How to Sharpen a Carpenter's Pencil

Supplies needed

Carpenter's pencils have either an oval or rectangular shape that helps keep them from rolling away, "even when placed on a steep sloping roof", observes Doug Marin in "Carpenter's Pencils." (See Reference 1). They are easy to grasp when wearing gloves. More durable than standard round pencils, they can mark on wood and stone. Although they will not fit in a regular pencil sharpener, following the steps below will accomplish the task.

Things You'll Need

• carpenter's pencil, gloves, protective goggles, utility knife, and sandpaper.

Instructions

Safely Sharpen a Carpenter's Pencil

1. 

   Firmly grasp the pencil, keeping your hand well away from the end you will be sharpening. With your utility knife in the other hand, place the blade at a 45 degree angle to the pencil, about a half-inch from the end. The blade of the knife should be pointed away from your body at all times.

2. 

   Begin slicing off the wood on the narrow sides of the pencil first, then the wider sides. Push the blade into the wood and away from your body. Using a whittling motion, remove shall slices of wood until the graphite center is exposed. Proceed slowly and try not to cut into the graphite. Stop sharpening when about a quarter-inch of the graphite is exposed.

3. 

   The graphite can be fashioned to a chisel point by using a piece of sandpaper. Place the flat side, tip end of the graphite on the sandpaper. Lean the body of the pencil close to the sandpaper and drag the pencil tip back. Turn the pencil over and repeat this procedure until the desired sharpness is reached.

Tips & Warnings

• Carpenter's pencils are also useful for drawing and sketching on paper. The flat side makes wide marks. The narrow side makes dots and thin lines.

• Always wear gloves when using a utility knife. Protective goggles will prevent eye injury from errant wood shavings.

References

• Doug Marin

Resources

• Whittling as a Hobby
• Lowe's Home Improvement
• The Home Depot