How to Sharpen Conte and Other Pastel Pencils

In this video I talk about my ongoing dilemma with pencil sharpeners as they relate to my Conte pastel pencils. After trying many sharpeners I went back to how I used to do it when I was in college… With a very sharp blade and a very light touch. Buy everything I mention in video below.
Buy the gorgeous CONTE pastel pencils here: amzn.to/3stmITn
Buy OLFA Knife here: amzn.to/39naqnR
My favorite hand crank sharpener Mitsubishi Ladybug: amzn.to/2QBUxDu
I tried to sharpen them with the Mitsubishi--but alas--no. BUT I love this sharpener for almost everything else: • REVIEW Mitsubishi Uni ...
Here is a Prismacolor comparison vid: • Comparing Prismacolor,...
In this vid I talk about how some people think coloring is BAD: • REAL TIME Guanghui Her...
In this vid I color poppies with Conte Pastel Pencils: • Coloring with Pastel P...
Please tell me if you like this video so I know if I should make more!
Thanks for watching! XOXOXOXO
You can follow me on:
Instagram: DeaLenihan
Twitter: DeaLenihan
***I would love to invite you to my Facebook Coloring Gallery!
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I am a coloring book designer and children's book illustrator. I traded my 9 to 5 gig as an editorial makeup artist to draw coloring books that I hope you will LOVE.
You can find my coloring books on Amazon: www.amazon.com...
And my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/artbydea
For business related contact please email me at [e-mail]
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

[@gloriaj.pinsker9577]

You would think that pastel manufacturers would develop good sharpeners for their products! The demand is certainly there.

[@DeaLenihan]

I found a sharpener! They FINALLY made one. It is a teeny tiny hand held thing, but it's better than using a razor blade every time! Here's a link. xo Ugh! Currently out of stock--but at least we know they exist! www.pencils4artists.co.uk/conte-pastel-pencil-sharpener-c2x17633227

[@jazzlehazzle]

HALLELUJAH! Pulling *towards* yourself!! Pushing away I spent almost an hour today with the Pere Noir 3B and almost lost the whole thing before giving up. Thank you!!

[@DeaLenihan]

jazzlehazzle you’re so welcome! Glad it helped. Have a happy new year!

[@jillc2700]

Thanks for showing all the sharpeners that DIDN’T work for you. I have these in a larger set-they were a birthday or Christmas gift many many years ago and I gave up on them once I realized I’d have to sharpen them by hand! Still glad to know it isn’t just me when it comes to pencil sharpeners for these things!

[@momicajack]

I just have to tell you, Dea, that this is the best ever "manual sharpening" video for pastel pencils that I have ever seen! I did find a sharpener that works well, for the most part (a Carl's Angel-5 Premium or Carl's Angel Royal sharpener is great, if you just take it slow and easy when sharpening), but there is always that pencil that is just too soft or just needs special care for sharpening! Most of the time, I am a total clutz with using a blade, and 75% of the time I wind up whittling down my pencil to a total nub (way too expensive). But after watching your video, I tried it with my pencils. I use mostly the Faber-Castell Pastel Pitt pencils, but also throw some Carb-Othello pastel pencils in the mix. The Carb-Othello, particularly, are very soft and sometimes hard to sharpen, no matter what. But I tried your method on both types of pencils, and I was amazed at not only how well I could sharpen them that way, but also how they actually look as if sharpened with a good sharpener - with a very nice point that smoothly transitions from the fatter part to the thin tip - the perfect cone-shaped end! Thank yo sooooo much for posting this video! I am so grateful to have found it! I actually use flat razors, held with a mini "paint scraper" and that works perfectly. I do have a craft blade, shaped like yours, but it is not that great. Next I will have to look up that Olfa craft blade you use and see if I can handle that as well. Olfa should send you some free craft blades representing them so well and making them look so good! I'm sure theyv'e gotten many sales from this video alone! So, to anyone watching this video, who might be wondering if this method works with other blades as well, I say just give it a try. You should be very happily surprised at how well it works for you! I highly recommend this method (not that I'm anybody special worth listening to)! But seriously, this method is awesome, and I am so thankful to have found this video! Thank you again, Dea, for sharing this with the community! Great video!! I am hitting "subscribe" now . . .

