In 1847 Therry des Estwaux invented the pencil sharpener.
Ever since people have build upon the beautification and automation of the product but its basic construction has remained untouched. Today, they are so numerous and ubiquitous with superfluous exterior enhancements.
Peeling down to the heart of the existing sharpeners helped me reveal the essence of its basic working principal - the wrapped cone with a blade mounted onto the inner end, acting as a chiseling edge for the pencil inserted in it. Thus, creating a comprehensible and delightful product.
8 (Ate) is a double – bladed Stainless Steel pencil sharpener which effectively sharpens large and small pencils to a comfortable sharp tip every time.
Its best features are:
- Single cut twin blade
- Rubberized end rims for softer edges
- Satin finish
ATE is all about voluntary simplicity. It is about unifying form and function.
The design of ATE points towards two notions. One is the idea that the simplicity of the product form will bring a cheerful feeling to people, and the other is the lowering of the production cost. Both are achieved mainly by simplifying the construction of the sharpener.
1.5 inch in size, ATE has no moving parts. One inserts the pencil into one of the holes, and twists the pencil while holding the sharpener motionless. The inbuilt blade shaves the wood of the pencil, thus sharpening the tip. ATE also answers the problem of sharp tips getting broken in the event of sharpening the pencils, as the sharp tip never touches any part of the sharpener. The dual cone caters to both traditional and thick chubby pencils.
ATE, when rolled over, moves in a circular fashion due to its uneven cone size. This is quite an interesting sight on the table top!
http://red-dot.sg/concept/porfolio/06/13pw/R091ATE.htm
