New Blackwing Colors (Review of “Sand” Eraser)

 

New Blackwing Colors embrace the classic Blackwing look 

While Blackwing trots out a new graphite Volumes edition every quarter, its Colors colored pencils set gets re-released only every several years. Maybe “re-released” is an overstatement, since it’s usually just a branding or box change, not a change to the pencils. This month’s new release is the first in a long time with an actual design change in the pencil itself: the addition of Blackwing’s iconic ferrule with a “sand” eraser intended for colored pencils.

First, let’s recap the history of Blackwing Colors (shown in my 2020 post): The first editions, which came out prior to 2010 (exact date unknown to me), came in both a water-soluble Aqua edition and a non-soluble edition, both in sets of 12 and 24. The sets of 24 came in fancy wooden gift boxes. Branded Palamino, the round-barreled pencils sported a traditional look (ala Polychromos) with a simple silver band near the end.

The many editions of the same 12 Blackwing Colors.

In 2016, a non-soluble set was released with a new barrel design featuring a distinctive silver end cap and hexagonal shape. The windowed box got an attractive upgrade, too, with a magnetic closure (why is it so satisfying to close a hinged lid, even on a cardboard box, with a nice click?). Sadly, no sign of a new release of the watercolor pencil set.

Same box design as the last edition

A strange transitional refresh came in 2020 when the newly rebranded Colors came in the flat box that the graphite pencils used to come in – with an added Colors sleeve. Clearly, it was a hasty change to accommodate the branding change only (and the new box wasn’t ready yet?). Very shortly thereafter, the permanent change was released: The previous windowed box redesigned with the new branding.

Now we’re up to date: The latest edition has retained the previous branding and box, but the colored pencils now have the classic graphite Blackwing look with a ferrule and eraser. Alas, the 12 colors are not new. Compared with the previous edition, all the cores are identical in both color and consistency. (Since I reviewed the cores previously, I will not discuss them in this post.) I have been clamoring on social media at every opportunity for an extension of the color range! Surely a new set of 24 in a gifty box or even an ordinary one would be well received! (Clamoring always falls on deaf ears.)

Current Colors compared with 2020 edition: identical

Hinged box opened

Back of box

Same branding as the previous release

The iconic Blackwing ferrule and new "sand" eraser

The latest edition is identical to the previous one except for the ferrule and eraser.

With nothing else new about it, the “sand” eraser got my full attention. According to Blackwing, “The design also features a special sand eraser with a semi-abrasive texture made specifically to erase colored pencils.” The erased image showed remarkable results. Challenge accepted!

Although not as comprehensive as the great eraser rub-off I did at the Well-Appointed Desk a few years back, for this challenge I chose tough contenders that are my current favorites for use with colored pencils: the Sakura/Rabbit Foam Pure Slim and the Tombow Mono Zero retractable. And just for kicks, I threw in Blackwing’s other erasers – its standard found on all graphite pencils and its “soft” ferrule eraser that was released as a limited edition a couple years ago.

The rub-off contenders, from top: Tombow Mono Zero retractable, Sakura Foam Pure Slim, Blackwing standard eraser, Blackwing "soft" eraser (in a Vol. 155 ferrule), Blackwing Colors sand eraser

I applied the red Blackwing pencil on two types of paper – relatively smooth Stillman & Birn Epsilon and Field Notes Streetscape (reviewed at the Well-Appointed Desk), which has a mild tooth. Both papers are very pleasant and appropriate to use with colored pencils. The sand eraser performed better than all contenders – an excellent colored pencil eraser!

Tests on Stillman & Birn Epsilon paper

Tests on Field Notes Streetscape paper

I’ve used sand erasers before, however, and the reason they perform so well is that they remove some of the paper’s surface as well as the pencil pigment, and sometimes the damage to the paper is significant. For the next test, I colored a solid block with the violet Blackwing pencil on Epsilon paper. I erased out a good patch with both the Sakura Foam and the Blackwing sand. Finally, I used a green Blackwing to color over the erased spots. I could feel that the sand eraser had roughed-up the paper. As you can see, it was harder to apply the green consistently where the paper had been damaged.

