Acceptable Rope Marking Pens?

Tucker Bloxham wrote: I have a BD rope that the middle mark was completely gone and emailed BD about it.  They said that the Beal marker was what they recommend.  I also asked them about an idea I had about using canned beet juice as it is all natural and they said that it was a good idea and that they saw no problems with it.  I used some beet juice from non pickled beets and it has been working great and is still there after a rope wash.  

Beet juice?  Location checks out.  

I just use cat piss, myself.

Brett Gilmour wrote: PMI says to use the Sharpie TEC marker
Link: pmirope.com/product/tec-rop…

The link for The Sharpie TEC Marker is $132 on PMI.  Talk about an upcharge....

Sharpie TEC Marker Saferescue

Beal Rope Marker Acent Outdoors 

Long Ranger wrote: I just use cat piss, myself.

Blood of virgins never wears off...

Alex O wrote:

The link for The Sharpie TEC Marker is $132 on PMI.  Talk about an upcharge....

That’s for a box of 12. Same price per pen as your link. 

Used a Sharpie for decades and I am still around.

Emergency red spray paint, can damn near see the mark in the dark.

It's only been 205 days so, not a 12 year record but, I was reminded of this post after seeing this Instragram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNvxXDgDGOo/

It also reminded me of this article from Kolin, so thought I'd share:

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/stories/experience-story-qc-lab-can-i-use-a-sharpie-to-mark-the-middle-of-my-rope/

Just marked my new rope with a Sharpie. Still alive. That is all.

Tucker Bloxham wrote:   I used some beet juice from non pickled beets and it has been working great and is still there after a rope wash.  

Have you noticed how happy the marmots are now.

Tucker Bloxham wrote: I have a BD rope that the middle mark was completely gone and emailed BD about it.  They said that the Beal marker was what they recommend.  I also asked them about an idea I had about using canned beet juice as it is all natural and they said that it was a good idea and that they saw no problems with it.  I used some beet juice from non pickled beets and it has been working great and is still there after a rope wash.  

i wonder if beet juice is a special treat for rodents... ;-)

Didn't see this in the thread.... Bluewater ropes specifically recommend sharpie rub-a-dub laundry marking pens in their FAQs. That's what I use on all my ropes. 

Nathan Doyle wrote:

It's only been 205 days so, not a 12 year record but, I was reminded of this post after seeing this Instragram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNvxXDgDGOo/

It also reminded me of this article from Kolin, so thought I'd share:

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/stories/experience-story-qc-lab-can-i-use-a-sharpie-to-mark-the-middle-of-my-rope/

When I saw this post resurrected near the top  I immediately knew I'd be seeing this insta post. Guy has quality content, just funny to see it bleed back onto here.

Bill Lawry wrote: +1 Beal Rope Maker

+ 2

I get “+2” for being over a year plus a few rope markings later, still on the same bottle.  ;)

After seeing this video of "How not 2" the other day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVnnyWZ8pVM I reckon any kind of pen wouldn't really damage a rope. Well appart from if "acid based pens" exist.

What are your thoughts about it?

Paul B wrote:

After seeing this video of "How not 2" the other day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVnnyWZ8pVM I reckon any kind of pen wouldn't really damage a rope. Well appart from if "acid based pens" exist.

What are your thoughts about it?

Climbing rope pens (BD and Singing Rock) and the Beal roll on are cheap enough. And T.E.C. Sharpies are probably the best bet after that. Than normal sharpies last. I wouldn't recommend using anything else (and I'm really only recommending using Beal or the rope pens, but sharpies seem fine too.)

Paul B wrote:

After seeing this video of "How not 2" the other day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVnnyWZ8pVM I reckon any kind of pen wouldn't really damage a rope. Well appart from if "acid based pens" exist.

What are your thoughts about it?

A partner of mine used an arbitrary marker on her rope once.  It caused the diameter of the rope to shrink to significantly less than the unmarked parts of the rope. So definitely some kind of permanent chemical change there.

I’m not in the YGD camp on this about middle marks.  But why not buy something made for ropes? 

I’ll throw in my thoughts that I think the Beal rope marker is the worst product ever made. It’s a permanently marking pen with dark black ink in a bottle with a cap that DOESN’T close!! The cap just kinda press fits on to the bottle in an insecure way, so if you knock it over or put it in a box or drawer or something where it isn’t upright, it WILL leak and cover everything in ink. I have no idea how they thought it would be a good idea to not have a normal screw cap on it. 

Chase G wrote:

I’ll throw in my thoughts that I think the Beal rope marker is the worst product ever made. It’s a permanently marking pen …

Not permanent. Have had to reapply many times.

… with dark black ink in a bottle with a cap that DOESN’T close!! The cap just kinda press fits on to the bottle in an insecure way, 

Their cap mech does seem to suck. Maybe it is just hard to bottle a graphite-in-alcohol (?) slurry  

so if you knock it over or put it in a box or drawer or something where it isn’t upright, it WILL leak and cover everything in ink. I have no idea how they thought it would be a good idea to not have a normal screw cap on it. 

Never had that problem.  But I know of someone who experience a disaster, fortunately on just their kitchen tile. Think of it like the care one takes when handling bleach?

The Edding 3000 marking pen is reported to be safe for ropes.

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/120262154/sharpie-mid-mark#ForumMessage-120262566