Pencil Blackwing

Nobody could have guessed that the Blackwing 602 from Eberhard Faber enjoyed a large following among pencil enthusiasts when the American manufacturer discontinued its production in 1998. Only a short time later, the remaining pencils were highly traded, so Palomino, another American stationery manufacturer with a no less rich tradition, decided to bring out a modified new edition of the Blackwing. Although scholars (and unscholars) in the vastness of the digital world argue about the legitimacy of this successor, we have formed a first-hand and personal opinion via distribution around the house and analog use of the pencil, which, despite all its shortcomings, has turned out to be positive: the pencil has proven to be a formidable writing and drawing instrument. The only flaw we would like to mention here is the construction and nature of the eraser: the ferrule does not hold it in place sufficiently, so that it slips back when erasing.

Unlike the original, the Blackwing 602 comes in gray lacquered Californian cedar wood with a graphite lead that is relatively soft and can form a good bond with the paper surface with just a little pressure. Like the original, the successor also bears the corresponding message on the back: "Half the pressure, twice the speed." Although the imprint alone does not make writing any faster, it does give an excellent impression of writing and drawing with this pen. The Blackwing is available in three other gradations, as Blackwing Pearl with a white barrel (4B), as Blackwing with a black barrel in the softest gradation (6B) and in natural with the hardest of the four gradations offered. The designations of the hardness grades differ from those used in Europe, so the graphite leads are slightly softer than is usual here.