“May your pencil always be sharp” is a cartoonist blessing I just made up. That’s how those things start, right? I like to use my lead holder for sketching, and I finally found a sharpener for the thick 2mm lead. I wanted something simple and portable, and I decided to give the Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener (2mm) a try.
Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener: Why Did I Need One?
When it comes to pencils, you have a few options. There’s the usual wooden pencil, a mechanical pencil (such as my trusty Pentel Graph Gear 800 0.5mm), and there’s a pseudo combo of the two like my Kitaboshi Lead Holder 2mm. A lead holder acts like a mechanical pencil, but features thicker lead similar to a standard pencil (2mm vs. the 0.5mm in my mechanical). I like the thicker lead for fast and loose sketching, but I never had a way to sharpen it.
Until now.
Quick Video Review: Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener
Watch the video on my YouTube channel if the embed doesn’t work.
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Read my full, detailed review below.
Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener: What Is It?
The size of the Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener caught my eye right away. It’s a very small gadget (or smol if you prefer). I didn’t want a huge sharpener: I wanted something I could easily fit in my pencil-case (along with my Kum Brass Single Hole Sharpener for colored pencils). If you read or watched my review of the Sakura Koi 12 Watercolor set, you know I like to travel light.
Pencil sharpeners can range from super-simple (which is what I wanted) to complex and fancy. Would the Uni 2mm meet my simple needs?
First, you just swing out the top.
Then you insert the lead and twist (there’s a joke in there somewhere).
That’s it and you get a very sharp point!
The Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener also stores the lead debris in its base, which I liked. A simple sliding door on the bottom lets you empty it with ease.
Of course, like anything, the Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener is not without its shortcomings. It can be difficult to sharpen very short lead, so you may have to swap in a fresh lead sooner. Also, the sharpener’s storage space for lead debris is pretty limited. Finally, it retails for around $7, which is pricey given its size and being made of plastic.
Those few shortcomings aside, I can honestly say getting the Uni Pocket Pencil Sharpener has me using my lead holder a lot more often. It’s a neat little gadget and I love its compact size and simplicity. It’s part of my regular arsenal of art supplies I carry. Here’s a video and list of the rest.
