The materials from which it is made, the shape of its rubber, the hardness of its graphite and the experience that using it provides have elevated this pencil born in the United States to the category of best pencil in the world. But is there something else that makes it special? What is it that attracts everyone and that once you use it you can't go back? Here we will try to explain it to you.
The history of Blackwing pencils
First, a little history. The original Blackwing, or Blackwing 602, was created in 1934 in the United States, by Eberhard Faber (family of one of the founders of Faber-Castell). Despite being a product born during the great depression, it is manufactured seeking the highest quality from the beginning. Its elegant but unusual appearance attracts attention and its bold claim with a clear commitment has just attracted people's interest:
“Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed.”
Soon, many writers, musicians and artists of the time discovered it and confirmed the excellent quality of a pencil born with the idea of becoming a benchmark.
Although it is extremely popular among professionals from all sectors , it never becomes a bestseller, the mass production of other pencils and the low price at which they can be found make Blackwing a niche product only for connoisseurs : most Some of the classic cartoons that come from that era, like Bugs Bunny, were created with a Blackwing 602.
Time passes and sales do not increase, a pencil idolized by some of the best writers, journalists and cartoonists of the time faces an abrupt end. In 1998 its production stopped when one of the machines that make it broke down. The reduced sales and the cost of repairing the machine put an end to its beautiful and long journey.
Then a fever begins to get hold of one of the last Blackwings that remain, on Ebay they begin to pay up to 35 euros for a single pencil and those who can buy boxes to ensure their supply. In 2007 , another company called Palomino , after creating pencils with cedar wood and Japanese graphite that are reminiscent of the famous Blackwing in terms of its user experience, decided to pick up the gauntlet thrown by the world's creative community and revived the Blackwing pencil in 2010.
More than 10 years have passed since its rebirth and Blackwing is more popular than ever , its excellent quality, its limited editions and word of mouth have once again made it a benchmark. If you want to know more about the history of Blackwing you can watch this video by the content creator Judith Tiral, this video and all the ones she makes are great.
We already know the exciting history of these pencils, now we are going to see how they are made to be so special.
How are Blackwing Pencils made?
The Blackwings are made with Californian incense cedar wood, a wood that, in addition to being pleasant and soft to the touch, gives them a characteristic smell that lasts over time.
The hexagonal shape of its body and its length, which exceeds what is normal for other pencils, makes it much more ergonomic and comfortable to hold.
Its very smooth lacquer finish is achieved by giving it 10 very thin layers of paint and its golden details with an embossing machine that prevents it from deteriorating with use. (If you want to know more about the production process you can see it here ).
Its Japanese graphite heart is produced with a formula that mixes it with wax and clay in different proportions to achieve the four levels of hardness in which we can find it:
- Soft : the softest and darkest of all the graphites it comes with. Ideal for drawing.
- Balanced : balanced hardness, it is in between soft and firm.
- Firm : it is the one that carries the mythical Blackwing 602, perfect for writing . A bit softer than the typical pencil you can find anywhere. This graphite is the one that promises twice the speed with half the pressure.
- Extra firm : the hardest of the entire range. Although all the others can be used for anything you can imagine, this one is especially recommended for writing a lot of text or doing well-detailed lines.
The cap , one of the most characteristic elements of the Blackwing, is made of aluminum and comes with a soft, residue -free rubber that always matches the accompanying pencil.
So… is it the best pencil in the world?
Well, as you will see , Blackwing takes care of even the smallest detail of production and this, together with the incredible story that accompanies this pencil, has made it the favorite of the world's creative community.
Objectively we cannot tell you if it is the best pencil in the world, but of course, taking into account everything we have told you, it should not be missing much. Do you want to find out for yourself if it's as good as it's cracked up to be?
Here you can get yours. And if you want to know more about the range, the accessories or all the Blackwing products that you can find at Likely , keep reading.
Blackwing Collection
The Blackwing permanent collection consists mainly of four pencils with different characteristics:
Blackwing Volumes, Limited Editions
Also, from time to time and on special occasions, limited editions packed with history and meaning are released. At Likely.es right now you can find the following:
Blackwing Volume 10001 (Firm):
When Tetsuya Miyamoto invented the KenKen® puzzle in his math class in 2004, his goal was to improve his students' problem-solving and logic skills. Tetsuya described his method as "The art of teaching without teaching", and his dream was always to make the world better thanks to his invention. Today, the KenKen® puzzle is the only one that is printed daily along with the New York Times crossword puzzle. Puzzles like these inspire us to apply problem solving and logic creatively, letting our minds perform a beautiful dance between their left and right hemispheres.
