The Sharpie Pen fine point in red, blue, black, and green.
There are lots of reviews out there of The Sharpie Pen and I have been writing with mine for a while now. I don’t know why but I never got around to writing up my Sharpie Pen review until now. They come in fine point in red, blue, black and green and are available at most stores that I have visited. Amazon has the assorted color packs available in both a 4 pack and 14 pack. There is also a 4 pack of black only available, and both Staples and OfficeMax carry a 12 pack of red, blue, and black individually.
Being the first Sharpie pen they have a lot to live up to if they want to match the versatility and quality standards that the basic Sharpie permanent market has set. Knowing the Sharpie brand, I was sure that they would not compromise the brand name with an inferior product. When we did this review with the writing samples, we were not surprised by how well the pens performed.
The Sharpie pen package with claims and features proudly displayed.
When you head out to your local Office Max, Staples, or Office Depot or visit Amazon.com, the above package is what you should be looking for. Some of the key features are listed out below.
- Wont bleed through paper. Although there is a Results may vary based on paper characteristics disclaimer.
- Smear resistant when dry.
- Permanent on paper.
- Water resistant.
- Acid free.
The Sharpie Pen Writing Sample Speaks for Itself in its Clarity and Bold Colors.
Writing sample in a Clairefontaine notebook.
Above is the first writing sample that I did in a Clairefontaine notebook. I have had much success with the Clairefontaine paper with other writing implements, so I figured I would use it to test these. They lay down nice bright lines, and on this paper they show absolutely no feathering and you will have to take my word for it that there is absolutely no bleed through. I didnt feel like scanning a blank reverse side of the page to show you though. A quick look at the drying times for the Sharpie Pen on this paper shows that although it didnt dry instantly, it certainly dries quick enough at about 3 seconds.
The Sharpie Pen writing sample in a Moleskine.
The next writing sample I did was in one of the notebooks that I dont usually get such good performance with, and that is my Moleskine. On this paper you can see when you click on the picture that there is a bit of feathering, which is no surprise because I usually get that with any pen I try on this paper. Additionally, you can see that the drying time on the Moleskine paper is not quite ideal at about 7 seconds to become totally dry. Unless you are a lefty this probably wont be too much of an issue for you. The next picture shows the bleed through that I got with the Moleskine and the Sharpie Pen.
Bleed through in a Moleskine notebook.
The bleed through with them on a Moleskine isn’t ideal, but it could have been worse. Again, I blame this almost completely on the paper and not the Sharpie. Personally I think your best bet with the Sharpie pen would be to stay away from the Moleskine, and to stick to a better quality paper like the Clairefontaine. I also tried this pen on some Doane Paper and got results very similar to what you see with the Clairefontaine paper.
Writing samples after being run under water and smudged. Moleskine (left) and Clairefontaine (right).
The photo you see above are the original writing sample pages of the Sharpie Pen on the Moleskine and Clairefontaine papers. I was impressed to see that after running the paper under water for a few seconds and then trying to smudge the ink with my fingers, there was absolutely no streaking, smudging, or any other alteration to the original writing.
Close up of the fine point and the barrel/grip section.
In addition to the great writing performance of these pens, I also found them to be fairly comfortable to write with. If I could modify the pens grip a bit, I think it would be perfect. I wasnt totally comfortable writing with it because of how the barrel of the pen abruptly ends right before the grip section begins. It creates a slightly rough edge which is a little too close to where I hold the pen. It certainly was not a deal breaker when it comes to writing with the Sharpie Pen for me. I would prefer a more subtle transition from the barrel to the grip section though. I would highly recommend these pens because of their super smooth writing, bright colors, and the simple fact that you know you can rely on the quality of the Sharpie brand.
Sharpie Pen Review Updates.
Update 08/14/09: If you like the regular version, check out the OfficeSupplyGeek review of the new Retractable Sharpie Pen.
Update 09/23/09: Check out the review of the Orange and Puprple versions.
