All right, time for the next Blackwing.
The second Blackwing to be released by Palomino, the 602 was made to have a longer-wearing point and be more suitable for writing than the way-too-soft Palomino Blackwing (henceforth PBW).
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk2zboJC
The second Blackwing to be released by Palomino, the 602 was made to have a longer-wearing point and be more suitable for writing than the way-too-soft Palomino Blackwing (henceforth PBW).
hi-res images here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk2zboJC
Fit/Finish: After about half a week of use, the finish is holding up really well. The paint on this one is just gorgeous, with sheens of gray, purple, and silver shining through in the light. The foil stamping and ferrule attachment are both top notch, as I would expect, and the pencil sharpens beautifully. Overall, this feels like a higher quality pencil than the PBW.
Performance: The lead is quite smooth, and I noticed no rough spots in the graphite. While not quite as dark as the PBW, I like writing class notes with this one better due to the point retention; at least now it's in the same ballpark as the Palomino HB. I would have a minor point of contention with the "half the pressure, twice the speed" slogan if not for its historical significance, since the lead is not so buttery as to qualify that statement. Either way, it's much better for writing than the PBW before it.
A major annoyance for me continues to be the substandard attached eraser. After use, it crumbles and becomes very unsightly, reminiscent of the far inferior Mirado Black Warrior.
Overall: I like this pencil a lot, but point retention and the attached eraser have room for improvement. It is a very good pencil, though, and I think it's a worthwhile one to at least try out.
Rating: 4/5
I got mine as part of the Palomino collection pack from pencils.com. They are available there for $19.95/dozen as well.