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Quick answer
The CARL Angel-5 Classic (A5CL) is CARL's lower-priced steel hand-crank desk sharpener, launched to bring the Angel-5 to more people. CARL Japan lists it at 73 × 124 × 130 mm and 450 g for ¥2,750 (about US$17), in blue, green, orange or yellow. It makes one fixed point, and Yodobashi says it is made in China.
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The Angel-5 Classic from the crank side, 124 × 130 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 1.6 px; details by eye).
Product facts
Product
CARL Angel-5 Classic hand-crank pencil sharpener (A5CL)
Steel body, metal handle, metal chuck, zinc die-cast internal gear (CARL Japan, CARL International)
Price range
$$$$20–75 per item
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Notes on these facts
Made by CARL Office Machines Co., Ltd. (カール事務器株式会社), Japan. Made in China: Yodobashi's A5CL listing gives 生産国：中国 (country of production: China) and its product copy says the Classic is not made in Japan and points buyers who want a Japanese-made sharpener to the Angel-5 Grand. CARL Japan's own A5CL page, as returned by search, doesn't state a country; CARL's site was down when we tried to read it on October 21, 2026. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
CARL Japan lists the Angel-5 Classic (A5CL) at W73 × L124 × H130 mm (2.9 × 4.9 × 5.1 in) and 450 g (0.99 lb).
It costs ¥2,750 (about US$17) including tax in Japan, against ¥4,400 (about US$28) for the Angel-5 Grand.
It has no point adjuster, and its metal chuck jaws leave marks on pencils, per CARL's product copy.
Four colors: blue, green, orange and yellow (A5CL-B, -G, -O, -Y); a desk clamp, K-11, is sold separately.
Yodobashi lists China as the country of production and says to buy the Grand for a Japanese-made model.
What is the CARL Angel-5 Classic?
It’s the entry model of CARL’s Angel-5 line of steel hand-crank desk pencil sharpeners, model A5CL. CARL’s product copy, as shown on Yodobashi, says the Classic keeps what made the Angel-5 good but was developed so more people could use one.
The line goes back a long way. The same copy says the Angel-5 revived CARL’s A-5 Angel sharpener of 1960 in 2010 and won an excellence prize at the 2011 Japan Stationery Awards. The Gentleman Stationer says the Angel-5 has a cult following for its long point.
Angel-5 Classic specs
Spec
Value
Maker
CARL (カール事務器, Japan)
Model
Angel-5 Classic, A5CL
Size (W × L × H)
73 × 124 × 130 mm (2.9 × 4.9 × 5.1 in)
Weight
450 g (0.99 lb); 520 g boxed
Point
One fixed point, no adjuster
Body and parts
Steel body, metal handle, metal chuck cam; zinc die-cast internal gear
Desk clamp
Not included; K-11 sold separately
Colors
Blue (A5CL-B), green (-G), orange (-O), yellow (-Y)
Size, weight, price and JAN codes come from CARL Japan’s A5CL page, matched by CARL International and Yodobashi. The gear material is from CARL International; the chuck, handle and origin from Yodobashi’s listing.
The Classic and the Grand at 1 mm = 1.3 px, from CARL's listed sizes.
How does the CARL Angel-5 Classic work?
You pull out the chuck, clamp the pencil in it and turn the crank; the mechanism draws the pencil in as it cuts. US retailers describe an auto-stop: once the point is formed, the cutter stops removing wood, so the pencil isn’t over-sharpened.
The Classic has no point adjuster, so every pencil gets the same point. The Gentleman Stationer names that fixed point as the plain Angel-5’s one drawback, but also reports no sign of a dull cutter after five years of heavy use.
Does the CARL Angel-5 Classic mark your pencils?
Yes: CARL warns that the Classic leaves hold marks on pencils. Its copy says the chuck cam is metal for durability, rather than rubber, which deteriorates with age.
