Best Colored Pencil Sharpeners That Will Not Break Your Pencils

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You sharpen your favorite Prismacolor, the tip snaps off. You try again, it snaps again. After the third try you are holding a pencil that is now half an inch shorter and still has no point. The problem is almost never the pencil. It is the sharpener.

Why Your Pencils Keep Breaking

Colored pencil leads are softer and more brittle than graphite. A sharpener built for standard #2 pencils applies too much pressure and cuts at too steep an angle for these soft cores. Three things cause the snap:

• Wrong blade angle. Standard sharpeners cut at a steep angle, which creates a fragile needle point that snaps under pressure. Colored pencils need a longer, more gradual taper.
• Too much pressure. Hand-crank sharpeners with dull blades force the pencil into the cutter, cracking the core from the inside. When you hear that crunching sound, that is your lead fracturing.
• Trapped broken lead. Once a tip breaks inside the sharpener, every pencil you sharpen afterward will break too, because the old broken lead is blocking the new one. Clean your sharpener regularly.

The fix is simple: use a sharpener built for the job. Below are the ones that actually work.

Best Overall: Kum Automatic Long Point Sharpener

1. Kum Automatic Long Point Sharpener (8 to 12 Dollars)

Kum Automatic Long Point Sharpener (Compare prices on Amazon)

This is the sharpener we recommend in almost every supply guide. The Kum uses a two-step process: the first blade removes the wood casing, and the second blade carves a long, tapered point on the core. That long taper distributes pressure across more surface area, so the tip holds together instead of snapping. In testing, we ran a Prismacolor Premier through the Kum 50 times and had zero breaks. The blade did jam once on a 2mm core when we inserted the pencil at an angle, but clearing it took five seconds.

• Two-hole design: one for wood, one for the point
• Works with standard and jumbo pencils
• Replacement blades available separately (and worth buying, because the original blade lasts about 200 pencils before dulling)
• The long point it creates is dramatically more durable than a standard sharpener point

Best for: Anyone who colors regularly. This is the single upgrade that will change your experience more than any other tool.

Best Manual: Dahle Premium Sharpener

2. Dahle Premium Canister Sharpener (10 to 15 Dollars)

Dahle Premium Canister Sharpener (Compare prices on Amazon)

Dahle makes sharpeners for artists. The steel blade is sharper and holds its edge longer than any other manual sharpener we have tested. The canister design catches shavings so you do not make a mess, and the solid body gives you something to grip while sharpening. The angle is slightly less aggressive than a standard sharpener, which reduces breakage on soft-core pencils. We tested it with Polychromos, Prismacolor, and Caran d’Ache Luminance. All three came out with clean, intact points. The shavings canister is a bit small, so expect to empty it after every 6 or 7 pencils.

• German-made steel blade stays sharp through hundreds of pencils
• Shavings canister keeps your workspace clean
• Comfortable grip for controlled sharpening
• Works well with Prismacolor, Polychromos, and other soft-core pencils
• Available in multiple colors (if that matters to you)
• The canister pops off for easy emptying but stays securely attached during use

Best for: Colorists who prefer a traditional manual sharpener but want something better than the flimsy plastic ones that come free with pencil sets.

Best Electric: X-ACTO Modelx Electric Sharpener

3. X-ACTO Modelx Electric Sharpener (20 to 30 Dollars)

X-ACTO Modelx Electric Sharpener (Compare prices on Amazon)

Electric sharpeners get a bad rap in the colored pencil community, and most of them deserve it. They over-sharpen, grinding away your pencil at alarming speed. The X-ACTO Modelx is different because it has an auto-stop feature that shuts off the blade when the pencil reaches the right point. No over-sharpening, no wasted lead. The helical steel cutter produces a consistent, clean point every time. We did notice the motor sounds rough on first use, but it smooths out after the first dozen pencils. The shavings tray is sturdy and clicks firmly into place, unlike some electric sharpeners where the tray wobbles.

