is erasable ink jet pen safe to use?

[kenny1999]

I personally do not like writing with pencil or ballpoint pen and I only like to write with ink jet pen.

Since I was a child, I know that only pencil and ballpoint pen can be erased, but not an ink jet pen.

Recently, I only happened to find that there is an erasable ink jet pen, which sometimes even come with special eraser for it.

I did never use, own, or even know that there was such thing when I was still in school.

Can anyone comment if those erasable ink jet pens in the market are safe to use? I mean their chemical contents.

Thanks for any comment in advance.

[swansont]

It would depend on the specific chemicals involved.

[mistermack]

2 hours ago, kenny1999 said:

I only like to write with ink jet pen.

I have to say, I'm a fan of pens etc, but I've never heard of an inkjet pen. I have my doubts that such a thing exists. Any chance of a link?

I do have a papermate replay ballpoint pen, that is supposed to be erasable. I've never tried that, I've always used a normal refill in it. 

[kenny1999]

18 minutes ago, mistermack said:

I have to say, I'm a fan of pens etc, but I've never heard of an inkjet pen. I have my doubts that such a thing exists. Any chance of a link?

I do have a papermate replay ballpoint pen, that is supposed to be erasable. I've never tried that, I've always used a normal refill in it. 

inkjet pen, pen fueled by ink. At least, not the ballpoint type.

31 minutes ago, swansont said:

It would depend on the specific chemicals involved.

I don't know their compositions, that's why I asked. No regulation her for pens, no label on the pen. But what usually makes an inkjet pen erasable?

[mistermack]

7 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

inkjet pen, pen fueled by ink. At least, not the ballpoint type.

Oh, ok, I think you're confusing an ink pen with an inkjet printer. There's no such thing as an inkjet pen. (Yet) 

The pens you are talking about are fountain pens. They evolved from the feather quill pen, and ruled the roost till Biro came along.

14 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

But what usually makes an inkjet pen erasable?

I would imagine that it's an ink that doesn't penetrate the paper, but sits on the surface. Like graphite from pencils did, although modern pencils use a substitute. I don't know how you could prevent ink from penetrating the paper. Probably, you would need a special paper. 

Or a special ink that could be bleached by a chemical eraser.

[swansont]

There are things called inkjet pens. Google it; this isn’t the only result

https://www.amazon.com/EVEBOT-Printpen-Portable-Handheld-Package-2FP/dp/B0C5WVX5YG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=evebot+printer+pen&qid=1695670567&sr=8-3

EVEBOT Printpen Inkjet Pen Portable Handheld Printer

27 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

I don't know their compositions, that's why I asked.

Then there isn’t enough information to answer your question.

[kenny1999]

21 minutes ago, mistermack said:

Oh, ok, I think you're confusing an ink pen with an inkjet printer. There's no such thing as an inkjet pen. (Yet) 

The pens you are talking about are fountain pens. They evolved from the feather quill pen, and ruled the roost till Biro came along.

I would imagine that it's an ink that doesn't penetrate the paper, but sits on the surface. Like graphite from pencils did, although modern pencils use a substitute. I don't know how you could prevent ink from penetrating the paper. Probably, you would need a special paper. 

Or a special ink that could be bleached by a chemical eraser.

Yes, fountain pen. I am not actually speaking English. But I am sure the erasable pen I saw wasn't ballpoint style.

Edited September 25, 2023 by kenny1999

[mistermack]

4 hours ago, kenny1999 said:

Yes, fountain pen. I am not actually speaking English. But I am sure the erasable pen I saw wasn't ballpoint style.

I just had a look, Amazon does stock fountain pen ink that they describe as "washable, erasable". But that's all they say, they don't give any details on how you go about erasing it. Youtube would probably give the answer. Online double-sided pen ink cartridges, universal pen refills, compatible with all common fountain pens, even Lamy pens - 5 spare cartridges - Erasable, washable, colour royalblue, 17036/12 : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories 

I would personally trust the ingredients as safe. Life's too short to research everything you use, you have to chance it these days. But it's unlikely that they use anything hazardous. Manufacturers have access to extensive test information on the ingredients that they use. 

[kenny1999]

6 hours ago, mistermack said:

I just had a look, Amazon does stock fountain pen ink that they describe as "washable, erasable". But that's all they say, they don't give any details on how you go about erasing it. Youtube would probably give the answer. Online double-sided pen ink cartridges, universal pen refills, compatible with all common fountain pens, even Lamy pens - 5 spare cartridges - Erasable, washable, colour royalblue, 17036/12 : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories 

I would personally trust the ingredients as safe. Life's too short to research everything you use, you have to chance it these days. But it's unlikely that they use anything hazardous. Manufacturers have access to extensive test information on the ingredients that they use. 

