What's in a "Sharpie" marker?

[Perry Holbrook]

Anyone know what the fluid in a Sharpie is? I use a Sharpie from time to time to make minor repairs to things I have dyed black. One of my prototype boxes for this years designs has a steel base that needs to be black. Paint is not an option. I usually use a black alcohol base dye which works great on wood, but doesn't work on the steel.

Today I tried a Sharpie and it worked for the look I need, but takes too long. I need to find "the Sharpie fluid" in bulk so I can dip the pieces.

Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks, Perry.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

n-butanol; diacetone alcohol; xylene; cresol.

[Walt Nicholson]

Go to sharpie.com and towards the bottom of the page under "sharpie science" click on "msds sheets" then pick the one you are using and it will give you the chemical contents. Don't know if that will help or not.

[Jamie Buxton]

In my experience, whatever color is in the typical felt-tip marker fades over time. If you're coloring a prototype, fine. But if you're making something you want to last for a decade or more, other stuff might work better.

[Kevin Groenke]

We've used Dykem brand "layout fluids" which leave a pretty tough stain like finish on metals. I've only seen these on red and blue, but somebody must make something like it in a wider range of colors.

http://www.dykem.com/product_images/literaturePDF/LI325_20.pdf

Looks like Dykem #81242 (753769-81424) is 8oz black opaque.
http://www.jlindustrial.com/DKM-81424L/SEARCH:CATEGORY/product.html

Sharpies rock!

-kg

[Bob Wingard]

Anyone know what the fluid in a Sharpie is? I use a Sharpie from time to time to make minor repairs to things I have dyed black. One of my prototype boxes for this years designs has a steel base that needs to be black. Paint is not an option. I usually use a black alcohol base dye which works great on wood, but doesn't work on the steel.

Today I tried a Sharpie and it worked for the look I need, but takes too long. I need to find "the Sharpie fluid" in bulk so I can dip the pieces.

Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks, Perry.

Back before the days of the disposable "Magic-Marker", there was a mechanical device that you filled with the black fluid. When you needed more fluid on the tip, you pressed the tip and it opened a valve, releasing some. Don't remember what it was called, but it may still be available. Myself, I think I'd go to a gunshop & get some gun-blue in a deep shade. It can be found in a nearly black formula.

[mike holden]

Perry,
Check your local machine supply shop. There is a multi-step finish that leaves steel black. It is a type of oxidant that helps prevent rust on things like check fixtures where any film build up is a no-no. We just called it "oxidized black" and sent it out, but one shop had gallon buckets of the solutions and one person whose job was to blacken the parts.
Mike

[Ted Jay]

Anyone know what the fluid in a Sharpie is? I use a Sharpie from time to time to make minor repairs to things I have dyed black. One of my prototype boxes for this years designs has a steel base that needs to be black. Paint is not an option. I usually use a black alcohol base dye which works great on wood, but doesn't work on the steel.

Today I tried a Sharpie and it worked for the look I need, but takes too long. I need to find "the Sharpie fluid" in bulk so I can dip the pieces.

Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks, Perry.

I know you say paint is not an option, and I don't really know if it's really paint or a heavier "marker" fluid. Try the UNI PAINT MARKERS (http://www.durablesupply.com/unipainmar.html). I've use them on glass and metal. They have what seems like an agitator in them and the tip retracts when you push it down to let the paint flow.
Ted

PS: I guess you could cannabalize the pens to get the fluid out. You can buy replacement tips, so I guess you might be able to pry the tip section off, as I'm looking at the one in my hand it's possible. The PX-30 pens are the big fat markers

[Joe Chritz]

There are all kinds of finishes for steel available.

This is probably just the ticket for what you are doing. Many thousand times better than paint. Done properly it is very tough stuff and the price isn't bad.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1150

The KG brand is supposed to be better but I don't have pricing handy. If you are doing a bunch then a gunsmith could quote you a price that is probably better than doing them yourself.

Joe

[Tom Veatch]

We've used Dykem brand "layout fluids" which leave a pretty tough stain like finish on metals. I've only seen these on red and blue, but somebody must make something like it in a wider range of colors...

Might want to consider whether or on the project will ever be exposed to alcohol or acetone. The Dykem (blue) that I use wipes off very easily with a cloth moistened with either denatured alcohol or acetone.

[Bob Vallaster]

Gun Blue? It's actually blue-black.
Brush-on or dip. Water rinse to neutralize. You're done.
See your nearest gun shop or hardware store.

Bob V.

[Perry Holbrook]

Thanks for the quick answers. I'm going to give the product suggested by Kevin a try. Just ordered a black and a white. Bookmarked the Brownell site if I need it later.

Thanks again. Perry