Blackwing 602

1934–1998

The Eberhard Faber Pencil Company began production of the Blackwing 602 pencil in 1934.[4] Stamped on the side, opposite the brand mark, was the slogan "Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed". This claim was meant to appeal to stenographers, as the 602 possessed the unique softness and smoothness of a 3B/4B lead but with the rate-of-wear of an HB;[5] however the 602 quickly evolved from an office tool to that of the artist. Among these were animators Chuck Jones[6] and Don Bluth,[7] authors John Steinbeck,[8] Truman Capote,[9] and E. B. White,[10] composers Aaron Copland,[11] Leonard Bernstein,[12] John Williams,[13] Stephen Sondheim,[14] Nelson Riddle,[15] and Quincy Jones,[16] playwrights Eugene O'Neill,[17] and Arthur Laurents,[18] the filmmaker Todd Field,[19][20] and the poet Archibald MacLeish.[21]

In 1988, Eberhard Faber was acquired by Faber-Castell, who rebranded the pencil as the Faber-Castell Blackwing 602. In 1994, the line was acquired from Faber-Castell by the Sanford division of Newell Rubbermaid, who reverted the pencil back to its Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 branding.[22]

During this same period, the machine used to produce the metal clip in the pencil's unique ferrule and eraser system broke. At this time, Sanford was manufacturing roughly 1,100 gross of Blackwing 602 pencils a year. Because the volume was so low, the decision was made to cease production and sell through the remaining stock. The Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 was officially discontinued in 1998.[23] The final Blackwing 602 pencils included perhaps the only version bearing custom printing. As Eberhard Faber was poised to discontinue manufacturing, Lionel Spiro, a Trustee of the Boston Athenaeum, placed an order for 25 gross (i.e., 3600 pencils, or 300 boxes of 12) which he gave to the Athenaeum.[24] A box of these pencils is held in the Harvard University Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments.[25]

After the pencil became unavailable, individual Blackwing 602 pencils have regularly commanded $40 or more on auction sites like eBay.[23]

2008–present

In 2008, California Cedar Products Company acquired the Blackwing name and reintroduced the Blackwing 602 pencil under its Palomino division in June 2011.[26] However, this is only an approximation of the original Blackwing, lacking the graphite formula of the original, Blackwing in name only. It was launched exclusively on Pencils.com, but has since launched its own website and blog, and is distributed to retailers around the world.

A portion of all Blackwing pencils sold benefits the Blackwing Foundation, which was established to support music and art education in schools.[27]