No Breakage! Pastel Pencil Sharpening Hack (so simple!)

An ashtray is all you need to keep from breaking your pastel pencils! This will work for other finicky pencils too.

Credits:
Video production and Craft ideas: Lindsay Weirich
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

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#thefrugalcrafter #watercolor #art

[susanlee]

Still frugal after all these years ❤❤❤❤

[creativespark]

Love how you are using that ashtray! I don't smoke, but I always find beatiful ashtrays at the thrift stores but because I don't smoke I don't buy them. But...now I have a great reason for one!

Also, I love how you tinted your ashtray in this video! The tinting makes it look similar to vaseline/uranium glass. I absolutely love and collect vaseline glass items. They look beautiful, but when held to a blacklight they glow!

[albinnibla]

I have converted old glass and porcelain ash trays to brush holders, so this is a total win! THANK YOU!☺

[ms.rocketscience]

Thank you! This is a super helpful and, may I say, genius art hack. Nothing is more frustrating than breaking off the lead on an expensive colored pencil. Your flowers ma’am 💐💐💐💐

[nuitetoilee]

That little green ashtray looks so pretty!

[Linda-qqmg]

The ashtray hint is really a terrific idea!! Thanks Lindsay. 😉🤗

[jimflack]

Great tip. Would probably work for sharpening any kind of pencil with a hand held sharpener. You come up with the neatest tips! Thank you!

[tthappyrock]

Great tip for sharpening any pencils and not getting breakage! Thank you so much!

[windywednesday]

😂❤ I love the thumbnail. When I saw it I went wow that is a really good drawing of the green glass! ...and she did that with pastel?! 😂❤😂

[antoniaking]

What a great hack! Thank you!!
I just got a set of pastel pencils, and sharpening them has been a struggle. A good reason to get an old ashtray from the goodwill, and save it from the landfill ✨
Thanks for this Lindsay!!! 🥰

[annettefournier]

Thanks Lindsay. #1. I didn't know there were charcoal and pastel specific sharpeners. # 2 great tip to hold the pencil body without wobble. 🎉 I have such a hard time sharpening my precious pastel pencils that I rarely use them. 💜

[olderendirt]

Great idea. I use a variety of pencils regularly and this is a really good idea. Thanks so much.

[mjpete]

Hullo Lindsay, I have a few ash trays from my Mom's house when we cleaned up after she passed away. She did ceramics and had quite a few heirloom pieces from her collection. I have purchased a set of the 10 German blades from Amazon and I have seen them at Blick's too! I use them on all of my hand held sharpeners. It is so important to have sharp blades when sharpening Prismacolor pencils too!!

[hey.hombre]

I didn't know there were special pastel & charcoal sharpeners. Checked link. Very helpful. Thank you.

[JanetBuol]

Is there a video about tinting with the ink you mentioned? I love that ashtray color.

[nanschifris]

Whaaat? I would never have thought of this - I’m so glad you shared!

[jillbartos]

What a good idea! I'll dig in the basement and probably find ashtrays I used before I quit in 1986. Sometimes I have trouble sharpening my Verithin pencils when I use a handheld sharpener. Someone online said to hold the pencil still in your non-dominant hand (left hand for me). Then turn the sharpener with your dominant hand. It works pretty well though wobbling can happen. I like the idea of having the ash tray for support.

[ElizabethMayoleth]

I'm intrigued by the alcohol ink tint. Did you have to do anything to the glass before or after application and what did you use for such uniform color?

[titanic]

Hi, Lindsay. Thank you for your video.🎉.❤. Have a good week.

[AfterArt]

I will have to try this. I love to save the dust to use with a brush or pastel sponge for backgrounds. Been using my høvel for a little over a year. The blades last so long it's great. But these could be smart for me for traveling