The Fast Company staff is relatively expert when it comes to writing instruments. Pens and paper are crucial tools for journalists. In the past, Cheryl Dahle lavished praise on the Pilot G-2, which remains a favorite. And the Uni-Ball Gel Impact from Sanford is another recent pen in high demand.
So it came as some surprise that Sanford, to celebrate its 40th anniversary, has introduced a new innovation: the retractable Sharpie.
Wait a minute: A retractable marker? While I've yet to use one, I'm curious. Does this seem like a bad idea because I feel like Sanford is messing around with the tried and true Sharpie, an iconic writing device? Or does the idea of a retractable marker just go against what I've known before, so I'm not embracing it? Is this an innovation that needed to happen?
Related Stories: | Topics:Innovation, innovation + creativity, Sanford, Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fast Company Magazine, Cheryl Dahle |
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Recent Comments | 6 Total
August 30, 2004 at 4:05pm by Tim
When you only have one free hand, it is definitely much easier to use a retractable than negotiate with the cap, which usually involves pulling it off with your teeth. Don't try that trick with your cube mates Sharpie. Yuck!
August 31, 2004 at 1:24am by Matt
I'm partial to Uni-Ball's Vision Elite. If you look hard you can find the ultrafine 0.5 pens, and they're a dream to write with. (And yes, I still like the G-2's and Gel Impacts.)
August 31, 2004 at 10:55am by jose
For my money nothing beats the Sharpie Ultra fine point. I use it for everything.
August 31, 2004 at 11:22am by Earl
I like the G-2's, but the retractable feature didn't work well for carrying in my pants pocket - too many ink stains! I also had a few of them leak. When I contacted Pilot about it, they sent me a whole box of them, and some other samples of their pens. Ever since, I've been using the Pilot P-500, extra fine. I buy them by the box because I give so many away to people who love them when they try them. I'm going to pass on the retractable Sharpie, but I do use retractable hi-liters. I am a big Pilot fan!
August 31, 2004 at 11:52am by Jeff Bushman
You're missing something spectacular in the world of pens, in my semi-humble opinion. I use a variety of fountain pens (really cartridge pens, but you get the point). They're bad if you're left handed and are writing English or other left-to-right language, because your hand will smear the ink before it dries.
Nothing, though, gives the tactile feedback that a fountain pen point does. And, for those of us whose handwriting should have been a free-pass into med school, they're a blessing. They don't make our writing/printing neat, but they do make our efforts slightly less illegible.
August 31, 2004 at 4:24pm by Chris
If you can't see the value in a retractable Sharpie, then you've never missed while putting the cap back on with your teeth. I've been waiting for this product for years.