The Best Sharpener Ever!

Have you seen one of these?  If not, you need to check out this sharpener at Classroom Friendly Supplies!  I received mine in the mail today; it was sent by Troy Decoff, the owner of this amazing site for sharpeners.  He is an elementary school teacher who knows the joys of a good sharpener, and, I assume, the pain of a bad one!

I was so excited when I opened it, but I couldn't find an unsharp pencil anywhere in my house!  So I jumped in the car and took it to school to try it out, and let me tell you - this thing is as just as awesome as everyone says!  I had a blast visiting all my friends and commerciallizing (yes, I made it up, but you know what I mean)!  Even my principal was amazed; I'm thinking this would be a great Christmas present for all of us teachers!  (Only a teacher would get excited over a pencil sharpener for Christmas!)

I sharpened 24 pencils in under 5 minutes.  To a point unlike any I've ever seen!  On top of how easy it is to use, this sharpener was quiet enough that I could still hold a conversations with my friends.  Amazing!  It's so easy to use and to empty that I actually threw away two electric sharpeners that have lived in my room for more years than I can count.  In the past I have had both sharpeners plugged in and the kids had to switch from one to the other.  As one overheated or just stopped running, they would switch to the other one and finish the job.  I can't tell you how excited I am to be done with those and have this sharpener instead!

I showed my friend's daughter (4th grade) how to use it, went and laminated a bunch of stuff and came back to all the pencils I needed sharpened.  No learning curve there!  It came with a clamp to hold it still, but when I used it and when Molly used it, we just held it with a hand and had no problems.  I don't know if I will clamp it or not. 

If I had one suggestion, it would be to make another model for my preschool and kindergarten teacher friends who use those fat pencils.  I have read that it works on colored pencils, too, but I couldn't find any today (mid-set up).  I'm going to dig those things up and try it tomorrow!  That would be a miracle!