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The Eberhard Faber Pencil Company began production of the Blackwing 602 pencil in 1934. The slogan "Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed" was stamped on the side of the pencil opposite the brand mark, which was meant to appeal to stenographers, since the 602 possessed the unique softness and smoothness of a 3B/4B lead but with the rate-of-wear of an HB.
Distinguished for its soft dark graphite and unique flat ferrule housing a replaceable eraser, the 602 quickly evolved from an office tool to that of the artist's instrument, whether for drawing or writing, Notable users throughout the years being creators such as John Steinbeck, Leonard Bernstein, Chuck Jones, Stephen Sondheim and Quincy Jones.
Synonymous with style and quality, the 602 was produced up until 1998 when (some several acquisitions later), the legendary pencil was abruptly discontinued.
Thereafter, it began to gain collectability status with some pencils, that had originally been retailed at 50 cents, fetching in excess of 100$ at auction, and so by 2010, the 602 along with the Blackwing brand was re-introduced thanks to Palomino and California Cedar Products. The pencils are now produced combining Californian incense cedar wood with premium Japanese graphite, retaining the iconic looks from the art deco age when first introduced: the semi hexagonal shaft, the rectangular housing and eraser and the familiar Blackwing logo and slogan.
Today, Blackwing has become a culture that encourages and empowers creativity in all forms, with sales of Blackwing products supporting music and arts education. The pencil continues to attract rave reviews from users and national media attention, with the 602 even featuring on the object-obsessed multi-award winning television series, Mad Men.
Keep on creating iconic designs on paper, and in style with an iconic pencil……. the Blackwing 602.