Posts filed under Blackwing

Blackwing 2X Firm Graphite Core Pencil Review

With the launch of Volume 2, Blackwing introduced an Extra Extra Firm graphite core to their product range. As a fan of all things firm, I was anxious to put this one to the test, and compare this core to the rest of their product lineup.

That lineup now consists of:

— Soft (Matte Black barrel)

— Balanced (Pearl)

— Firm (602)

— Extra Firm (Natural)

— 2X Firm (Volume 2)

*Core grades, from top to bottom: Soft, Balanced, Firm, Extra Firm, 2X Firm.*

The first four are available as stand-alone products outside of the limited Edition Volumes series, while - at least so far - the 2X Firm is only available in Volume 2, and not the standard offerings.

With the relaunch of the brand in 2010, the 602 took its place as the firmest in the lineup, and was instantly my favorite. In the case of the 602, “Firm” is relative to the rest of the lineup. It is dark and smooth, and has great point retention for a pencil that feels this great on the page. That said, I’d be surprised if it grades out firmer than a 2B, or maybe a B.

Given the 602’s softness as compared to graphite outside of the Blackwing lineup, the introduction of an Extra Firm core in Volume 24 (2016) was well-received. As much as I love the 602, I found my Blackwing home with the Extra Firm. This core found its way into more Volumes editions, and eventually into the stock lineup.

The 2X Firm core takes things up the hardness scale even further … and is my least favorite core they have launched so far.

Blackwing has set my expectations very high for their choice of graphite. From Soft through Extra Firm, the experience is consistently smooth and dark, and with above average point retention. I actually feel a difference when I use a Blackwing, as compared to many other brands in similar grades. The 2X Firm core feels like any other decent HB core. That’s not bad in a vacuum, but given Blackwing’s prices, I want it to feel special. It looks special on the outside, I’ll give them that, but on the inside, it’s average. I can get above average for much cheaper.

My current Blackwing Core ranking looks something like this: Extra Firm, 602, Soft, Balanced, 2X Firm. I’m not sure the 2X Firm even has a place in my wooden pencil rotation like the rest of the lineup does.

*After writing a full page (see below,) without sharpening.*

I guess the broader question for Blackwing is what are their long-term core goals? Are we eventually going to see the full stock lineup of someone like Mitsubishi or Staedtler, with ranges from 10H to 10B? Or will they stick with what they do best, and see them experiment with cores in the Volumes series? I’m glad they surprised us with the 2X Firm core, and even though it is my least favorite, this is the perfect opportunity for a test run.

What are your thoughts on the new core if you have tried it? Which end of the spectrum - softer, or harder - would you like to see them experiment with next?

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on March 18, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.

Blackwing Reporter Pad Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Blackwing is pretty well known for their wood-case pencils, but it's easy to forget that they also dabble in paper products these days. I've tried a few of their notebooks and notepads over the years, so I was intrigued to take the Reporter Pad for a spin and see how the uncommon size worked in practice.

The reporter notebook isn't something I'd say is ubiquitous in the stationery realm. It's a unique format, but it also isn't standardized (not even a little) in size, binding type, or even whether or not it has an elastic band to keep it closed. I think the name for this notebook style comes from the idea of journalists taking notes on something that easily fits in one hand so that they can jot down notes while standing. If you've ever tried doing this, you'll know it's not convenient even with the perfectly sized notebook!

Times change, though, and I'm not sure how often these notebooks are used nowadays with digital recorders, cameras, smartphones, and computers. I remember visiting a news office once and seeing a few boxes of these notebooks on a shelf next to some other standard office supplies. I've always associated the reporters notebook to journalists just like many of us associate yellow legal pads to attorneys.

To me, a reporters notebook is just another small notebook that fits in the hand and is bound at the top. There are lots of notebooks and notepads that fit this description, so I guess the "reporter" nomenclature is mostly (totally?) meaningless. That being said, I do love a good top-bound notebook. I firmly believe that we need more of them in the world, so I'm happy to see new options regardless of what they're called.

