London Graphic Centre Discount Code, Offers & Deals July 2025

Palomino Blackwing Pencils: Writing Tools with Cult Status and an Eye-Watering Price Tag

Spend any time around stationery fans and the topic of Blackwing pencils will eventually emerge – usually with reverence, occasionally with mild embarrassment. There’s an undeniable mystique surrounding these writing instruments from Palomino, and if you spend £29.75 on a box of twelve, you may find yourself wondering when pencils became a luxury good.

To be completely fair: Blackwings are good pencils. Probably even great pencils, if you value the tactile satisfaction of graphite gliding over paper. The 602 model, in particular, strikes a comfortable balance between firmness and smoothness – the kind of texture that can turn a grocery list into a meditative exercise. The finish is sleek, the ferrule is iconic, and the flat, replaceable eraser does actually improve on the usual bitten-down pink nubs we all remember from primary school.

But let’s be honest: no pencil, no matter how lovingly CNC-machined and retro-packaged, is going to revolutionise your creative process. The Blackwing won't make you a better writer. It might, occasionally, make you a more contemplative doodler.

The Deal Situation

At £29.75 for a set, discount codes are your friend. London Graphic Centre offers free delivery on orders over £30 via the code FREEDEL30, so for the price of a single postcard or rubber duck-shaped eraser, you can hit the delivery threshold. There’s also a 15% student discount, which takes some of the sting out – assuming your institution isn’t already draining every other aspect of your budget.

Gauge your threat level here: are you pencil-curious or pencil-devoted? If you’re just flirting with the idea of analogue writing, you might prefer to start with a single Blackwing (available from various retailers for around £3). Otherwise, swallow the box price and commit.

Are They Worth It?

In terms of performance, Blackwings are up there with the best traditional pencils on the market. The graphite is noticeably smoother than your average stationery shop HB and holds a point comfortably long. The real appeal, though, may lie in the vague sense of belonging that comes with using something that once sat in the hands of Nabokov and Steinbeck (according to Blackwing lore, anyway; attribution is loose but persistent).

Would we recommend them to the casual note-jotter? Probably not. For shopping lists, to-do notes, and reminders to water the sad houseplant in the hallway, a Bic does the job. But as a small indulgence, or a present for that design friend who already owns three Moleskines, they’re quietly impressive.

Shipping, Returns, and Other Refundable Realities

London Graphic Centre offers same-day dispatch on most orders before 2pm, and standard delivery is typically prompt. If for some reason you decide you prefer your pencils with click mechanisms and rubber grips, the returns process is simple enough – 14 days from delivery, assuming the box is unopened and your conscience uncomplicated.

Still, it’s hard to imagine many customers sending these back. Once unboxed, the blend of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and mild absurdity tends to win people over. The Blackwing is, ultimately, an unapologetically analog object in a world of smartpens and swipe gestures. Whether that’s sentimental or just self-indulgent depends on your mood.

But sometimes, one well-made pencil really is enough to get you to your desk. Even if it never quite writes the novel for you.

What you need to know