Article: Limited Run: Black Steel

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The Black Steel Everyday Carry Collection by Wingback

May 13, 2021

Limited Run: Black Steel

Wingback products are designed for your journey, from commutes through the capital to adventures along the Jurassic Coast. Here we scratch under the surface of our limited edition tungsten carbide range.

The Black Steel Collection

The tools you carry everyday should be useful, be built for the long haul and become valued companions on your journey. We believe our machined range of the Mechanical Pen, 100ml Hip Flask and Key Cache epitomises these values.

Nevertheless, as soon as we launched them in 2019, we began experimenting with new materials and finishes, from powder coating to chemical blackening, to improve the products further. Then in 2020 we believe we struck gold – or black – with tungsten carbide.

Now, we’re planning on re-releasing our Black Steel Collection for a limited run, with the addition of our latest creations, the Designer’s Mechanical Pencil, Key Loop and Pen Stand.

"The Wingback Black Steel Collection has been designed to be in service for generations" ~ Wired

"Its ultra-tough and ultra-sleek finish enhances durability, performance, and scratch-resistance in a distinct, one-of-a-kind aesthetic" ~ Everyday Carry

Beneath The Surface

Aesthetically, Black Steel rivals the exotic look of Damascus steel or titanium, with a sub-metallic lustre that reveals a glimmer of the steel beneath the surface.

But it doesn’t just catch the eye. Our Black Steel finish also serves a vital purpose in protecting our products for the long haul.

Wingback Mechanical Pencil in Black Steel

3.5x Harder Than Titanium

It’s applied using a technology called "magnetron sputtering" that's as cool as it sounds. This means of deposition – usually reserved for luxury watches and military-grade tools – coats the metal surface with vaporised tungsten carbide carbon.

The resulting 3um thick surface has a Vickers hardness of 1200 VPN, 9x harder than stainless steel and 3.5x harder than titanium. The carbon layer also minimises surface friction to < 0.1, ensuring all mechanisms are silky smooth.

Tungsten carbide has a surface 3.5x harder than titanium

Heirloom Quality

The combination of a high surface hardness and low surface friction means the Black Steel Collection will be scratch resistant to virtually anything you will put in your pocket. Parts and mechanisms should never need to be maintained, let alone replaced.

Pleasingly – and reassuringly – they will work as well for you today as they would for a grandchild who might inherit your collection in decades to come. Each Black Steel product can also be personalised with custom engraving.

"It's more than just a new colourway. It adds an extremely durable coating on all parts as well as lowering friction of metal-on-metal contact areas" ~ Ed Jelley

"Every element of the Black Steel Collection is dripping with quality and will add a touch of class to your EDC line up" ~ The Coolector

Limited Run

To reduce the time, cost and energy required to apply the Black Steel finish we developed a proprietary process with our workshop partners in Cambridge, England.

However, it's still a complicated process so we can only release the collection for a limited run each year. You can explore the full Black Steel Collection by clicking on any image on this page.

Wingback Mechanical Pen and Mechanical Pencil in Black Steel

If the product you want isn’t available right now, sign up to our waiting list on each product's landing page and we’ll notify you the second Black Steel is back in stock.

Already put our Black Steel Collection to the test? What did you make of it? We're always looking for ways to improve our designs, so if you have any suggestions on other surface finishes we could use, please leave them in the comments below.

You can shop the Black Steel Collection here.

Further reading: Here we lift the lid on our favourite travel companion, the 100ml Hip Flask.

1 comment

I am after one of your brass pencils – but a black steel one would have been good to buy tooo. I note that this advert went out today ad the pencils are listed as sold out. Is there a special list open to certain persons who have first choice?

Elizabeth Anne FitzGerald

December 15, 2022 at 12:24 pm