Update 10/19/2026: We are waiting on this shipment to arrive, so there may be a delay in shipping to you, but you can go ahead and order to secure yours now.

This Blackwing Eras 2026 set includes 12 special edition pencils inspired by some of the earliest Blackwings ever produced. Each pencil features a dark grey barrel, iconic dark gold ferrule with a black stripe, pink eraser, and our extra-firm graphite. The finish on these Eras pencils feels more matte compared to the 602 finish; and the packaging is retro, inspired by the first iterations of Blackwings in bygone days.

Blackwing pencils were favored by award-winning creators throughout the 20th century. Despite a cult following, they were discontinued in the 1990s. Devotees began paying as much as $40 on eBay for a single pencil. Palomino (now Blackwing) acquired the brand in 2010 and brought it back for a new generation of artists, musicians, and everyday people looking to unplug and live more mindfully.

In 2020, they launched the first Eras pencil celebrating 10 years of the Blackwing revival with a design pulled straight from the 1930s. In 2021, they released the second Eras pencil paying tribute to the Palomino pencils that inspired the Blackwing revival. In 2022, they honored the arrow-punched ferrule found on Blackwing pencils in the mid-20th century. In 2023, they released a design inspired by the Van Dyke 601. In 2024, they paid tribute to the Microtomic 603, and in 2025, they revived the design that first began the Blackwing revival 15 years ago. This year, they are paying homage to the first iterations of Blackwing pencils complete with retro-inspired packaging.

The core is the ever-popular extra-firm Japanese graphite which I love! It's is the easiest graphite to achieve a very light line, which is perfect for fabric. And I do use it on fabric very lightly; I want the faintest line, just enough to guide by. And on paper it's really good for someone who likes to exert more pressure when they're writing. That's me, and my grandson Jack, and most of the rest of us.