David Rees and Blackwing Pencils: Artisanal Pencil Sharpening

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ธ.ค. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 804

  • @BiteAndChewReviews
    @BiteAndChewReviews 9 ปีที่แล้ว +269

    "It is possible to sharpen a pencil without a pencil sharpener, but it is impossible to sharpen a pencil without a pencil"
    Wow, this man is full of insightful gems.

    • @DeoxOddsey
      @DeoxOddsey 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      H

    • @DeoxOddsey
      @DeoxOddsey 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      BiteAndChewFoodReview k

  • @MoreThanMichael
    @MoreThanMichael 8 ปีที่แล้ว +161

    I have purchased and read his book. It has changed the way I sharpen pencils.

    • @Dawn24Michele
      @Dawn24Michele 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Wait, what. This was real?. I thought it was a spoof on the whole artisanal bs morons come up with these days. Oops.

  • @Myystical1
    @Myystical1 9 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    I've never seen the line between serious and satire toed so masterfully.

  • @iannordin5250
    @iannordin5250 8 ปีที่แล้ว +115

    The best part is when he explained that since the shavings are indeed part of the pencil, they should be returned to the customer with individual packaging

  • @LoveBystroem
    @LoveBystroem 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This is possibly the best and nerdiest piece if content ever produced

  • @Axelrad1
    @Axelrad1 8 ปีที่แล้ว +537

    I feel like this is a joke that went way too far.

    • @kylestonebraker3050
      @kylestonebraker3050 8 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      Look up Going Deep with David Rees. This is no joke.

    • @jimmygrant3212
      @jimmygrant3212 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      But damn good one

    • @edouardbail9741
      @edouardbail9741 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The guy has multiple books and a tv show!!

    • @NaNa-kj2gw
      @NaNa-kj2gw 5 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      Actually, it was a joke that went to far. He's quit. Said it was a sad commentary that people were willing to pay $40 for a white guy in an apron to sharpen a damn pencil. So any people were paying him for this.

    • @McSwagger276
      @McSwagger276 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@NaNa-kj2gw interesting! I can see why he would quit and that is kinda sad. But there are some good points to sharpening a pencil his way, especially putting something on the tip to protect the pencil and yourself from impailment.

  • @Z7Games
    @Z7Games 8 ปีที่แล้ว +138

    *"Im a professional pencil sharpener"*
    Lost it there.

    • @Ed-lz4jv
      @Ed-lz4jv 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      LMAO when he said that

  • @philnamproductions
    @philnamproductions 12 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I thought this was a joke but this was actually really fascinating! his passion for pencil sharpening is just mindblowing!

  • @jacquischmitt7258
    @jacquischmitt7258 9 ปีที่แล้ว +125

    If you want to sharpen a pencil you can do it for under $1000

    • @jbsg01
      @jbsg01 9 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      +Jacqui Schmitt That's where I lost it haha

    • @WillLeingang
      @WillLeingang 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      😂

  • @ivanvollvik1810
    @ivanvollvik1810 12 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    "This is me playing it safe" - David Rees on sharpening his pencil manually. Gotta love it.

  • @AafkeArt
    @AafkeArt 12 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I am ashamed of myself now...
    For all these years working as a professional artist I have never taken the sharpening of my pencils seriously enough. Thank you sir for opening my eyes, I am sure my artwork will be significantly improved.
    In three or four years, when I have mastered the art of artisanal pencil sharpening....

  • @gonepostal474
    @gonepostal474 8 ปีที่แล้ว +141

    He's either funny as shit or insane.

  • @Mike_Key
    @Mike_Key 11 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is awesome. One of the funniest videos I have seen on TH-cam. They dryness of the humor is priceless.

  • @Kaya2yuh
    @Kaya2yuh 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This inspired my final Buisness technology class assignment. My made up business was a professional pencil sharpening service.
    A+.

  • @EM-vr8ip
    @EM-vr8ip 7 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I love this guy! I'm sorry his show was cancelled. I liked the little shaved tool, it reminds me when I was a little girl and we had to sometimes shapen our pencils with just a blade. Sometimes our little sharpeners broke. The good old days. 😀

  • @pewster31
    @pewster31 9 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    real talk, that "handmade" pencil sharpener was actually cool as shit.

