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Who ATE my pencil?
red dot
red dot award: design concept 2007
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Sandip Paul |
ATE is a double-bladed stainless steel pencil sharpener, which effectively sharpens large and small pencils.
In 1847, Therry des Estwaux invented the pencil sharpener. Ever since, people have built upon the beautification and automation of the product, but its basic construction has remained untouched. Today, there are numerous sharpeners with superfluous exterior enhancements. The analysis of existing sharpeners led to the revelation of its basic working principal – the wrapped cone with a blade mounted onto the inner end, which acts as a chiselled edge for the pencil inserted in it.
ATE is all about voluntary simplicity. It is about unifying form and function. The design of ATE is based on two notions: the idea that the simplicity of the product form will have an emotional appeal, and the lowering of the production cost. Both are achieved by simplifying the construction of the sharpener.
1.5 inches in size, ATE has been designed without any movable parts. One inserts the pencil into one of the holes, and twists the pencil while holding the sharpener. The inbuilt twin-blades shave 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. This is prevented, as the tip of the pencil does not touch any part of the sharpener. The dual cone caters to both traditional and thick pencils. Its satin surface and rubberised ends give it a sleek finish. 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!
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