I remember that in the past, I wrote with some ink/fountain pens that gave strange and disgusting smell, and it happened a couples of times. However, having no smell doesn't mean something is safe.

Yes, life is really short. I hope I will be less obsessed for something not really important.

[swansont]

10 hours ago, kenny1999 said:

I remember that in the past, I wrote with some ink/fountain pens that gave strange and disgusting smell, and it happened a couples of times. However, having no smell doesn't mean something is safe.

But it does mean that the chemical composition varies, so one can’t make a blanket statement about the ink.

[mistermack]

I got curious about erasing, so I checked out youtube, which is I think the best go-to for stuff like this. You don't get deluged in adverts, like a search engine does.  This I found straight away, and it pretty much told me what i didn't know about erasable fountain pen ink. 

It works on standard paper, but it's special ink, and special erasing fluid, that's applied by felt-tip. A bit like bleaching, but probably more hi-tec. But it works pretty well. 

 

[CharonY]

I think that might not what OP might talking about unless I am mistaken, this is a fairly old standard ink (at least I had in in grade school). I believe a German company developed an eraser which essentially disrupts certain dyes, rendering them colorless. OOTH, most of the really erasable dyes are not used for fountain pens, so there is that (i.e. not enough info).

However, since then there have been a few developments, to create truly erasable dyes. One that I know of is a ink (I think made by Pilot) that is heat sensitive. Using friction with a hard eraser it renders the ink colorless (IIRC it was basically an acid reaction, but required a heat sensitive activator).

Generally speaking the dyes themselves are often somewhat toxic as they often contain heavy metals, for example. But on the other hand you do not really ingest them in large amounts either. Chemicals in erasable dyes fall under the same category. Certain permanent markers use solvent (hence the smell) which are likely a bit more harmful as the VOCs can be inhaled. But again, unless one works in an environment that produces those dyes, everyday exposure is probably too low to be a concern either way (outgassing of building materials or cooking will be much higher).

Edit:

I remember now the other pen, it was called erasermate and contained a rubber cement (must have been over 30 years when I last saw/used them). So the rubber with ink would be mostly on the paper rather than incorporated in it and you erase it similar to pencil marks.

[kenny1999]

On 9/27/2023 at 6:02 AM, CharonY said:

I think that might not what OP might talking about unless I am mistaken, this is a fairly old standard ink (at least I had in in grade school). I believe a German company developed an eraser which essentially disrupts certain dyes, rendering them colorless. OOTH, most of the really erasable dyes are not used for fountain pens, so there is that (i.e. not enough info).

However, since then there have been a few developments, to create truly erasable dyes. One that I know of is a ink (I think made by Pilot) that is heat sensitive. Using friction with a hard eraser it renders the ink colorless (IIRC it was basically an acid reaction, but required a heat sensitive activator).

Generally speaking the dyes themselves are often somewhat toxic as they often contain heavy metals, for example. But on the other hand you do not really ingest them in large amounts either. Chemicals in erasable dyes fall under the same category. Certain permanent markers use solvent (hence the smell) which are likely a bit more harmful as the VOCs can be inhaled. But again, unless one works in an environment that produces those dyes, everyday exposure is probably too low to be a concern either way (outgassing of building materials or cooking will be much higher).

Edit:

I remember now the other pen, it was called erasermate and contained a rubber cement (must have been over 30 years when I last saw/used them). So the rubber with ink would be mostly on the paper rather than incorporated in it and you erase it similar to pencil marks.

Yesterday, I visited a stationery section of a bookstore, for the first time after 20 years. I found that most pencils and erasers today have adverts or labels on their packaging suggesting that they are free of some kinds of chemicals (it starts with the letter P but I did not mark it down), or non-toxic, or other safety information, while 20 years ago, when I was in school, I think there was no pencil or eraser with such information. Is it because there are more regulations now or more competitions now? Or is it because some pencils and rubber are known to be hazardous?

After all, since I erase a lot, and I just hate making a cross line to delete what I have written. I bought a pack of pencil and rubber by Faber-Castell. I think it is a famous brand, but surprisingly, its pencil and rubber are cheapest than many other brands that I did not even hear about.

