--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing I hear about a lot is when…" description: "\"The thing I hear about a lot is when people over-sharpen their pencil with a single-blade pocket-sharpener and then when they put the pencil to the pag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/david-rees-13338_blades_the-thing-i-hear-about-a-lot-is-when-peo_2488287.jpg" --- # The thing I hear about a lot is when people over-sharpen… ![“The thing I hear about a lot is when people over-sharpen their pencil with a single-blade pocket-sharpener and then when they put the pencil to the page, their tip breaks and pencil points always break irregularly. It always gets all jagged and you have to refresh the point. That's a common…” quote by David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/david-rees-13338_blades_the-thing-i-hear-about-a-lot-is-when-peo_2488287.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/david-rees-13338_blades_the-thing-i-hear-about-a-lot-is-when-peo_2488287.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/david-rees-13338_blades_the-thing-i-hear-about-a-lot-is-when-peo_2488287.jpg) > “The thing I hear about a lot is when people over-sharpen their pencil with a single-blade pocket-sharpener and then when they put the pencil to the page, their tip breaks and pencil points always break irregularly. It always gets all jagged and you have to refresh the point. That's a common complaint.” [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over‑sharpening a pencil leads to a fragile tip that breaks, illustrating how over‑preparing can cause failure. **In simple terms:** Too much preparation can make things break. Key Takeaway Balance preparation with flexibility. Themes preparation fragility balance Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - drawing - project planning Key Concepts craftsmanship risk management Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when preparation is enough? - When does fine‑tuning become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Over‑sharpening can waste time without improving results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complaints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaints/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sharpener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharpener/) ## Related quotes > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [“The only perfection available to you without compromise is that of intention and effort. If you endeavor to be the best pencil sharpener you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-only-perfection-available-to-you-without-compromise-is-that-of/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Once you use a toothbrush to clean a pencil sharpener, you should no longer use it to clean your teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/once-you-use-a-toothbrush-to-clean-a-pencil-sharpener-you-should-no/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Now I will give you a piece of advice. I will tell you something that I absolutely believe you should do, and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ruefle/now-i-will-give-you-a-piece-of-advice-i-will-tell-you-something-that/) [Mary Ruefle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ruefle/) > [I am only a little pencil in the hand of our Lord. He may cut or sharpen the pencil. He may write or draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-am-only-a-little-pencil-in-the-hand-of-our-lord-he-may-cut-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“Can you sharpen this for me, please?” Logan leaned across the table and took the pencil from him. “You want me to play with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/can-you-sharpen-this-for-me-please-logan-leaned-across-the-table-and/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [Grab my paper and sharpen my… knife? Oh no, not that bizarre one. Pencil.. hell yeah, I need to sharpen my pencil cause I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniya/grab-my-paper-and-sharpen-my-knife-oh-no-not-that-bizarre-one-pencil/) [Daniya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniya/) > [About the use of language: it is impossible to sharpen a pencil with a blunt axe. It is equally vain to try to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/about-the-use-of-language-it-is-impossible-to-sharpen-a-pencil-with-a/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [On my desk, I always have a lemon or a lime drying. I love the fragrance. Also, a Staedtler eraser, a brush for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/on-my-desk-i-always-have-a-lemon-or-a-lime-drying-i-love-the/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I drink a lot, probably too much. My scene while writing lyrics is always a bottle of scotch and stacks of note cards, pencil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-folds/i-drink-a-lot-probably-too-much-my-scene-while-writing-lyrics-is/) [Ben Folds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-folds/) > [Life is pointless unless you have a sharpener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-lilwall/life-is-pointless-unless-you-have-a-sharpener/) [Cory Lilwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-lilwall/) > [A lot of songs you write are just for exercise - just pencil sharpeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-howard/a-lot-of-songs-you-write-are-just-for-exercise-just-pencil-sharpeners/) [Harlan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-howard/) > [I believe I saw a woodcock. He had a long bill like putting a fire hydrant into a pencil sharpener, then pasting it onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/i-believe-i-saw-a-woodcock-he-had-a-long-bill-like-putting-a-fire/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64-color