Product Review - Round Solid Brass Double-Hole Pencil Sharpener

Product:Round Solid Brass Two Hole Pencil Sharpener aka the Brass Nugget Sharpener

Summary: This is my favourite handheld sharpener. It is well designed, easy to hold, performs double duty and its weight means that it doesn't get lost easily. The compact size also means it fits easily into pencil cases. Replaceable blades mean that it can be used over the long term.

Technical Details: This is a round solid brass precision milled double pencil sharpener with replaceable blades. It accepts pencils up to 7.8 and 11 mm (5/16") diameter

Who should buy this? People who prefer: handheld pencil sharpeners; double pencil sharpeners and/or quality pencil sharpeners

Who should not buy this? People looking for a cheap pencil sharpener

Highlights: brass sharpener with a nice weight - doesn't get lost easily milled round edges make it easy to hold takes two sizes of pencil replaceable blades produces a reliable sharp point (this is the same pencil as featured in yesterday's post where the sharpener failed to achieve a sharp point) Think Again? It's not cheap, but there again it's not that expensive. not easy to find in retail shops; specialist distributors only

Manufacturer / Distributor: Unknown. It's marked "M + R Germany"

Suppliers: (UK) L. Cornelissen & son (London) - where it is known as the Brass Nugget Pencil Sharpener £4 (View the the Drawing Gums and Resins PDF file - view the PDF file click here. (USA) ALVIN & Company Inc. (Bloomfield Connecticut) - where it is known as the ALVIN® Brass Double-Hole Sharpener and is priced at SRP $117.00 / Dozen; also stock replacement blades Online: Alvin also supplies the sharpener via Amazon.com

I'm still not clear who makes this quality sharpener - if anybody has any idea I'd love to know. Do also let me know if there are any stickists as it's an excellent hand held pencil sharpener

I have problems with using hand held pencil sharpeners because of my tenosynovitis in my sharpening hand and yet I seem to be able to use this one without problems. Maybe because it sharpens well first time?

I'm now featuring it in my Art Equipment - Resources for Artists information site - see Handheld Brass Pencil Sharpeners

Art Equipment - Resources for Artists

This site is for visual artists. It provides links to: items of art equipment and tools recommended ways of putting together toolkits and recommendations for equipment for working in the studio or plein air