CPSC, Target Announce Recall of Jumbo Pencils with Sharpeners

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #06009) was formally reported on October 18, 2005. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Target Corp., of Minneapolis, Minn. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 176,000 units are affected, a scale large enough to require multi-state distribution tracking.

The documented reason for this recall is: The sharpener's razor blade is exposed when the cover is removed. Also, the pencil sharpener hole is large enough to allow a finger to fit inside. This poses a laceration hazard to children and adults. Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should take the recalled jumbo pencil with sharpeners away from children immediately and return them to the nearest Target store for a GiftCard of $1 plus applicable state tax. — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 21 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.