  • @stealthsilen
    @stealthsilen 12 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    He is being serious, but also adding a funny twist to it. He used to be a comic, but changed to a become a pencil sharpener, and you should watch his other videos. I really like him, he is sincere, and funny as hell. I love him.

  • @TheLochNessWhisper
    @TheLochNessWhisper 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This video has increased my appreciation for pencils...

  • @Spydercocaine
    @Spydercocaine 11 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Correct. I see a deep philosophical genius behind this masquerade of lead and charcoal.

  • @EamonnDoylePhotoFilm
    @EamonnDoylePhotoFilm 10 ปีที่แล้ว +38

    Is ok guys you only need $1000 to get started. *Walks into bank* "hello i would like to take out a loan of $1000 to start a small business". "What is your business sir?" "I will sharpen peoples pencils". *Thrown out the door by bank security*

  • @IamJok3r1
    @IamJok3r1 10 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    It is impossible to sharpen pencils without a pencil. Genius! Now I know where I've been going wrong all these years. That's why I'll never be any more than a mere amateur pencil sharpener.

  • @htm2250
    @htm2250 9 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    I feel like this is a Funny or Die skit

  • @drnh4444
    @drnh4444 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Wow!!! What an amazing collection

  • @yyyy2999
    @yyyy2999 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    This guy takes pencil sharpening to a new level.

  • @kurt1618
    @kurt1618 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I'm not really that interested in pencils but I do collect sharpeners. I'm glad to see you use an El Casco. I own two of the first they made in the 40's and they are amazing.

  • @whiteliketar
    @whiteliketar 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    An absolutely beautiful thing. Something poetic , something old - of yesteryear - I love this.

  • @ChaosOrZen
    @ChaosOrZen 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    With an Amazon Prime discount you save almost $7 on the hardback version. It's great to see a master in the art of pencil sharpening at work. Truly a necessity for the library of every serious pencil artist.

  • @TheFuggNugg
    @TheFuggNugg 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "it is possible to sharpen pencils without a pencil sharpener; but it is impossible to sharpen a pencil without a pencil."
    truly the plato of our times

  • @yokabaka
    @yokabaka 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    I had goosebumps while he was rotating the handle of the pencil sharpener. Very nice piece of craft

  • @MrMiniblock
    @MrMiniblock 8 ปีที่แล้ว +39

    Timmy Turner's dad

  • @michellechen9696
    @michellechen9696 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Oh shit, I was hella scared of sharpening a pencil before but not anymore, thanks to this video

  • @Traderjoe
    @Traderjoe 9 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Make sure you keep all your certificates of sharpening and lighting conditions in addition to your clear bag of pencil shavings (since they are the clients property) in a safe deposit box in your local bank and have the certificates duly notarized, as required by law in the state of Wisconsin.

  • @pocket83
    @pocket83 10 ปีที่แล้ว +73

    There is a flaw! At 5:03, you reveal that this is satire. Beautifully, masterfully conceived satire, but nevertheless, it is a carefully calculated ploy for attention.
    Here is why I can say this: unlike the presenter, _I_ actually am an expert on this topic. I am a carpenter who has been trained in higher level mathematics and who is skilled in drawing; I have filled dozens of notebooks with mathematical ideas and models, sketches, writings, and various ideas. The actual implementation of each of my ideas requires pinpoint accuracy and precise manipulation of the Ticonderoga, both on paper and on the project's substrate. I am surrounded by the pencil constantly- presently one rests on my ear. There is no place in my house where I am far from a sharpening method.
    If you can trust that my proclamation of expertise is not satirical, then consider this piece of testimony: _nobody_ who is an expert on pencil sharpening/usage would ever throw one (even for demonstration), and risk internal damage to the graphite.
    He has revealed, albeit in a subtle way, that he is a fraud.
    lol.

    • @newtracetriad
      @newtracetriad 10 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      So... you're saying he somehow acquired those expensive drafting pencils and all that equipment, neatly packed them, and set this up just to fool people...

    • @RedouaneSebbar
      @RedouaneSebbar 10 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      FLYING PANDAS trol genious..?

    • @jeng3000
      @jeng3000 10 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      FLYING PANDAS smh... pocket83 is satirizing the satire. People need to stop taking this stuff seriously.

    • @Definatalie
      @Definatalie 10 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      When he threw the pencil I felt ill inside. I knew the graphite inside the pencil was ruined forever.