boxes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/life-is-like-a-box-of-crayons-most-people-are-the-8-color-boxes-but-2/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [Some people may be famous for creating a pencil sharpener. I'm famous for my tits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-price/some-people-may-be-famous-for-creating-a-pencil-sharpener-i-m-famous/) [Katie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-price/) ## More by David Rees > [I have a really analytical approach to art. And the whole idea that you can't analyze what makes a joke funny...I do not agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-have-a-really-analytical-approach-to-art-and-the-whole-idea-that/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't even drink Coke. It tastes like robot sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-even-drink-coke-it-tastes-like-robot-sweat/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I just wanted a really simple, dramatic way so that fans, people who were reading my comic, would be like, "This is something different."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-just-wanted-a-really-simple-dramatic-way-so-that-fans-people-who/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I was just worried that someone was gonna think that I had been commissioned by Jamba Juice to make cartoons about Jamba Juice. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-was-just-worried-that-someone-was-gonna-think-that-i-had-been/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't like when performers rag on their ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend in absentia. If they're not there, it just feels rude... I'm never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-like-when-performers-rag-on-their-ex-girlfriend-or-ex/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I would make a comic for Rolling Stone every two weeks, because they're biweekly. And then I would make weekly comics for my weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-would-make-a-comic-for-rolling-stone-every-two-weeks-because-they/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The way you make money is to do something you don't like to do. And that's how you know you're a virtuous person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-way-you-make-money-is-to-do-something-you-don-t-like-to-do-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I'm interested in the structure of art and how it works. And the content is also interesting, but I don't want to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-m-interested-in-the-structure-of-art-and-how-it-works-and-the/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [“And you know what happened next in my dream? Dick Cheney and I said the same thing at the same time: "Well, we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/and-you-know-what-happened-next-in-my-dream-dick-cheney-and-i-said/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) [Explore all 50 David Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## More Blades quotes > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. 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We are like a fine blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-atchley-jr/our-past-is-the-forge-upon-which-we-are-hardened-and-tempered-to/) Larry Atchley Jr > [When a buddha is painted, not only a clay altar or lump of earth is used, but the thirty-two marks, a blade of grass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/when-a-buddha-is-painted-not-only-a-clay-altar-or-lump-of-earth-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [I felt freed to please myself, to find my way as I would, in a world that was much vaster than I had realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-lanagan/i-felt-freed-to-please-myself-to-find-my-way-as-i-would-in-a-world/) [Margo Lanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-lanagan/) > [I would like to see a fierce Fantasia mixed with Blade Runner, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars all in one. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/i-would-like-to-see-a-fierce-fantasia-mixed-with-blade-runner-lord-of/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [Paper or razor blade, never give up And just remember just to hold out more A couple years ago I couldn't just control that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/paper-or-razor-blade-never-give-up-and-just-remember-just-to-hold-out/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [There are those who say that trees shade the garden too much, and interfere with the growth of the vegetables. There may be something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/there-are-those-who-say-that-trees-shade-the-garden-too-much-and/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You need flawless balance on the recovery. 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Before I catch blood on my blade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-murray/it-s-ninety-six-degrees-in-the-shade-before-i-catch-blood-on-my-blade/) [Keith Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-murray/) > ["Lay the knife at the tips of your fingers," Rob commanded. "So close youcan feel the blade against your skins. Then cut the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/lay-the-knife-at-the-tips-of-your-fingers-rob-commanded-so-close/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) Browse all 490 Blades quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing I hear about a lot is when people over-sharpen their pencil with a single-blade pocket-sharpener and then when they put the pencil to the page, their tip breaks and pencil points always break irregularly. It always gets all jagged and you have to refresh the point. 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