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Pencil sharpeners serve as an excellent tool for maintaining sharp pencils consistently. However, occasionally, the blades in handheld sharpeners become dull or obstructed, necessitating replacement or cleaning. Fortunately, removing the blades is a straightforward process. All you require is a screwdriver and a few minutes of patience. Once you've removed the blades, you can clean or sharpen them to ensure your pencil sharpener remains in optimal condition.
Steps
How to Take the Blade Out
Position the sharpener so the blade faces upward. Lay the screwdriver on a stable, flat surface, then turn it over so the blade part is facing upward.
- Ensure the surface you're working on is stable. Any slips could result in injury from the blade.
Grab a Philips head screwdriver that matches the screw on the blade. Most pencil sharpeners utilize small Philips head screws for attaching the blades. Obtain a small Philips head screwdriver and ensure it fits snugly into the screw holding the blade in place. You may need to experiment with a few sizes before finding the correct one.
- Some sharpeners might employ a flathead screw instead, so be prepared to use one if necessary.
- If you have an eyeglass kit, the small screwdriver from it might suffice. Alternatively, if you lack a screwdriver, you could utilize something small and flat that fits into the screw. For instance, a small paperclip could suffice.
Loosen the screw on the blade by turning it counterclockwise. Insert the screwdriver into the screw and rotate it to the left, or counterclockwise. Continue rotating until the screw loosens and can be removed.
- Typically, sharpener blades are secured by 1 or 2 screws, so remove all that are visible.
- Keep tabs on the screws you remove to facilitate reassembly of the sharpener.
Invert the sharpener to dislodge the blade. Once the screws are removed, the blade should come out easily. Simply flip the sharpener upside down to allow the blade to slide out. You might need to give it a gentle shake.
- Hold the sharpener close to the table to prevent the blade from bouncing out when it dislodges.
- Avoid attempting to extract the blade manually with your fingers as it could cause injury due to sharpness. The blade should come out effortlessly when the sharpener is inverted.
Renew the dull sharpener to function like new.'My old sharpener wasn't doing the job anymore, leaving my pencils dull. This guide showed me how to easily extract the blade for sharpening on a stone. Just a few passes were all it took to restore my dependable sharpener to like-new condition.' - Char H.
Repair the school sharpener safely.'The electric sharpener in my classroom suddenly malfunctioned just before the final projects were due. Rather than attempting to repair it myself and risking injury, I organized my students into groups and utilized this guide to dismantle affordable handheld sharpeners. They successfully sharpened the blades and reassembled them without any mishaps. It turned out to be a valuable real-life lesson in problem-solving!' - Deion S.
Safely extract jammed blades using everyday tools.'My daughter's small handheld sharpener was not functioning properly. The step-by-step instructions provided here enabled me to safely remove the stuck blade within minutes using only a paperclip and a miniature screwdriver from an eyeglass repair kit. No specialized tools required!' - Andy G.
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Repeat the process for multiple blades. Some sharpeners feature multiple blades. You can apply the same steps for each one. Simply remove the screws and invert the sharpener to allow the blades to slide out.
Use a sharpening stone to sharpen the blade. If the blade is dull, a quick sharpening should suffice. Dampen a regular sharpening stone with water, then slide the blade back and forth across it at a 20-degree angle. Continue until the blade sharpens, usually after a few passes.
- Sharpening a small blade can be challenging due to its size. Consider using a fresh one from the manufacturer.
- In some instances, a simple cleaning may suffice instead of sharpening. Try wiping the blade with alcohol to remove any debris preventing proper sharpening.
Reattach the blade to the sharpener. Whether you're using a new blade or a sharpened one, reinstalling the blade is straightforward. Insert the blade back into its slot, aligning the blade hole with the sharpener's hole. Then, insert the screw and tighten it clockwise until secure.
- If the blade has multiple screw holes, ensure alignment for all of them.
Disassembling the Housing
Lift the lid off the container. Some pencil sharpeners feature a receptacle or cup for collecting pencil shavings. The lid, housing the sharpener, sits atop this container. It's typically detachable, so simply raise it off the cup.
- If the cup contains pencil shavings, handle it carefully to avoid spillage. Dispose of the shavings in a trash bin.
Detach the sharpener from the lid by removing the screws. Invert the lid. Beneath it, you'll find screws securing the sharpener in place. Use a Philips head screwdriver to remove all these screws. Then, you can detach the sharpener from the lid.
- Keep track of the screws you remove for reassembly.
- Various sharpeners may have different numbers of screws. Most commonly have 2, but remove all visible screws.
Remove the sharpener from its casing. The sharpener may be housed within a plastic casing. If so, simply slide it out from the open side to access the sharpener blades.
- Not all sharpeners feature a plastic casing, so you may not need to slide yours out.
Extract the blades by loosening the screws. Once you've disassembled the sharpener housing, you can reach the blades. Unscrew them if you intend to replace or sharpen them.
- The screwdriver that fits the lid screws may not fit the blade screws, so you'll require a different screwdriver.
Materials You'll Require
- Phillips-head screwdriver
Pointers
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You can purchase replacement blades directly from the manufacturer of the pencil sharpener.
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Rotary or electric pencil sharpeners utilize rotors rather than blades, so the procedure for removal and repair differs significantly.
Caution
- If you're disposing of the blades, wrap them in a paper towel or newspaper first to prevent accidental cuts upon handling.
- Do not utilize the sharpener blade for any purpose other than sharpening pencils.
- The blade on a pencil sharpener can be extremely sharp. Refrain from playing with or touching the sharp edge with your fingers to avoid injury.