[@DeaLenihan]

momicajack Thank you so much for taking the time to not only check out the video, but to leave such a super comment. Like you I found a sharpener that works, but still use this method for my soft or touchy colors. (The sharpener I like is the KUM Woodcutter, it's nice and sturdy. Thanks again and see you soon! 😊

[@glorisyoung9696]

Do you still like the KUM woodcutter?

[@miklosnemeth8566]

Fantastic. I had been convinced that I was a master of sharpening pencils but your technique is a bit slower but with some practice it is the ultimate method. Forget about the clumsy sharpeners which waste 50% of your pigments.

[@DeaLenihan]

Awww thanks so much. Yes! Sharpeners waste SO MUCH! Thanks for the nice comment. XO

[@juanarrecis8001]

I find using a fine grit sandpaper - 180 to 300 - makes getting a fine tip after using a blade much faster.

[@DeaLenihan]

Thank you so much for the tip Juan--I really do appreciate it. I have some and will try tomorrow. Happy New Year! :)

[@ranimmhmd6676]

Me too am using it toi

[@piktip]

It's good to know that I'm not the only one with the problem. Congrats on finding the KUM sharpener :). I'll check if I could get one. BTW, did you try the Conte sharpener itself? The store which carries Conte products in my city also sells the sharpener, but I haven't bought it yet. I also read somewhere that the best way is to use an electric/automatic sharpener. I checked at some online stores, but they're quite expensive (even with the unknown brand and not convincing model) and it's hard to know which one fit the bigger sized pencil.

[@kitteke52]

Thank you so much for sharing! I hadn't thought about turning the pencil downward to sharpen. Works great!

[@keithroy9217]

If you can still find any, Derwent used to make a specific pastel sharpener, which worked very well. If you can find one, the blades are replaceable with Jakarta blades.

[@l.beukema8570]

Dear Dea, try a crank handle table sharpener, I have no problems sharpening Conté pastels pencils to a fine point in seconds with my Dahle 133, but I think any crank handled machine will work. The Dahle 133 wil also take the thicker pencils.

[@AndrevwZA]

The Dahle 133 is a great sharpener. It is also sold under the M+R label. It is the only sharpener that can sharpen both my thin and very fussy Staedtler charcoal pencils as well as my oversize General Primos. i2.wp.com/avwairbrushworks.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/mr_sharpener_sml.jpg?ssl=1&w=450

[@DeaLenihan]

Thank you thank you! I will look now--or ask my collector dad who seems to have everything!

[@DeaLenihan]

Aaahh thank you for the link! Those points look perfect--too good to be true. I'm on it. :)

[@mstalcup]

Well I'm here because I bought a BUNCH of these and bought a second sharpener from the art supply store because the first one I bought hadn't worked, even though it had a larger hole, which the employee told me would work. A second employee showed me a different sharpener, which also had a larger hole, which she said would work. I gave her a broken Conte pastel pencil to sharpen with the sharpener she was just trying to sell me. She couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. Nobody could do it. After 6 failed attempts, she told me the pencil "must have gotten dropped and had a broken core." She told me she would remove that pencil from inventory. Well I got the pencil sharpener home and unfortunately I now have a set of expensive pencils I can't sharpen. If I had to go through the surgical effort shown in this video just to get the pencil sharp, still knowing there's a considerable chance of breaking the pastel even with careful effort, I feel like the product should either be considered defective or Conte should provide or sell a sharpener that works on their pastel pencils. I will try to find a knife like yours. I might also try sanding the pencil until sharp. Sorry for the rant!

[@DeaLenihan]

mstalcup bam-you hit the nail on the head. THANKFULLY since this video was made Conté made a teeny tiny hand held smaller than a matchbook sharpener for these pencils. It still takes forever, but it’s better than this ridiculousness. PLUS I had to order from the UK and it took forever to get here and I had to pay crazy shipping. Sigh. BUT! Here it is! I found it in the US. www.guirys.com/conté-à-paris-wood-pencil-sharpener?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwIPrBRCJARIsAFlVT89oerXE1ya5zHBBEaT2p3-VChtp80TwvrVVn5TMIWshchzpai4_O9AaAt67EALw_wcB

[@TerrieJohnson731]

lovely, but all that wasted pigment! I am going to collect my powder in aluminum foil by color, red, blue, green, etc. they can be pressed into new cakes. I have a 64 set of soft that will serve as a mold. I pressed pigments a lot in makeup. With art supplies costing what they do- that powder over time will do a lot of underpaintings and perhaps more!