    • @ThisIsSCHPARTA
      @ThisIsSCHPARTA 10 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      by god... this guy (the guy in the video) is a legitimate professional pencil sharpener. I looked up the website and found out that it was made in 2010, so about two years before this TH-cam video was made. and that this website was last updated in october (4 months ago but i thought that it would have been around a year since the last update). and recently he has done a project with national geographic about basic daily functions such as making eye contact or giving a handshake.

  • @YudiMuchanis
    @YudiMuchanis 10 ปีที่แล้ว

    i will get some of em... one, because i love seeing him doing what he loves the most and two... that sharpen pencil is just... wow...

  • @loupetron
    @loupetron 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Simply brilliant and witty!

  • @brinh123
    @brinh123 10 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love the way you've convinced people that this is a thing now.

  • @kingtyris4992
    @kingtyris4992 9 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Are we sure this isn't a clip from Portlandia?

    • @norwester7018
      @norwester7018 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      +king tyris HAHAHAHAHAHA, EXACTLY what I was thinking when I heard about this shit... I'm a born and raised Portlander (and despite what one might imagine, NOT a fucking fixie riding hipster) and even I couldn't believe this was for real...

  • @danielcarmi305
    @danielcarmi305 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have to be honest, when he wrote his signature at the end the pencil wrote smooth as hell.

  • @Avetarx
    @Avetarx 8 ปีที่แล้ว +90

    If people can make money by playing videogames, this guy deserves to make a living from sharpening pencils.

  • @penguinpie5056
    @penguinpie5056 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I prefer to shape the graphite on increasingly finer grits of japanese waterstones. I usually end off with 10,000 grit for the smoothest possible surface. Another thing I like to do is fire harden the wooden casing for added strength. This is an ancient pencil sharpening technique dating back to hunter gatherer times. I also build pencils by hand planing triangular strips of wood and gluing with hide glue to join them into a hexagonal blank, I then hand auger each blank through and laminate strips of B hardness graphite around an H hardness core to ensure the pencil is both of sufficient blackness but also strong enough to withstand the rigours of practical use. Most of my pencils end up being display pieces however. Typically I find Honduras Mahogany is the best pencil casing wood as it is sufficiently hard to provide structural stability and also has a nice tap tone and superior acoustic properties. I typically will seal the casing with a clear nitrocellulose coating to both show off the aesthetic beauty of the wood and help it retain its acoustic properties. Pencil acoustics is often overlooked but becomes apparent when a pencil is dropped. Lesser pencils often produce a dull dead sound, whereas an artisanal pencil will be apparent due to it's clear ping upon hitting the floor.

    • @penguinpie5056
      @penguinpie5056 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      +Penguin Pie I mean I was apprenticed for 5 years in the bavarian school of pencil sharpening. But you should never limit yourself to just one system. take what works and strip away the inessential. I have found the traditional japanese approach to pencil sharpening can produce a much finer final point. I have created many jigs which streamline the process which also helps.

  • @odoloid
    @odoloid 9 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    Sharpening pencils is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

    • @Papuaani
      @Papuaani 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      "I'm in the pen sharpening business"

    • @SenselessUsername
      @SenselessUsername 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      No, no , sharpening pencils by mail order is just phase one.

  • @choochoochooseyou
    @choochoochooseyou 8 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    A lot of you have already asked if this is a joke and the consensus seems to be that it's not. In which case the people paying for this service must be the not-rights.
    So I get my newly sharpened pencil, carry on my pencil drawing, and after a couple dozen strokes the point has dulled. Do I send it off all over again??
    What am I missing here?

  • @reso1349
    @reso1349 10 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I love the seriousness of this gag... Palominos are great pencils.

  • @ericburlingame8079
    @ericburlingame8079 10 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    damn i just cant seem to sharpen this pencil to my liking, how much do you charge? I would also like to receive all equipment used in the sharpening, price is no object.

  • @justmegawatt
    @justmegawatt 10 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I definitely recommend the El Casco, the world's most expensive pencil sharpener only $600. My team and I were competing against 12 other teams in the national pencil sharpening competition and with the Casco we ended up winning with an average pencil sharpening time of 8.52 seconds, barely beating the second place competitors whose average was 8.68 seconds per pencil.

  • @treephant
    @treephant 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Finally we've found a man worthy of hanging out with Steven Wright.

  • @zeester0101
    @zeester0101 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    That was a cool signature at the end.

