The gold standard for graphite erasers is the Steadtler Mars Plastic. I’m not sure if its filled with unicorn horn powder or what but I’ve never found a better eraser. So I was wondering if I could figure out a way to make a replacement eraser for my Palomino Blackwings. It turns out, I can.
You’ll need:
- Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser (standard size, available at any art supply store)
- X-acto or other craft blade
- Cutting matt
- Eraser from Palomino Blackwing to use as a guide
The end of a Mars eraser is just about the same width as the Blackwing eraser so I just needed to slice off an similar width piece and then trim the excess. Then slide your newly created eraser into the clamp and slide it into the ferrule.
The new white eraser is a little flimsier than the black/pink/colored erasers that you can buy to fit but it erases much better so I’m willing to accept its shortcomings for better erasing power. One Stadetler Mars eraser can easily make refills for about a dozen pencils.
Glad to see you adopted the hack 🙂 Alternative engineering is the way to go!
The Blackwing erasers are not pathetic, but they do disappoint. I view them as interchangeable add-ons in a range of keen colors to accessorize some of the industry’s smartest looking and best performing pencils, but when it comes to erasing a stand alone like the Mars is much better.