[@DeaLenihan]

TerrieJ DimestoreDivaTV that is BRILLIANT! I am going to do the same. Thank you so much for that great idea.

[@glendacox6540]

I absolutely keep all shavings etc in a wee tin. They are useful in hundreds of ways!

[@user-zp1el6mv4h]

I really , really , really needed this! Thank you.

[@DeaLenihan]

M. 1 So glad! You're welcome!

[@yvonnelilley8457]

Hi I too am having problems sharpening pastel. I love using pastel pencil but it takes so long to sharpen them I cannot progress very quickly. Your method, I think, is safer for fingers than the razor blade! I do have quite a good scalpel knife and I am going to try your method.

[@DeaLenihan]

Yvonne Lilley I think it's much safer too! Pastels are frustrating so I hope you find this doable. 🖍

[@yvonnelilley8457]

Yes, Dea I think pastels can be frustrating but I do love them. I tend to get into a terrible mess with them even when I am using the pencils! I sometimes find that I do not get such bright colours as I would like but I think the secret is in the base colour and that comes with practice.

[@DeaLenihan]

Yvonne Lilley interesting! I am the opposite...I have problems with regular colored pencils and dull colors. And I guess it also depends on what kind you use. I like Conte because they are so bright and clear. They are a bit dustier than any other charcoal pencil that I've ever used...but I think it's worth it!

[@yvonnelilley8457]

Hi, yes I use coloured pencils as well, mostly Caran dache and Fabre Castle but this is also about what base colour is used I think. The pastels I use are mostly Fabre Castle and Cretacolour but I am willing to try some others. I may buy a few Conte and see what I think of them. Thank you for your tips and taking the time to reply to my messages.

[@JM-zp9ik]

Thank you Dea, this was very helpful! And it's working!

[@DeaLenihan]

Wonderful! Glad it helped! xo

[@ClaraKitty]

i recently got a set of these, and I really appreciate this tutorial! I've been trying to whittle the tips, but I didn't quite have a proper technique.

[@PenelopeCrowe]

Oh good Traveler-san, glad this was helpful. One more tip--plan on doing the sharpening in a few sessions. I was not able to do all the pencils at once, it does take a while. Have a great day and happy sharpening! :D

[@ClaraKitty]

+Dea Lenihan duly noted! thanks again!

[@greekveteran2715]

You were right!!! You ARE right! I have to apologize. You're technique sharpening works great and it is safe!! What I said was true about working with knives, HOWEVER, sharpening pencils is a different story. The way you do it, breaks that law which means it's safe. Please forgive me! I had to try it before judging. Most artists, if not all, do the "safe way" sharpening away from them and not tawards them, which I have to admit, is WAY more difficult, to achieve what you achieve with your technique! Hat's off lady!!

[@hbae787]

I've always wondered why they don't make pastel leads (the pastel cores without wood casings) so we can use them with a holder, like the mechanical pencils. Why spending money and effort to encase them in wood, then having to find a method to peel the wood away ?

[@DeaLenihan]

Andy that would really be a perfect solution. Seems like the company or individual that makes this happen will make a bit of money. I prefer drafting pencils to draw myself, and use an old Turquoise from the 1960s.

[@bignickslider]

Hardtmuth make pastel leads for mechanical pencil holders

[@andrewmarkbrown7943]

Stabilo and General make very good pastel/charcoal pencil handheld sharpeners.

[@DeaLenihan]

Thank goodness yes! Since this video I have located several sharpeners that work on these lovely pencils--including one by Conte!

[@Martha-is5go]

@@DeaLenihan could you please tell me what pencil sharpeners these are? I have this same set of pencils and have the same trouble! Thanks so much for making the video!

[@dionysislarson6352]

Thank you so much. I've been having the same problem. This works perfectly. Again thank you for doing this.

[@martinezmontilva]

I recommend Dahle sharpeners for Conté à Paris pencils

[@taffyIV]

I'm going to try putting them in a power drill and then hold it against sand paper.

[@sheyshannow2065]

Excellent demo! Thank you Dea. 🙏

[@DeaLenihan]

You’re so welcome!

