Carl Angel-5 Royal Sharpener: Point Settings & Size
The CARL Angel-5 Royal 3 (A5RY3) is a Japanese hand-crank desk pencil sharpener with a two-step point adjuster: a sharp 0.5 mm or a blunt 0.9 mm lead tip. Retailers list it at 73 × 121 × 132 mm and 484 g. CARL says it is made in Japan, but CARL Japan now lists it as discontinued.
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Product facts
- Product
- CARL Angel-5 Royal 3 Pencil Sharpener
- Brand
- CARL
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Japan*
- Material
- Double-thickness steel case, zinc die-cast cutter and internal gear, resin clutch (CARL International)
- Price range
- $$$$20–75 per item
Notes on these facts
- Made by CARL Office Machines Co., Ltd. (カール事務器株式会社), Japan. Made in Japan: CARL International's Royal 3 page says Made in Japan, The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin, and the Amazon US listing says Original Made in Japan. The plain Angel-5 sold in US office-supply channels (19016) is a different model; Blue Dog Ink lists China for it. 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; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Two point settings: a sharp 0.5 mm or a blunt 0.9 mm lead tip, per CARL Japan's FAQ.
- Retailers list the Royal 3 at 73 × 121 × 132 mm (2.9 × 4.8 × 5.2 in) and 484 g (about 1.07 lb).
- CARL Japan's list of discontinued models includes the A5RY3 with no successor; the stepless Angel-5 Grand costs ¥4,400 (about US$28) in Japan.
- US listings sell 4 colors (Aqua Sky Green, Empire Red, Peri Blue, Antique White); Japan sold cream, pink, light blue and light green.
- CARL's international site and The Journal Shop say the Royal 3 is made in Japan.
What is the Carl Angel-5 Royal?
It’s a hand-crank desk pencil sharpener from the Japanese maker CARL (カール事務器), with a two-step point adjuster. The version still sold in the US is the Angel-5 Royal 3 (Japanese code A5RY3). You pull the chuck out, clamp a pencil in it and turn the crank.
The Angel-5 family has a following among pencil users. A long-term review on The Gentleman Stationer says it has developed a cult following for the long point it makes.
How do the 0.5 and 0.9 mm settings work?
The adjuster has two steps: a sharp setting that leaves a 0.5 mm lead tip and a blunt one that leaves 0.9 mm. CARL Japan’s FAQ gives both figures as a guide to the tip thickness (芯先の太さの目安), not the pencil size.
The sharp setting suits fine lines and drawing. The blunt tip is sturdier, which is useful for writing with soft grades that snap easily.
Carl Angel-5 Royal 3 specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | CARL (Japan) |
| Model | Angel-5 Royal 3 (Japanese code A5RY3) |
| Size (W × L × H) | 73 × 121 × 132 mm (2.9 × 4.8 × 5.2 in) |
| Weight | 484 g (1.07 lb) |
| Point settings | 2 steps: 0.5 mm (sharp) or 0.9 mm (blunt) lead tip |
| Feed | Auto-feed and auto-stop |
| Build | Steel case, zinc die-cast cutter and gear, resin clutch (CARL International) |
| Pencil shapes | Round, triangular, hexagonal (Yoseka) |
| US colors | Aqua Sky Green, Empire Red, Peri Blue, Antique White |
| Japanese colors | Cream, pink, light blue, light green |
| Made in | Japan (per CARL International) |
| Price band ($$$ = $20–75) | $$$ |
The Journal Shop and Bungu Store list 73 × 121 × 132 mm, and a Japanese-market listing on Wafuu gives the same size and 484 g. The point settings come from CARL Japan’s FAQ, the Japanese colors from CARL Japan’s discontinued-models list, and the US colors from the Amazon US listing. CARL doesn’t give a maximum pencil diameter in the sources we found.
Why doesn’t it over-sharpen?
It has an auto-stop: once the point is formed, the handle turns lightly and the cutter stops removing wood. Retailers describe this, along with an auto-feed that pulls the pencil in as you turn the crank, so you don’t push it.
The Gentleman Stationer reports that its plain Angel-5 still showed no sign of a dull cutter after five years of heavy use.
How does the Royal compare with the plain Angel-5 and the Grand?
The Royal adds the two-step adjuster; the Grand has a stepless one. The plain Angel-5 makes one fixed point; The Gentleman Stationer names that as its main drawback.
| Angel-5 | Angel-5 Royal 3 | Angel-5 Grand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point adjuster | None (fixed point) | 2 steps: 0.5 or 0.9 mm | Stepless |
| Size | 73 × 124 × 130 mm (Classic) | 73 × 121 × 132 mm | 124 × 73 × 132 mm |
| Weight | 450 g (Classic) | 484 g | 540 g |
| Japan list price | ¥2,750 (about US$17) | Discontinued | ¥4,400 (about US$28) |
| Made in | Varies by listing | Japan | Japan |
Figures for the plain Angel-5 are CARL Japan’s for the current Angel-5 Classic (A5CL), which has no point adjuster; its page doesn’t state where it’s made. The Grand figures are CARL Japan’s: a stepless adjuster from about 0.5 to 0.9 mm, in Sharp (A5GRS) and Conic (A5GRC) versions, both described as made in Japan. Japanese prices include tax.