Test on S&B Epsilon paper

As with any sand eraser, I think it’s best to use it sparingly and only where light layers of pigment have been applied to minimize surface damage. It’s super-handy to have a narrow attached eraser that can make relatively small erasures (which is the Tombow Zero’s best talent). And both core and eraser are unquestionably superior to Col-Erase, which is one of only a few contemporary colored pencils I know of with an attached eraser. (This post about a vintage Supracolor with attached eraser shows others.)

Although I didn’t use an eraser for this sketch, I was reminded of how delightful Blackwing Colors are to apply, especially on smoother papers (Stillman & Birn Zeta used here). Despite my grumblings about the limited range of colors, this set is a very good one for casual use – and now with a decent attached eraser, too.

8/16/24 Blackwing Colors in Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook (photo reference)

The innocent-looking Sakura Foam took a vicious bite out
of the sharpener's corner (evidence of black still on the eraser)!

Speaking of erasers, that Sakura Foam . . . ? While it’s a top-notch eraser for both graphite and colored pencils that I would recommend any day, watch out how you store it! It’s a known issue that some plastic erasers have a weird chemical-reaction tendency to dissolve other plastics they come in contact with, and I’ve discovered that the Sakura is one of those disguised monsters! In a tray on my desk, it had gotten shoved up next to a plastic sharpener – and took a bite out of its corner! Thankfully, the eraser’s protective sleeve kept it from doing further damage. I’ve since segregated the offending eraser away from anything plastic.

(This chemical reaction is not a new issue. When I was a kid, I had a small collection of animal-shaped Japanese erasers that I kept in a small plastic box. One day I opened the box to find that all the erasers had started melting each other and their box! It was one of my earliest sad stationery lessons.)

Beautifully sharpened bouquet!

Belated Review: Blackwing Labs 11-25-22 (Soft Eraser)

 

Ordinary pencil; special eraser

Ten months late, it came to my attention that I had never reviewed the Blackwing Labs limited edition pencil that was released last November. After reviewing Blackwing’s soft handheld eraser at the Well-Appointed Desk, I felt like I had already done the job. I would be remiss, however, if I skipped a review completely because the eraser is handier than most (at least on location). So like a birthday card, let’s just say this review of Lab 11-25-22 is better late than never.

The ferrule eraser is made of the same material
as Blackwing's bar eraser.

Although the Blackwing pencil itself is fine – a dark matte gray barrel, matte gold ferrule and with a “balanced” graphite core – it’s nothing special. What makes this release special is the attached soft eraser, apparently made of the same material as Blackwing’s soft handheld eraser. (Kudos to Blackwing for making this Lab release truly innovative and “experimental” rather than a paint job.)

More valuable than the pencils were the two packs of replacement erasers that came exclusively as part of the limited release.

In addition to each pencil coming with a soft eraser, the Lab release came with 2 packs of replacement erasers.

I had spent a rainy day several years ago hacking up bar erasers to find one that could replace Blackwing’s notoriously mediocre ferrule erasers (full details at the Well-Appointed Desk). Results of my comparison revealed the main issue: Softer erasers are generally more effective than harder ones, but if an eraser is too soft, it will break when supported only by a ferrule. Since then, hack-a-thon winner Tombow Mono Smart has been my eraser of choice for ferrules because it has the right balance between softness and sturdiness. I have spent more rainy days hacking erasers for my general use (I’ve found they make great gifts for fellow pencil aficionados, too).

Erasers compared with the Blackwing soft.

Scoring points as a hardcore pencil geek notwithstanding, the fact remains that I would rather spend my time sketching than cutting up erasers, so my interest was piqued.

I compared the soft eraser with a standard Blackwing eraser (this one was attached to a bright green Lab edition that had come out only a few months prior, so I figured its freshness was about the same), a Tombow Mono Zero and a basic kneadable eraser. The latter two are among my favorites to use with graphite. Swatches were made with the Blackwing balanced core and a Prismacolor colored pencil (I didn’t expect the eraser to do well with colored pencil, but I tested it on principle).

