OT - Sharpie markers dried out

Stormin Mormon · 2013-01-15T14:06:51+00:00

I've got a box of black Sharpie markers,purchased several years ago. They havedried out, so they don't write properly. Isthere something I can add, some solvent,to make them write again? Drill a hole inthe barrel, and drip some solvent in?Christopher A. YoungLearn more about Jesus .

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George 13 years ago

Slightest problem? A sharpie is dried out and useless. Sort of like a burnt out lightbulb being a slight problem.

A 3 pack of sharpies is ~ $2. And a 12 pack ~ $7. How much effort should go into the project of attempting to renew a sharpie?

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Charlie 13 years ago

I have had times when I have marked something with a Sharpie that I wanted to remove. If the surface is impervious alcohol works well. I use alcohol of the type that is used to thin shellac or to use in little heaters.

Charlie

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krw 13 years ago

You don't fix light bulbs? Wasteful!

Hours, after spending a day asking how to restore them on the Usenet, obviously.

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Percival P. Cassidy 13 years ago

Rubbing alcohol (sometimes ethyl alcohol, sometimes isopropyl alcohol, plus other chemicals to "denature" it) works to remove "Sharpie" marks, but to renovate a dried-out marker you want something that evaporates more quickly. The ones I have are labeled "Nontoxic," and I don't think xylene (suggested by somebody else) falls into that category.

Perce

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notbob 13 years ago

Acetone

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Percival P. Cassidy 13 years ago

But I don't think it counts as "nontoxic," as my Sharpie markers are labeled. I just uncapped a "good" Sharpie and sniffed: possibly MEK (=methyl ethyl ketone)? -- but I'm not sure how "nontoxic" that is ether.

Perce

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Stormin Mormon 13 years ago

Hey, can we fix burnt out light bulbs? Neat!

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Slightest problem? A sharpie is dried out and useless. Sort of like a burnt out lightbulb being a slight problem.

A 3 pack of sharpies is ~ $2. And a 12 pack ~ $7. How much effort should go into the project of attempting to renew a sharpie?

Vote

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Stormin Mormon 13 years ago

Around here, rubbing alcohol is 30% water, I'd not waste my time trying that on removing sharpie. I would try denatured alcohol.

I did buy another box of black markers. I'll try some various solvents on the old pens, see if anything works.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

formatting link

.

Rubbing alcohol (sometimes ethyl alcohol, sometimes isopropyl alcohol, plus other chemicals to "denature" it) works to remove "Sharpie" marks, but to renovate a dried-out marker you want something that evaporates more quickly. The ones I have are labeled "Nontoxic," and I don't think xylene (suggested by somebody else) falls into that category.

Perce

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clare 13 years ago

What I've found removes Sharpie is Expo white board cleaner. Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether. (butoxyethanol).

This IS the solvent used in Sharpie fine tip markers. If you can inject butoxyethanol into the barrel of the sharpie there is a GOOD chance the sharpie can be resurected.

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