Pencil + Sharpener: Redesign Solves 3 Classic Drawing Tool Problems

pencil plus sharpener

Pencils require sharpening, run out of eraser and turn into unusable stubs as they near the end of their lifespan, but this clever gadget aims to change all of that, solving all three issues at once.

demo

Even in today’s digital world, artists, designers, writers and musicians still fall back on this traditional tool. The Pencil+ helps on multiple fronts, but functions first as a pencil holder, enabling the user to tuck various lengths of pencil into a central void.

eraserhead

What keeps the pencil from slipping too far in? An adjustable eraser serves as a backstop, letting you move the pencil portion backward to fit and forward as the pencil gets shorter. Meanwhile, the back of the holder (normally where one would find an eraser) doubles as a sharpener, keeping it always on hand for reworking broken or worn tips.

remove and sharpen

“Worry no more because with pencil+,” say its creators, “you can now have a sharpener, extender, eraser holder and transporter for your favorite tool” which is available in Teak, Ebony, Wild Olive, African Padauk and Indonesian Redwood”

pencil sharpener combo

A few potential critiques come to mind: first, someone employing this device will have to deal with an additional step to access an eraser. Second, the holder is necessarily wider than a pencil, so it will require some getting used to in terms of grip and function. Third, the eraser length is a function of pencil length, so storing a lot of extra eraser could be an issue (though easily longer than a normal one). Still, one can be sure, at least, never to lose track of one’s sharpener, and also that a single pencil will last a lot longer.