I’ve been writing a lot with pencils lately, probably because I’ve been reading more than usual over the past three to four months (for obvious reasons), and I rarely read nonfiction without a pencil to make notes and annotations along the way. I also tend to write small, so when I do use pencils it’s important to me to have a good sharpener that can put a sharp, durable point on the pencil. When I’m at my desk, my go-to is the Carl Angel-5, but when working on the patio, reading in the library, or traveling, it’s not exactly convenient.
A telltale sign of a great sharpener is whether it carves the wood into a single unbroken shaving. In terms of point length, the Masterpiece is pretty much unrivaled for a handheld sharpener.
Until recently, my go-to handheld sharpener has been the KUM Masterpiece, a two-stage sharpener that creates an exceptionally long point but has a couple of drawbacks when you’re at work or traveling. First, there’s no receptacle to hold the shavings, so you need to either be outside in a place where you can dispose of biodegradable pencil shavings, or have ready access to something that can hold shavings, like a garbage can or a plastic bag. Second, the sharpening process is a bit involved in that you need to use the first stage to strip the wood from around the core, and use the second stage to sharpen the point itself, which can be a bit harrowing with softer graphite prone to breakage.
The NJK Long Point does its job efficiently, quickly sharpening to a serviceable long point. It’s size and low cost make it a great choice to keep in your pocket or the car.
Lately I’ve been relying more on single-stage sharpeners, and I’ve come across two that give the Masterpiece a run for its money. The first I discovered as part of the Pencil Box Subscription Program from C.W. Pencil Enterprise: the NJK Long Point Sharpener. CW Pencils recently started selling these sharpeners separately, and at $6.50 each they’re a bargain over something like the Masterpiece, which retails for $22. (Note 2024: Since CW Pencils is no longer operating, we are now selling these pencil sharpeners directly. They are excellent, so please consider giving them a try!)
The Blackwing One-Step: A point so long it curves.
The second sharpener I’ve enjoyed using is Blackwing’s new One-Step Long Point Sharpener. From both a looks and functionality standpoint, the Blackwing sharpener might be the best-looking and best-designed handheld sharpener I’ve ever used. The body of this sharpener is a machined aluminum matte-black jar that holds a relatively large volume of shavings, and the blade sharpens pencils to a concave (i.e., slightly curved) point that holds up much better than similar “needle points” I’ve been able to put on pencils using other concave sharpeners. As with most “concave” sharpeners (and pretty much anything from Blackwing), it doesn’t come cheap. The Blackwing One-Step Long Point sharpener costs $20, and given how well this sharpener works it may have a leg up on the M&R Pollux at $30, unless you prefer the “brass bullet” format, which some people do because it’s far more portable.
A comparison of all three points by handheld sharpeners, from left: Kum Masterpiece, Blackwing One-Step, and NJK.
If you’re looking for a convenient handheld sharpening solution that won’t ask you to sacrifice a long point for the sake of portability, both the NJK Long Point and the Blackwing One-Step Long Point are excellent choices. Personally, I use the NJK the most because of its pocketability, but the Blackwing will definitely find a home in my bag once/if things ever get back to normal and I’m moving around more.
The downside to buying Blackwing’s One-Step Long Point Sharpener at the moment is that you can’t buy a replacement blade. I understand that may change in the future. As you can see, the sharpener is easily disassembled.
Disclaimer: I purchased the sharpeners featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. This post does not contain affiliate links.