Actually, the standard Blackwing eraser didn’t do as poorly as other (perhaps less fresh) ones I’ve used; it did as well as the Tombow in this test. But the soft Blackwing performed as well as the kneadable eraser on graphite – definitely better than the standard Blackwing – and surprisingly better than the Tombow.

Test swatches made in Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook

Unfortunately, because it’s so soft, it must be used gently. To test it, I used more vigor and pressure than I normally would in making a small drawing or writing erasure, and a corner chipped off. But that happened only under testing conditions and not normal (somewhat careful), regular use, which I’ve been doing since I got the erasers last November.

When used too vigorously, a corner chipped off.

The biggest benefit to me is portability. When my daily-carry bag was larger, I regularly carried both a kneadable eraser (in a small box to keep it from collecting debris) and a Mono Zero. Since my drastic downsizing to a smaller bag, however, I’ve scrutinized every item I carry. With a good eraser now on the end of any Blackwing pencil I carry, I’ve been able to eliminate all other erasers.

A big bonus is that the eraser can’t get lost somewhere in the bottom of my bag – I always know exactly where it is. Since my main use of erasers is to put in highlights, and I rarely erase while drawing, an eraser isn’t critical on location, but it’s always good to have one – and a good one is always better than a mediocre one.

When this Lab was released, the pencil community had speculated that Blackwing would eventually offer the soft eraser packs as a standard product (just as it offers replacement erasers in many colors to coordinate with various Volumes releases). It hasn’t happened yet, but I still hope it will – it would be a more useful addition than, say, an overpriced sharpener.

Review: Sakura/Rabbit Foam Pure Slim Eraser

 

Sakura/Rabbit Foam Pure Slim eraser

When drawing, I don’t have much need for erasers. When some people hear that, they think I’m bragging, as if it means I don’t make mistakes. It’s not that at all – it’s just that my approach is to allow most “wrong” marks and lines to remain, and they usually disappear or fade away behind the restated lines and color or shading. In most cases, I appreciate allowing my process to be visible.

If anything, I use an eraser more as a drawing tool than a correction tool: With graphite, it’s an essential companion for putting in highlights. It can work that way with colored pencils too, but that’s a lot trickier – colored pencil pigment is more difficult to remove than graphite.

For a long time now, my two standard erasers have been a basic gray kneadable art eraser (I’ve had mine so long that I can’t remember what brand it is; I think it’s a Faber-Castell) and, for tiny spots, the Tombow Mono Zero retractable. Both are great with graphite, but neither is ideal with colored pencils.

Recently I had heard that the Sakura (also known by the name Rabbit) Foam Pure Slim eraser was excellent with colored pencils, so I gave it a try. Below are the test results on two types of paper: Stillman and Birn Alpha, which has a light tooth, and Stillman & Birn Epsilon, which is relatively smooth (though not as smooth as Bristol Smooth drawing paper). The test materials were a soft core Blackwing graphite pencil, a Faber-Castell Polychromos (oil-based) colored pencil and a Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle colored pencil (the latter is especially difficult for any non-electric eraser to remove).

As expected, the Sakura Pure Slim did fine with graphite. It also did much better than the Tombow with colored pencil, even three layers of Museum Aquarelle on toothy Alpha.

The Sakura leaves stringy crumbs.

The Pure Slim’s downside is that it is very soft, so a sharp edge or corner will disappear after one erasure. That means it’s almost impossible to make a tiny or slender erasure (which is the firmer Tombow Zero’s primary skill). Cutting a clean edge with a knife before erasing would help. The Pure Slim also has the annoying habit of leaving behind lots of long strings of crumbs (see right). The strings are easy enough to brush away (or vacuum up with one of these adorable eraser dust cleaners, which I don’t have but probably should).

I’ve tried lots of erasers (in case you missed it, I did an eraser rub-off challenge at the Well-Appointed Desk), but I haven’t found any non-electric that is as effective as the Sakura Foam Pure Slim. Its softness makes it less than ideal for tiny spots, but it’s good enough to keep in my tool kit.

