Comments on: Faber-Castell Castell 9000 pencil http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil A discussion of the art and beauty of the pencil. Since 2005. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:21:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Renard DellaFave http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-32385 Renard DellaFave Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:30:59 +0000 http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-32385 As far as I can tell, the only reason to use two helical blades in a sharpener is that it will work in fewer revolutions. This may be an advantage in a hand cranked high-torque low speed machine, but for a high(er) speed electric, it wouldn't matter. Cutters might last longer, I suppose, but I've never seen a dull helical sharpener. The new iPoint has a titanium/chromium nitride coated blade as a selling point. Might be an issue if some of the new woods are more wearing to blades. I cut off eraser ends with a dremel sometimes, and one of the generic yellow modern pencils (Target?) was MUCH harder to cut through than a paper mate american, or mirado. FWIW, Panasonic's KP-4A is a USA-available helical blade battery powered sharpener. In the 80s, Royal made one too, much to the annoyance of my elementary school classmates. Interesting to hear about the Hitachi, though. I've been reading through patents and they have one. The claim is that using a component between the opening and the blades that lightly grips, and thus slows down, the pencil makes helical battery powered operation practical. An odd claim since DC motors have more torque at low RPM than the shaded-pole AC induction motors used on even the high-end Panasonics. I think straight blades are the norm for battery sharpeners only because they can sell them for $10 instead of $15. . At least with the iPoint battery one, you can see the insides while it works, which I find is the only way to avoid serious oversharpening from that type. As far as I can tell, the only reason to use two helical blades in a sharpener is that it will work in fewer revolutions. This may be an advantage in a hand cranked high-torque low speed machine, but for a high(er) speed electric, it wouldn’t matter. Cutters might last longer, I suppose, but I’ve never seen a dull helical sharpener. The new iPoint has a titanium/chromium nitride coated blade as a selling point. Might be an issue if some of the new woods are more wearing to blades. I cut off eraser ends with a dremel sometimes, and one of the generic yellow modern pencils (Target?) was MUCH harder to cut through than a paper mate american, or mirado.

FWIW, Panasonic’s KP-4A is a USA-available helical blade battery powered sharpener. In the 80s, Royal made one too, much to the annoyance of my elementary school classmates.

Interesting to hear about the Hitachi, though. I’ve been reading through patents and they have one. The claim is that using a component between the opening and the blades that lightly grips, and thus slows down, the pencil makes helical battery powered operation practical. An odd claim since DC motors have more torque at low RPM than the shaded-pole AC induction motors used on even the high-end Panasonics. I think straight blades are the norm for battery sharpeners only because they can sell them for $10 instead of $15. . At least with the iPoint battery one, you can see the insides while it works, which I find is the only way to avoid serious oversharpening from that type.

]]> By: penciladmin http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-30545 penciladmin Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:17:30 +0000 http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-30545 Rae, stay tuned, we'll soon have some sharpener content! Rae, stay tuned, we’ll soon have some sharpener content!

]]> By: rae kohler http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-30544 rae kohler Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:39:57 +0000 http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-30544 I am still using a Hitachi PH-101 that I purchased maybe 20 years ago. This is a battery operated pencil sharpener-"cordless DC6V AAsizeX4". It is "the best". I would like to get more of them. Are they still available? if so where? Or is there another product as reliable? Any help out there? Thanks. rk I am still using a Hitachi PH-101 that I purchased maybe 20 years ago. This is a battery operated pencil sharpener-”cordless DC6V AAsizeX4″.
It is “the best”. I would like to get more of them. Are they still available? if so where? Or is there another product as reliable? Any help out there?
Thanks. rk

]]> By: Prairie Dawg http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-28395 Prairie Dawg Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:51:23 +0000 http://www.penciltalk.org/2007/12/faber-castell-castell-9000-pencil#comment-28395 As a point of information, a while ago I inherited a metal box full of 9000s from somewhere or other, rather old (perhaps prewar). I sharpened up the last HB a couple of days ago and said to myself "Dang! This is a nice pencil." Little did I know it had such a celebrated history. My wife is aware of my addiction to penciliana and she mentioned it to her boss who reached into a desk drawer and said "here you are." There was a battery powered pencil sharpener in each hand-one a product of Hong Kong, straight blade type of no particular virtue but the other...the other is a beautiful red and black Hitachi PH-101 rotary type-although it is a single rotor-and it is an outstanding example of the type. As a point of information, a while ago I inherited a metal box full of 9000s from somewhere or other, rather old (perhaps prewar). I sharpened up the last HB a couple of days ago and said to myself “Dang! This is a nice pencil.” Little did I know it had such a celebrated history.

My wife is aware of my addiction to penciliana and she mentioned it to her boss who reached into a desk drawer and said “here you are.” There was a battery powered pencil sharpener in each hand-one a product of Hong Kong, straight blade type of no particular virtue but the other…the other is a beautiful red and black Hitachi PH-101 rotary type-although it is a single rotor-and it is an outstanding example of the type.

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