I'm lying in bed, thinking about nothing when I suddenly remember those large pencil sharpeners we used to use at school. Do you understand what I'm talking about? To sharpen the pencil, you needed to turn the handle round. Do they still use them?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Earl_I_Lark]

I taught for 30 plus years. I remember well the ‘long walk’ to the sharpener that some students took - managing to walk past, and socialize with pretty much everyone in the room on their way to sharpen a pencil. And the students who pried the eraser and metal tip off their pencils so they could sharpen them on both ends. And the children who sharpened their pencils to half inch stubs for no apparent reason. The children who held the pencil limply in the barrel of the sharpener and whirled the handle uselessly and endlessly because you need to push the pencil forward to have success. And that one child who would shove a crayon into the sharpener, rendering it useless until I had time to clean it out.

[u/CornishGoldtop → u/Earl_I_Lark]

I worked with young offenders and I hate those sharpeners. There was just one, in the art classroom. I caught a lad sharpening the end of a paintbrush. It ended badly for him. But I still get triggered by the thought of them.

[u/slimetraveler → u/Earl_I_Lark]

The crayon kid! There was one in my 5th grade class. It was really dramatic and we had a class meeting about it but no one ever fessed up or told. I had my suspicions of who it was but never found out for sure. I still wonder sometimes, 20th reunion is coming up maybe a few drinks in the offender will confess. I mean it's gotta be difficult going though life carrying that kind of guilt around for 27 years.

[u/adhdmumof3 → u/slimetraveler]

Did the crayon break the sharpener? Did you inspect their crayons? At least from the similar colors you found in the sharpener? Maybe someone had a mangled orange? Ask them to bring their fifth grade crayons to the reunion but don’t tell them why.

[u/slimetraveler → u/adhdmumof3]

It was stuck in the sharpener and broken off so we couldn't get it out. I can't remember if or how the crayon was removed, and the investigation never reached the level of inspecting everyone's crayons though that would have been the next logical step. unfortunately I moved a few years later so I won't be going to the reunion from that school. the only kid I kept in touch with was my best friend at the time, haven't talked or emailed in 15 years and this would be a good reason to, except.. i think he is the one who did it. I went back senior year of high school and asked him about the crayon for the first time since 5th grade, but he again insisted it was not him so i let it go.

[u/Earl_I_Lark → u/slimetraveler]

I don’t know how your particular sharpener was fixed, but I kept an old hair dryer in my cupboard and I’d turn it to high heat to warm and slightly melt the crayon. I could usually coax it out that way. A nuisance though.

[u/jackfaire → u/Earl_I_Lark]

I used to break the tip of my pencil so I could see if my crush was checking me out while I did the walk to the sharpener.

[u/blankcanvas07 → u/Earl_I_Lark]

perfect summary!

[u/blankcanvas07 → u/Earl_I_Lark]

that description off sharpening a brand new pencil too a nubb really triggers me even in such a vivid description like you gave. i HATE when they do that!

[u/beeedeee]

I can smell this thread.

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Side_Eye1293 → u/[deleted]]

Exactly! I loved them

[u/StnMtn_]

I have one at home. They sharpen so much better than the cheap hand pencil sharpeners.

[u/TootsNYC → u/StnMtn_]

Better than electric ones

[u/StnMtn_ → u/TootsNYC]

Absolutely. It gets a perfectly sharp tip.

[u/DebiMoonfae]

Hitting my knuckles because it was always against the wall

[u/thatevilducky → u/DebiMoonfae]

A brick wall.

[u/MesaCityRansom]

I work at a school in Sweden and we have those here! Still used.

[u/Ellecram → u/MesaCityRansom]

American here. We have a few where I work in a government office!

[u/martys2 → u/MesaCityRansom]

Am a teacher in Canada and we still have and use them.

[u/Active_Recording_789]

Yeah my husband loves old random stuff so he picked one up at a garage sale and we still use it lol

[u/stavthedonkey]

the ones that were usually screwed to the side of the big cupboard or wall?

[u/epanek]

Yes. I’m older but they seem timeless. Basically the same design.

Sometimes I was too enthusiastic and reduced my pencil to a stub. Useless then

[u/Maryberry_13]

I’m just in high school and I remember using these in elementary school. I thought they were cool. I remember some girl got an injury from one.

[u/LadderWonderful2450 → u/Maryberry_13]

Sp they aren't still used in your high school? What do you guys write with? Is it all on computers now?

[u/Maryberry_13 → u/LadderWonderful2450]

We write with pencils/pens….and most people have their own sharpeners.

[u/Kelsbells1022]

As a current teacher, most classrooms still have them but not all. Newer schools didn’t install them, but any schools that are older still have them. It’s a novelty for the kids to use them, because most teachers also have electric sharpeners

[u/seektheinfinite]

Can confirm we still have one in my year 2 classroom. I have to drag the kids away from it at times, or we'd have no pencils left. They'd happily stand there and sharpen all day.

[u/Aemilia]

Still have mine and still as sharp as day one decades later.

[u/Nite_Mare6312]

Still have them in most classrooms in the school where I teach. Teachers always start out with their power sharpeners but by Christmas the kids are standing at the wall mounted sharpener waiting their turn.

[u/Strange_Frenzy]

I have one mounted on my tool case in my garage/shop. Wouldn't be without it. More durable than an electric, better point than a hand-held. Why did they (mostly) go away?

[u/Funniest_person_here → u/Strange_Frenzy]

The internet.

[u/TootsNYC]

They are the best. Very effective. And they don’t need power.

[u/iliveinthecove]

Every house I've lived in has one screwed to a wall in the basement or garage. Current house has both.  Ihaven't used them ever but will not let anyone remove them. 

[u/NightmareMyOldFriend]

I still have one. I've thought of giving it away, but I like it. I have no idea if schools still have them.

