In praise of the EDC Marker

[BPRoberts]

My wife recently got me this Cold Steel Pocket Shark marker. It's completely excessive, and the cap is a pain to unscrew, but it has a really good pocket clip and I find having a marker (as opposed to a regular pen) is handy surprisingly often. Today I went in the freezer at our camper to check the power outage penny and couldn't find it in the little container. It was still sitting on top, just hard to see. I drew an arrow on the corner so now it'll be easy to find.

Anyone else regularly carry a marker/felt pen?

[Farmer X]

Anyone else regularly carry a marker/felt pen?

I don't, but that may have to change. The Pocket Shark looks like a very useful (if somewhat chunky) implement. Cold Steel could make a refillable pen version and just take my money.

[BPRoberts]

It's supposed to be a "self defense" marker, so it has to be big enough to give someone a good whack. From a practical standpoint, 90% of people would probably be better off with a regular Sharpie or something. We got it because several people recommended it as a massage stick. My wife gets pinched shoulders fairly often, and I've occasionally had to use the bolster of a knife or something if we were on vacation and she forgot her stick. This is better for that, and she knows it was a fun (not very little) toy for me.

[IMR4198]

   What is a 'power outage penny'?  Best wishes.  G
 

[BPRoberts]

Get a small container, fill it most of the way with water, and then freeze it. Then, put a penny (or anything else small that won't float) on top of the ice.

If your power goes out long enough for the freezer to thaw, but comes back before you return (we sometimes don't go up to camp for a couple weeks in a row) the penny will sink before the water refreezes.

[nate j]

If your power goes out long enough for the freezer to thaw, but comes back before you return (we sometimes don't go up to camp for a couple weeks in a row) the penny will sink before the water refreezes.

At the risk of stating the obvious, you then know that the food in the freezer is unsafe to eat and must be discarded.

Back on topic, I can’t see myself EDCing a marker the size of the Pocket Shark.  As far as writing implements, I currently carry just a pen (Fisher Bullet).

 I can think of instances when having a marker would have been handy, but I’m not sure they occur often enough to warrant carrying one.  If I did ever start carrying a marker, it would probably be something like a mini Sharpie.

[AzteCypher]

I used to carry a marker when I was out in the field.  Didn't need one as often once I became more office bound.  I've always carried a pen though, specifically a fountain pen for the last 12yrs.

[fullbreakfast]

I can think of instances when having a marker would have been handy, but I’m not sure they occur often enough to warrant carrying one.  If I did ever start carrying a marker, it would probably be something like a mini Sharpie.

I keep a mini Sharpie in most of the bags I use. They take up so little space, and weigh virtually nothing, so I think they are worth the carry even though I only use them once in a while.

[powernoodle]

I have carried a mini Sharpie for several years.  You don't realize how handy it is until you carry it.  Here in The Colonies, these are only sold around back to school time.

[kirk13]

I used to carry a black Sharpie in my extended pack which I kept in my locker. It got upgraded to an aluminium bodied Sharpie, which I still have but no longer carry, as my current job bans on pain of death( or immediate dismissal) all writing implements

[nate j]

I keep a mini Sharpie in most of the bags I use. They take up so little space, and weigh virtually nothing, so I think they are worth the carry even though I only use them once in a while.

(Image removed from quote.)
I have carried a mini Sharpie for several years.  You don't realize how handy it is until you carry it.  Here in The Colonies, these are only sold around back to school time.

You guys about have me talked into it.  I don’t carry a bag outside of hiking/camping though, so it would have to go in a pocket.

[nate j]

my current job bans on pain of death( or immediate dismissal) all writing implements

Well, I’m curious.  What job bans writing implements?
 

[fullbreakfast]

You guys about have me talked into it.  I don’t carry a bag outside of hiking/camping though, so it would have to go in a pocket.

The cap comes with a split ring on it so you can attach to a keychain,  if  that suits.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I used to carry a black Sharpie in my extended pack which I kept in my locker. It got upgraded to an aluminium bodied Sharpie, which I still have but no longer carry, as my current job bans on pain of death( or immediate dismissal) all writing implements

I bought an aluminum Sharpie years ago as I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  Unfortunately I lost it just as quickly as I lose any regular Sharpie so I pretty much stick to the basic model now.