[CharonY]

55 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

Yesterday, I visited a stationery section of a bookstore, for the first time after 20 years. I found that most pencils and erasers today have adverts or labels on their packaging suggesting that they are free of some kinds of chemicals (it starts with the letter P but I did not mark it down), or non-toxic, or other safety information, while 20 years ago, when I was in school, I think there was no pencil or eraser with such information. Is it because there are more regulations now or more competitions now? Or is it because some pencils and rubber are known to be hazardous?

 

I think part is marketing, as folks are getting more health conscious. My guess for the p would be phtalates, which are common plasticizers. But I don't think that you would find them in typical pencils (mostly part of plastic products). I don't think they are banned anywhere, though and compared to other sources I would think that stationary are a very small exposure risk (unless you chew on plastics a lot).

Faber-Castell is one of those old traditional companies who managed to corner a particular market, while they provide affordable products, they also produce really expensive high-end products. I think the family holds the majority of shares of the company, which gives them significant stability.

[swansont]

If they said Polonium- or Plutonium-free, it’s definitely marketing.

[CharonY]

Unless it is a Russian product, perhaps?

 

[studiot]

5 hours ago, kenny1999 said:

After all, since I erase a lot, and I just hate making a cross line to delete what I have written. I bought a pack of pencil and rubber by Faber-Castell. I think it is a famous brand, but surprisingly, its pencil and rubber are cheapest than many other brands that I did not even hear about.

Not that you will ever thank anyone for the effort they have put in on your behalf, but let me Google this for you.

It's all there for the asking.

Cheap pens are made from polystyrene or polypropylene

however

https://www.faber-castell.co.uk/corporate/magazin/recyclates-marker

 

Quote

The stuff that pens are made of

 

For the long life of a pen

 

A writing utensil lasts longer when its casing is so robust that it isn’t damaged by daily use. Plastic can be more scratch-resistant than wood or metal. Faber-Castell ballpoint pens have casings made out of hard thermoplastics like ABS or SAN. This means the pen can be refilled while the casing can continue being used for a long time.

The same is true for pens that dry out easily, making it particularly important for the cap to be thoroughly airtight so that the pen has a longer life both inside and out. This is true of artist pens such as the Pitt Artist Pen, where all the pen parts are deliberately made out of plastics for this reason. Not only the outer casing, but also the seal, the ink cartridge and the nib. High-performance plastics ensure that a pen can meet higher quality standards and have a longer life.

 

Faber-Castell faces similar challenges with its cosmetic products. Here, cosmetic companies are supplied with make-up pens ranging from eyeliner and mascara to lipstick. Just like with felt-tip pens, plastics are used in cosmetic pens to stop them drying out and to allow them to last longer. “With the exception of our wooden cosmetic pencils, all of our other cosmetic products have parts made from plastics,” explains Christian Eisen, Vice President of Sales & Innovation at Faber-Castell Cosmetics. “We simply can’t do without them."

The use of plastics in pens ensures that they have a longer life and are therefore more sustainable.

Sigmar Lindner, Senior Manager Plastics at Faber-Castell

More sustainability, less waste

If a pen has a stronger casing, the ink is more protected, and the pen is usable for a longer time – which means that there is less waste. It gets even better with Textliner pens where the fluid can be refilled. With these pens it is particularly important that the pen is well sealed.

Not all plastics are the same. In order to avoid single-use disposable plastic, Faber-Castell is taking a close look at packaging. Over the next few years, all plastic packaging is to be progressively replaced with alternative materials such as recycled paper fibres, cardboard or recycled plastic. The aim is to reduce the amount of plastic in packaging by five percent every year.

“Environmental responsibility has been a top priority for decades,” Lindner says emphatically. For several years now Faber-Castell has been looking into what kind of innovative and sustainable ideas can be developed around plastics, for example in recycling. In 2016, Faber-Castell started manufacturing pens from purely reused plastic, called recyclate. The first product using these materials was the Ecco Pigment Fineliner made from plastics that come from car door handles. In the meantime, the Textliner Pastell and the Textile Marker are both predominantly made out of recyclate. Faber-Castell has made it a medium-term goal to replace plastics with recyclates as much as technically possible. This requires a great deal of chemical and engineering know-how.

 

[mistermack]

I can't see the attraction of erasable. In days gone by, yes, it would save you starting again, if you weren't happy with something. Nowadays, you can compose it in word, do all your checking and alterations, and then write it out when you are 100% happy. Or you could write it out, correct it using correction fluid, and then scan and print the final version. Or a combination of both.