Get the word out - Bespoke pencil sharpening from David Rees

Regular, boring pencil sharpening getting you down? Well you're in luck. David Rees, mentioned in this space before because he's funny and smart, is offering to sharpen your pencil. No, really. Because why the hell not? People pay $5 for a cup of coffee and $4 for a bottle of stuff they can get for free pretty much everywhere (e.g.: water) so this sounds like a pretty good business idea to me.

This is for real. Take it away, David:
 [Source, with my thanks]

1. What's your artistic process like?
"Some people ask me, 'Are you going to have an electric sharpener and just shove pencils in it all day, like a factory?' No. The whole point is that I'm going to have an authentic, honest-to-God encounter with your pencil. I'm not going to be absentminded. I want to get these things fucking sharp as shit. And when you get it back, you're like, 'Whoa. It's actually vaguely menacing how sharp this thing is.'"

2. Why does it cost so much?
"It's not like I'm rich and can just afford to do these whimsical things. I priced all of this out. I'm sure there's somebody in India who could sharpen your pencil for $8. But if you want authentic American craftsmanship, $12.50 per pencil. That's how much quality costs these days. Also, it just felt like how much someone would charge if this were a real thing. Which it is now, I guess."

3. Why are you doing this?
"One of my inspirations was a guy I went to high school with who is a classical guitar builder. I mean, talk about a lost art. Building high-end, classical guitars from scratch. Bending the wood, making the rosettes. You really get to know the instrument you're building. You really take your time. You've done it all. It's this absorbing, meditative process. Now, am I saying that me sharpening a pencil is the equivalent of him spending hundreds of hours building a guitar? Fuck it. Yeah, I am."