What's the difference between a paint marker and a permanent ink marker?

Both markers can be used on a multitude of surfaces.  An ink marker tends to dry faster than a paint marker on any surface, but is not as permanent.  Ink markers are removed easily with common solvents such as alcohols and fade rapidly when exposed to sunlight.  Paint markers are much more resistant to these conditions.

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Why does Markal® have so many different types of markers?

No one marker can work for all applications.  An example is the Hot Paintstik® .  These markers only write on hot surfaces and will not write on room temperature surfaces.  Conversely, the Cold Surface Paintstik®  writes on surfaces up to 150°F but will melt on surfaces above this temperature.  Check out our Marker Application Chart to see where all Markal®  markers can be used.

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How can I erase or wash off a mark?

Most Markal®  markers are meant to be permanent.  However, some of these products can be ground off or removed with hazardous solvents like ketones and acetates.  Markal®  does make removable markers such as the W/S-3/8® Paintstik®  and the PRO-WASH®  series of paint markers that do not require any hazardous products to remove.

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Why should I recap a paint marker after using it?

When exposed to air, paint will begin to harden when not in use.  When a used paint marker tip is allowed to harden, paint may not be able to follow through and allow you to continue using the marker.  Our cap contains a vapor seal that will keep air out preventing this from happening, allowing you to extend the life of your marker.

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What are paint markers most commonly used for?

Although there are thousands of uses, paint markers are most commonly used when a more durable and wear resistant mark is required.  Paint markers are available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and can often stand up to more extreme temperatures, surfaces, or environments than a standard ink marker.  No marker works in every situation, which is why Markal®  has the largest line of industrial grade paint markers.  From our solid Paintstik®  to our full line of liquid paint markers, Markal®  has something that will meet your marking needs.

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What is the shelf life of your markers?

Generally, the stated shelf life on our products is two years.  That does not mean that the product will not work beyond that point.  In order to ensure quality, these products should be kept away from any moisture and any caps should be securely on the marker when it is not in use.

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Why should we use a liquid paint marker from Markal®?

All Markal®  liquid paint markers are designed and manufactured exclusively for industrial or commercial use only.  They are not arts and crafts or office supply markers that are being sold for industrial use.  All Markal®  products are created with the needs of heavy industrial users in mind and are tested in the most difficult marking environments possible.  Because they are designed for industrial or commercial use, Markal®  paint markers are only sold through industrial and welding product distributors.

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What is the difference between a Valve Action® Paint Marker and a PRO-LINE® HP?

PRO-LINE®  HP has excellent writing characteristics on oily, soapy, wet and difficult applications where Valve Action®  Paint Marker may not mark as effectively.  However, Valve Action®  Paint Marker dries much faster than the PRO-LINE®  HP and is also available in fluorescent colors.

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Do you offer replacement nibs for your paint markers?

Yes! Replacement tips are available for the Valve Action®  Paint Marker, PRO-LINE® HP, and the PRO-WASH®  series.

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How are PRO-WASH® Removable Paint Markers different than other types in the industry?

PRO-WASH®  Removable Paint Markers are designed to be semi-permanent.  They are easily removed with either water for PRO-WASH®  W or with detergent solution with PH higher than 10 for PRO-WASH®  D.  These markers are typically used in operations that require QC or Part ID marking during manufacturing, but then require a clean surface for painting, powder-coating, or plating.

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Our process requires marks to be unnoticed by the human eye. Does Markal© offer an "invisible marker"?

Yes! Markal® 's UV Visible Valve Action®  Paint Marker writes clear, but illuminates a bright blue color when exposed to ultraviolet light.  Safe for almost any surface with a Xylene-free formula, our UV Visible paint marker is ideal to help reduce tampering and theft.

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What makes PRO-LINE® HP a "high performance" marker?

You can be sure that all Markal®  brand marking products are built to perform in even the toughest industrial environments, but some excel in applications where others can not. The PRO-LINE®  HP liquid paint marker offers safe and reliable industrial grade making, but is also engineered to offer superior marking performance and adhesion on oily surfaces while leaving a durable, permanent mark.  By being able to stand up to the toughest jobs and going where other markers cannot, you can be sure that PRO-LINE®  HP offer you a high performance marking option.

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How much paint is in a Valve Action® Paint Marker?

The Valve Action® Paint Marker contains 10cc of paint.

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Why do you have so many other cold surface markers, doesn't B® do it all?

Markal® B® Paintstik® is a general-use solid paint marker used in many industrial marking applications from steel, ship building, commercial and home construction, to metal fabrication. Markal® manufactures many other solid paint markers with unique formulations for specialized applications:

F® Paintstik® - Fluorescent for brighter marks
B-L® and BL-W® Paintstik® - Bleed-through oil or water-base paints
N® Paintstik® - Markers that do not bleed through paint top-coats
FAST DRY® Paintstik® - Fast-dry paint formulations
M® and M-10 Paintstik® - Markers for heat-treating
O-10 Paintstik® - Markers for oily surfaces
WS-3/8® Paintstik® - Water-removable markers

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Paintstik® marks take too long to dry; do you have anything else that dries faster?