The earlier Angel-5 Royal (A5RY) came in blue, red and green, per CARL Japan’s discontinued list.
Which should you choose?
Pick the Royal 3 if you want one desk sharpener that makes two point styles. If a fixed point is enough, the plain Angel-5 is the simpler model.
For a long point on the go, the two-hole KUM Automatic Long Point splits the wood and graphite into two steps. Try it with a Ticonderoga #2, a Blackwing 602 or a Staedtler Mars Lumograph. For a classroom’s worth of pencils, an electric sharpener such as the X-ACTO School Pro is faster.
Is the Royal 3 still made?
No, not in Japan: CARL Japan’s list of discontinued models (生産終了品/後継品一覧) includes the Angel-5 Royal 3 (A5RY3) and leaves the successor column blank. We read the full list on October 20, 2026; the earlier Royal (A5RY), the Premium (A5PR) and the Premium 3 (A5PR3) are on it too. CARL Japan’s current Angel-5 range is the Classic and the two Grand models.
CARL Japan’s repair-fee notice of January 1, 2025, still covers the A5RY3, and its FAQ still sells a replacement shavings tray (PCSA003) for it. US retailers such as Amazon still list the Royal 3 in four colors, but Japanese-market colors such as light blue (A5RY3-T) may be harder to find as stock runs out.
Where is the Carl Angel-5 Royal made?
CARL’s international site labels the Royal 3 “Made in Japan”. The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin, and the Amazon US listing says Original Made in Japan.
Not every Angel-5 is. Blue Dog Ink lists China as the country of origin for the plain Angel-5 (19016), so check the model name if origin matters to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Carl Angel-5 and the Angel-5 Royal?
The Royal models add a two-step point adjuster for a sharp 0.5 mm or blunt 0.9 mm tip, and CARL sells the Royal 3 as made in Japan. The plain Angel-5 makes one fixed point, which The Gentleman Stationer calls its one drawback.
How big is the Carl Angel-5 Royal 3?
The Journal Shop and Bungu Store list it at 73 × 121 × 132 mm, about 2.9 × 4.8 × 5.2 in, and a Japanese-market listing on Wafuu gives 484 g (about 1.07 lb).
Does the Carl Angel-5 Royal over-sharpen pencils?
Not by design. Retailers describe an auto-feed and auto-stop: cranking draws the pencil in, and the handle turns freely once the point is formed, so it stops cutting.
What pencil shapes fit the Angel-5 Royal 3?
Yoseka Stationery says it takes standard round, triangular and hexagonal pencils. We didn't find a published maximum pencil diameter, so check jumbo pencils before buying.
Where is the Carl Angel-5 Royal made?
In Japan, according to CARL International's Royal 3 page. The Journal Shop also lists Japan as the country of origin, and the Amazon US listing says Original Made in Japan.
What colors does the Angel-5 Royal 3 come in?
US listings on Amazon name Aqua Sky Green, Empire Red, Peri Blue and Antique White. CARL Japan lists the A5RY3 in cream, pink, light blue and light green.
Is the Carl Angel-5 good for 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. We haven't tested colored pencils in it yet.
Sources
- 生産終了品/後継品一覧｜カール事務器 (CARL Japan discontinued models list: A5RY3 in cream, pink, light blue, light green, no successor)
- よくある質問｜カール事務器 (CARL Japan FAQ: A5RY3 point 0.5 mm / 0.9 mm; colored pencils)
- 定額修理料金改定のご案内｜カール事務器 (CARL Japan repair-fee notice from January 1, 2025, listing the A5RY3)
- エンゼル５グランシャープ A5GRS｜カール事務器 (CARL Japan: Angel-5 Grand Sharp, ¥4,400, 540 g, made in Japan)
- エンゼル5クラシック A5CL｜カール事務器 (CARL Japan: Angel-5 Classic, no point adjuster, 450 g)
- CARL International: New colours of Angel-5 Royal (MADE IN JAPAN), A-5 Royal 3
- CARL International: Angel-5 Grand, A5GR (stepless adjuster, 124 × 73 × 132 mm)
- The Journal Shop: CARL Angel 5 Royal 3 Desktop Pencil Sharpener (W73 × L121 × H132 mm, PVC and stainless steel, Japan)
- Wafuu: カール事務器 鉛筆削り エンゼル5 ロイヤル3 ライトブルー A5RY3-T (121 × 73 × 132 mm, 484 g)
- Yoseka Stationery: CARL Angel5 Royal-3 (2.87 × 4.76 × 5.19 in, sharp 0.5 or blunt 0.9 mm)
- Bungu Store: Manual Pencil Sharpener Angel-5 Royal 3 / CARL (W73 × L121 × H132 mm)
- Amazon: CARL Angel 5 Royal 3 Pencil Sharpener, Peri Blue (US colors, made in Japan)
- The Gentleman Stationer: Desktop tools, Carl Angel-5 pencil sharpener (long-term review)
- Blue Dog Ink: CARL Angel-5 19016 (country of origin China)