The Blackwing Reporter Pad is a small, spiral top-bound notepad that features an on-brand black cardstock cover that has an elastic band to keep it closed. Interestingly, the cover is one big piece (as opposed to being two identical pieces — front and back) that folds back on itself while also being attached to the spiral binding. It's interesting, and I'm not sure I like it. When you fold the front cover back, it extends past the bottom of the notebook by an inch or more and tends to get in the way when writing. I wish it was flush to the bottom of the notebook when it's folded back. It's not a deal-breaker, but it is a frustration that I've felt several times while using this notepad.

The notepad measures in at 3 x 6.25 inches or 7.6 x 15.9 cm, so it's just a little taller and skinnier than a typical 3.5 x 5.5 notebook. The extra height means there's a few extra lines of space on each page, and the small difference in the width isn't really noticeable when writing. It does make the notebook easy to stow into smaller pockets, though. I like the size of this notepad and have enjoyed using it. I tend to write on the smaller side, so take that into consideration.

The dot grid pattern on the paper is perfect for how I like to use notebooks like this that are meant to be carried around. If I want to write, the dot grid pattern provides plenty of structure. If I want to sketch, the pattern can disappear. And if I want to draw up some rough designs, the grid pattern is really helpful for drawing measurements and estimating scale. If you prefer a ruled notebook, that's also an option!

There are 80 sheets (160 pages) in each notebook, and they're filled with 80 gsm ivory paper. The paper is smooth and works well with every ink or pencil I've tried with it so far. There is a bit of show-through on the back side of the page if you're using a gel or rollerball pen, but it's not that bad. The back of the page is completely usable. With the fountain pens I tried, there was no feathering to be seen, and the paper felt great when writing.

Overall, these are good notebooks that fit a small size category that really interests me. I'm not a huge fan of how the front cover hangs so far below the bottom of the notepad when you fold it over, but it's not that bad. There are plenty of other small, top-bound notebooks and notepads out there, but this is a unique and easy-to-use size that I think has a permanent spot in my notebook rotation.

A pack of two notepads is $12, and I encourage you to try them out if this size and format seems interesting.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on September 13, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Blackwing, Notebook Reviews.

Blackwing Natural Extra Firm Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

It's been quite a while since I've bought new Blackwing pencils (mine still have the Palomino branding), and I've definitely missed out on the newer extra firm core. With the Blackwing Natural, I finally get to try out this more balanced graphite with a lovely natural casing.

Before we get started, here's a refresher on the Blackwing line-up and their graphite/lead grading system.

Blackwing Soft (similar to 3B or 4B) - found in the Matte
Blackwing Balanced (close to 2B) - found in the Pearl
Blackwing Firm (feels like a B to me) - found in the 602
Blackwing Extra Firm (close to HB) - found in the Natural

Blackwing pencils are known for their smooth and dark graphite cores, but I'm sure I'm not alone in being a little annoyed at their refusal to use the standard graphite grading system. It exists, and it works! Anyway, since Blackwing pencils normally run on the softer/darker side, I was excited to try this lighter, firmer core found in the Natural.

To me, the extra firm core is similar to an HB, but just a smidge darker. It's really hard to directly compare it since different pencil brands are slightly different in terms of how they categorize their graphite hardness levels.

I'm really partial to Mitsubishi Hi-Uni and 9000 pencils, and I've been really happy with how the Blackwings compares to them. They all feel different and unique, and the Natural is a really pleasant pencil to use. The tip stays sharp for a normal amount of writing, but the line is a bit smoother and darker than other HB pencils. It's a perfect middle ground for me in terms of a great general writing pencil. I love a super dark and soft pencil, but they just need to be resharpened so quickly. And on the other hand, really hard pencils don't put down a satisfyingly dark line when writing. Finding a great compromise in the middle is a great discovery for those general writing tasks.

The Natural features a cedar casing with an indiscernible amount of finish on the outside. It looks (and smells) like a raw, unfinished pencil, and the gold lettering and ferrule matched up with a gray eraser contribute to the chill aesthetic.

Ever thought that the softer, darker Blackwing cores are a bit too soft or dark for regular writing? The extra firm core is a fantastic option for the middle-ground HB hardness wrapped up in a classy cedar package. You can pick up your own pack of Blackwing Naturals for $27, or you can grab a single pencil for $2.50 to see if it works for you or not. Happy to add this extra firm core to my rotation of Blackwing pencils!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!