A while back a few of you were discussing the merits of older  
mechanical "crank the handle" pencil sharpeners.  I have been on the  
casual lookout for one since then.  I am familiar with the older  
Bostich type, and figured one of those would be the one I would most  
likely find.

Well today while finishing off a tour of a local antique mall 8 miles  
from my house, I spotted this thing just sitting there on the shelf.   
Almost missed it.

Following is what I wrote in my daily computer journal to record the  
find:

----------------

Dexter Model 3,  Automatic Pencil Sharpener Company, Rockford, ILL,  
U.S.A.  in a flat topped shield of sorts with Apsco in a black circle  
at the bottom of the shield.  Made in U.S.A. Patented and Pat Pending  
in small print on the very bottom of the shavings container.  Heavy,  
all metal, wooden knob on the crank.  Light Olive Drab color.   
Shavings container has a hinged lid that allows it to be removed -  
with a little snap in front.  Rotating pencil input diameter dial with  
six sizes.  Normal pencil fits in the third form smallest.  Great  
condition - thin tin skin on the shaving container in almost perfect  
and mostly shiny condition.  Inside between the two cutting helical  
gears is a little lever parallel to the pencil position.  At first I  
thought maybe it was for removing the cutters, but the more I look it  
appears to be an adjustment of some sort.  Seems to be two detents  
that the a small knob on the bottom of the lever drops into.  Maybe a  
depth adjustment for the pencil point?  Previous owner had affixed an  
American flag sticker on the very top.  Weighs 734 Grams (1 lb, 10 oz  
or so) according to my kitchen scale.

----------------

Did I do good?  Was $10 a good price?  Gloatable?

It sure seems to sharpen really nice.  Now I just need to find a place  
to mount it.  Out in the garage seems too distant and isolated.   
Hummmmmm.

--Scott

-------------------------------------------------
Scott Stager
Columbia Missouri

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> Did I do good? Was $10 a good price? Gloatable?
>> It sure seems to sharpen really nice. Now I just need to find a place
>> to mount it. Out in the garage seems too distant and isolated.
>> Hummmmmm.

$10 seems like a fair price. i put one in the shoppe and one in the
kitchen broom closet. my wife used the kitchen one to sharpen about 200
pencils over the w/e (the kids are tough on them). she has blisters, but
the sharpener is just getting warmed up;)

-SM-

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On 5/28/2012 7:23 PM, Scott Stager wrote:
> A while back a few of you were discussing the merits of older 
> mechanical "crank the handle" pencil sharpeners.  I have been on the 
> casual lookout for one since then.  I am familiar with the older 
> Bostich type, and figured one of those would be the one I would most 
> likely find.
>
> Well today while finishing off a tour of a local antique mall 8 miles 
> from my house, I spotted this thing just sitting there on the shelf.  
> Almost missed it.
>
> Following is what I wrote in my daily computer journal to record the 
> find:
>
> ----------------
>
> Dexter Model 3,  Automatic Pencil Sharpener Company, Rockford, ILL, 
> U.S.A.  in a flat topped shield of sorts with Apsco in a black circle 
> at the bottom of the shield.  Made in U.S.A. Patented and Pat Pending 
> in small print on the very bottom of the shavings container.  Heavy, 
> all metal, wooden knob on the crank.  Light Olive Drab color.  
> Shavings container has a hinged lid that allows it to be removed - 
> with a little snap in front.  Rotating pencil input diameter dial with 
> six sizes.  Normal pencil fits in the third form smallest.  Great 
> condition - thin tin skin on the shaving container in almost perfect 
> and mostly shiny condition.  Inside between the two cutting helical 
> gears is a little lever parallel to the pencil position.  At first I 
> thought maybe it was for removing the cutters, but the more I look it 
> appears to be an adjustment of some sort.  Seems to be two detents 
> that the a small knob on the bottom of the lever drops into.  Maybe a 
> depth adjustment for the pencil point?  Previous owner had affixed an 
> American flag sticker on the very top.  Weighs 734 Grams (1 lb, 10 oz 
> or so) according to my kitchen scale.
>
> ----------------
>
> Did I do good?  Was $10 a good price?  Gloatable?
>
> It sure seems to sharpen really nice.  Now I just need to find a place 
> to mount it.  Out in the garage seems too distant and isolated.  
> Hummmmmm.
>
> --Scott
>
In case that's where you have your shop, I can recommend placing it near 
the bottom of the basement stairs. You'll always have an excuse to run 
down there!
Don

