It is the curse of being a photographer, that everyone gives you camera-related gifts. The trouble stems from the inevitable truth, that my children and friends are not going to buy me that new fast lens that I have been thinking of getting - or fork out for a new set of studio lights. So, based on years of experience, what I am likely to be given is a novelty mug shaped like a lens.
I quite liked the first one I got given – in fact it is still on my desk at home as a place to put my pens and pencils. But I certainly never needed two, or three, or four…
But yesterday, when browsing the V&A gift shop in London, I found a novelty gift for photographers that I actually would LOVE – and it has gone straight on my list of suggestions to give my kids when the eventually ask me what I'd like for Christmas this year.
The Kikkerland Camera Pencil Sharpener is a retro gift that takes me back to two different periods of my past life. It looks like the twin-lens reflex film cameras that you could still buy from Yashica and Rollei when I first started writing about photography.
But the function of this device also reminds me that of the pencil sharpeners that were in every classroom when I was in school. If the tip of your pencil broke, or went blunt, you'd insert in this meat-grinder-like contraption and turn the handle until it has a point again.
The Kikkerland sharpener (which sells on Amazon for under $15 / £15) behaves in the same way as the ones of my childhood - with a clamping mechanism to hold the pencil, a handle to turn, and a draw to catch the shavings. However, the design has been improved so you decide just how sharp you want your point. Using a grinding mechanism rather than a blade, the device stops sharpening once your chosen point shape is achieved. Back at school, you could keep turning the sharpening until the pencil was sharpened to a mere stump... such childish behavior is not possible here.
If my gift wish comes true, I will have a set of super-sharp pencils in my lens mug come the New Year!
