Blackwing pencils, sharpeners and accessories
Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Silver€34.95 €28.88- Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener White€34.95 €28.88
- Blackwing Pencil Essentials Set€75.00 €61.98
- Blackwing Natural Pencil - Set of 12€38.00 €31.40
- Blackwing 602 Pencil - Set of 12€38.00 €31.40
- Blackwing x The Lord of the Rings Gift Set€160.00 €132.23
- Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener Black€34.95 €28.88
- Blackwing Pearl White Pencil (Set of 12)€38.00 €31.40
- Blackwing Volume 292 Pencil Keith Haring (Set of…€44.95 €37.15
- Blackwing Point Guard White€16.00 €13.22
- Blackwing Point Guard Gold€16.00 €13.22
- Blackwing Pearl Pink Pencil (Set of 12)€38.00 €31.40
- Blackwing Two-Step Long Point Sharpener White€23.95 €19.79
- Blackwing Two-Step Long Point Sharpener Black€23.95 €19.79
- Blackwing Two-Step Long Point Sharpener Silver€23.95 €19.79
- Blackwing Volume 11 Bill Russell Pencil - (Set of…€39.00 €32.23
- Blackwing Colors Colored Pencils - Set of 12€41.95 €34.67
- Blackwing Volume 292 Smiling Heart Gift Set Keith…€144.95 €119.79
- Blackwing Walnut Gift Set Mixed€154.95 €128.06
- Blackwing Desktop Sharpener€159.95 €132.19
- Blackwing Point Guard Black€16.00 €13.22
- Blackwing Point Guard Silver€16.00 €13.22
- Blackwing Pearl Blue Pencil (Set of 12)€38.00 €31.40
- Blackwing Matte Pencil Black - Set of 12€38.00 €31.40
The Blackwing pencil dates back to 1934, when the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company launched the Blackwing 602. It built a following quickly. John Steinbeck sharpened 24 of them every morning before he wrote a single word. Chuck Jones drew Bugs Bunny with one. Composers Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, and Leonard Bernstein used them. Writers Truman Capote and Vladimir Nabokov kept them close. When the pencil was discontinued in 1998, remaining stock sold on eBay for over forty dollars per pencil. In 2011, California Cedar brought it back. The design and graphite formula stayed the same. Blackwing has been a fixture in premium stationery ever since.
Penworld carries the full Blackwing core range. The four models each cover a different part of the graphite spectrum. The Matte is the softest (comparable to 3B) and works well for drawing, sketching, and music notation. The Pearl has balanced graphite (comparable to 2B), making it the most versatile of the four. It is also available in pink and blue, each with its own eraser colour and silver imprint. The 602 has firm graphite (comparable to B) and carries the original slogan "Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed." The Natural is the firmest (comparable to HB), with an exposed Incense-cedar body and no coloured lacquer. The Pencil Essentials Set includes one pencil of each model together with a sharpener and Point Guard.
The Blackwing accessories are designed for daily use. The One-Step Long Point Sharpener is machined from aluminium with a German steel blade that creates a long, curved point resistant to breakage. The blade is replaceable and sold separately. The Point Guard is a compact aluminium cap that protects the point when the pencil is loose in a bag or pocket. The point floats freely inside, avoiding direct contact with the cap. It is available in matte black, gold, and silver. All Blackwing erasers are replaceable and sold separately in packs of ten across a range of colours.
Frequently asked questions about Blackwing
What is the difference between the four Blackwing models?
The four models differ in graphite grade. The Matte is the softest (comparable to 3B) and leaves a dark, expressive line. The Pearl has balanced graphite (comparable to 2B) and works for both writing and drawing. The 602 has firm graphite (comparable to B) and was designed for fast, precise writing. The Natural has extra firm graphite (comparable to HB) and features an exposed cedar body without coloured lacquer. Blackwing does not print an official grade on the pencils; the comparisons are approximations based on widely used references.
Are the erasers on Blackwing pencils replaceable?
Yes. The square eraser in the Blackwing ferrule slides out and can be replaced. Blackwing sells replacement erasers in sets of ten, available in several colours including black, white, pink, blue, and grey. This makes it easy to match the eraser to the pencil model or personal preference.
Who has used the Blackwing 602?
The pencil has a long list of well-known users. John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath with a Blackwing 602, sharpening 24 pencils each morning before he started. Chuck Jones used it to draw his Looney Tunes characters. Composers Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, and Leonard Bernstein, writers Truman Capote and Vladimir Nabokov, and designers Charles and Ray Eames all used Blackwing pencils.