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.

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.

Loves - Collaborations with likeminded artists, brands, and groups. Not available via subscription.

Blackwing X - Collaborations with like-minded artists, brands, and groups. Not available via subscription.

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.

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!