If marks matter, for example on a Blackwing 602 you want to keep looking good, the Angel-5 Grand uses a resin chuck instead. CARL Japan’s FAQ also warns that colored pencils and soft, dark grades can be over-sharpened or break, because their cores are soft.
How does the Classic compare with the Grand and the Royal 3?
The Classic is the cheapest and simplest; the Grand adds a stepless adjuster and Japanese manufacture; the Royal 3 had two settings but is discontinued in Japan.
Angel-5 Classic
Angel-5 Grand
Angel-5 Royal 3
Point
Fixed
Stepless, about 0.5–0.9 mm
2 steps: 0.5 or 0.9 mm
Chuck
Metal
Resin
Not stated
Size
73 × 124 × 130 mm (2.9 × 4.9 × 5.1 in)
124 × 73 × 132 mm (4.9 × 2.9 × 5.2 in)
73 × 121 × 132 mm (2.9 × 4.8 × 5.2 in)
Weight
450 g
540 g
484 g
Japan list price
¥2,750 (about US$17)
¥4,400 (about US$28)
Discontinued
Made in
China
Japan
Japan
Classic and Grand figures are CARL Japan’s, with origins from Yodobashi; the Royal 3’s are from our Angel-5 Royal guide. The Angel-5 Grand comes in a straight-cone Conic and a bowed Sharp version.
Which should you buy?
Buy the Classic if you want the Angel-5’s long point and steel build for the least money. Our best pencil sharpeners roundup names it the desk crank pick.
Choose the Grand instead if you want to set the point, avoid chuck marks or have a Japanese-made sharpener. CARL International also sells a five-step Angel-5 SP (A5SP) outside Japan, at the same 124 × 73 × 130 mm.
Is the Angel-5 Classic the same as the Angel-5 sold in the US?
Not necessarily: “Angel-5” covers several models, so check the code. CARL International sells the A5CL in blue, green, orange and yellow, and separately the long-running A-5, which it dates to 1960 and sells with a desk clamp in red, blue and green.
US office-supply listings such as Walmart’s often say only “Angel-5”. Blue Dog Ink lists China as the origin of the Angel-5 it sells as 19016.
Where is the Angel-5 Classic made?
In China, according to Yodobashi’s listing (生産国：中国). CARL’s copy there says plainly that the Classic is not made in Japan and recommends the Angel-5 Grand to buyers who want a Japanese-made sharpener.
Frequently asked questions
Does the CARL Angel-5 Classic stop sharpening on its own?
Yes. US retailers describe an auto-stop: once the point is formed, the cutter stops removing wood, so the pencil isn't over-sharpened.
What is the difference between the Angel-5 Classic and the Angel-5 Grand?
The Classic makes one fixed point, has metal chuck jaws and is made in China, per Yodobashi. The Grand adds a stepless point adjuster from about 0.5 to 0.9 mm and a resin chuck, weighs 540 g, is made in Japan and costs ¥4,400 (about US$28).
How big is the Carl Angel-5 Classic?
CARL Japan lists it at 73 mm wide, 124 mm deep and 130 mm tall, about 2.9 × 4.9 × 5.1 in, and 450 g (0.99 lb) without the box.
Does the Angel-5 Classic come with a desk clamp?
No. CARL Japan's listing says no clamp is included, and Yodobashi names the K-11 as the compatible clamp, sold separately.
Does the Angel-5 Classic leave marks on pencils?
Yes. CARL's product copy on Yodobashi warns that it leaves hold marks, because the chuck cam is metal for durability rather than rubber, which wears out.
Can the Angel-5 Classic sharpen colored pencils?
With care. CARL Japan's FAQ warns that colored pencils and soft, dark graphite pencils can be over-sharpened or break because their cores are soft.
Is the Angel-5 Classic made in Japan?
No. Yodobashi lists China as the country of production, and CARL's copy there recommends the Angel-5 Grand to buyers who want a Japanese-made sharpener.
