Faber-Castell Pencil Lead Sharpening Block with Sandpaper, 185100

Faber-Castell sanding block – fine points and pastel powder

The Faber-Castell sanding block (art. no. 185100) is a sandpaper pad for sharpening very fine points and for making pastel powder. It has 2 strips of fine and coarse sandpaper. The 60 × 20 mm sanding surface lets you shape pencils by hand, and at just 90 × 20 mm overall, the block fits easily into a pencil case or drawing case.

How to sharpen a lead

Hold the pencil flat against the sandpaper strip and pull it away from you with light pressure. Turn it slowly as you go so the point becomes evenly round. Use the coarse strip to shape the point first and the fine strip to finish it. Graphite leads are hard and can be sharpened to a slim, fine point. Coloured pencil leads are softer and are better shaped slightly shorter and blunter, otherwise they break more easily.

Making pastel powder

Rub a pastel pencil or a pastel chalk over the sandpaper strip. Pick up the resulting powder with a brush, your finger or a blending stump and apply it over an area, for example for soft colour gradients.

Faber-Castell sanding block product details

• Manufacturer: Faber-Castell, art. no. 185100
• Sandpaper: 2 strips, fine and coarse
• Sanding surface: 60 × 20 mm
• Overall size: 90 × 20 mm
• Contents: 1 piece