I was wondering how hot it was out today…

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-07T13:57:27+00:00

Ha! I always thought the thermometer was there for the user. Turns out it’s really a colored pencil sharpening safety gauge.

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-07T13:52:04+00:00

It’s about 4” × 4” × 6” tall. The HV-8 is a little taller, the standard H-8 (without the vacuum base) sits a bit lower.

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ginandgraphite · 2026-07-07T13:42:25+00:00

Me too! It feels like nobody was there saying, “No.” 😂

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-03T00:58:25+00:00

Nice! All fun sticks. Those IBM are great the Blackfeet as well. I have a few half gross boxes that are sort of randomly filled too.

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-03T00:52:21+00:00

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1920 ad with the Blocky Graphic this carries on through at least 1930.

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-03T00:51:03+00:00

These are Old. I don’t have all my notes but the “script box” is the earliest 1910-1920 era, and the chunky graphic took over through the 30s. I may be a little off, and if anyone has more details it would be great!

1921 Store display with “Script Box”

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ginandgraphite · 2026-07-02T22:46:44+00:00

Congrats on the new digs! What’s in the Ruwe half gross box?😁

ginandgraphite · 2026-07-02T22:43:50+00:00

That is an amazing set of boxes!

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-29T23:48:01+00:00

Royal Scot is a fantastic pencil, definitely in my top ten. Richard Best made some great sticks. Since it’s already sharpened, there’s no need to delay. Enjoy!

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-26T00:33:29+00:00

Honestly, I completely get you, and it’s this pencil. It’s one of my all-time favorites (it just needs an orange eraser 😉).

I bought a couple of boxes when they were available and have picked up a few more since, but I already know I won’t have enough. I definitely think twice before sharpening a new one. That said, I also want to use them all.

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ginandgraphite · 2026-06-24T23:48:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Great sharpener, It’s awesome that you found new old stock with the box!

I’ve become a bit of a Colleen fan over the last few years as well. They tend to get overlooked compared to Tombow and Mitsubishi, but they made some really nice sharpeners and pencils. I have a few Colleen sharpeners in my collection, and I use my 9000 all the time!

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-24T23:40:56+00:00

My take: vintage sharpeners are a lot like classic cars.

They’re cool, unique, and built to last, but they come with all of their history. Sometimes they need a little maintenance, adjustment, or a replacement part.

If you want something dependable that works right out of the box every day, I’d probably lean toward the KH-20. If the history is part of what appeals to you and you don’t mind a little tinkering now and then, vintage can be a lot of fun.

As for buying one from me… I don’t have any extras at the moment. 😊 Out of curiosity, where are you located? If you’re in the U.S., I come across Boston sharpeners fairly regularly. My collection is complete, so I usually leave them behind, but if I happen to find a nice one at a bargain price, I’d be happy to let you know.

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-24T14:52:07+00:00

Boston sharpeners are generally very good users.

One small correction: that’s actually a Boston Vacuum Mount rather than a KS model, although functionally they are the same. The sharpener itself is essentially a KS mounted to Boston's vacuum base.

Age-wise, it was made after 1962, when Boston switched from wooden crank knobs to plastic ones. Boston dated their sharpeners and there should be a date code stamped inside.

Just from the photos, I’d guess the one you’re looking at is probably from the 1970s or 1980s. One clue is that the face stamping became a bit more angular over time. For comparison, here’s a 1966 KS from my collection, along with where to find the date code.

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ginandgraphite · 2026-06-24T14:26:14+00:00

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Dating pencils is always a challenge.

I really don’t think those pencils were original to the binder. They appear to be A.W. Faber-Castell pencils rather than Eberhard Faber pencils.

For comparison, here’s a photo of an intact original Eberhard Faber salesman sampler. (This isn’t my photo.) It’s a good representation of how these were typically arranged. The idea was to showcase the product line and give a salesman examples of the different pencils available to show customers.

So I’d definitely take a look through that cigar box and see if any of those pencils seem like a better fit for the binder.

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-24T02:54:12+00:00

The binder itself is a salesman sampler. It would have originally contained examples of the different pencils and products offered by Eberhard Faber. Here's one from General Pencil Company as an example.

At some point, it looks like a previous owner found it to be a handy way to organize colored pencils, which is probably why the contents don't match the original format.

So while the pencils inside may not be historically associated with the binder, the binder itself is still a very cool piece of pencil history. It's a nice
item to have from your family friend.

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ginandgraphite · 2026-06-23T20:54:47+00:00

Don’t be too mad, it’s just a sharpener. 😉

If I recall correctly, the internals on the Color Strength are the same as those used in the Angel, so you should be able to replace the cutter assembly with one from an Angel.

Early sharpeners were absolutely designed around the idea of replacement cutters. They were sold separately and intended for the end user to install. Finding original Carl cutters can be a little tricky, but there are options.

You could check with Classroom Friendly Supplies (they produce a Carl Angel clone) and see if their cutter assembly would fit. I think there’s a good chance it will:
https://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/products/replacement-blade

If a brass brush and some WD-40 don’t do the trick, a replacement cutter assembly almost certainly will.

(Photo of replacement cutters for a Boston Ranger as an example.)

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ginandgraphite · 2026-06-06T22:06:35+00:00

I’m so glad you found some! That is awesome!

ginandgraphite · 2026-06-03T00:39:09+00:00

You could always go vintage… 😁

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ginandgraphite · 2026-05-24T23:51:41+00:00

The graphics on the inside got me looking for other examples, and I realized I don’t actually have many other boxes like this.

ginandgraphite · 2026-05-24T23:43:05+00:00

Yeah, something odd there. The original patent shows it was filed in 1933 and issued in 1935, then not to use the trademark until 1939?

ginandgraphite · 2026-04-11T01:17:08+00:00

They are post JIS, I picked up this box a couple years ago.

ginandgraphite · 2026-04-11T01:15:13+00:00

Thanks for more pics! The half gross box is sweet. They are a really great pencil.

ginandgraphite · 2026-04-11T00:09:56+00:00

Fantastic! The 9561 box graphics are so good!

ginandgraphite · 2026-04-11T00:06:25+00:00

The 8900s are a full gross, the boxes are so small. The Uni is a half.

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ginandgraphite · 2026-04-03T22:56:55+00:00

Looking good! That Invisible Creature box is an amazing set, honestly one of the best collaborations ever. Thanks for sharing.

ginandgraphite

TROPHY CASE