• Auto-stop prevents over-sharpening and wasted lead
• Helical steel cutter produces a smooth, consistent point
• SafeStart motor will not operate if the shavings tray is removed
• Heavy base keeps it stable on your desk
• Good for high-volume sharpening (classrooms, art groups)

Best for: People who color a lot and want fast, consistent results without babysitting the sharpener. Also ideal for coloring parties where multiple people need to sharpen at once.

Best Budget: Staedtler Metal Sharpener

4. Staedtler Metal Double-Hole Sharpener (3 to 5 Dollars)

Staedtler Metal Double-Hole Sharpener (Compare prices on Amazon)

If you are not ready to spend ten dollars on a sharpener, this is the three-dollar upgrade that actually makes a difference. The two holes cut at different angles, and the larger hole produces a less aggressive point that holds up better on soft-core colored pencils. The metal body will not crack like plastic sharpeners do after a few months. Honestly, for the price, it is hard to beat. The smaller hole is useless for colored pencils (it cuts too steep), so just use the larger one.

• Two holes: standard and larger taper angle
• Full metal body, no plastic to crack
• Under five dollars
• Available everywhere (craft stores, Amazon, office supply shops)

Best for: Beginners on a budget. Pair this with a Crayola 50-Count set and a coloring book and you have a complete starter kit for under 15 dollars.

Best for Travel: Kum Brass Sharpener

5. Kum Brass Sharpener with Replacement Blades (5 to 8 Dollars)

Kum Brass Sharpener (Compare prices on Amazon)

This is the pocket sharpener that lives in every serious colorist’s bag or tote. Solid brass body, sharp carbon steel blade, and it comes with replacement blades so you never have to deal with a dull cutter. It produces a longer point than standard pocket sharpeners, which is exactly what colored pencils need. The brass develops a nice patina over time, if you care about that sort of thing. More importantly, the blade holds up well. We have had ours for two years and only swapped blades once.

• Brass body will last forever
• Comes with replacement blades
• Pocket-sized, perfect for travel coloring kits
• Produces a long, durable point
• No plastic parts to break

Best for: Colorists on the go. Toss it in your bag with a small coloring book and you are ready anywhere.

How to Sharpen Colored Pencils Without Breaking Them

Even the best sharpener will break pencils if you use it wrong. Here is the technique that works:

• Turn the pencil, not the sharpener. Rotate the pencil slowly and evenly inside a handheld sharpener. For electric sharpeners, let the machine do the work. Do not press hard.
• Sharpen in stages. If your pencil has a very blunt tip, do not try to create a sharp point in one pass. Sharpen a little, check the point, and repeat. Patience saves lead.
• Clean your sharpener. Broken lead gets stuck inside. If your pencil keeps breaking, open the sharpener and clear out any debris. A small brush or compressed air works well.
• Let the blade do the cutting. Do not force the pencil into the blade. Gentle, consistent rotation is all you need. If you feel resistance, stop and check.
• Replace dull blades. A dull blade is worse than no blade. It will crush the core instead of cutting it. If your sharpener starts producing rough, uneven points, it is time for new blades.

What About Pencil Extenders?

If you are sharpening your pencils down to stubs, a pencil extender lets you use every last inch. It is not a sharpener replacement, but it stretches the life of each pencil so you are not throwing away two-dollar sticks of pigment when there is still an inch of usable core left.

Quick Comparison

• Kum Long Point (8 to 12 dollars): Best overall, two-step sharpening, long lasting points
• Dahle Premium Canister (10 to 15 dollars): Best manual, German steel blade, clean sharpening
• X-ACTO Modelx Electric (20 to 30 dollars): Best electric, auto-stop, consistent results
• Staedtler Metal Double-Hole (3 to 5 dollars): Best budget, two angles, indestructible
• Kum Brass (5 to 8 dollars): Best for travel, brass body, replacement blades included

Bottom Line

The Kum Automatic Long Point Sharpener is the answer to broken colored pencil tips. It produces a long, durable point that resists breakage, it works with every pencil brand we have tested, and it costs less than a single Prismacolor pencil. If you take nothing else from this guide, upgrade your sharpener. It is the fix for the number one frustration in adult coloring.

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