Posts filed under Blackwing

Blackwing Clutch Notebook Review

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

The Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils are iconic, and for good reason. I'm a fan of the pencils, so it's been exciting to see Blackwing wade into the paper game as well.

There's a whole slew of new notebooks available, but this one is called the Blackwing Clutch, and it fits in your pocket. At 3.5" x 5.5", the size is very familiar, albeit a bit thicker than the standard Field Notes.

I have a couple of small nits to pick with the notebook, but let's talk about the enjoyable and unique points first.

Pros

The cover of the Clutch notebook is a soft but durable black material that feels great to touch. I'm not sure what it is, but it's not any type of leather from what I can tell. It's soft, matte, and strong. I love it. The only branding on the outside of the notebook is an embossed "Blackwing" logo on the bottom of the back cover.

The inside covers feature some general labeling spots that's typical of most pocket notebooks. Nothing exciting there, except for the odd orientation of the printing. That's right, this notebook is intended to be used in landscape mode! (Blackwing refer to this as "clamshell layout".) I wasn't sure what to make of this at first, but it clicked in a few minutes after writing a few notes down. It's a nice format, but not one I think is better than the traditional portrait layout for this size notebook. Luckily, if you have the dot grid or blank version, you can use it however you want. The ruled version locks you in to the landscape view, unfortunately. That being said, I do enjoy the orientation for writing longer notes because it gives me more room to write across the page.

The paper in this notebook is advertised as 100gsm, and I believe it. The paper is phenomenal. It's smooth, thick, and handles everything I've thrown at it with ease. Sure, Blackwing is a pencil company, but this notebook performs really well for fountain pens as well. Not a hint of shading or feathering appeared in my tests, and I was using some wet, brought nibs that typically cause trouble. It can be difficult to find pocket notebooks that play nicely with fountain pens, but this is one of the good ones.

Writing with pencil is also enjoyable, as the smooth paper has enough tooth to take down plenty of graphite. It's also durable, holding up really well to erasers.

The books are sewn-bound, and come in at 48 pages each. Blackwing claims that the sewn binding allows the notebooks to lay flat, but that hasn't been the case in my use.

Cons

These are thick notebooks, and the binding is fairly square, similar to glue binding. In my use, this makes it particular difficult to use because it really does not want to be flattened. It resists even after being pressed and over-bent to try and wear in the binding a bit. The notebook starts to lay flat easier once you get halfway through, but that leaves a lot of other times that it can cause frustration. As an added bonus, this also means that the notebook refuses to stay closed on its own. I've opted to use a Field Notes band to keep mine from popping open. It's a minor nitpick, but it's one that I feel every time I use it.

Another point that might turn away some customers is the price. At $14.95 per 3-pack, it's not the cheapest option out there. Field Notes are a couple bucks cheaper, but the Blackwing paper is far superior. Clairefontaine offers similar paper, but is much cheaper. Write Notepads also work great, but at a lower cost. The list of cheaper alternatives is long, but the Clutch does have plenty of unique features to set it apart from the rest. The key feature for me is the paper quality, but the aesthetic is also unique and pleasing.

Overall

The Blackwing Clutch notebooks are unique, stylish, and feature excellent paper. The layout is pushy if you choose dot grid or blank, but outright stubborn if you choose lined. The price is a bit high compared to other 3-pack pocket notebooks on the market, but did I mention how awesome the paper is?

The Blackwing Clutch notebooks are available on the Blackwing website, where you can choose between Ruled, Blank, and Dot Grid paper types. Each set of three notebooks runs you $14.95.

(Blackwing provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on June 28, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Blackwing, Notebook Reviews.

Palomino Blackwing Volume 344 Pencil Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I'm not a regular user of the Blackwing pencils, but I've been impressed with each of the ones I've had the opportunity to try. And the Volumes Vol. 344 Series, a tribute to Dorothea Lange and her iconic photograph "Migrant Mother", is quite frankly the best pencil I've ever used. It hits all the high points for me.

