The Blackwing 602 is probably the icon of the pencil world. Originally it was manufactured by Eberhard Faber Pencil Company in the United States. It was introduced in 1934. The Blackwing featured a couple of innovations. First, they optimized their cores composition by soaking them in wax to fill the core’s pores and by doing so making the writing experience a lot smoother. At least that’s what they claimed with their infamous slogan embossed on every pencil: “Half the pressure, twice the speed”. Second, they innovated the ferrule to hold replaceable erasers. By pulling out the metal clip you can just replace the old eraser with a new one once it wore down. Also by making the ferrule flat, the pencils wouldn’t roll of the table as easily. Also – it just looks amazing.
With all those fancy features the Blackwing 602 quickly gained a huge followership that even included a few famous writers and musicians.
After some ups and downs, consolidations, finally the original Blackwings were discontinued in 1998 after the stocks of the little clips holding the eraser were emptied and the machine that produced them broke down. What followed where bid wars over the last 602s available driving prices easily beyond 50€ and more per pencil.
In 2010 brand rights were purchased by a californian pencil company that brought the Blackwing brand back to life so we all can enjoy the little luxury of a Blackwing.
The 602s core is graded as “firm” which compares to a 2B. Writing indeed is smooth and the graphite leaves a saturated rich stroke.
Length: 20cm
Sold as box of a dozen.
