How do you revive Sharpie pens? What chemicals might you use to moisten them? Thank you.?

Question

Many of my Sharpies have dried out after little use. What can I do? Thank you, Mike

Answer 1

if you know your pens are still full of ink, you can run hot water over them for a few seconds and usually that will get them writing again.

Answer 2

Theres really not a whole lot that you can do. I've had this happen before with little use they dried out and were no good, it seems like I got them out of a bad batch they were all black sharpies not any of the colored ones. You can try calling sharpie and complaining, but really as far as bringing them back theres really nothing you can do since they are sealed markers. Its kinda weird how the usuage life on these markers work I've had some run out in a couple weeks and I have another I've put through heavy use for like a year. I would suggest calling they'll probally send you some free stuff, plus the running them under hot water or dipping them in it doesn't reall y work they never function as well as they were supposed to after that it kinda messes up the ink and tip

Answer 3

Since Sharpies mark instantly dry, it is clear that the solvent in the pen is much more volatile than isopropyl alcohol.

I have revived my pens with acetone. This works very well. When doing this, I simply fill the cap with acetone, and then close the pen with the acetone pool in the cap. I leave it overnight. Initially the pen may be pale, but the ink eventually migrates back to the tip, and the color is then appropriately deep.

You can't put the acetone in an open dish as you might do with alcohol because acetone is much more volatile than alcohol, and will evaporate off quite rapidly.

I'm going to try this again with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). MEK is a hair less volatile than acetone, and may be a better choice.

Answer 4

toss em out. sharpies aren't that expensive. but, if you put them in an old coffee cup, or jar, with the points down when you aren't using them, they will last longer.

Answer 5

Buy new ones. Not having to clean up the mess will be worth it.

Answer 6

try a little rubbing alcohol and recap it let it sit thats my best suggestion

Answer 7

get new ones