How to Sharpen a Pencil With a Knife

If you need to sharpen a pencil but can't find a pencil sharpener anywhere, a knife will do fine in such a pinch. Just use caution and follow these steps to sharpen your pencil safely, quickly and effectively.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dull or unsharpened pencil
• Sharp knife
• Trash can

1. Hold the knife in your dominant hand and the pencil in your other hand. Preferably sharpen the pencil over a trash can to make cleanup easy.

2. Position the knife between a half inch and one inch away from the end of the pencil and hold it to the pencil at a 45 degree angle.

3. Apply light pressure as you slowly push the knife down and away from your body, toward the pencil tip.

4. Rotate the pencil as you continue to carve away until you have a nice, sharp point.

Tips & Warnings

• Always point the pencil and knife away from your body to avoid cutting yourself.
• Be careful to position all fingers on the hand holding the pencil behind your knife.