Ashton and Wright - Mechanical Desktop Pencil Sharpener - Black

I use pencils all the time so I need to sharpen them often. The little pocket sharpeners have their place but they break the lead too often and leave annoying shavings to be dealt with. This sharpener deals with all that, I have yet to experience a breakage, it stops sharpening when the job is done and you can empty the shavings it has looked after straight into the bin every couple of weeks. It's made mostly from sturdy metal and doesn't have to be screwed down. It's brilliant. Which colour would you like?

it comes packaged well in a box with instructions on the outside ( i found them a bit difficult to follow until i watched a video). i bought this as i have lots if pencil crayons to sharpen for my little girls and the small ones just weren’t working the nibs would alway snap off or the crayon wood would get ruined from the sharpener blade. this sharpener is a really nice brightly coloured in a teal with a gold clamp. i dont have a table where i could clamp it to but it works just as well without it as it has small rubber feet at the bottom. i did try the clamp on the end of my cabinet and the window sill but it just didnt clamp on properly. the sharpener is made of metal so its sturdy and durable will definitely last a long while. it comes with a shavings tray which fits quite a bit of shavings and is fit in really well doesn’t easily fall out. the tray can easily be removed to empty it out. i love that this sharpener creates really nice sharpened pencils and is much faster than a manual one. the sharpener is great quality i have bought other things from this brand due to its quality overall its a great sharpener, ok priced the only thing i dont like is the clamp.

This is a very smart and stylish sharpener and I was really looking forward to adding it to mine and my toddlers desk for art. Unfortunately though it’s been let down by the clamp design that doesn’t go wide enough to sit on my ikea desk and when tried on the thinner kallax the section hanging down blocked the drawer. If there was a way to clamp it differently this would be a 5* for me but without the clamp it can be awkward to use as you need to hold it down, turn the lever and push the pencil in slightly.It does sharpen slowly without pushing the pencil in as has a good clamp that keeps the pencil in place, but we’ve found it takes less off than if we push it a bit.I do really want to love this sharpener because it is so smart and useful having it all contained,I just wish we could clamp it to the desk!

The desktop pencil sharpener has a classic style that's been around for ages. This Ashton and Wright model adds some nice bright colours instead of the boring black or grey you normally find. Aside from the colour and the brand logos it looks virtually identical to my Derwent helical model, which is double the price.The body is metal and feels solid and built to last. The shavings tray fits securely and doesn't rattle when cranking, which is nice. A clamp is provided, which can slot in either from the front or rear. My desk butts up to either walls or another desk so edge mounting isn't option for me. Not a problem as the pencil clamp and rubber feet mean that I can clamp the pencil in place, secure the machine with the palm of one hand on top and crank with the other.As you can see from the attached photos, it gave a very nice long point on a graphite pencil. I also tried a Faber Castell Polychromos colour pencil and it sharpened that beautifully too. There is an auto stop mechanism which for once actually does seem to work. Instead of endlessly eating the pencil the resistance stops when cranking, telling you that sharpening has finished.I was on the verge of giving a five star review until I discovered a couple of minor issues. Sometimes the metal panel - at the top when the clamping mechanism is pulled out - gets stuck and the mechanism doesn't return until you lift it slightly (watch your fingers). Secondly the mechanism does mark the pencil when clamping it (see photo - pencil sharpened twice). Not a huge issue but if you have a beautiful pencil like a Blackwing, a collection of small toothmarks in the lacquer does ruin the look.Other than these small points it's actually a very good sharpener.

Ashton and Wright - Mechanical Desktop Pencil Sharpener is something I wanted since the 80s! This is a brilliant pencil sharpener and makes the chore super fun. It is for me anyway as I draw a lot using pencils and this is just a brilliant sharpener.Your pencils will get the nice smooth edge and no broken tips ever so far. Well made, pretty sturdy, especially that this sharpener comes with vice so you can attach it to your desk!Good value for money and it's so oldschool it is a statement piece for your office.