Blackwing 10001 (壱万壱) pays homage to Miyamoto Sensei's puzzles and other creative ways of teaching and learning.
Set of 12 Blackwing Volume 10001 Pencils (Out of Stock)
Blackwing Volume 10 (extra Firm):
In 1887, Joseph Pulitzer's New York World commissioned Nellie Bly, a still unknown journalist, to investigate the Blackwell's Island asylum in New York. The work that came out of that assignment, which she titled "Ten Days in a Madhouse," is one of the earliest and most iconic examples of impartial investigative journalism. His article exposed the brutal conditions in which patients were forced to live, and highlighted the misconceptions that society had about mental illness.
The Blackwing 10 is a tribute to Nellie Bly and investigative journalists like her.
Blackwing Eras (Extra Firm):
The Blackwing Eras model celebrates the 10th anniversary of Blackwing's rebirth. It is a tribute to the past and a celebration of the future of the brand.
This special edition is inspired by some of the first Blackwings ever produced.
This model has a dark gray finish, an extra firm graphite lead, the rubber grip is black with a dark gold stripe and a red eraser.
Blackwing Volume 3 (Extra Firm):
In June 1966, George Harrison met the teacher Ravi Shankar in Bath, England. Harrison asked Ravi to teach him how to play the sitar, a task Ravi agreed to after much thought. Their collaboration resulted in an explosion in the popularity of Indian classical music and culture in the United States and around the world.
The Blackwing 3 is a tribute to Ravi Shankar on the hundredth anniversary of his birth. This model features our extra-strong graphite and a matte turmeric yellow finish accented with a pattern inspired by one of Ravi's iconic sitars. The pattern prominently features the ॐ (Om), a sacred Sanskrit symbol with three phonetic components that correlate to the states of wakefulness, sleep, and unconsciousness.
Blackwing Volume XIX (Firm):
On August 18, 1920 Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. After nearly a century of lobbying, marching, and protesting, it was finally made illegal to deny someone the right to vote because of their sex. This was a huge step forward for equal voting rights in the US.
The Blackwing XIX is a tribute to the 19th Amendment and the continuing fight for women's voting rights in the United States and around the world.
Blackwing Volume 223 (Balanced):
On February 23, 1940, the American singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie wrote at the end of one of his compositions the phrase: "All you can write is what you see" ("All you can write is what you see"). The song he had just written spoke of the inequality he had witnessed on his travels across America, it was about what would become one of the most moving and iconic folk songs in history: This Land Is Your Land.
The Blackwing 223 is a tribute to singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie and his unwavering optimism. Each pencil features a design inspired by these 3 phrases: "ribbon of highway", "endless skyway" and "golden valley" that are part of the song "This Land is your Land".
Blackwing Accessories:
The considered best pencil in the world always has to be treated with affection, respect and care. And although it is an all-rounder and can withstand what you throw at it, its useful life is extended when combined with accessories designed with this pencil in mind:
Sharpener
Your Blackwing always sharp.
Blackwing Tip Guard
Let nothing ruin the tip of your favorite pencil.
Blackwing Erasers
Available in a lot of colors so you can customize your Blackwing with the color of rubber that you like the most.
Blackwing Notebooks
To go along with their famous pencils, Palomino has brought out the Blackwing Slate Notebook range produced to the same quality that you would expect from their flagship product. These notebooks are available with dot mesh sheets, include a pencil and a handy pencil holder to always carry your favorite Blackwing with you. Its finish is spectacular, you can find them in A5 size in white, black and gray at Likely.es
Blackwing Set Starting Point
This kit has everything you need to enter the world of Blackwing in a big way. It has a pencil of each of the four hardnesses in which it is manufactured, a pencil sharpener, pencil holder and spare erasers... In addition, it is perfect to give to that creative friend or lover of design that we all have because it comes in a beautiful box that it makes it look so much more special.
Thanks for reading us!
I hope that after this thread that we have released you will have a much clearer idea of what a Blackwing pencil is, which one can best be adapted to your style and how you can accompany it with the best accessories. And if you have more questions or want to ask us anything related to this or any other design stationery product, you can do so here.
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