"It's so funny to find this article. My trusty old Panasonic, exactly the model shown in your header photo, finally bit the dust this morning. When it broke I was telling my husband that all the electric pencil sharpeners I've purchased since this one have been absolute garbage. (The only reason I even purchased additional ones was to have one in our home office - the good old Panasonic has been at our business for years.) I was hoping to find a replacement gear for mine, that's what broke today - but it looks like I'll be scouring eBay and any other resources to find a "real" sharpener. What a shame it's come down to nothing but crap now."