I wouldn't say I EDC a Sharpie, but I have one in the Maxpedition organizer that I keep in the truck and I have many of them strewn about the house as I find them handy for a great many reasons.

Def

[fullbreakfast]

(Image removed from quote.)Here in The Colonies, these are only sold around back to school time.

Over in Blighty they are not so readily available either, stationery shops don’t seem to carry them. I used to get mine from a golf shop. People use them to mark their balls.

[fullbreakfast]

I bought an aluminum Sharpie years ago as I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  Unfortunately I lost it just as quickly as I lose any regular Sharpie so I pretty much stick to the basic model now.

For anyone that wants to lose something really expensive, Big I Design just came out with this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u5orEiRWpXU&pp=ygUTQmlnIGkgZGVzaWduIG1hcmtlcg%3D%3D

Some very clever aspects to the design. But I think I’ll be sticking with my Mini Sharpies.

[powernoodle]

Well, I’m curious.  What job bans writing implements?
 

He works at a facility where they rehabilitate individuals suffering from scriptophobia - the intense and irrational fear of writing.  Just seeing a writing implement would set back their recovery for months.

Not really.

The only other setting I could think of where writing implements are banned would be a prison, where prisoners might use them to write mean things about the warden.  Or commit heinous acts of violence.

[Farmer X]

The only other setting I could think of where writing implements are banned would be a prison...

I had a job that took me into the fine facilities of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (That's said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.) While I don't recall pens being on the list of things that weren't allowed in, it makes at least some sense that they'd be restricted. Inmates were known to have tried using printer toner for tattoo ink.

[kirk13]

Well, I’m curious.  What job bans writing implements?
 

I work at an inbound call center( ie we're not those annoying gits who cold call you). There's no paper or writing implements allowed as part of the security protocols

[kirk13]

People use them to mark their balls.

As the bishop said to the actress....

[nate j]

I work at an inbound call center( ie we're not those annoying gits who cold call you). There's no paper or writing implements allowed as part of the security protocols

Interesting; I suppose they are worried you will copy down some sensitive information.

[nate j]

The cap comes with a split ring on it so you can attach to a keychain,  if  that suits.

If I do carry one, it will be in my left cargo pocket with my pen and Wet Ones Singles.

They seem to be readily available on the big river site, at least here in the US.

[Grant Lamontagne]

If I do carry one, it will be in my left cargo pocket with my pen and Wet Ones Singles.

They seem to be readily available on the big river site, at least here in the US.

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one who carries wet wipes!

I usually have a small package of Wet Ones in my bag and I keep a larger pack (at least one) of baby wipes in the truck at all times.

Thanks to many years of working in the food service industry I am a bit of a compulsive hand washer, and these are an absolute necessity for me.  I don't mind getting dirty, so long as I can clean up immediately afterwards!   

Def

[powernoodle]

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one who carries wet wipes!

I carry one or two with my doggy poopy bags.  All day, every day.

[pfrsantos]

(Image removed from quote.)
I carry one or two with my doggy poopy bags.  All day, every day.

First time I see a tanto SAK. Thanks for sharing!

 

[BPRoberts]

I don't usually keep wipes in my pocket, but they're the kind of thing I keep stashed all around. Pack in the car, pack in my work desk, pack in my backpack, laptop bag, etc.

[nate j]

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one who carries wet wipes!

Not at all.  I usually have a couple in my pocket, with larger stashes in vehicles.  They come in handy often.

[powernoodle]

First time I see a tanto SAK.

Those are produced in very limited numbers.   

[kirk13]

Interesting; I suppose they are worried you will copy down some sensitive information.

100% Nate. It used to be policy you could bring a book, a novel or what have you, til some smurfer used it to smuggle out information, messed it up for all of us. Also one of the reasons I changed to a Vic Executive from a Manager

[nate j]

Well thanks to all you enablers, I’ve decided to give it a go.

I picked up a 5-pack of mini-Sharpies from the big river site for like $10.

Popped off the little chain attachment since I didn’t plan on using that, and dropped one in my pocket.

No uses yet, but it is so small and light that I don’t really notice I’m carry it.

Shown with my Fisher Bullet…