Kum AS2, Two Hole Automatic Long Point Pencil Sharpener, Mfg Part Number 1053021 (Extra lids not Included)

This is the first two-stage sharpener I've owned, and I can't believe what a great tool it is. It's like having all the control of knife sharpening, but none of the hassle. If you've never used one before, you sharpen the wood in the first hole, and the graphite in second hole, so there's no guesswork. (It's not the same as sharpeners that have a small hole for regular pencils and a larger hole for wider ones.) Another advantage is you can see what you're going - there's no sticking your pencil in a hole crossing your fingers that the tip doesn't snap off. And it produces an incredibly sharp tip. I've included a comparison picture with two other sharpeners - an inexpensive Staedtler metal sharpener that I've used for years, and a Blackwing One-Pull that I received as a gift. Although the Blackwing struggled until I bought replacement blades for it, now it's fantastic, and all three produce great results. That said, the KUM is sharper, you have more control with it, and it works great every single time. It doesn't feel nearly as nice in the hand as the other tools, but, if I was getting rid of the clutter in my life and paring down to one sharpener, I'd keep the KUM Automatic without hesitation, even though it's plastic. Plus, it's CHEAP, and it includes extra blades. In terms of how much satisfaction I've gotten for such a small expenditure, this is probably one of the greatest purchases I've ever made. Highly recommended.

To keep my colored pencils sharp, I have tried dozens of sharpeners, from the pricey electric and battery powered to the cheapest and simplest handheld ones that range from $7 to 50¢. This one is the best I have found so far. I won't go into the mechanics of it, as the other reviews do that in detail, except to reiterate that sharpening with the KUM is a two step process that cannot be condensed down to one step. The first step cuts away the wood and the second sharpens the graphite or wax or whatever material the lead is made from. When I tested the KUM with colored pencils, I used every kind I had except my Derwents as they are larger than the average pencil and would be a bit too big to fit the one-size hole. However, despite a cartoon that seemed to indicate that only hexagonal pencils were appropriate for use in the sharpener, I tried my round Prismacolor Premier, my Prismacolor Verithin, Caran D'ache Pablo, Derwent Studio thin, and my round Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. What a delight to find that each and every pencil sharpened perfectly in the KUM sharpener, when I followed the 2-step process. THe points are extremely long and razor sharp, though because of this they are of course delicate and need to be handled with care. You cannot expect to press down hard on them without having them break. I will say, though, that not a single pencil broke inside the sharpener when I did my testing. In addition, when I attempted to mend a pencil with a known broken core, by "nuking" it in the microwave for 20 seconds, then using the KUM sharpener, the process actually worked the first time I did it. It was nice to know I could save a pencil I thought I had lost... Two important suggestions: 1) I chose not to close the top of the sharpener, but used it over a wastebasket every time. This allowed me to watch the pencil as I sharpened it and to see when to stop step 1. The receptacle for shavings is tiny anyway, and gets in the way of seeing what is happening to your pencil, so I recommend that you do not use it. That way you won't run the risk of cutting off too much pencil wood at a time. 2) If you are using the KUM to sharpen colored pencils, you must make sure you sharpen a graphite pencil in it at least every 5 or 6 pencils. Otherwise the exquisite sharpness of the blades will get dull too fast. (It was a stroke of either genius or kindness that the KUM people included two extra blades inside the sharpener, to be attached with just a simple screw driver. So when the original blades dull, you won't be up a creek, having to wait for another KUM to arrive by mail...) I never thought I would be giving thumbs up to one of the simplest of sharpeners as the best I have found, but there you have it: TWO THUMBS UP! Congratulations to KUM for designing a really decent pencil sharpener, one that works well and with nearly ALL pencils.

