My Friendly Classroom Supplies Yellow Pencil Sharpener arrived the beginning of December 2018. VERY busy season for this household. Writing many Christmas cards, trying to finish our history lapbooks and frantically trying to squeeze actual work for Social Media Simplifier into a busy holiday season. It has taken me a full 16 days to review it, even though I have used it and trouble shot it, every day!
First, let's start with the GREAT: it sharpens like NO OTHER, even my cheaper and older pencils.
The kids and I tried to attach it to desks and shelves all over the house - it didn't work great - and we all wanted to use it in our own individual areas :-) so we finally ditched that feature. If we were using in an actual classroom, I would have installed it. Then, I couldn't figure out why it kept breaking leads and jamming! It is not simple to figure out how to take it apart and put it back together and to actually "find" the lead to unjam it. I didn't go watch the great support feature video on the website - am I from Mars? But, finally, after figuring out all the little secrets, I rarely jam it. I am a computer person a trouble shooter at heart - and I like a challenge - and did I say how BEAUTIFULLY SHARP it made my pencils? Worth the challenge. Here are the company's directions and my tips, are below:
Don't pull the metal holder all the way out - only about 1/2 way or less (even for very dull pencils) - this photo shows it being pulled out too far. Insert the pencil gently in the holder - the kids wanted to pull it all the way in - unnecessary!
When you take it apart to unjam, take a little screwdriver and touch the lead piece to un-pry it from jamming it.
This is box of pencils that I took with me to the library, on Tuesday - I am a very happy and organized homeschool mommy. And look at how sharp they are - and they didn't break any quicker - they are just wonderful to color and write with.
I highly recommend this manual pencil sharpener. I would suggest ordering with other families (or as a school) because there are discounts for three or more ($17.99 per sharpener). Buy the pencil sharpeners here - you will be So Glad you did. Happy Lapbooking.