[@CarloGrosoliDesign]

Thank you! Very useful video. I'm ordering an Olfa art knife right now.

[@DeaLenihan]

Carlo Grosoli I am happy to hear it. I find it a nice way to sharpen. (I found a sharpener that works and FITS. It does not make extra long points, but I like it, it is by KUM).

[@CarloGrosoliDesign]

I've just seen the video! In fact I ordered a Kum instead of the art knife :) Thank you!

[@DeaLenihan]

Carlo Grosoli oh good! I think you'll like it.

[@glorisyoung9696]

Carlo Grosoli, did you like the KUM?

[@tracey333]

Brilliant Dea;; I'm wondering if I should get a craft knife just in case this conte sharpener I've ordered is useless?? What do you think hun xx

[@DeaLenihan]

I would wait! If Conte has a sharpener I am going to order it TODAY and hopefully do another video! xo

[@tracey333]

Dea Lenihan ok hunnie,, I'll find you a picture of where I've found it xxx

[@daytonagreg8765]

FWIW, I think a better way is to hold the blade with RIGHT THUMB behind the blade. Hold the pencil in LEFT hand with point away from you, then gently push blade forward with THUMB, while pulling pencil back with LEFT hand. A lot of artists do this to sharpen pencils & gives you safe, slow control over cuts. Go slow, take thin slices until it’s what you want. [This assumes you’re right handed. Reverse everything if left-handed.] GOOD LUCK! 💚✍️ ANOTHER great QUICK option is to slide the front end outwards across your artist sandpaper stick while rotating the pencil with you fingers while doing it. It’s fast and I save the black dust in a small Rx bottle for later reuse.

[@heleneruma]

toward me... what a game changer! thank you so much

[@emson263]

Hey You can use a hand crank sharpener they worg great with pastel pencils.

[@DeaLenihan]

Kryptonim Zbychu Game Walkthrough's & Trailers thanks so much! I found a few ways now, including a little wooden Kum sharpener. I appreciate the comment. 😊

[@jaydee177]

Crank handle sharpener like the Mitsubishi KH20 works best - no leads breaking and you can get them to a fine tip or medium fine. Also less wastage with the Mitsubishi sharpened as it automatically stops sharpening when your set depth is attained. PS FORGET THE RAZOR BLADE!

[@DeaLenihan]

The Mitsubishi KH20 didn't work at all for me. Any special tricks?

[@jaydee177]

@@DeaLenihan - not really. I use it to sharpen all my coloured pencils, including a full set of Faber Castell Polychromos, Full set of Prismacolor and a full set of Caran Dache. I’ve never had any leads breaking in the Faber Castel or the Caran Dache, only a few Prismacolor don’t sharpen properly because the leads are already broken inside the wood casing. Aside from that, sharpener works amazingly well with extremely fine tips if I want to or somewhat duller tips according to the setting I set on the Mitsubishi sharpener

[@iwdlol154]

you are my hero thank you i'm so happy to have found your channel

[@alexisestrada5221]

That... is actually fine art by itself.

[@dontstopnowproductions7786]

Great video. Thank you!

[@christopherfarrell-artist3557]

some pigments are more stable than others....good vid

[@DeaLenihan]

So true Christopher. Some feel better to use also. Even when we were kids--the purple crayon felt great...so did the dark pine/teal green. Orange...not so much.

[@niazakria1561]

There is a Conte pencil sharpener out now :)

[@DeaLenihan]

It's so bad! I wish it worked.

[@chihiropena8144]

What is the name of the blade she's usingggg

[@contempgentle]

its funny that one of the universal "rule" of knives. is to never use them toward your body. but in a controlled situation like this I can see how it would be all right.

[@DeaLenihan]

M1N3R_MAN Yes! I even thought of mentioning that! My father would have a fit...

[@glendacox6540]

Had to laugh at this as I have been on the same annoying hunt! I used sandpaper to finesse the tip. Thanks so much

[@DeaLenihan]

OMG what a pain! I finally found a tiny Conte sharpener--I wish they would make a hand crank--it's impossible to love them! www.eckersleys.com.au/conte-sketching-pencil-sharpener

[@DeaLenihan]

Update…the Cobte sharpener is the WORST

[@MrPickles829]

General's little red sharpener will sharpen Conte A Paris

[@DeaLenihan]

Thank you very much MrPickles829! I'll have to check it out.

