The replacement erasers also come in different colors, so you can have fun customizing your pencils!īlackwings are longer than a typical pencil, making them particularly comfortable for drawing with, and they come in four different grades of lead (more on this below). Second, they’re rectangular, so they have small corners that are useful for erasing little details. The erasers are one of the most beloved aspects of these pencils, for two reasons: first, they’re replaceable and extendable, so unlike the erasers on typical wooden pencils, they won’t wear down long before the lead. Why Blackwing?īlackwing pencils are prized for their high-quality graphite that rarely breaks, incense-cedar wood that sharpens easily, and distinctive flat ferrule and rectangular eraser. In this guide, we explain some of the reasons that Blackwing pencils are so beloved, the differences between their four classic pencil types, and the story of their limited edition pencils. In addition to recreating the famous Blackwing 602, they created pencils with a range of harder and softer leads, suitable for artists, writers, musicians, and pencil fans of all stripes. Animators, cartoonists and writers swore by this pencil, said to write with “Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed.” When it was discontinued in 1998, disconsolate fans took to eBay to buy up all the Blackwings they could find, until 2010, when the Blackwing brand was revived by the Palomino pencil company. This nonprofit funds arts and music education at the K-12 level.Blackwing pencils have had something of a cult following ever since Eberhard Faber produced the original Blackwing 602 pencil in the 1930’s. They followed that up with the Blackwing 602, which more closely imitated the original, and went on to produce the Pearl, Volumes, and Colors editions.įittingly for a product so tied to the arts, a portion of all sales of Blackwing Pencils benefits the Blackwing Foundation. Inspired by the comparison, California Cedar acquired the Blackwing trademark and produced a pencil that married the original Blackwing’s look and feel with a softer lead and black barrel. In the meantime, a company called California Cedar Products came out with a pencil under the Palomino brand that reminded some users of the original Blackwing. The internet was also growing at that time, which allowed Blackwing fans to not only share pencil stories but buy and sell the rapidly depleting stock online-sometimes for more than $40 per pencil. Eberhard Faber discontinued the Blackwing in 1998.ĭedicated Blackwing users quickly stockpiled all the pencils they could find. When the machine that made the custom Blackwing ferrules broke, demand was so low that it did not make sense to repair it. Competition from cheaper, mass-market pencils shrank its small customer base even further over time. Author John Steinbeck and animator Chuck Jones specifically mentioned how much they preferred it.ĭespite this popularity, the Blackwing never sold well. It popped up in the hands of Truman Capote, Igor Stranvisky, and Quincy Jones, among others. Its slogan boasted that it provided “Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed.” Famous writers, artists, and composers seemed to agree.
Its appearance was unusual yet attractive, and it was undeniably high quality. The original Blackwing was introduced in the 1930s by Eberhard Faber, a well-known pencil manufacturer (if the name reminds you of Faber-Castell, you’re not wrong-the two companies have historical family ties).Īlthough it was released during the Great Depression, the Blackwing was as much a premium pencil then as it is now. Planner Stickers, Pens, Stamps, and More.Japanese Stationery: What's the Big Deal?.The Difference Between Ballpoint, Gel, and Rollerball Pens.
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