot said:

 

As far as I know KUM makes pencil sharpeners. I have never seen a KUM knife. 

Oh, my English translation was wrong, I meant the blade attached to the kum. Thanks, I was able to confirm that it is a single edge blade. I was curious about the function and application work of a single edge blade.

[Number99]

26 minutes ago, Black Spot said:

 

As far as I know KUM makes pencil sharpeners. I have never seen a KUM knife. 

Hmm? Something strange...

Is it possible that in the West there is no concept of using a single-edged knife and a double-edged knife?

Or do they only have double-edged knives?

[Black Spot]

1 hour ago, Number99 said:

Hmm? Something strange...

Is it possible that in the West there is no concept of using a single-edged knife and a double-edged knife?

Or do they only have double-edged knives?

 

What are you using the knife for ? 

double-edged knife is called a dagger, they were invented to Penetrate Armor they were used mostly in the middle ages and the renaissance in western Europe.

https://www.militarysurplus.eu/eng_pl_DAGGER-COMMANDO-KNIFE-BLACK-50257_2.jpg

They are not used all that much any more. 

 

The 'West' is a big place In the United states double edged blades were never very popular. They needed more of a all purpose hunting and camping knife. The bowie knife was popular in the wild west

 

Most knives are single edged. The knives I use almost every day are a

German chefs knife 

https://www.argus.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/D8144721.png

a swiss army knife

https://www.purplespoilz.com.au/assets/full/35610.jpg?20210309031137

 

I also use this knife as a butter knife and to eat with casually 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7f/be/c9/7fbec90af3d16adf97d7991053dd6ede.jpg

 

 

[Estycollector]

3 hours ago, Number99 said:

I am curious as to whether they are single or double edged.

Chisels and plane tools that sharpen wood surfaces (one side of the material) are single-edged. aren't kum blades also single-edged?

All knives used in Japan as pencil sharpener knives are single-edged. (cutter knife, higo no kami, kiridashi knife…)

 

P.S.

The first time I made a wooden sword from a dead tree without anyone teaching me how to use a Higo no Kami knife was when I was in elementary school.

It was hard to shape it well, but I don't remember that it was difficult to sharpen the wood. And I never sharpened my Higo no Kami knife.

Traditional Japanese straight razors are single edge, or those I have seen are made this way. Mine are either from Sheffield England, Germany, or the US. These can be used with either hand. 

 

I used to make swords as well. Fun memories. 

[Number99]

4 hours ago, Black Spot said:

 

What are you using the knife for ? 

double-edged knife is called a dagger, they were invented to Penetrate Armor they were used mostly in the middle ages and the renaissance in western Europe.

https://www.militarysurplus.eu/eng_pl_DAGGER-COMMANDO-KNIFE-BLACK-50257_2.jpg

They are not used all that much any more. 

 

The 'West' is a big place In the United states double edged blades were never very popular. They needed more of a all purpose hunting and camping knife. The bowie knife was popular in the wild west

 

Most knives are single edged. The knives I use almost every day are a

German chefs knife 

https://www.argus.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/D8144721.png

a swiss army knife

https://www.purplespoilz.com.au/assets/full/35610.jpg?20210309031137

 

I also use this knife as a butter knife and to eat with casually 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7f/be/c9/7fbec90af3d16adf97d7991053dd6ede.jpg

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Estycollector said:

Traditional Japanese straight razors are single edge, or those I have seen are made this way. Mine are either from Sheffield England, Germany, or the US. These can be used with either hand. 

 

I used to make swords as well. Fun memories. 

I think @Estycollector understands. It does not mean dagger knife or not.

From what I have found on translation sites regarding English translations, it seems that the double-edged and single-edged translations are not wrong.

I think the shape and concept can be easily understood in the first image in the link below.

I am not sure, but I would guess that double-edged knives are more likely to be common in Western or America.

I would not recommend using a double-edged knife for fine cutting work.

It would be akin to driving a nail with a hammer whose striking surface is hemispherical.

A single-edged knife should be used for sharpening pencils.

*https://kitchen-knife-diary.net/kataha-moroha/

*The image shows a cross-sectional view of the blade.

 

P.S.

The Japanese sword is double-edged, but this is a special weapon and not a common blade shape in Japan.

Most Japanese blades as tools, including household cooking knives, were single-edged.

However, it is not recommended to use an unfamiliar single-edged knife out of the blue, as it is necessary to learn the technique from the very beginning... If you are interested, at least Olfa's stationery cutter knives are single-edged. They are available inexpensively in Japan, but I don't know about overseas prices.

 

 

Edited November 9 by Number99

[Mechanical]

That picture was very helpful.  It looks like these are distinguished as single bevel and double bevel blades.  I live in the US and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a single bevel knife blade.  All my kitchen and pocket knives are double bevel.

[Black Spot]

I am sorry I misunderstood you. I can confidently say that In the west knife blade edges are double bevel blades. 

The razor blades I use are also double beveled.  

I hope this helps you.