Update 11/19/09: They have updated the Sharpie pen yet again, check out the Sharpie Pen Grip review.
Thank you for a very thorough review! I have two black Sharpie pens languishing in my desk drawer. For no good reason they haven’t made it into my regular pen rotation. I need to correct that oversight.
Always a nice review, thanks OSG. I am impressed at the ink qualities the Sharpie pen offers. If they were a bit greener in some way I might pick them up. You know, made from recycled content or perhaps refillable; those might get me to try them.
I love this pen. LOVE. I wouldn’t say I couldn’t live without it, but it’s not a life I want to imagine. It’s a quality pen, all around, and I discovered during Tropical Storm Fay that it also writes on wet paper and doesn’t bleed like crazy when it gets wet.
@John Johnston – glad you found it helpful, and no problem. You should break them out, they are pretty nice to write with.
@bardharlock – Good call on the environmentally friendly aspect, every pen should do something to address the issue.
@notaclevername Wow, using them in a Tropical Storm totally makes my simple test of running them under water look like nothing! 🙂
On a recent trip to Office Depot, I was *psyched* to see a Sharpie Pen pack that included ORANGE and PURPLE. I have been waiting for this for months!
Thanks for this review. I love love love my Sharpie pens. I just wish they weren’t so damned expensive.
I adore this pen. Next to my Lamy Safari, it’s the pen I reach for most often.
However, do they come in packs of only red? I haven’t run into that kind of packaging yet, and I know I’d buy bunches if they do!
@brenda elizabeth – I didnt know that they had new colors available, thanks for sharing!
@Katherine – Pack of 12 red Sharpie Pens here:
Red Standard Sharpie Pen Fine Point 12 Pack
Red Standard Sharpie Pen Medium Point 12 Pack
Red Sharpie Pen Grip Fine Point 12 Pack
Does anyone know where I get a set of the four colours in the UK? All I can find are the black! Thanks Alan
I will run right out tomorrow to get the new colors. I’d like a turquoise too. Maybe someday.
Well, I did run out yesterday to find the new colors. I had no luck in Office Depot. I did find the stainless steel refillable sharpie there. Bought it for my sister since she loves sharpies and I hate them. Can’t stand the way they bleed. I found the 6 pack of sharpies in Office Max. And I am still thrilled that I am not alone in my love of pens, paper and office supplies.
I absolutely cannot find the purple and orange anywhere! I’m fairly sure they only come in the 6-pack, but they are nowhere to be found! Help?
@Brenna – I have not been able to find individuals of the orange or purple myself, and I spent some time looking for them. Wish I could be of more help…I actually couldnt even find the 6 packs with them when I looked.
Bit of a strange question–does the ink from these pens smell like that of “regular” Sharpies? Or do they have less of a scent? I sometimes get headaches from ink that smells strongly (even if they’re not intended to be “scented”).
Thanks for your great review! 🙂
@kookychick – Not strange at all, I actually kinda like the reglar Sharpie smell, bit there is pretty much no smell to the Sharpie pens that I can pick up. Glad you enjoyed the review and thanks for always stopping by! 🙂
I do not really enjoy this Sharpie pen I am currently writing with. The ink, of course, is fine as you’ve said, but the barrel is too light and plasticy and uncomfortable for me.
@Diana – I agree about the comfort level of the grip/barrel, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! 🙂
I was testing several different pens on the back of photographs and found that these take way to long to dry. A standard Sharpie Permanent Marker dries in a few seconds, but these take so long that i lost track of the time. These are probably fine for use on regular paper, but not photo paper.
If any of you can recommend a good pen for use on photo paper I would appreciate hearing from you.
i *hated* the sharpie pens. the ink was too faint and it wasn’t smooth for me. not at all.
@Brian – Yeah, that is one of the differences between these and Sharpie markers, you cant really write on pictures or CD/DVDs with them.
