Is it significantly less costly than a mechanical pencil, which "sharpens" itself by extending more lead? No? Then it's a stupid idea. The old-fashioned wooden pencil becomes unusable because it's too short long before the lead core (which is really graphite) is used up.

I agree this is a stupid idea. Sure it will catch some people, but the majority of the population can see this is stupid and will buy a mechanical pencil that can be refilled over and over again for much much less cost.

"the majority of the population can see this is stupid"

You underestimate the idiocy of the American public.

Agreed that a mechanical pencil is far less costly and doesn't even need the sharpener. It's somewhat balanced by the fact that it's a Faber Castell pencil, though, which is noted for high quality (especially for artists, who sometimes prefer wooden over mechanical).

You really can't compare a regular pencil to a mechanical one. Not only do artists need better quality pencils, but I for one can't stand using mechanical pencils. In the fury of a good calculus problem mechanical pencils always seem to break, but even a half-decent yellow no. 2 won't let you down.

Less more except when a pencil is a stylus. I can't remember the last time I used a pencil. Maybe it was in the '80's. It's so third world.

Pencils with built in sharpeners have been around for at leats 20-25 years now, made by folks like Koh-I-noor and Staedler. Nothing new here.

Here's a sharpener called the gripsharp that's a pencil grip as well. You can't loose this one either and it turns your regular pencil into a mechanical one. Check it out. www.gripsharpco.com

Man Miraxian be quite. Stop using stereotypes, + no one would like this thing...I think most people just type or use mechanical pencils if they have to, or pens work well too.

The gripsharp basically removes only the wood from your pencil leaving all your lead intact. A lead holder for the common pencil! Inventive to say the least. G.

It actually wouldn't be a bad idea if they just sold the sharpener alone. It would be nice to buy a few of the sharpeners and stick them on wood pencils you used alot (anybody who does any real sort of drawing/sketching knows the value of wood pencils). Done with the pencil? Use the cap with its replacement :)

well this may be a stupid idea, but who really cares. This will make taking scantron tests alot better (mechanical pencils are not allowed, only no. 2.) Although i am a little curious what would happen if you break the pencile in half (used to happen to me all the time when i was a kid.) I can only assume that would either destory the sharpener, or you would be able to remove it and clip it on the better half. Also it makes you curious if you would have to stop to sharpen it, or if the pencile automatically went at it while writing (which would be nice, despite how impossible it seem to be able to detect.)

Scantron tests...can any one say Gripsharp!

yes the gripsharp is very interesting, but unfortunately no one really cares as this webpage is about a different product (no matter how similar it may be)

I was gonna say that this pencil has been around for at least 5 years, so this particular product isn't new. The following site has had it since 2003...
http://remogeneralstore.com/pages/item.cfm?PLU=1145