Pinocchio Pencil Sharpeners

Chinese designer Mike He has fashioned a pencil sharpener after Pinocchio, the fictional character created by Carlo Collodi in the 1880s and popularised by Disney in 1940.

Called ‘Honest Pinocchio’, this pencil sharpener positions the pencil where Pinocchio’s nose would be. As the pencil is sharpened, it becomes shorter, signifying honesty on the part of Pinocchio.

Pinocchio’s large nose grew when he was stressed, particularly if he was lying, and would only shrink back if he was being honest.

The Pinocchio paradox is a version of the liar paradox and arises when Pinocchio says, “My nose will grow.” This statement can neither be true nor false.