When you can't find your pencil sharpener use a wood plane, if you have one, or a sharp knife. Pull the pencil against the blade, turning it as you pull. To hone the point of the lead itself, rub it across sandpaper, an emery board or the friction strip of a matchbox.
Try a potato peeler.
If you're desperate, break the pencil in two. You may be left with a usable, if jagged, edge.
Glue a small plastic pencil sharpener to the bottom edge of your desk or telephone table. That way, you can sharpen a pencil one-handed, leaving the other hand free for the phone, and you won't lose the sharpener.
