To get the most use out of your colored pencils, you could sharpen them with a hand-held sharpener when they become too short to fit into the electric sharpener, or you could glue a short flat-ended pencil onto a longer flat-ended pencil to extend it.

The process:

• Apply a small amount of super-strong quick-drying glue to the end of one pencil.
• Match the ends of the pencils precisely and firmly press the pencils together, hold them still while you keep them pushed together till the glue adheres.
• Lay flat till glue sets.

It is possible for the glue to hold so well that you could sharpen all the way to the end of the stub as shown in the photo below. However, you may want to leave the other end of the longer pencil unsharpened if you wish to glue another pencil to it again in the future, or you could break the short stub off before the end of the longer pencil begins to be sharpened away.

It is best to glue pencils that are shorter. In the following photo the two examples on the left are suitable for gluing. It is possible to glue much longer pencils, but they become awkward to hold and to store away.

More Points & Tips for Gluing Pencils Together:

• The glue you use must be a very strong adhesive, one suitable for wood.
• Read the instructions on the glue packaging and take the precautions and warnings seriously.
• Use a small amount of glue, just enough to lightly coat the end of one pencil. Wipe off any excess glue with a paper towel quickly before it dries. It can become difficult to sharpen if the messy glue dries.