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A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO MAINTAINING AND SHARPENING YOUR PENCIL SHARPENER OR SHARPENING MACHINE
Over time, the cutter on a sharpening machine or pencil sharpener becomes blunt, making sharpening your instruments less precise and more laborious.
Regular maintenance of the cutter not only extends the life of the tool, but also ensures fine pencil points and clean, even lines.
Techniques, equipment and tips: follow our advice on how to maintain and sharpen the cutter on your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener. Your pencil will regain a fine point, ready to produce clean, controlled lines.
Regular maintenance of the cutter not only extends the life of the tool, but also ensures fine pencil points and clean, even lines.
Techniques, equipment and tips: follow our advice on how to maintain and sharpen the cutter on your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener. Your pencil will regain a fine point, ready to produce clean, controlled lines.
REASONS YOU SHOULD MAINTAIN YOUR SHARPENER EVERY DAY
One of Caran d'Ache’s iconic instruments, the famous metal sharpening machine has won over generations of artists looking for the perfect accessory for sharpening pencils. A more minimalist, but just as effective tool thanks to its sharpening wheel, the plastic sharpener gives pencils high-precision lines.
Sharpening, honing and cleaning your tool ensures that your manual pencil sharpener or sharpening machine performs flawlessly and with precision, in such a way as to:
• Ensure a clean cut of a graphite pencil lead.
• Avoid damaging the fragile pencil lead.
• Limit premature wear of the pencil sharpener's cutter.
• Avoid damaging the fragile pencil lead.
• Limit premature wear of the pencil sharpener's cutter.
Taking care of your pencil sharpening tools also helps to reduce waste by extending their lifespan.
📝 Do you need to sharpen a pastel pencil to obtain fine lines of colour for your drawings?
As adapted to round graphite pencils as it is to hexagonal pencils, the Caran d’Ache metal sharpening machine can be adjusted according to the type of point you want (fine, long or conical) and adapts to leads ranging from 4 to 10 mm. Thanks to its adjustment wheel, our sharpener allows you to adjust the size of the lead to suit your needs, whether for technical drawings, sketches or colour outlines.
MAINTAINING YOUR PENCIL SHARPENER AND SHARPENING MACHINE
Clean your sharpener regularly
In addition to offering longer-lasting performance, a clean pencil sharpener won’t get clogged, which in turn prevents your pencils from getting damaged.
After each use, empty the shavings container and remove any wood or graphite residue that has accumulated around the cutter. Use a fine brush or air blower to clean hard-to-reach areas. Avoid introducing oxidising products (solvents or water).
Use high-quality pencils
Some pencils with hard or over-brittle leads can damage the cutter of a pencil sharpener or sharpening machine prematurely.
Designed with resistant leads, Caran d'Ache pencils ensure a clean cut and optimal lifespan for your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener.
Designed with resistant leads, Caran d'Ache pencils ensure a clean cut and optimal lifespan for your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener.
Have the right tools to hone the cutter of your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener
Over time, the blade of even a high-quality sharpener can lose its sharpness. Fortunately, it is possible to sharpen it manually with the right equipment:
• A piece of emery cloth or fine sandpaper polishes and removes irregularities from surfaces such as wood, metal or plastic.
• A piece of emery cloth or fine sandpaper polishes and removes irregularities from surfaces such as wood, metal or plastic.
• A graphite pencil (new or used) to sharpen the cutter of the sharpener or pencil sharpener.
OUR TIPS FOR HONING AND MAINTAINING THE CUTTER ON YOUR SHARPENING MACHINE SAFELY
Prepare the pencil
Cut off a small piece of emery cloth (with a grit size between 320 and 400) and wrap it tightly around the tip of the pencil. This will create abrasion that will slightly hone the cutter of the sharpening machine or pencil sharpener without damaging the tool.
💡 Emery cloth can be used several times. Store in a dry place away from dust and moisture.
Sharpen the cutter of your sharpening machine or pencil sharpener
Place the prepared pencil in the sharpening machine or your manual pencil sharpener as if you were going to sharpen a pencil. Turn the handle with regular movements, without applying any pressure to the pencil. The abrasive material will sand the cutter inside the mechanism, honing it and removing any deposits inside. Repeat the operation for a perfectly sharpened cutter.
If the blade is still blunt, you can repeat the process. Vary the position of the pencil so that the whole surface of the blade is evenly sharpened.
⚠️ Do you want to hone an electric pencil sharpener? Avoid inserting sandpaper into it, as this could damage the rotating mechanism.
Be gentle with the sharpener’s cutter
If after several attempts the lead of your pencil or your pastel remains uneven or breaks, do not apply force to the cutter as this may damage it. Before resorting to sharpening with a knife, you can replace the cutter on your metal sharpener or use another pencil sharpener.
Replace the cutter on your Caran d'Ache metal sharpener
Is the cutter on your sharpener damaged? Follow our step-by-step recommendations to replace it:
1. Release the mechanism on your sharpener by turning the two pincers on the back near the handle counter-clockwise.
2. Remove the entire mechanism: unscrew the handle, remove the cover and then unscrew the screw using a cross head (Phillips) screwdriver to release the cutter shaft.
3. Remove the shaft by removing the black seal (be sure to keep it).
4. Remove the rod, the cutter and then the nut using pliers.
5. Replace the cutter and put the shaft back in place (take care to put the seal back in the right way round).
6. Put the elements of the cutter mechanism back in the correct order and lock it in position by twisting the two pincers clockwise.
1. Release the mechanism on your sharpener by turning the two pincers on the back near the handle counter-clockwise.
2. Remove the entire mechanism: unscrew the handle, remove the cover and then unscrew the screw using a cross head (Phillips) screwdriver to release the cutter shaft.
3. Remove the shaft by removing the black seal (be sure to keep it).
4. Remove the rod, the cutter and then the nut using pliers.
5. Replace the cutter and put the shaft back in place (take care to put the seal back in the right way round).
6. Put the elements of the cutter mechanism back in the correct order and lock it in position by twisting the two pincers clockwise.
💡 Choice of materials, techniques using graphite pencils, coloured pencils or pastels: follow our advice to get started in the art of drawing!
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Possible return under 14 days.
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+41 (0) 848 558 558
(Calls from Switzerland : at local rate. Calls from abroad : at telecom provider’s international rate.)
+41 (0) 848 558 558
(Calls from Switzerland : at local rate. Calls from abroad : at telecom provider’s international rate.)
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