Degen

The first desktop pencil sharpener was invented by Walter K. Foster in 1897. This device was the first mechanical pencil sharpener that, instead of manually shaving the pencil, used a mechanical lever to rotate the pencil and collect the shavings. This invention made sharpening pencils faster and more efficient compared to traditional manual methods.

Early desktop pencil sharpeners were primarily used in offices and schools, and over time, they were improved and evolved into the forms we recognize today.