Great Way to Save Highlighters

This Instructable will help eliminate bad skipping issues with highlighters. Perfect for teachers who have to deal with highlighters that have skipping issues.

Step 1: Gather Materials

Materials

Sharpie Accent highlighter

cup of nail polish remover (or acetone)

Tools

A pair of pliers (I used needle-nosed pliers)

Step 2: Remove End Cap

Take the pliers and gently remove the end cap. It may take a little elbow grease, but don't break it. Inside you should see an ink cartridge inside. Remove it and place it aside.

Step 3: Soak Ink Catridge in Nail Plosh Remover

Take the ink cartridge and soak it in the nail polish remover. Make sure that you put it in the correct way. You should see four little dents. After a few seconds, take the ink cartridge out of the nail polish remover.

Step 4: Assemble Highlighter

First, take the ink cartridge and find the side the indentation on it. Drop it in that side first. Next, you should see four little dents when you put the ink cartridge in. Finally, put the end cap on with some force. Now you can go enjoy your new and non-skipping highlighter!

Comments

[missyvanwinkle]

Yikes - it drained the color from the tip of the highligher (mine isn't a Sharpie brand, it's a promotional thing in the shape of a hypodermic needle - and it's been melted / heat-closed, not friction). I'm letting the nail polish remover "soak in" and I'm hoping the color will redistribute. I've got it turned upside down now.

[Alyssa_pamungkas]

Can I use other brands of highlighter?

[graydog111]

Have you tried this method with the Sharpie black permanent marker with broad tip that has quit? The tip that does the marking is only about 3/4" long. It seems I buy them and they quit marking very quickly. What a rip-off.

[MasterfulChef]

Great stuff! Is it possible to use both ends of the chisel tip with this highlighter?
-BLUEBLOBS2

[BLUEBLOBS2]

When I took this highlighter apart, I was wondering the same exact thing. I checked and found that it is only possible to use one end of the chisel tip with these highlighters. The chisel tips are not double-sided on these Sharpie highlighters like they are on Expo pens. I wish they were, though. I would have another ible if that were so. I hope that answers your question.
-BLUEBLOBS2

[sieramolly]

Is this what you did to all those highlighters you took apart? Very clever.

[DIY_Mania]

This is way cool. I never would have thought that that could work..
-DIY_Mania

[scoochmaroo]

So in steps 3 and 4, I'm not sure which is the "correct way" - dents up or down? Should I be putting the ink cartridge into the nail polish remover dents-first? And when I put it back in the highlighter, are the dents near the tip or the base of hte marker?

[BLUEBLOBS2]

When you put the ink cartridge in the nail polish remover, you put it dents up. When you put the ink cartridge in the highlighter, you put it dents up too. I hope that helps.
-BLUEBLOBS2