<p>The word "proper" is in quotations for a reason: many artists share that opinion, but it's opinion. The proper way depends on you.</p>

<p>The reason for knife sharpening of pencils is so that you're able to expose more lead at once to facilitate different shading techniques and to minimize lead wastage from standard sharpeners.</p>

<p>However, for colored pencils, many just use really good classic hand sharpeners. This is because many of them are quite fragile and would break too easily if too much of the lead was exposed. Prismacolors, which are very popular, break very easily and so you generally want less of the lead exposed.</p>

<p>So, the tl;dr response to your question is: no, but many do based on their techniques.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-18T11:35:42.613Z
I would second this with the reference that in my few college drawing classes, all the professors required/requested that we have both a small pen knife, exacto or similar AND a very sharp twist style sharpener. They both have their uses.
BrownRedHawk
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-18T10:55:58.933Z
2016-05-18T12:55:50.940Z
2016-05-18T12:55:50.940Z
Joanne C
<p>I use any kind of sharpener to get some of the outer wood off and expose the graphite.  I create the tip with sandpaper.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-19T16:30:10.167Z
Hi Tommy, welcome to Arts & Crafts! The OP was asking about _why_ one way of sharpening is better than another -- can you give some more details about how this method provides the best results, and for what application?
Erica
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-19T16:13:56.280Z
2016-05-19T16:13:56.280Z
Tommy
<p>I wasn't aware that there could be a proper or improper way to sharpen a pencil till I read this (<a href="https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/455/keep-pencil-leads-from-breaking-during-transportation">Keep pencil leads from breaking during transportation?</a>):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I sharpen my drawing pencils the "proper" way, with a knife.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Why is sharpening with a knife considered better than sharpening with a sharpener?</p>

<pencils><sharpening>
What is the proper way to sharpen a pencil?
Aquarius_Girl
# What is the proper way to sharpen a pencil?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-18)

I wasn't aware that there could be a proper or improper way to sharpen a pencil till I read this ([Keep pencil leads from breaking during transportation?](https://crafts.stackexchange.com/questions/455/keep-pencil-leads-from-breaking-during-transportation)):

> I sharpen my drawing pencils the "proper" way, with a knife.

Why is sharpening with a knife considered better than sharpening with a sharpener?

**Tags:** pencils, sharpening


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-18. Score: 12

The word "proper" is in quotations for a reason: many artists share that opinion, but it's opinion. The proper way depends on you.

The reason for knife sharpening of pencils is so that you're able to expose more lead at once to facilitate different shading techniques and to minimize lead wastage from standard sharpeners.

However, for colored pencils, many just use really good classic hand sharpeners. This is because many of them are quite fragile and would break too easily if too much of the lead was exposed. Prismacolors, which are very popular, break very easily and so you generally want less of the lead exposed.

So, the tl;dr response to your question is: no, but many do based on their techniques.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I would second this with the reference that in my few college drawing classes, all the professors required/requested that we have both a small pen knife, exacto or similar AND a very sharp twist style sharpener. They both have their uses.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-05-19. Score: 1

I use any kind of sharpener to get some of the outer wood off and expose the graphite. I create the tip with sandpaper.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Hi username_3, welcome to Arts & Crafts! The OP was asking about _why_ one way of sharpening is better than another -- can you give some more details about how this method provides the best results, and for what application?  

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