A pencil sharpener (also referred to as Topper in Ireland) is a device for sharpening a pencil's point by shaving one end. Pencil sharpeners exist in both electric and hand-powered forms. Pencils were in use before the development of devices specifically to sharpen them.

Previously, they were sharpened by shaving with a knife. Pencil sharpeners made this task much easier and gave a more uniform result. Some specialized types, such as a carpenter's pencil are still usually sharpened with a knife, due to their flat shape, though recently[when?] a fixed-blade device with a rotatable collar has become available.

Bernard Lassimone, a French mathematician, applied for the first patent (French patent #2444) on pencil sharpeners in 1828. In 1847, Therry des Estwaux invented an improved mechanical sharpener. Electric pencil sharpeners for offices have been made since at least 1917.

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