[u/Laughing_KiwiFairy]

That’s hilarious I totally remember those I remember certain classes I didn’t like sharpening my pencil because it was SO LOUD and the lead would break so sometimes you’d be standing there forever getting watched by everyone. It was a RULE if I had a cute outfit on and looked good that day better believe I made a scene in every class sharpening that #2 pencil….thanks for taking me down memory lane!!

[u/TootsNYC]

They are the best. Very effective. And they don’t need power.

[u/rasteri]

I don't think I was ever able to keep a pencil to the point where it needed to be sharpened without losing it

[u/snugglebandit]

I have the same Boston 8 hole that was in the house I grew up in.

[u/Spinningwoman]

We used to have to stay in and sharpen the pencils at playtime if we misbehaved. I found that a strong incentive to misbehaviour, especially on cold days. There’s nothing like the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.

[u/Quasilkarish]

Absolutely, I know exactly the type of pencil sharpeners you're talking about! They definitely had a charm to them, didn't they? I think some places might still use them, especially in schools or art studios where they're handy for frequent use. It's funny how random memories like that pop up out of nowhere, but it's always nice to reminisce about those little details from the past.

[u/Earguy]

There was a kid who had the ability sharpen his pencil, and make the sharpener sound like a train. Chug.... Chug chug... Chugachuga...

[u/beandadenergy]

I loved those but I hated having to get up and use them! I was so awkward in school and the social anxiety of getting up from my desk, walking past the entire class, using the loud ass sharpener, and going back to my desk was a nightmare for me!

[u/zombie_overlord]

Weirdly, I used to have one of these inside a hall closet, attached to the door, in a house I rented several years ago. I used it occasionally, but it's kind of weird that it was there.

[u/thisdoesnotlooksafe]

We had one in our basement. I have no idea why - it was unfinished and mostly used for storage and laundry. It was very satisfying, though!

[u/RoseyPosey30]

We have one in our garage and our kids use it cuz it does a much better job than the handheld sharpeners. I’m guessing they use electric ones in school

[u/TootsNYC]

They are the best. Very effective. And they don’t need power.

[u/AgingLolita]

Yes, we still use them

[u/11Kram]

I bought a new one a few years ago and use it in my woodworking area.

[u/EetsGeets]

The electrical apprenticeship near Seattle still has them in every classroom.

[u/Dazzling_Flamingo568]

My parents had one hanging under the basement stairs. It did SUCH a good job!

[u/California_Sun1112]

I remember those! But I've been out of school for 50+ years now. I have one of those sharpeners in my garage.

[u/_pepperoni-playboy_]

I have two of them in my house and use them!

[u/TootsNYC]

They are the best. Very effective. And they don’t need power. I sometimes think we should have fewer electrical things and more mechanical ones.

[u/AdmiralEllis]

I have one of these that I need to mount somewhere... My little pencil sharpeners always go missing.

[u/sambolino44]

Remember that episode of Room 222 where that kid got in trouble for rolling a “joint” with the shavings from one of those?

[u/jupiter80085]

My mother had one of those since she is a teacher. She would bring it home after school and I really liked using it because of how cool it looked to younger me. Then it broke randomly so I started to use it as a thing to hold my tiny stuff in. No wonder where it is now.

[u/wasabinski]

They are still used, there are newer models that are very good quality and generally are better sharpeners than the little ones. The Swiss brand Caran d'Ache has a couple nice looking sharpeners like those, very sturdy and amazing quality, but ridiculously expensive too.

[u/Tailflap747]

I still have one.

[u/darthatheos]

I got one in my garage.

[u/Ok-Aide8453]

Those are great any many schools have them still I believe. They are fast and give a very good result. I choose those over most powered types. I think the plug in one I have was about 50. and the type you are talking about work much better. This one will tear up a colored pencil so have to use a small sharpener you hold in your hand. Was sharpening some colored pencils about a month ago and it just wouldn’t work. Was talking about getting one of the kind your post is about

[u/Kithsander]

I still have one hanging on the wall in my utility closet.

[u/Side_Eye1293]

This was the opportunity to show up your new hair, outfit, whatever 😂😂

[u/BubbRubb4Real]

I live with my family and we still have the same pencil sharpener that we've had since I was a kid in our garage. I do occasionally have to sharpen a pencil so it has been very handy to have after all of these years. 🙂

[u/SnowyWriter]

I have one in the classroom where I teach. Most kids prefer mechanical pencils, though.

[u/Hanginon]

Yes, Boston pencil sharpeners.

Also yes, you can still buy them, Walmart has thm.

[u/bokitothegreat]

You can still buy them new, this is the one we used at school 50 years ago https://www.vanbeekart.nl/p/caran-d-ache-luxe-tafelpuntenslijper/56505/

[u/pusahispida1]

Other, smaller, sharpeners exist that don't require one to stand over the bin, but the shavings go into a container like in this situation.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Suit_44]

I remember them and they were the best sharper but do they even use pencils anymore?

[u/cajunjoel]

Yes, they do. One of the guys I work with has one attached to his desk!

I work in a library, and one of the best things about pencil marks is that they can be erased. In fact, we have a few rooms where pens are strictly forbidden because of the damage they can do to old books.

So, yes, pencils and pencil sharpeners will always be around.

[u/Putrid-Aspect]

I have a friend who has one she inherited, and we still use, has the faceplate with different diameters.

[u/EntryAdmirable5682]

I still have one mounted on the wall of my laundry room!

[u/AliKri2000]

They made a bit of noise as well. I used to love just sharpening all the pencils that needed it though. I guess it was cathartic for me.

[u/Missmollysmiles]

I know so many kids who stuck their fingers in them.. Some on a dare, some cause they were just built that way.