How to Sharpen Pencils

David Rees, professional pencil sharpener, explains: "A lot of people think they know how to sharpen pencils, but...they don't, really. One of the points of my business is to remind people how to properly sharpen a pencil."

In this short documentary, Rees walks you through one of his processes for artisanal pencil sharpening. He has sharpened over 1,500 pencils for paying customers, and believe me, they're sharp as hell (I've outsourced a good chunk of my pencil-sharpening needs to him). And yes, I paid for them. They're now safely protected in plastic sleeves so they will never become dull.

Sample quote: "You can sharpen a pencil without a pencil sharpener. But you can't sharpen a pencil without a pencil."

There is one f-bomb in the middle of this. But if you stuck around for that, you're probably already enjoying the jokes anyway.

HOW TO SHARPEN PENCILS from Pricefilms on Vimeo.

Rees, the "number one No. 2 pencil sharpener in the world," has also written a book on this. Yes, really. It's here: How to Sharpen Pencils: A Practical & Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal Craft of Pencil Sharpening for Writers, Artists, Contractors, Flange Turners, Anglesmiths, & Civil Servants.