Blackwing Natural Pencils (12 Pack)

Great formula for the lead...glad the shape of the eraser prevents rolling, it's a good-sized eraser and replaceable too!

These pencils are fantastic and they’re my new favorite. The graphite is excellent end I believe the natural finish to be classier than the typical 602 or Pearl. My mother ended up buying a box after trying mine. The only issue is quality control. Two of the pencils had loose erasers that fell off. They rattled and very quickly the entire ferrule portion fell off. I ended up sharpening them on both ends, but I was certainly surprised this; I’ve never had an issue with any other Blackwing product before.

THE BLACKWING NATURAL: AN ODE TO SIMPLE ELEGANCE

From its designation as “Natural”, one could be forgiven for approaching this pencil with a lowered expectation as the “Natural” appellation doesn’t immediately convey a sense of beauty, mystery, and craftsmanship like the others in the Blackwing assemblage: the 602, 811, 54, et.al.—but looks and labels can deceive; for I find the “Natural” to be a superbly crafted instrument as any in the luminous Blackwing family. The barrel has a subtle gloss on the plain cedar-censed wood and the gold imprint complements well with the gold ferrule and the gray eraser—a simple, gracefully elegant pencil. I’m partial to the soft graphite, but this “extra firm” graphite yields a very satisfying smooth and “dark enough” mark to appease my demanding call. For sure, the “Natural” bears a close resemblance to the 211, but the discriminating Blackwing aficionado will discern the difference—though indistinct at a quick glance may some of the features appear. The “Natural” just signals simple elegance By: Carl L. Williams