Abstract: A pencil sharpener for a soft core pencil includes a sharpener housing defining a guide channel adapted to receive a front region of the pencil therein and conically tapering in an insertion direction of the pencil, and a free space adjoining the guide channel in the insertion direction and being adapted to receive a core tip of the pencil therein. The sharpener further includes a sharpener blade disposed within the housing and positioned tangentially with respect to the guide channel, and a housing projection disposed in the housing and projecting into the free space and being configured for shaping the core tip of the pencil according to an intended shape. The housing projection comprises a shaving rib having an approximately wedge shaped cross section and projecting from the housing projection in an effective direction essentially tangential to a circumference of the core tip and being configured as a generatrix for the intended shape of the core tip.