@Yolanda – Thats surprising that they werent smooth, what kind of paper were you writing on?
I do like these Sharpie Pens for writing on ordinary paper, like checks and making notes. They are extremely light weight and don’t seem to slip around in my hand like I thought they would. Their shape point is excellent, too! I would recommend them except for use on photo paper or any shiny, slippery paper.
My black fine Sharpie pen ran out of ink
too quickly. For the price in should last
at least 6 months.
@John – Although it should be more a function of how much you wrote with it and not the length of time you owned it, 6 months does seem pretty quick to run out. It was the regular version of the pen like you are looking at here in this review? I know the retractable versions had smaller ink cartridges from what I could tell.
I too find my fine point Sharpie pen’s ink runs out very quickly. I find that if
I point the tip down for several minutes before writing it does write OK. I wish they would tell us this on the pen package!
@John Black – I’ve heard of that with the retractable versions of the Sharpie Pen, but not with the standard version. Good to know that holding them tip down helps though, thanks for sharing.
I’ve had my Sharpie pen for a while now and while I do love it, I’m finding that the felt part of the tip, the nib, is actually depressing into the metal part. Are there replacement nibs or a solution to this problem? I’d hate to have to put down the money for a new pen when this one still has lots of ink.
@Chari – Minor clarification, the tip of the pens are actually plastic, not felt, but I cant say I’ve ever had that happen to any of mine, and I’ve never seen any replacement tips sold.
I can second this. I’ve never had one of these pens wear out but I have to stop using them after the tip has receded so far it’s not usable. Also these pens shed their outer skin quite readily. It flakes off without any help and gets this black / silver glitter on my hands. Very annoying.
I have not heard many complaints about the tip issue, but thanks for sharing…good to get it out there and let people know how frequently this is happening.
I have seen the issue with the paint on the body flaking off though…it can be annoying, I feel like some are more prone to this than others.
I have not heard many complaints about the tip issue, but thanks for sharing…good to get it out there and let people know how frequently this is happening.
I have seen the issue with the paint on the body flaking off though…it can be annoying, I feel like some are more prone to this than others.
I just bought a pack of sharpie pens for a garage sale sign and all of them died be for the sign was finished .I was very heart broken with the results from the pens. I guess that I should not have had such high expectations from a pen.
I don’t think that the Sharpie pens are the best tool for such a project. They are really meant for regular every day writing, not really for heavy writing and laying down tons of ink at a time. Definitely stick with a regular Sharpie marker for big signs.
In all honesty, I almost exclusively use a Sharpie pen in my Moleskine, and I quite like it. Out of pure curiosity, what pen would recommend for a Moleskine, or do you just not like Moleskines?
Honestly, I’ve just been so frustrated with bad writing experiences in Moleskine notebooks that I just don’t bother with them anymore. Not to say that other people can’t/won’t enjoy them, but it just is not a product I typically enjoy. I think that some of the issue is due to inconsistent paper quality though, sometimes you get good paper, sometimes you dont.
I honestly didn’t really notice any feathering until I read it in your review, haha. It might just be the fact I’m not really looking for that, and to me it wasn’t noticeable until you pointed it out. I have two Moleskines, one for a Lab book and one for just a general book for ideas, notes, and miscellaneous things. Do you have another suggestion to a similar notebook in size/price/characteristics? I’ve been looking at Rhodia’s leather notebooks, and I’m considering buying one of those next.
I would say that Rhodia is your best bet, look for the 90g Web notebook (aka “Webbie”) and you will never want to use a Moleskine again.
Do these pens bleed through regular Hilroy loose leaf (binder) paper?
Personally I love this pen, when I write.. It feels “soft” and I love it <3
ok so they don’t bleed on paper but since they are Sharpie can you use them on fabric and still not bleed? I am a quilter and can’t find a good fabric pen that doesn’t bleed or disappear when washed. Yes I have looked in hobby and craft stores and they seem to always be out of them…