[@yonatancruz630]

it works with a bisturi?

[@DeaLenihan]

Yonatan Cruz this is an Xacto knife...but if a scalpel is sharp enough I don’t see why not

[@screamingmimi90]

Why not use really fine sand paper once the wood is cut away? I'm guessing you have a reason.

[@DeaLenihan]

screamingmimi90 I used it the other day actually and it worked really well! I just ordered a Conte sharpener from the U.K. that is supposed to be perfect for the pastel pencils

[@edaj]

I've literally bought this brand of pencil, and I thought id got a dud set because they kept snapping! Glad to know they're just an awkward pencil haha

[@DeaLenihan]

So awkward! But I still love them. The intensity can't be beat.

[@gypsysnickerdoodle4354]

Caran D’Ache makes a proper pencil sharpener. it is a serious tool & worth the investment, considering how many pencils you will waste, otherwise

[@DeaLenihan]

Thank you! I'll check it out. I just found that Conte has a sharpener too! It's a small wooden one and I had to get it from the UK and it took FOREVER--but I like. xo

[@glorisyoung9696]

It works for chubby Conté à Paris pencils?

[@allaboutjournals5845]

I bought the conte sharpener specifically for these pastel pencils and even that doesn’t work properly.🤬so here I am looking for answers.

[@sandrajones3455]

Bahahaha! what a pain! I use an electric sharpener which works very well and and it only takes a quick insert to get to a point plus you don't waist as much of the pastel. The sharpener takes many sizes.

[@DeaLenihan]

What sharpener do you use, I'd love to know!

[@wickedillusionart]

One more sharpener I warmly recommend is this one d15bv9e9f3al6i.cloudfront.net/imgs/products/cp/950_constW/FC00360~Faber-Castell-Trio-Sharpener-Silver_P1.jpg from Faber- Castell. It can take pencils even thicker than these pastel pencils and you can sharpen them to a long sharp point with ease! I don't work in pastel, but I have tested sharpening these exact pastel pencils with this sharpener because I have a few of them.

[@DeaLenihan]

I love that sharpener for graphite and colored pencils! Unfortunately it does not work with the Contes. :)

[@wickedillusionart]

Hmm, that's odd. I literally just sharpened a white Conté pastel pencil with that eraser to a long fine point before commenting and it seems perfectly fine so don't know where is the problem, but you know what you need I guess. I love it for graphite and colored pencils too. :)

[@DeaLenihan]

WickedIllusion I am just wondering if it is a different one. Gonna check. Is it the same one I showed in the vid?

[@wickedillusionart]

That's the one. Sorry, I didn't actually see the whole video because I don't work in pastel, I was just in passing and thought I'd help by recommending a sharpener I accidentally knew it was good for sharpening these exact pastels. My sharpened white looks like this: sta.sh/06vftah32h0 which I thought was pretty decent (I sharpened another one to even finer point, there's a bit of a very top missing on this one), but I guess if you need even longer point (this is pretty much the length you get when you buy a new pastel, but with sharper tip), than this sharpener won't do it for you. Anyway, with a bit of practice of sharpening technique with this sharpener and these pastels, maybe my recommendation will be useful to someone else with a bit different needs/preference than yours.

[@DeaLenihan]

WickedIllusion oooo it did sharpen nice! And yes that point is great and very similar to when you open the box. Thank you! I appreciate it. 😊

[@greekveteran2715]

NEVER use any kind of razor blade, cutting towards yourself. That's the first rule you learn, when you learn how to use any sharp cutting tool. It might seem more comfortable, but the slip will happen once, and you only have 2 hands, that are full of main arteries and nerves. No matter which of the 2 you cut, you're always risking to either damage your hands forever, or even die. It only takes 15 minutes and 0.4 to 0.5LT of blood loss, to die.

[@DeaLenihan]

The only time I’ve ever cut myself doing this is cutting away because there is much less control.

[@janicelekich4847]

Too time consuming.

[@DeaLenihan]

Janice Lekich omg I totally agree! Finally found a sharpener

[@TheMrFlyX]

....Women.... Just remove wood by any blade you want and use sandpaper for point nib, it's easier and faster.

[@dontstopnowproductions7786]

Great video. Thank you!