This sharpener puts perfect, sharp, strong, points on pencils. It’s on par (or even better) than the Kum Meisterwerk (aka Masterpiece) sharpener, especially for general wiring purposes. The Meisterwerk creates a longer tapered profile than the AS2. It also catches all the wood and lead shavings so there isn’t a mess. The blades are sharp and easily cut into pencil wood (It also uses the same blades as the Meisterwerk). Highly recommended if you are looking for something reasonably priced and excellent performing.

This sharpener is INCREDIBLE. I was chewing through Goldfaber pencils like CRAZY. It used to take me 3 tries to get a point that didn't break. THIS beauty gets it right on the first go. It produces STRONG tips and even works on brittle pencils. I sharpened two Crayola colored pencils that had been baking in my truck for (I kid you not.... ) FIVETEEN YEARS! A durable tip even on dried out dinosaurs is pretty impressive. I'm overjoyed by how much easier it is. A must buy!!!

Overall, I think it's a great product. It works as advertised and does exactly what a pencil sharpener should do -- it sharpens the pencil, and pretty darn sharp. One thing I would mention and was kind of bummed about however was that, although the lid holds the pencil shavings, it doesn't hold the graphite powder that also accumulates in the sharpener, because it comes out from the sharpening holes if flipped upside down. This is a problem for me because I keep the sharpener in my backpack which is constantly tossed and turned, and it smears onto other items in my bag. Now, I don't know if this is the best solution to the problem, but I might suggest that there could be a separate lid that covers the holes from the other side, and it could be slid open rather than raised. Therefore, the user could use their thumb to slide it open for easy/quick access, and it would keep graphite powder from falling out. Just food for thought. Despite that, however, it's a solid sharpener and I would recommend it to all wooden pencil users.

This was a replacement for one I lost. It’s a great pencil sharpener.

It's obviously a sign of hitting my 30s now, but after spending hours reading reviews, discussions and videos online about pencil sharpeners, this was the one I landed on ordering! From the first twist of my pencil, it was love at first sight. The blades are sharp as samurai swords and cut through the wood leaving a smooth finish, and then onto the second hole (haha) where the second blade will then cut your lead into a perfect point that could take an eye out. Most small pencil sharpeners like this, the cheap ones, snap the pencil tip every few sharpens but this one has given me absolutely flawless sharpens every single use now! Oh, and there's some spare blades hiding in the chamber too. Ditch your dollar store pencil sharpener because this thing is a game changer and will give you a whole new appreciation for a sharpened pencil.

Ich habe jahrelang nur mit Druckbleistiften gezeichnet, weil ich eine immer scharfe Spitze wollte, aber so richtig glücklich war ich damit nicht. Dieser Spitzer macht nicht nur wunderbar stabile, lange Spitzen, sondern schont auch noch das Material - er nimmt trotz zweier Spitzgänge nur die Hälfte von dem Holz ab. was ein normaler Spitzvorgang abnimmt, bei einer Spitze, die wirklich ewig spitz bleibt. Tolle Qualität - und Ersatzklingen sind auch dabei! Der Preis ist happig für einen Anspitzer, aber 100% gerechtfertigt.

I use pencils more or less all the time. When I am away from my desk, where I have a large sharpener, I need a small sharpener to take with me; or when the pencils become small, a hand sharpener like this is required. It sharpens brilliantly and is good value for money.

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This works well for this type of pencil point (the long point) and it is much cheaper than Blackwing version I earlier bought for my wife. The Kum version also has the ability to sharpen large propelling pencil leads (as large as a traditional pencil and quite old fashioned now - I will have to search to see if I still have one) which the Blackwing does not. Candidly I think they have come out of the same factory, because even the box is identical except for the printing so go for the Kum version at the much cheaper price. Whichever sharpener, Kum or Blackwing, the sharpened pencil is much more attractive to look at and much more pleasant to use than a standard sharpened pencil. I use mine for Blackwing Palomino and Tombo 100 pencils, but it is equally pleasing even on cheap pencils - I have tried it on some hotel freebies with good results even if their lead is not as nice to use as the fancy Palomino and Tombo pencils.