  • @dance1211rec
    @dance1211rec 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    I took the seriously and was incredibly intrigued by pencil sharping. I love it

  • @Spydercocaine
    @Spydercocaine 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have one too and can highly suggest getting one. When the transparent box fills with dust and wood, it feels like all the negative energy that lies within an unsharpened pencil gets sorted out naturally, with you being the active puppet player in an opera of dualistic factory manufacturing and artistic handcraft.
    Just imagine the possibilities of a sharpened pencil. I could stare at it for month rather than touching it and using it for something simple as drawing.

  • @justinkeefe3456
    @justinkeefe3456 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    This guys humor is fantastic!

  • @firstnamelastname2672
    @firstnamelastname2672 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    This guy's book is a must read

  • @faraz1729
    @faraz1729 12 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    "Teacher my pencil broke"
    "Go sharpen it"
    "Ok! 2 weeks in the mail..."

  • @wastedpaint8281
    @wastedpaint8281 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i could watch this for 10 hours straight and be entertained full

  • @WALLACE9009
    @WALLACE9009 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have read the book and is fascinating

  • @Mbeluba
    @Mbeluba 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    Man, I love your humour sense. This joke is sooo wonderfully created.

  • @genscripter2
    @genscripter2 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    I got my pencil yesterday! Christmas came early!

  • @Dallas-Nyberg
    @Dallas-Nyberg 9 ปีที่แล้ว

    A piece of trivia... in the movie "The Glenn Miller Story" (1954)... Miller (James Stewart) can be seen rewriting a music score, using a Blackwing pencil... you can clearly see "Half the pressure - twice the speed" imprinted on it. - Cheers

  • @XweXcollideX
    @XweXcollideX 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This. Was amazing

  • @PatrickEPM
    @PatrickEPM 12 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Just heard David being interviewed on CBC radio. Thought it was an elaborate joke. It is very funny, but he is for real. David has even just finished a USA pencil sharpening tour. He charges $15 to sharpen a pencil.

    • @danstrayer111
      @danstrayer111 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      they replayed that 2 nights ago., last day of April 2022.

  • @studiot7480
    @studiot7480 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    love the 'travel kit' clearly there would be a blunt pencil somewhere that urgently needed attention - all for under 1000! 😃

  • @Kuromeruk
    @Kuromeruk 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    How do you collect the graphite that was rubbed off onto the smock? Since it also technically belongs to the customer, do you have a special way to collect this? Thank you.

  • @thelatephilipj
    @thelatephilipj 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    how do you get the point so long like the pencil towards the end of the video?

  • @mafed451
    @mafed451 11 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    he worked for the census, the sheds a little light right there. But I have to give credit to a guy's salesmanship that can make a career out of something we have all done for ourselves since the age of 5. Reminds me of the tailor of the emperor's clothes.

  • @brokenglass9853
    @brokenglass9853 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I really wish I found this video before purchasing my pencil sharpening kit for 1800.00. It didn't even include a flexible hose. I just ball up tissue and gently push the pencil tip into that and then insert into the tube and ship it off to the client. I haven't had a mishap yet but still, it seems so much easier his way.

  • @cindydale2891
    @cindydale2891 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is the coolest thing ever!

  • @Xotximilko
    @Xotximilko 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi David!
    I have got a question.On 3:40 you are holding the pencil sharpener with the edge of your palm. Is there any reason for it? I have a similar sharpener, and I tried to hold it your way, instead of grabbing with the whole hand, and it slipped and hit me in the eye.
    As an amateur pencil sharpener, I love your work, and aspire to achieve your degree of perfection some day. I give your book as present to all my friends.

  • @grimshawr
    @grimshawr 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I watched this whole video. Why did I watch this whole video? I watched this whole video because I am extremely bored, and it was on Reddit.

  • @lonetfeaozumi2076
    @lonetfeaozumi2076 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    How could I find a professional in fixing a jamned electric sharpener? Is there any store who has a professional in fixing a jamned sharpener?

  • @MrPianopolice
    @MrPianopolice 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love pencils and I'm a left handed person, is it a lefties thing?

  • @TuberoseKisser
    @TuberoseKisser 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    He actually made a bunch of good points, especially about picking debris from the sharpener and potentially damaging the blade

    • @lindaburnett3
      @lindaburnett3 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      He made a couple of good points. Punny.

