DIY tool tip: Pencil sharpening

Here’s a DIY tool tip that saves us time, decreases frustration and makes life easier.

When it comes to trim, molding or woodworking projects there’s a DIY tool tip from cutting to measuring to nailing. But one of the easiest—that you’ll use all the time—is how to get a good point on a pencil. A sharp pencil is the key to making crisp, on-the-money marks which then help you make crisp, on-the-money cuts. For trim, I always use a ‘school-boy’ pencil.

If I’m sharpening it with a utility knife, I use the same technique that I use for sharpening a carpenter’s pencil: I support the front of the pencil firmly in one hand and push the blade through the wood with other, using my thumb to do the actual pushing.

For super sharp pencil—super-fast—I chuck a C.H. Hanson pencil sharpener onto my impact driver and get it done fast and right.

Mark

A licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor, he writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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