Quick Tip: Refresh and Reuse Those Old Markers
So . . . you’re a poor college student, starving artist, or another casualty of the raging recession. Markers aren’t getting any cheaper, the refill inks can be terribly expensive – so what do you do?
The solution is rubbing alcohol 
Yes, simple rubbing alcohol can add some life to those old markers. Just try these simple steps to revive that old marker. . .
NOTE: I HAVE NOT TESTED THIS ON AD (CHARTPAK) MARKERS AS THEY ARE SOLVENT BASED
Get some rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol). It’s super cheap and you can get it here if you are in internet shopper.
Most design markers come with a chisel tip on one end. It’s the blunt chunkier flatter side of the marker. Simply remove the tip using a wad of tissue paper or sketch paper to keep the ink off your hands.
Next, while holding the marker upright, add a few drops of the isopropyl alcohol to the ink chamber of the marker. Note: this will dilute or lighten the tone of the marker
After you’ve added a few drops, replace the nib of the marker and wait a few minutes to allow the tip of the marker to absorb the alcohol. Presto! your old marker has some more juice.
So get some old markers that are starting to dry up and give it a shot. Your pocketbook will thank you in the end.
If you like this tip, please share it with others. It definitely saved me a few dollars in college!
UPDATE: From commenter Michael -
“Bestine-(Rubber cement thinner) works better than Alcohol. I’m still using old Design2 Markers that are 10 years or older using bestine.”
So give it a shot!
Tags: Quick Tip, Recession, Refill Marker, Sketch Tips, Spencer Nugent
ha cool! i like the photography! do u do it yourself spencer?
Depends on how dark the marker is to start with. . . but I’ll leave this one up to your discretion
Yep
John’s a great photographer as well.
Bestine-(Rubber cement thinner) works better than Alcohol. I’m still using old Design2 Markers that are 10 years or older using bestine.
I’ll have to try that out! I have some bestine for cleaning my tools, but haven’t experimented on markers yet. Thanks for the tip!
Bestine works well for chartpack ad markers. I looked up the MSDS and the solvent they use is xylene, but bestine seems to work fine and dries quickly enough. And the ad markers nibs easily pull out, i squirt in about 2ml into the cotton (where the solvent goes, the pigment is in the nib). Works great.
cool stuff! thanks ppl!
What will be the effect on the marker in long run doing this? I can see the point of getting some extra lines out of an old marker that you can’t get refills for, but markers with refill? Can you refill the marker later after having done this and the marker is fine agian?
Great tip, thanks!
I heard a solution for the Chartpaks. Try to use Lighter Fluid.
Xylene works well, and is what use to be used in markers. Some still use this. It WILL give you a headache.
I’ve jused synthetic paint thinner, 2ml of it.
So far no problems.
Awesome! Just don’t get too high off it
Great info! Thanks. Have you tried the Bestine in the Design2 colorless blender marker?
Haven’t tried it, but I hear it works. Give it a go and let us know if it worked for you!
what if rubbing alcohol i change using zippo, it’s function?
[...] of using warm gray 4 the most and reapplying after each dry set. I used rubbing alcohol to juice up dry markers, a quick dip usually does the [...]