  • @victoriagarcia6768
    @victoriagarcia6768 9 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Ayyy this was way before going deep with David Rees

  • @duffthepsych
    @duffthepsych 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ah good. Another good one for the unintentional asmr playlist.

  • @roonietunes60
    @roonietunes60 10 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have heard your interviews via tom sharpling and am now watching a French film (only 15 minutes long) called "I'm a sharoener". It's a romantic drama based on a professional pencil sharpener. Their maybe a subtitled English version out there.

  • @hendeeze
    @hendeeze 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Do i get the sandpaper shavings in a bag as well? They are technically mine as well

  • @GoldenGrenadier
    @GoldenGrenadier 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm having trouble sharpening one of those new confounded plastic pencils. I tried using a sharpener but it sprayed blue goop everywhere.

  • @Skipperdee
    @Skipperdee 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Under $1,000.00? I better start getting my rig together. This is a potential GOLD MINE!

  • @DaDeceptiveOne
    @DaDeceptiveOne 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Why do I want to buy that book now? o.O

  • @tomfung9492
    @tomfung9492 9 ปีที่แล้ว

    Just heard David Rees interview on CBC's "As it Happens". So funny.

  • @mishaerementchouk
    @mishaerementchouk 11 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I am a big fan of Mr. Rees's work but he presents with an attitude of unquestionable authority (perhaps unintentionally) some ideas, which in fact are subjects of heated ongoing discussions. Holding the sharpener, or, as aficionados usually say, the Tool, is precisely one of them. If you are interested in the art of sharpening you may visit pencilsharpeningnetwork . com, where you will find a vast amount of information.

  • @lissacpc
    @lissacpc 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I need this book in my life

  • @HonkIfYouLoveHonking
    @HonkIfYouLoveHonking 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You also might be interested in the video "How to Turn on a Faucet". (however it fails to instruct you on how to turn it off so you're on your own there)

  • @amyx231
    @amyx231 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    I would love to be able to make a living doing this. It's an art. Did anyone see the pencil lead sculptures?

  • @MisterCrow9
    @MisterCrow9 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    How do you properly reattach a nerve in one's finger after using box cutter to sharpen pencil. I sowed the finger back up but now lack movement and feeling. I knew watching a diy video would end up costing me.

  • @sherylpockrose4029
    @sherylpockrose4029 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    Since most of my pencils are things I pick up from the sidewalk or parking lot, I find the usual little hand-held manual sharpener is adequate! This is fun to watch, though.

  • @jaystew8911
    @jaystew8911 10 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Wow I want to be a professional pencil sharpener too

    • @jaystew8911
      @jaystew8911 10 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Quite a great career man we got here

  • @lmwfy
    @lmwfy 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    there are so many people in this world...
    mind = blown.

  • @DeathBringer769
    @DeathBringer769 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    He is, in fact, completely serious.

  • @NicoleRetuta
    @NicoleRetuta 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    This video changed my life. :D

  • @AL-wy9mm
    @AL-wy9mm 10 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Wow he doesn't return the graphite to the client...amateur hour

  • @truthgully
    @truthgully 11 ปีที่แล้ว

    Entertaining and informative, can't wait for the next one!

  • @Tom_-
    @Tom_- 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    Is this like a mockumentary?

  • @crystalmoody7475
    @crystalmoody7475 8 ปีที่แล้ว

    He returns the shavings?

  • @Troy_Sent_A_Message
    @Troy_Sent_A_Message 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The best part of this video is that it out of focus 93.4% of the time.

  • @joshmcgowan4
    @joshmcgowan4 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    It sure if this is genius or insanity either way I watched to the end and it made me smile.

  • @mylabot
    @mylabot 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    actually, that tip about the tip protectors is rather handy for us who work with soft lead color pencils.

  • @thabrosh
    @thabrosh 12 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm sure everyone that gets a pencil from this guy just can't wait to see what the lighting conditions were when he sharpened it.

  • @theplaidasparagus
    @theplaidasparagus 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    If I saw this guy walking down the street my first thought would definitely be, "Yep. Professional Pencil Sharpener - NAILED IT."

  • @croppingbeef
    @croppingbeef 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks Reddit. This was great.

  • @r.mercado9737
    @r.mercado9737 10 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant! I like this vid!

  • @HondaToyotaSuzuki
    @HondaToyotaSuzuki 12 ปีที่แล้ว

    I want to pay this guy to sharpen my pencils now. How much does this cost?