Blackwing Releases First-Ever Look At Its Pencil Manufacturing Process
New Short Film Shows How Blackwing Pencils Are Made in Japan
Stockton, CA, July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blackwing has released a short narrated film that offers an in-depth, first-ever look at how its iconic pencils are made. It begins with a shot on location in Japan featuring the graphite formulation and ends with the pencils' final assembly at Blackwing's headquarters in Stockton, California.
Photo inside of Blackwing's Woodworking Facility in Japan showing pencil sticks before lacquering.
The film outlines each stage of production, including how the graphite is pressed and cut, how multiple layers of lacquer are hand-applied to achieve its signature smooth finish, and finally how each pencil is tipped, imprinted, and hand-packed for sale. This intimate glimpse shows how quality craftsmanship, one of the brand's trademarks, is applied at every step.
"A lot of folks these days are obsessed with speed and efficiency. We're obsessed with taking the time to get the details right." — Alexander Poirier, Vice President of Development at Blackwing
Blackwing's roots began in the1930s. The brand's flagship Blackwing 602 pencil was coveted by legendary Grammy, Emmy, Pulitzer, Tony, and Academy Award winners throughout the 20th century. However, in the 1990s, the pencils were discontinued, and collectors were paying upwards of $40 for a single pencil.
In 2010, California Cedar Products tapped into its 100 years of pencil-making experience to resurrect the Blackwing brand and bring the pencils back into the hands of creatives. Since then, the Blackwing brand has grown from pencils into a lifestyle brand offering notebooks, sharpeners, and more, all with the intention to help people slow down, appreciate high-quality goods, and live more mindfully in an increasingly digital landscape.
Watch the film below or at blackwing602.com/pages/how-its-made. A shareable, high-quality version is available upon request. Read the Blackwing Manifesto at blackwing602.com/manifesto. If you would like to cover this story or have any other inquiries, please contact: andrew@blackwing.co
About Blackwing
Blackwing’s roots go back to the 1930s, when it was the pencil of choice for legendary award-winning creators among the likes of John Steinbeck, Quincy Jones and others. After disappearing in the 1990s, the Blackwing brand and its iconic pencils were revived in 2010 to bring these beloved tools to a new generation of artists and writers. Today, Blackwing crafts premium pencils, notebooks, and analog tools known for their craftsmanship, design, and focus on helping people slow down in their daily lives.
Press Inquiries
Andrew Nguyen
andrew@blackwing.co
(209) 932-5007
https://blackwing602.com
2385 Arch Airport Road, Suite 500 Stockton, CA 95206
A video accompanying this announcement is available here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=fow-LsdaH2E
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