On the purely practical side of things, this is a really nice lead. It takes a sharp point that doesn't shatter. It lays down a super smooth dark line, but the tip lasts for ages and doesn't wear nearly as fast as you'd think. The lead doesn't smear excessively, either. Any lead smudges a little, but this one stayed put nicely, even when I carried my sketches around. It erases well--leaving just a shadow behind. The eraser does wear down a bit quickly, but it can be replaced if needed. It's a very well-balanced compromise between dark and hard. I've often been frustrated looking for that balance. I think this nails it.

It's a good size in the hand, with a rounded hexagonal barrel. The coated wood is comfortable--smooth but easy to grip. The red foil ferrule keeps the black eraser secure. Everything about it feels solid and well-constructed. The wood smells good when you sharpen it and the shavings are gorgeous. And, maybe my favorite part--it's a creative tribute to a talented woman who highlighted important social issues.

This pencil is beautiful. The colors are meant to mimic what a pencil would look like under the red lights in a photographer's dark room. It's difficult to capture the deep red of the body color--it's a rich burgundy that almost looks like it's glowing from within. The bright red ferrule and black eraser set it off beautifully. They're very passionate colors, which I think are an excellent choice for Dorothea's passion--and compassion--for her photo subjects.

Her documentation of the working poor during the great depression led to intervention, and her photographs of the Japanese interment camps in California during WWII were so stirring that the government locked them away for decades. The red on this pencil doesn't just seem like the red of a darkroom light--there's a fire to it that is truly inspiring. Finally, the volume number, 344, is a nod to where you can locate her photographs in the Library of Congress. That's just so cool.

The reason I haven't used many Blackwing pencils is because they're usually sold by the box--and I just don't need or want that many pencils. Until now. Now I'm looking at my box of pencils and thinking I might need a few backup boxes.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 19, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.

Palomino Blackwing Colors Colored Pencils Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I probably have too many colored pencils, but when I heard that Blackwing was making a colored pencil set, I knew I was going to have to try them. I can tell you right now that I'm going to use these until they're wee pencil nubs that I can't even grip anymore. That may not take long, however--these pencils are butter soft.

The core is made from Japanese wax. It glides over paper and can lay down a nice smooth line or create very soft shaded areas. They blend and shade well, but do not hold a fine point for long. Any fine detail work may require frequent sharpening or a different pencil. I did not have any issues with tip breakage, even after sharpening. These are sturdy, but pleasantly lightweight, little gems.

The packaging is very nice and fancy. The box is smooth-coated cardboard with a clear plastic window for peeking at the pretty pencils inside. The box opens like a book and the front flap is held closed by a hidden magnet. It's a neat design, but I probably wouldn't trust the strength of the magnet to hold up against the tumult inside a daypack. I'd suggest removing the pencils to a more secure case for on-the-go coloring. Inside the case, the pencils are nestled in a foam bed, held in place by a plastic shield. I found the shield annoying and set it aside, only to then dump the pencils in my lap the next time I opened the box. So maybe hold on to that bit.

The bodies are a nice rounded hexagon with a glossy coating that matches the core color. The finial is a chrome-colored piece that is separate from, but attached to, the wood body--it's not a painted or applied color. I expect it will be a handy grip-piece when you come to the end of the pencil. "Blackwing colors" is stamped in silver at the rear end of the pencil, but there are--annoyingly--no color names. I wouldn't mind too much, but the purple, brown, and black are a little difficult to distinguish, even in decent light. The two greens are also quite similar at first glance, though their core colors are very different. Even basic color names would have done a lot for ease of use, here, though I don't know how anyone could pass up an opportunity to come up with crazy color names. Haven't we all daydreamed about having that job? Perhaps we will all have to name our own sets.

And speaking of colors, that's my only other criticism of the set. These are artist-quality pencils (and are priced as such), but with a primary school palette. I understand the logic to beginning with the basics, but unless Blackwing plans to release more colors, this set isn't as self-sufficient as their target audience might want. And anyone whose needs don't exceed a basic ROYGBIV probably aren't going to be looking in this price range. They are high quality and fun to use, and I will happily apply them to my sketches and coloring books, but I'm going to need to bring in some outside help in the form of other pencil brands in order to get the job done. But they're a happy addition to my collection, just the same, and I really hope Blackwing does have a plan for more colors.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge 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!

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Sarah Read and filed under Blackwing, Pencil Reviews.