Markal®  manufactures markers for many different applications, including fast-drying.  The FAST DRY®  Paintstik®  and Quik Stik®  are Markal® 's fast-drying solid Paintstiks.  Other fast-drying markers include Markal® 's liquid paint markers and permanent ink markers.

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What applications does Quik Stik® work well with?

Quik Stik®  is a premium solid paint marker in a plastic, protective holder and cap, designed for applications where smooth, clean, visible marks are required to be permanent and hold fast in sunlight.  Typical applications are smooth, rusty, or clean surfaces.  Quik Stik®  can be used anywhere that a permanent mark is required, such as car windows, tired, wood, or steel.

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How does a Hot Paintstik® perform differently than a B® Paintstik®?

Markal® manufactures nine different Hot Paintstik®  formulated to mark on hot surface iron, rubber, and metal alloys.  Each marker is designed to operate within a specific hot temperature range, from a low of 150°F to a high of 2200°F.  The B®  Paintstik®  is appropriate on surfaces up to 150°F; the paint will burn off a hot temperature surface above 150°F.  Markal®  also offers a Solid Paint - Marking Temperatures Application Chart.

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Do you have any markers that show through a top-coat?

Yes! The Markal®  B-L®  Paintstik®  is used for top-coat paints that are oil-base.  The Markal®  B-LW®  Paintstik®  is used for® top-coat paints that are water-base.  Typical application method is to use the marker on the bare steel prior to applying the top-coat.  When the paint dries the marks are visible through the paint.

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We mark on stainless steel and need a marker that is low in chlorides, halogens, and other corrosive chemicals. Does Markal® offer any markers that would work?

Yes, our line of Low Corrosion markers have been regularly tested and approved to be safe for use on stainless steel, other alloy metals, and in many sensitive environments. Engineered to contain less than 200 ppm of chlorides and total halogens and less than 250 ppm of sulfur and each low melting point metal, our markers are safe for use on these materials and on jobsites that require low corrosion products.

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Why does Markal® offer Xylene-free markers?

Xylene has two by-products, Ethyl Benzene and Tolulene that are included on the California Proposition 65 listing of chemicals that can cause cancer or have reproductive heatlh problems.  The Markal®   PRO-LINE®   HP, Valve Action®   Paint Markers, PRO-LINE®   Fine and Micro, and PRO-MAX®   are Xylene-free and do not contain any chemicals that require a California Proposition 65 warning.  They also have no chemicals that are currently listed on the EPA SARA 313 or OSHA HAPS listings.

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Markal® has three grades of lumber crayon: soft, medium, and hard. What are the differences?

Markal®  manufactures three different levels of hardness for SCAN-IT®   Plus and ULTRASCAN®   Lumber Crayons.  Why three levels?  Depending on the wood species, ambient temperature of the wood or work space where marking, and the relative pressure that the operator uses when marking wood, Markal© provides the right hardness for the job.

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Why would I use a DURA-INK® when I have been buying felt-tip markers from my office supply store?

Markal®   DURA-INK®   are permanent felt-tip markers.  For industrial use, DURA-INK®   is stronger, last longer, and contain a specialized "cap-off" ink formulation.  From the DURA-INK®   200 jumbo markers to the fine-point DURA-INK®   15 Markal© has an ink maker for every industrial application.

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The TRADES-MARKER® is an interesting marker. How is it different than a china marker?

TRADES-MARKER®   is a mechanical marker using a solid crayon that is adjustable to a preferred length.  The crayon is very similar to the crayon used in a china marker.  The difference is how one "renews" the crayon during use.  A china marker required the user to unwrap the paper lining to expose new crayon surface.  The TRADES-MARKER®   crayon advances in the holder with the push of the cap.  In addition to eliminating waster paper, the TRADES-MARKER®   crayon can be used up completely in the holder and is easily refillable with a new crayon refill without using a new holder.

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What makes the Thermomelt® different from other temperature indicators?

Markal®   Thermomelts®   are high performance temperature indicators and available in 88 exact farenheit temperatures.  Accurate to within +/- 1% of the rated temperature, these temperature indicators are highly effective and 33% bigger than the competition.  In addition, we also offer a full line of Certified Thermomelts®   in 21 exact temperature ratings.

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What is a Certified Thermomelt®?

When working in certain applications, additional care needs to be taken to ensure that products being used on sensitive equipment will not have any damaging effects.  Certain metals are subject to corrosion or degradation when in contact with chlorides, halogens, or other low melting point metals.  Our Certified Thermomelts®   are pre-certified temperature indicators that are individually batch analyzed and certified to meet stringent requirements for use on stainless steel or in nuclear or military applications.  Whether your job calls for proof of certification or just to ensure safe usage, we have over 20 of the most common temperature Certified Thermomelts®   in stock and pre-approved for your peace of mind.

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