I was reading a how-to cover a truck bench seat and the author said he uses a Fisher R80SL Silver ink pen for marking on vinyl, leather, and ultraleather. He said you could mark on the top side and it was easily cleaned off!
Sounded good to me, so....I went online and ordered 3 to try out. Check out this link and let me know what you think.
He talks about it in post #8.
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/truck-seat-upholstery-tutorial-118011.html?s=6929f32b0c57fef93fa87dd9b4414bf7
I don't know if they were "Fisher" but we used erasible silver pens in myformer life making shoes. They worked cat's on leather but I have a couple of vinyls that they didn't wipe off as well on.
>:( That reminds me. I haven't seen mine since the move. Oh well found my box of chaulk the other week so it's all good.
Darren, Did you read the post from the one I read? He talks about using it on "leather , ultraleather, and vinyl".
He said, "The reason being, I can trace the pattern with the fabric right side up. If I goof something up, this ink washes right off with mild cleaner or Lexol leather cleaner on leather."
I went online to Walmart and Officemax but couldn't find the pens. I searched for a good price and bought 3 of them to try. I'm going to try them on some scraps first, but it sure would be nice not to have to sharpen chalk all the time! ;D
To be honest Bobby, I only scimmed over it enough to be sure we were talking apples and apples. And yes we are. I buy mine from my shoe findings wholesaler (Warkov Safeer in Winnipeg). You ain't gonna find one at Wallyworld. these are a specialty item.
Ultra leather etc were the ones that I had to use a cleaner on (hence my comment) on anything else a damp cloth or lick your thumb and "poof" it's gone like chaulk. Unlike chaulk, it doesn't rub off from handling the project.
Wonder why more people don't use them? Seems like the answer to a lot of prayers when marking vinyl or leather. I've tried using chalk, and it doesn't like vinyl.
This article is the first time I had heard of using them.
You just answered your own question Bobby. No body knows about them, so no no body uses them, so know body finds out about them etc...
My apprenticeship as a shoemaker was three years. During that time I saw two of these pens. Master had one tied to his pocket and the upper maker had one locked in a drawer on his cutting table.As a journeyman over the next two years I was allowed to borrow one once in a while. Years later I was hanging around
Warkov's (which for those of you old enough to remember the Walton's ; is much like Ike Gotsey's general store) and mentioned these "wonderfull,mysterious pens" and they looked at me like I had three heads. Mike walked over to a drawer and pulled out a Ziplock back full of what looked like ball point pen refills and said "these?, they're $1.60 a pop. How many do you want?". Who knew ???
Well Darren, I can't wait for mine to get in so I can try them out. I'll give everybody my evaluation after I've had a chance to try them. :D
You got any more secrets you're hiding from us? ::) Now's your chance to come clean! ;D
Quote from: hdflame on February 26, 2010, 06:11:44 am
Well Darren, I can't wait for mine to get in so I can try them out. I'll give everybody my evaluation after I've had a chance to try them. :D
You got any more secrets you're hiding from us? ::) Now's your chance to come clean! ;D
Let me know what you think about them as stated I swear by china markers but am always up for new things to try. I will tell you I tried one of the pens in the link and marked my sew lines and left it for the afternoon. I could not get it out of the vinyl I was using...........
Kevin
http://www.threadart.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=572
I've been using the Crayola washable pens from Wally's World on vinyl. Different colors available and they wipe off with a little moisture. And very chesp for a box.
Russ
Quote from: RussW on February 26, 2010, 08:01:10 am
I've been using the Crayola washable pens from Wally's World on vinyl. Different colors available and they wipe off with a little moisture. And very chesp for a box.
Russ
As the story unfolds, more secrets are revealed............ ;D Keep'em coming!
QuoteYou got any more secrets you're hiding from us?
I hide nothing, I don't subscribe to "need to know", but if I told you the clasified stuff I'd have to kill you. :P
You don't starve this long in this many trades and still survive without picking up a little hat fill. That's why I hang here. Trying to stuff something between my ears to slow down the wind. And it has been working for ?? years. You people ROCK!!
That reminds me: THANK YOU EVERYONE for all the years of information.concern and fellowship. :-*
My pens came today! So far, preliminary tests are GOOD. I made some marks on an old piece of black vinyl. The silver ink REALLY stands out. After it was on for a short time, I tried moistening my fingertip with a little spit, it rubbed off cleanly and easily. I'm going to let it dry overnight and try again.
