I recently helped a friend with his bathroom remodel. While holding the new shower valve in place so I could mark where to cut the pipes for the new connections, I soon became frustrated that I couldn’t pull the cap off my Sharpie marker one-handed. My hands were a little wet from the residual water in the lines. I resorted to pulling off the cap with my teeth, but doing so reminded me of all the nasty places where I had used that marker–like marking the waste lines for cuts the week before.
After that experience, Milwaukee sent me a set of its new permanent marker. Dubbed the InkZall, this version has a small nib on the barrel of the pen that allows you to pull off the cap more easily, even with gloves. It also writes on dusty and wet surfaces. And that’s not just marketing hype–I tried it. I was able to write on wet copper and PVC pipes and dusty drywall and subfloor.
The markers are sold in individual and multiple packs in fine and chisel points. Black markers sell for about $1 each. A four-color four-pack sells for $5. After using Sharpies for years, I’m a convert.
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At about the same price as a Sharpie permanent marker, the InkZall marker is made for job-site use. It writes on wet, dusty surfaces and has a pocket clip made for gripping a hard hat. My favorite feature is the small nib on the pen barrel that makes it easy to pull off the cap when your hands are wet or sweaty.
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The InkZall is sold in single and multiple packs and in fine- and chisel-point versions. The four-color four-pack shown sells for $5.