-- 
I have tried too in my time, to be a philosopher; but I don't know how, 
cheerfulness was always breaking in. - Oliver Edwards
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott Stager wrote:
> ...  Weighs 734 Grams (1 lb, 10 oz or so) according to my kitchen scale.

Quoting the weight of a pencil sharpener to the nearest gram
has GOT to be symptom of ... something.

;-)

  BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've yet to find a good place in the house for a nice old
pencilsharpener (there's a few in the pile).

Growing up, the sharpener was mounted on the door jamb in the
basement,next to the washing machine and the *rag bag*.

Now I can't find a convenient place in the house. Central to use, outof
the way so no one bangs into it as they walk past, knocking theshavings
cup off and scattering cedar and lead dust all over (DAMHIKT),and a
convenient open space to one side for the crank to operate.

Surely this can*t be that hard a task to accomplish, but I've
failedmiserably in it. Little plastic sharpeners, used by the family
whilestanding over the kitchen garbage can, its sad, really.

Michael S-with an old Boston out in the shop, and no broom closet
inthe kitchen.

> Did I do good? Was $10 a good price? Gloatable?
>
> It sure seems to sharpen really nice. Now I just need to find
> aplace to
mount it. Out in the garage seems too distant and isolated. Hummmmmm.

$10 seems like a fair price. i put one in the shoppe and one in
thekitchen broom closet. my wife used the kitchen one to sharpen about
200pencils over the w/e (the kids are tough on them). she has blisters,
but thesharpener is just getting warmed up;)

-SM-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have two sharpeners.  One is screwed to a 6X6 post in the shop behind the
work bench.  The other is on a lever operated vacuum base.  It sits out of
the way on the back of a kitchen counter.  When it's needed it is pulled
out and stuck to a smooth surface where ever is convenient.  I've stuck it
to a window when the counters were other wise occupied.

Phil

On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 6:07 AM, <nicknaylo@a...> wrote:

> I've yet to find a good place in the house for a nice old pencil sharpener
> (there's a few in the pile).
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott Stager wrote:
"A while back a few of you were discussing the merits of older 
mechanical "crank the handle" pencil sharpeners... I spotted this thing just
sitting there on the shelf. Almost missed it...

"Dexter Model 3,  Automatic Pencil Sharpener Company, Rockford, ILL, 
U.S.A...

"Did I do good?  Was $10 a good price?  Gloatable?"

Hell, yes. I've had the same Dexter as my pencil sharpener most, maybe all my
life. I can remember it on the wall when we moved into my house in 1964. I am
pretty sure we had it before we left Chicago in 1960, when I was 8 years old.

Fifty years of service without maintenance. It still gives, as it always gave,
long cleanly-cut symmetrical conical ends. Sharp points without effort. In
recent years there has been a tendency for pencil leads to break off inside the
wooden part of the cone, but that is the pencils (since I have the same problem
with other sharpeners). Its the best pencil sharpener I've ever used.

I always thought the Dexter company that made pencil sharpeners was the same as
the one that makes Dexter knives. However, the knives are made by Russell
Harrington in Massachussets:

http://www.dexter-russell.com/history.asp

My pencil sharpener has no place marking on it, so I didn't realize it was made
in Illinois. One company or two, I can still say that I have never had a tool
marked "Dexter" that wasn't first-rate.

The waste container on mine is all-plastic and has a small piece broken off the
top. I think its brittle with age, and I worry about replacing it if it breaks
further, but that's the only problem. And I'd really like a backup.

Ten bucks? I'd sure be gloating.

