Blackwing Matte – Soft. Dark lines. Excellent shading ability.

Blackwing 602 – Firm. Lighter graphite. Great for notes, lists, and outlining

Pearl – Balanced. Graphite is a blend of that found in the Matte and 602. Firm point, dark graphite. Versatile.

Natural - Extra-Firm. The graphite is ideal for extended writing sessions and detailed line work.

A detailed breakdown of our four cores is available here.

Volumes - Different releases contain a different selection of our four cores. These are limited edition pencils release every quarter that celebrate the people, places and events that have defined our creative culture. Please refer to this chart to see all of our Volumes releases and their respective cores here.

Blackwing pencils are made out of Genuine Incense-cedar from California and Oregon. Incense-cedar features a fine, straight grain that sharpens quickly and evenly, giving the pencil a smooth, sharp point (and it smells great too!).

We use premium Japanese graphite in all of our pencils. Japanese graphite is darker and smoother than other graphites thanks to the unique combination of graphite, wax and clay. Plus, our relationship with our graphite manufacturer means we can get our graphites formulated to our exact specifications.

Learn more about our different graphite types here.

The number 602 originally referred to the pencil's model number. The Blackwing 602 was introduced after the Van Dyke 601 and before the Microtomic 603. 

The One Step Sharpener creates a long, curved point using a single step process. To create your point, simply insert the pencil and turn clockwise, applying steady, even pressure.

If you're having trouble, check out our more detailed video here. 

Our long point sharpener is a two step sharpening process. Step one sharpens the wood, and step two sharpens the graphite. First, insert the pencil into the hole labeled "1" and turn clockwise until the pencil spins freely. Then, insert the pencil into the hole labeled "2" and turn clockwise until the pencil is sharp.

A video tutorial on how to use our Two-Step Long Point Sharpener is available here.

Yes! The Two-Step Sharpener comes with two replacement blades in the shaving compartment. Replacement blades for the One-Step Sharpener can be purchased here.

Remove the handy eraser clip from the pencil, replace or extend the eraser and then return the clip to its nest.

Volumes is our quarterly limited edition pencil program. Every quarter, we release a new design into the wild and, once it's sold out, we'll never make it again. You can subscribe to Volumes to make sure you don't miss out.

Please refer to our Volumes Subscriber FAQ for more info on our Blackwing Volumes subscription program.

If it's out of stock, that means it's gone for good :(

We release new editions quarterly. Typically, these release dates fall in March, June, September and December.  

Volumes - Limited edition pencils celebrating stories of people, places, and events that inspire a creative lifestyle. Available in the Volumes subscription.

Labs - Small batch pencils offering a fun look at our design process. Not available via subscription.

Collaborations - Partnerships with likeminded artists, brands, and groups. Available through Blackwing and partner website. Not available via subscription.

Bespoke Blackwing - Customized Blackwing pencils from the ground up. Not available via subscription. Only available through the partner. Learn more about Bespoke Blackwing pencils here.

Learn more about all of our Limited Editions here.

Blackwing Volumes, Blackwing Labs, and Blackwing Loves pencils can be purchased on our website. Blackwing X pencils are purchased through our collaboration partners, though not all Blackwing X pencils are available to purchase. Volumes pencils are also available in the Volumes subscription program.

Yes, we ship all over the world. Shipping costs will apply, and will be added at checkout. We also have retailers all over the world who stock our products. Please keep in mind, for any international orders, we are not responsible for any additional duties or fees that may be added.

*Please note: Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship our products to Mexico. In addition, we cannot ship to Moscow because packages are unable to be shipped to private addresses.

It depends on where you are. Orders processed here will take 5-7 business days to arrive. Overseas deliveries can take anywhere from 7-16 days. Delivery details will be provided in your confirmation email.

We use all major carriers, and local courier partners. You’ll be asked to select a delivery method during checkout.

Route Protect is a package protection solution that helps cover you in the event that your order gets lost, stolen, or damaged while in transit. We’ve partnered with Route to offer added assurance that you’re supported, no matter what. Route Protect is automatically applied to your order at checkout for an additional fee.

Download the Route App to visually track all of your online orders in one place and easily file a claim with the Route team. Use the Route App to track your order and get real-time shipping updates for every part of your delivery. Download here

If you purchased Route Protection and want to file a claim you can file here.

If your Route protected order ends up lost, damaged, or stolen, Route’s expert support team will help ensure that your order gets replaced or refunded as preferred. Claims will be reviewed for approval within 1-2 business days from filing.  

Need to file a claim?  File here

Route Protect is automatically applied to your cart for an additional fee. You may opt-out by deselecting the Route Protection in your cart before initiating checkout. By removing or deselecting Route shipping protection, Blackwing is not liable for lost, stolen, or damaged orders.

Once your order has been fulfilled by our team, a shipping confirmation with a tracking number will be emailed to you. You can download Route’s mobile app for iOS or Android to visually track your package and receive real-time notifications on its estimated delivery.

Refunds: When refunding an item, Route covers the subtotal of the order. Shipping costs, taxes, and the cost of Route protection are not included.

Replacements: Route will reorder the items, depending on in-stock availability. Unavailable items will be refunded. Route will cover the cost of any reorders including shipping, taxes, and the Route Shipping Protection. 

Route Protect covers both. To protect your order against loss or theft, make sure Route Protect is added in your cart. 

If your order has not arrived, please file a claim with Route here. 

Route Protect covers damage as well. To protect your order against damage that occurred during shipping, make sure Route is added to your order.

If your order arrives damaged, please take photos of the item and the packaging it arrived in to include in your claim when filing. 

You can file a claim with Route here.

If your order has defects or you suspect it was damaged during manufacturing, please reach out to us directly at info@blackwing602.com.

If you insured your order with Route Protect at checkout, you will receive a confirmation email from Route with a link to file a shipping issue. 

You can also file a shipping issue on Route’s app or via on the Route website. To file a claim, you will need your store order number OR Route ID number and the email address that was attached to the order.

Download the Route App here

If you want to find out more about becoming a Blackwing retailer, just fill out the retailer inquiry form and we’ll be in touch!