Removing permanent marker pen from cymbal?

Galen Frost

Galen Frost

Junior Member
Hi all

I found an old Zildjian Earth Ride cymbal in my parents loft the other day - my Dad got it with a second hand kit he bought years ago. Some fool has wrote in permanant marker on it and was wondering what the safest way to remove it would be? I have tried just rubbing it off with a damp cloth but its not even faded it. Can anyone recommend a product that would do this without causing any damage to the cymbal?

Thanks
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

First off, nice score. Those are great rock cymbals.

Try some Brasso. It takes off cymbal logos easily, so with a little judicious elbow grease, it may take off the permanent marker too.
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

I used Bar Keepers Friend to take stubborn black stick marks and logos off of my cymbals. I imagine it would work.

But that dry-erase marker trick seems genius for the boards. I feel like it wouldn't work with a cymbal, but it's worth a try.
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

If it is Sharpie, rubbing alcohol will take it off easily.
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

There is a product called Oops

I used to be an electrician, we used sharpies to label out the breaker panel, if we made a mistake or had to move breakers around we would use Oops to remove the permanent pen.

imagerequest.aspx
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

"Goo Gone" does the trick as well.
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

There are all kinds of things to take the marker off (barkeepers secret, goof off, etc...), but I'd guess any of those would mess up the finish (or lack of?) on that type of cymbal. Not sure if the cymbal would turn shiny where you scrub or not, but I'd be careful with it.
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

sethlowden said:
If it is Sharpie, rubbing alcohol will take it off easily.
Click to expand...

Alcohol is the best answer. If alcohol doesn't remove every last trace then I'd increase the solvent power by going to Acetone (aka: Nail polish remover Caution: Lots of current nail polish removers don't actually have acetone in them) or Butanone (aka: methyl ethyl ketone or MEK).

(MEK is expensive-ish I wouldn't go that route unless you already had a can)
 
I hope the marking doesn't say something like "Buddy Rich" ....... Terry
 
Lighter fluid cleans Sharpie markings without smearing or residue. Next on the list would be acetone (nail polish remover) but you usually have to clean that up after you're done... with lighter fluid of course!

Some fool has wrote in permanant marker on it...

Ahem, all of my cymbals have a permanent marker code under the bell. :)
 
bermuda said:
Lighter fluid cleans Sharpie markings without smearing or residue. Next on the list would be acetone (nail polish remover) but you usually have to clean that up after you're done... with lighter fluid of course!

Some fool has wrote in permanant marker on it...

Ahem, all of my cymbals have a permanent marker code under the bell. :)
Click to expand...

Not to derail the thread, but I remember reading a while back that you had something like 200+ hi-hats Bermuda, and I can only imagine how many other various cymbals.... What kind of code do you use?
 
keepitgreen said:
Not to derail the thread, but I remember reading a while back that you had something like 200+ hi-hats Bermuda, and I can only imagine how many other various cymbals.... What kind of code do you use?
Click to expand...

Actually I'm down to 153 pair, cut a few loose recently. :)

I write a 2-letter code under each bell: AA, AB, etc. Hats get the same code under each, so that they remain paired. I'm currently up to YI, so roughly 43 left to go before I go into triple-lettering!

And all in Sharpie!! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA... <coughcoughcough>

Bermuda
 
A lot of my cymbals have been cut down, so they're marked what size they were when I started, and what they ended up as, on the bottom side.

I use lots of different things to remove unwanted markings from cymbals, but almost always end up having to use it on the whole cymbal to maintain a consistent look.
 
Agree with all above....alcohol first....maybe go right to goo gone if you don't have the other items. Goo gone takes it all off. I use it remove all the labels on my cymbals!
 
Re: Removing permenant marker pen from cymbal?

DA-Drummer said:
what i always do(works on white boards, dunno if cybals work to)
Grab a white board marker (non permanent marker) and go over the permanent marker, and then you can easily take it of with a cloth or something.
Click to expand...

+1 My boss wrote on a customer's dry erase white-board with a black permanent Sharpie marker. Customer saved the day (and the cost of a new 4 x 8 foot white board!) by scrubbing the "permanent" marks with a regular dry-erase marker. The whole mess erased like magic!

I'd imagine it would work on a cymbal too - though wonder if you'd have a conspicuous shiny spot. (I wash my cymbals with soap, water and a scrub brush - no polishing here...)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top