A Better Blackwing Eraser

From left: Standard Blackwing eraser, Rasoplast, Mono Smart,
Sumo Grip

Although I use a variety of graphite pencils to draw with, Blackwings are especially versatile because they are ideal for both writing and sketching. One retains permanent residence in my daily-carry bag (it made it onto my Top Products list in 2018), and I probably have a couple dozen sharpened at any time and distributed all over the house. Its high-quality graphite, wood, distinctive design and general esthetics (not to mention price) easily put the Blackwing into the premium pencil category. Why, then, does its trademark ferrule contain such a mediocre eraser?

If I’m drawing, I usually reach for a soft, kneadable eraser, but when I’m writing an appointment in my planner or making a list, I prefer the efficiency of flipping the pencil around to its attached eraser. (In elementary school, we Americans took for granted that pencils have erasers attached, but I didn’t know until I became a pencil geek that erasers attached to pencils are an American innovation; most countries produce pencils without attached erasers.) I have been continually annoyed that Blackwing erasers look nice but do not perform as well as most standalone erasers I’ve used.

After discovering in the pencil community that some people hack their favorite block erasers to fit a Blackwing ferrule, I became inspired to do my own. To see the full results of my epic eraser hack-a-thon, please see my review at the Well-Appointed Desk.

Hacking in progress.

Spoiler alert: Of the 10 erasers I tried, most were too soft to work as erasers in ferrules, but three strong performers came through as sufficiently firm. The Tombow Mono Smart is my favorite, followed by the Sakura Sumo Grip and the Staedtler Rasoplast Black. Finally my Blackwings have frustration-free erasers! Now please go read all the nitty-gritty details in the review.

(When I mentioned to a sketcher friend my plans to hack a bunch of erasers to find the best for this purpose, her eyes disappeared into the top of her head. Geeky as the task may be, it’s a public service I’m happy to provide. You’re welcome!)

With a sharp Opinel, it's not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Erasing Demo

1/24/18 Caran d'Ache Pablo colored pencils in Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook

As I mentioned in my Col-erase review, I have a specialized need for erasers: Erasing colored pencil, especially to regain or create tiny highlights. Many erasers can’t handle highly pigmented pencils. And even if they can, most standard block erasers are too broad to make fine, delicate erasures. My favorite until now has been the Tombow Mono Zero with a rectangular eraser that can erase small spots well.

Over at the Well-Appointed Desk, I just published an Eraser Rub-Off Challenge that pits nine erasers against each other. I declared the Seed Sun Dolphin 3 electric eraser as the winner, which erased both graphite and colored pencil as well as or, in some cases, better than my old favorite Tombow. It took a bit of practice getting used to a battery-operated eraser, but once I did, I was able to aim it and get a really fine line of erasing that is more precise than any manual I’ve used, even the Tombow.

3 layers of pencil applied

Here’s how I made the tomato sketch (above) for the Eraser Rub-Off: Using heavily pigmented Caran d’Ache Pablo colored pencils, I applied about three layers to a Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook (at left). I chose Alpha for its toothy surface, which I knew would give the eraser an even tougher workout. I deliberately “forgot” to save out the white of the paper for highlights. (Ouch! After working so hard to train myself not to forget, I winced as I colored over the spots where the highlights should be!)

I used the Seed Sun Dolphin to erase out the primary bright highlight on the left and the secondary highlight on the right (below). They each came out clean with just one precise swipe of the electric eraser. I re-applied a bit of color to the secondary highlight to keep it from being as bright as the primary one. Then I proceeded to finish the sketch.

Highlights erased

I didn’t want to attempt waiting until the whole sketch was done to put in the highlights because I honestly didn’t believe the eraser could handle that many layers of pigment. After I finished, however, my curiosity got the better of me, so I made a swatch of six layers of pencil (below), which is about the total number I applied to make the sketch. After one swipe of the eraser, I could see some color remaining, so I repeated the swipe. It took off a bit more color, but not all of it. I might be able to continue erasing, but at some point, I’d probably damage the paper’s surface. If I went so far as to finish a sketch before realizing I’d forgotten a highlight (yes, of course, I’ve done that!), it’s good to know I could still put one in. I don’t recommend it, though – erasing is never quite as clean as leaving the paper’s white.

6 layers of pencil erased 

Seed Sun Dolphin electric eraser