Sharpie Permanent Markers - An Office Essential
Written: Nov 07 '02 (Updated Jan 15 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Wide variety of colors, sizes and package sizes. Inexpensive. Lasts forever!
Cons: The newly redesigned caps are pretty horrid.
The Bottom Line: Looking for a fine line marker that won't dry out? Need something that will work on almost any surface? Need it to be inexpensive? Two words - Sanford Sharpie
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| Freak369's Full Review: Sanford 37001 Sharpie Ultra Fine Tip Permanent Mar... |
When it comes to markers – especially permanent markers – you have more choices than you can shake a stick at. Industrial, dual tipped, fine line, waterproof, low odor, variety of colors and the cost. Depending on what you are using them for – all of these variables come into play at one point or another. Personally, I use the Sanford Sharpie markers for just about everything and consider them a very sound investment.
First and foremost, the best thing about these markers is that they are certified non-toxic. This is something that is extremely important to me since I usually end up with the same amount of ink on my hands and arms as I do on the paper. If I am going to have an ink on my for a few days [remember these are permanent] I want to know that it isn’t going to seep into my bloodstream and make me a little more insane than I am already. All joking aside, I would never let my brood use markers that weren’t non-toxic because they are carbon copies of me – complete slobs.
I have found a ton of uses for these markers around the house and on the road. They can be used on thick paper, construction paper, glass, plastic, compact discs, bottles, clothing [for identification], storage boxes, craft projects, temporary tattoos, for a quick heel repair [thanks BadKittyM] and for use on poster board. Since these are permanent markers you should test out the paper or product you are going to be using to see if it will bleed through the paper – and make sure you have something under the paper so absorb any excess ink or you might find yourself scrubbing the surface for a few days.
The Sanford Sharpies are also the only markers I have found that work on compact disc cases. Since I have started to burn a ton of my rare CD’s onto blank discs so that I can keep the originals safely tucked away I’ve had to find a way to label them and add a little color to the cases. These don’t streak, bleed, run when used on the discs or cases and since they dry almost instantly I don’t have to worry about getting the ink all over the side of my hand or smudging the ‘artwork’ on the case.
The Basics
The Sanford Sharpie marker is one of the best I have come across in a long time and when you look at all the different projects and uses for these little gems they seem almost indispensable. Until a few years ago these were only available in the basic colors – black, red, blue and green. Maybe they got bored with these colors or felt the need to expand their product line – whatever the reason – the new colors were more than warmly welcomed in this household. Purple, brown, yellow and orange were added to the line up and really gave users the ability to add some real color to their projects. If I had to choose between this marker and any other for artwork or designs – you can bet your bottom dollar that the Sanford Sharpie marker would come out on top every single time.
Providing that you replace the cap after each use you can expect your marker to have a nice happy life of about six months under regular use. If you do leave the cap off you can try to revive it with a small dab of rubbing alcohol or simply scribbling it on paper to try to get the ink flowing again. The tips are extremely strong but if you have a heavy hand you will see them start to break down in a month or so. That doesn’t mean that they are completely ruined just that if you are using it for a fine line project you will need to test out the tip to see if it still suits your needs.
Since there are so many different ways that these are packaged, settle in for a nice long review because I intend to go over several of the most popular bundles as well as the different style of marker that re currently available.
Permanent Ultrafine Markers [4 pack]
Sold mainly in office supply stores, this four pack of ultra fine line markers are get for using on craft projects, making name tags, writing names on lunch sacks, greeting cards or just everyday notes and scribbles. Since the tip is ‘ultra fine line’ you will have less bleeding than with the fine line or medium point tips. Those with heavy hands need not worry about bending the tip or breaking it – the nibs are extremely sturdy and it takes a lot to wear them down. In the four pack you get one each of the following colors: black, blue, green and red. This color combination makes it great for decorating seasonal greeting cards with holly berries and leaves so be sure to look for these during your next office supply spree. The suggested retail price is about $3.19 and I’ve seen these are all the major office supply houses as well as at Wal-Mart and Target in the stationery supply section.
Permanent Twin Tip [5 pack]
This gives you the best of both worlds. Each of these markers comes with both the ultra fine tip as well as the fine tip. The ultra fine side has the tapered point with metal extended nib and the fine side resembles a regular felt tip pen. These are available individually or in a very nice and economical 5 pack at most office supply stores. If you pick them up individually you can look at spending about $1.59 a piece but if you want to save some cash and collect all the colors look for the 5 pack for $6.99. The colors included in the five pack are: black, blue, red, green and purple. Recently Sanford introduced a new series of twin tipped pens in a nice variety of colors. This set takes the normal colors and kicks it up a few notches with the addition of teal, light purple, orange, lemon lime and aqua blue. I haven’t been able to find these in the five pack yet but I have picked them up individually and they are simply awesome.
Chisel Tip Permanent Marker [8 pack]
The chisel tip makers are great when you need the ability to create fine lines as well as thick full lines. A simple twist of the wrist and you can go from a ultra thin line to one about an eighth of an inch wide – all without having to worry about the tip getting worn out. The most economical way to purchase these is in the eight pack of assorted colors. So far these are only packaged in two color assortments – ‘standard’ and ‘bold’. The standard colors include black, blue, green, red, orange, purple, yellow and brown. The bold series takes the normal colors and tweaks them a little with the end result being: light blue, light purple, light green, pumpkin orange, black, standard blue and red. The average price of the eight pack is between $8.99 and $10.99 depending on which office supply store you visit. If you want to test drive them you can pick them up individually for about $1.49.
The Sanford Line
Almost all of the above listed products are available for purchase individually, in a set or in a bulk package. Most office supply stores carry these in their pen section but as of late I’ve also found them at Wal-Mart and Target however there is less of a selection to choose from and they are attached to cards rather than sold loosely.
My only real gripe about these markers is that about a year ago the caps underwent a redesign that left them a little “loose”. They still attach to the pen to cover the point with a nice hearty click but when you go to attach them to the back of the pen [when you are using the pen to avoid losing the cap] most of the time they fall off. I tried shoving the cap on the back of the pen and all that did was frustrate me so I guess this is simply a design flaw that hopefully they’ll fix when they make the next series of markers.
The Bottom Line
When you take into consideration the price of the markers, the comfort of using them for projects, the plethora of colors they are available in and the Sanford name in general – there are a ton of reasons for picking up these permanent markers. The few minor issues I have had with them are far outnumbered by the multitude of positive factors. The fact that they are also non-toxic and have literally no scent to them are just two of the many reasons why I give these two huge freaky thumbs up!
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2004 Freak369
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Recommended:
Yes
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