Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener, German Steel Blade, Machined Aluminum, Compact Design, Black

I have been on a quest for a great pencil sharpener ever since my college years when I lost one I really loved (which was a LONG time ago!). I have bought little hand-held steel ones recommended by my art supply store, and I have bought the cheepos from the Dollar Store (now the $1.25 and Up Store), on the recommendation from a friend who told me they were every bit as good as my art store one. She was right, though that isn't saying much for the expensive steel one.I have tried many brands; some were better than others. My goal was to find one that yielded a long, tapered point that did not wear down too quickly and was suitable for shading tone drawings by holding the pencil at an angle. I found many of the old-fashioned schoolroom hand crank ones that mount on the wall, and the modern electric tabletop models do an excellent job, but they don't fit into my portable pencil box.This heavy-duty steel from Blackwing was far more expensive than many others I've bought, but I am very pleased with it. It is fairly compact, fits well in my hand, and the hexagonal body makes it easy to grasp and hold while sharpening the pencil. Best of all, it has a shavings reservoir that works well. I have another sharpener that makes nice points but is rather bulky. The way you open it to access the sharpening ports is precisely the way you open the shavings reservoir (just from the opposite side), and I can't tell you how many times I've ended up with a lapful of pencil shavings by opening the wrong side. The Blackwing's shavings are stored in the body of the sharpener with a top that screws on securely, there is no chance of accidentally opening it, and it will store a good quantity of shavings before you need to empty it. When you do, that lid's rough, serrated texture makes it easy to unscrew.If I could part with the cool and elegant slider box it came in, the Blackwing would be more portable and fit in my pencil case, but I'm storing it in the box for now. The only thing that would make this sharpener better is if it also came with two ports to sharpen thicker pencils as well as standard-sized ones. They make one like that, but I like the profile of this one better.

This sharpener delivers a beautifully long, consistent point with minimal effort. The solid aluminum build feels premium, and the blade cuts cleanly without breaking the lead. A must-have for pencil users who value precision and style.

This particular Blackwing one-step sharpener is dull and/or defective.As far as pencil sharpening, I look for a solid, unbroken shaving (in addition to a sharpened pencil point). This one is extremely choppy (resulting in minced bits of shavings). The blade is extraordinarily dull and blunt...like butter knife blunt.The sharpening pencil process takes WAY more than the estimated sharpening turns of 5 to 15 rotations (per Blackwing), as in 85+ to 100+ rotations (?!) This is the case with new unsharpened Blackwing pencils and previously sharpened (but needed a sharper point) pencils.Additionally, the sharpener has to be opened, and the internal sharpener blade must be blown out (compressed air duster spray) at least every 10 - 15 turns to dislodge the excess wood and graphite bits that accumulate and stick to the blade.So, what's up with this sharpener?I can't tell if it is previously owned and returned merchandise (although it wasn't identified as "open-box" or returned on the Blackwing Amazon store listing), defective, or what. The one thing Amazon has going for it is super-fast shipping and easy returns, so it isn't like I can't initiate a return; drop it at the local UPS store and obtain a refund. But the fact that the return process is simple isn't the point. ✎﹏﹏﹏﹏I've used 99¢ pencil sharpeners that created a better point than this Blackwing sharpener.I reached out to Blackwing support regarding the total failure of their one-step (aka 100 rotations sharpener), and they offered to replace the malfunctioning unit, but the problem isn't just its inability to sharpen (defective blade). The mandatory and constant blowout of the internal blade area (every few turns) to release the wood and graphite obstruction is too much work. I'm going with the Raymay Fujii KUM Masterpiece Pencil Sharpener.The Blackwing one-step is cool looking. Love the weight and heft of the pressed aluminum exterior and matte black powder-coated surface. But it doesn't work.

I bought this as a Christmas gift for somebody else and just couldn’t let it go. This pencil sharpener has a great feel to it and works really well. It is also small in size (in a good way) and made out of very durable material.

Well built, sturdy. Makes a fine point that lasts a long time.

Looks solid and heavy in the pictures, but is actually super lightweight, which was a surprise. Sharpens to a VERY long sharp point, as advertised. It's attractive sitting on my desk, an industrial chic look, I suppose. $25 for a pencil sharpener means it should appeal to the kind of people who spend $25 on a pencil sharpener, i.e., fools like me. I don't regret buying it.

This thing is a beast. It doesn’t hold a lot of shavings but I don’t think that’s the intention here. The unit will reshape your BlackWing Pencils to a perfect point in a jiffy great for an artist looking to fine tune the tip of your pencils for shading or sketching. It’s a tool that is underestimated both in size and weight. When I draw on the go I usually leave my pencil in the sharpeners so as to protect the points from snapping. So this can double both as a sharpener and a tip safe or dock for your favorite pencil. The unit is finished in a nice black color and shaped like a pencil. A sure conversation starter.