I'll post some pics tomorrow. So far, they are very promising for marking on vinyl. I want to try it on some white and light colors too.
I wondr how they would be on canvas Ive been having real bad luck sharpening and keeping a point with my white pencils.
Quote from: Mike8560 on March 01, 2010, 07:37:47 pm
I wondr how they would be on canvas Ive been having real bad luck sharpening and keeping a point with my white pencils.
The write up I read said he just used it on vinyl and was using chalk on material. I don't have any canvas or Sunbrella to try it on, but I've got some black and some red 1000 denier Cordura I could try it on. Not sure what to use to try and clean it off. Any suggestions?
Bobby, Final review? Did the ink still come off easy after it had been on for a few days?
I have been using Staedtler Lumocolor Omnichrome Marking Pencils. I use white and black, but they come in an array of colors. They wipe off of vinyl and leather with a damp towel. Drawback is they are $1.25 each when bought by the box of 12, and they are soft so the point goes away quickly.
Loren
Quote from: Saddleman on July 15, 2010, 06:52:38 am
Bobby, Final review? Did the ink still come off easy after it had been on for a few days?
I have been using Staedtler Lumocolor Omnichrome Marking Pencils. I use white and black, but they come in an array of colors. They wipe off of vinyl and leather with a damp towel. Drawback is they are $1.25 each when bought by the box of 12, and they are soft so the point goes away quickly.
Loren
Loren,
So far I haven't had any problems with the marks coming off easily. It doesn't come off so easily that you wipe it off by mistake, though.
I bought 3 of them online. They are not cheap either and the shipping killed me. I wish I could find them locally.
Someone posted that they were using Crayola washable markers, I think that's what they're called. I've been meaning to buy some at Walmart and give them a try.
I think you would like these over a pencil that you have to sharpen. I like them. Sometimes I still use a piece of chalk for material like Cordura if I have to mark on the top side. I've only used them for marking the backside of material so far.
I think you would really like them for vinyl when you're making seats.
I just found these:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Crayola-48-Count-Trayola-Washable-Markers-Fine-Tip/13057130
They'd be worth a try.
Shipping does kind of bite sometimes. Cost $10 to $15 to ship an item that cost a 1/3 of that. Buy UPS stock is the tip of the day....LOL
I bought another three boxes (2-black, 1-white) of the Staedtler pencils so I'm good for a little while. I do use a battery powered sharpener, so not a complete pain to keep them sharp. I mark most of my vinyl on the back side and use the black. I use the white on leather, marking on the top side of the hide.
Looks like you can pick up a 6 pack of the washable markers at Wally Wold for about $2.50. Although washable, doesn't mean they wouldn't bleed.
Oh well....
Loren
i use the fisher pen, like it alot better than china's - got mine in silver ink. bought on ebay
Quote from: funkster on July 15, 2010, 03:04:33 pm
i use the fisher pen, like it alot better than china's - got mine in silver ink. bought on ebay
What did they run on eBay?
i think they were as cheap as 6-7 bucks for a plastic bodies pen, i bought a black aluminum one - to my door was around 14-15 bucks - i think refills are around 3 bucks.
they have disposable pens also (non-refillable) for 3.25
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-SPR81-Rocket-Pen-Blue-Pen-Ink-/270584425574?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0016ac66
here is the one i bought (i had the seller switch ink to silver) - hindsight i would have just bought an extra silver refill and kept the black one in this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Matte-Black-Military-Cap-O-Matic-M4B-/270576441697?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3eff9cd961
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Matte-Black-Military-Cap-O-Matic-M4B-/270576441697?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3eff9cd961
Quote from: funkster on July 16, 2010, 06:09:41 am
i think they were as cheap as 6-7 bucks for a plastic bodies pen, i bought a black aluminum one - to my door was around 14-15 bucks - i think refills are around 3 bucks.
they have disposable pens also (non-refillable) for 3.25
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-SPR81-Rocket-Pen-Blue-Pen-Ink-/270584425574?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0016ac66
here is the one i bought (i had the seller switch ink to silver) - hindsight i would have just bought an extra silver refill and kept the black one in this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Matte-Black-Military-Cap-O-Matic-M4B-/270576441697?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3eff9cd961
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Matte-Black-Military-Cap-O-Matic-M4B-/270576441697?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3eff9cd961
I think the first link was cheaper than I paid. So far I like mine. Didn't know you could get refills! Does that seller have refills?
yes