REVIEW: The NEW Stainless Steel Sharpie
Sharpie publicity photoFrom Sharpie’s official US website:
Introducing our most luxurious Sharpie® marker ever
• Stainless steel barrel design with Sharpie logo laser etched on barrel
• Unscrew ink cartridge to replace with Sharpie ink refill cartridge (ink refill cartridge reorder #1751000)
• Fine point tip size for marking and writing
• Marks on most surfaces
• Fade- and water-resistant ink encourages multiple project uses
• Quick drying, AP Certified Nontoxic formula
Blister packaging; Sharpie Model #1747388The SS (Stainless Steel) Sharpie made its first appearance earlier this year when they were exclusively given out to celebrities as party swag during the week of 2009 Academy Awards. Sanford (the company that makes Sharpies) also announced that this new Sharpie would be available to the public at some US retailers as early as March 2009. Canadians have been waiting and drooling over this for months but only recently have they started appearing in retail stores north of the border. I’ve been keeping my eyes wide open for this beauty ever since I first heard about it way back in March. This week, I was finally able to get my hands on one… or two.
Size comparison (from top to bottom): Sharpie Metallic, original Sharpie and Stainless Steel SharpieOK, let’s get down to business with this review… the stainless steel Sharpie is the same length as regular Sharpies but is slightly (very slightly) wider in size. The additional size is not much to worry over but nevertheless, it’s still noticeable. Despite the small size increase and full-body stainless steel housing, the SS Sharpie is only a tiny bit heavier than regular Sharpies yet is still just as comfortable to hold and write with. Currently, the SS Sharpie is only available in a natural, brushed steel finish.
To replace the ink cartridge, simply remove the click-top cap, unscrew the old cartridge insert and insert a new ink cartridge. The ink cartridges screw into the threaded marker barrel so there’s no chance of them accidentally falling out. The refill insert is slightly shorter than a regular Sharpie so you can expect the reservoir to hold a fair amount of ink. To prevent them from drying out, replaceable ink inserts each have a cap that secures over the marker tip when not in use.
To make sure that everyone knows that you’re using a Sharpie, the name is
laser-etched onto the barrel of the marker. The barrel of the marker is very stylish and unlike regular Sharpies, is clutter-free of text. With this Sharpie, you know Sanford wanted a sleek and premium look to it. (I must say, they pulled it off quite nicely.)
Quality-wise, this is a well-built marker! The stainless steel housing is remarkably strong yet its strength doesn’t add too much bulk to the size and weight. The weight difference between this and a regular Sharpie is almost negligible. I haven’t put the marker through a rigorous testing yet but I’m sure it will hold up extremely well to EDC. The ink cartridge screws in almost seamlessly and the fit and finish is excellent. Like a Cold Steel
Sharkie, this SS Sharpie can also be used as a self-defense kubotan.
Refill Model #1751000In terms of price, the stainless steel Sharpie has a MSRP of $6.99 USD for the pen and $1.99 USD per refill. I paid a regular price of $7.50 CAD for the pen (about $6.85 USD) and $1.95 CAD for a refill ($1.78 USD). Some retailers are already marking the price up as high as $15 to $20 for the marker so buyer beware. Shop around and you’ll definitely find a better price. Currently the marker is only sold in cardboard blister packs and one marker includes one black ink insert. Black ink refills are currently sold in blister pack singles (see above photo) and are only available in fine-point tip. If you prefer your Sharpies to have a medium, thick or even chisel tip, don’t worry. The beautiful part about the stainless steel Sharpie is that the ink refill can be swapped out so perhaps in the future we’ll see replaceable ink inserts in different colours, inks and tips? Maybe Sanford will also release special edition Sharpies with titanium, carbon fiber or even gold plated barrels? If this Sharpie becomes a best seller, I can see Sanford expanding this product line.
So is this Sharpie really worth buying? I personally love this Sharpie and think the idea of a replaceable ink cartridge is great but it may not be right for everyone. When you look past the executive style, stainless steel body and modern finish, it’s really just a simple Sharpie marker that you paid $7 for. It’s not limited edition, there are no electronic components or multiple functions and it’s really no different than the Sharpie you may have in your desk drawer right now. If you’re totally happy with your regular Sharpie markers, you may not want to upgrade to this one at all. The replaceable insert is approximately the same price as a regular Sharpie marker so some people may be just as happy to buy regular Sharpie markers instead of spending extra money on a stainless steel barrel and then buying refills for the same price of a regular Sharpie. Regular Sharpies are also more worry-free. I can use, lose and abuse them without too much concern but with this new Sharpie, I’m less inclined to let it out of my sight. On the plus side, it definitely gets plenty of compliments and double take glances from people.
If you rely on felt-tip markers a lot in your daily life, just want to add a touch of class to your EDC marker pen or LOVE Sharpies in general, this stainless steel Sharpie is for you.
Pros:
- Replaceable ink refills
- Stainless steel body
- Reasonable price
- Excellent fit and finish
- Looks great!
- Not heavy at all.
Cons:
- Only black ink and fine-point tip available… for now.
Hopeful:
- Different colour refills in the future?
- Different thickness of tips in the future?
- Different types of ink in the future? (Dry board erase, non-permanent, metallic, etc.)
- Premium and more exotic Sharpie barrels in the future? (Carbon fiber, titanium, etc.)