Tom Conroy
------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Yew boys & yer newfangled rotary pencil sharpeners.
> A pocketknife was good 'Nuff fer my grand pappy and it'll sure as shootin
> be good 'nuff fer me
>

-- 
Nothing is sure, except Death and Pentaxes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

On May 29, 2012, at 9:41 PM, CheekyGeek wrote:

>> Yew boys & yer newfangled rotary pencil sharpeners.
>> A pocketknife was good 'Nuff fer my grand pappy and it'll sure as shootin
>> be good 'nuff fer me

Can we get an Amen!?

 I have 2 of the crank type pencil sharpeners at the ready, but when I need a
sharp pencil, I reach for a sharp chisel. There is no good reason for this, it
just seems natural.

James Thompson, the Old Millrat in Riverside CA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, James

Do you do the correct way of sharpening a pencil with a chisel?

Hold it between your first and second fingers, with the pencil in the
web between your thumb and first finger, pointing away from you while
you pare away at it, I believe its virtually impossible to cut yourself
if you do.

Pete

Peter Michael Maddex Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know WPS Workplace
Services Nottingham Trent University

-----Original Message----- From: oldtools-bounces@r... [mailto:oldtools-
bounces@r...us.law.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of James Thompson Sent: 30 May
2012 07:05 To: cheekygeek@g...
Cc: oldtools oldtools Subject: Re: [OldTools] Mechanical Pencil
    Sharpener

On May 29, 2012, at 9:41 PM, CheekyGeek wrote:

>> Yew boys & yer newfangled rotary pencil sharpeners. A pocketknife
>> was good 'Nuff fer my grand pappy and it'll sure as shootin be good
>> 'nuff fer me

Can we get an Amen!?

 I have 2 of the crank type pencil sharpeners at the ready, but when I
 need a sharp pencil, I reach for a sharp chisel. There is no good
 reason for this, it just seems natural.

James Thompson, the Old Millrat in Riverside CA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On May 29, 2012, at 11:15 PM, Thomas Conroy wrote:

>
> The waste container on mine is all-plastic and has a small piece  
> broken off the top. I think its brittle with age, and I worry about  
> replacing it if it breaks further, but that's the only problem. And  
> I'd really like a backup.
>

This comment caused me to look at mine closer.  Waste container on  
mine is fairly heavy sheet metal sides that match the rest of the  
unit.  The front/bottom/back single curved at the bottom piece is in  
fact a thin sheet metal piece.  There is then a clear plastic material  
of some sort that has the Dexter info and the Apsco on it.  So this  
thing could have been made by company A, and then marketed by any  
other company with only the selection of which plastic cover to put on  
the waste container.

> Ten bucks? I'd sure be gloating.

Good to know - I'll give it a place of honor.

Thanks

--Scott

-------------------------------------------------
Scott Stager
Columbia Missouri

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott Stager wrote:
>
> On May 29, 2012, at 11:15 PM, Thomas Conroy wrote:
>
>>
>> The waste container on mine is all-plastic and has a small piece broken off
the top. I think its brittle with age, and I worry about replacing it if it
breaks further, but that's the only problem.

I had a battery compartment cover on a rather nice old item break on me.

Like many things, the catch works simply by flexing a thin section moulded
integrally with the lid, and old plastic stops being flexible.

Damn.

  BugBear
------------------------------------------------------------------------

On May 30, 2012, at 12:15 AM, Thomas Conroy wrote:

>>> The waste container on mine is all-plastic and has a small piece
>>> broken off the top. I think its brittle with age, and I worry about
>>> replacing it if it breaks further, but that's the only problem. And
>>> I'd really like a backup.
>> Ten bucks? I'd sure be gloating.

        Perhaps the most expensive tool I've bought in a year or two is
        the Tru-Point Model D Variable Taper pencil pointer.

http://leadholder.com/point-trupoint.html

        I got it at a bike swap earlier this year. Started off at $30.
        At the end of the day it was $12, plus he threw in a beefy bike
        lock. This thing will put a point on a pencil that I doubt is
        street legal. It reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld wherein
        George can't carry a pencil in his pocket for fear of puncturing
        his scrotum. A pencil with a tru-point would puncture, split an
        atom, and set off a nuclear chain reaction. It's way cool.

Regards, Steve

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