The MarkerLock looks to be a convenient way to provide quick and easy access to up to 6 permanent markers.
The MarkerLock comes in two sizes – one for use with Milwaukee Inkzall markers, and one for use with standard Sharpie markers.
When this post was first published (March 2022), the price was $12.99 plus $3.99 shipping. At the time of this update (September 2023), the price is $9.99 and eligible for free Prime or $35+ shipping at Amazon.
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The idea is simple – the MarkerLock traps the marker caps between two pieces of plastic, allowing users to grab just the market for quick use. When you’re done, place it back in the MarkerLock to cap and dock the marker.
The top has 6 openings, large enough for marker bodies, but not for the caps. You remove the top, thread the markets through the openings from the bottom, and then reattach the top to the base.
You cannot mix and match between brands, as each holder is designed around Inkzall or Sharpie marker body and cap diameters.
Both holders are made from ABS plastic and feature strong magnetic bases. This means that you can place it on flat horizontal surfaces, such as your workbench, or magnetically attach it to vertical surfaces, such as steel tool boxes, steel garage wall cabinets, or (most) refrigerators.
Price: $9.99
COO: Made in USA
Discussion
This looks like a brilliant idea!
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I’ve been toying with the idea of making a similarly-shaped pen holder out of wood, not based on this but inspired by my old toothbrush holder, but I never would have thought of trapping marker caps for one-handed retrieval.
Some of you might complain about the price, but this looks to be an original idea, and it’s made in the USA. If you have the skills and materials, you could always make your own. (If you go the DIY route, I’d be curious to see the results!)
SamR
I have one. I never managed to get the six markers in, all because it is hard to pull a marker out because there is no space lift for your finger to hold into a marker, vert tight space. So I only use it for three markers. The bottom line is I like it because I have never lost a marker cap since I got it. I think I will buy another one for my welding table.
King duck
When I saw the pictures and the slim hand model didn’t look like lots of room I was thinking my sausage fingers couldn’t get them out especially sharpies.
bob
If they made it conical it probably would have worked better. And for stability purposes have a flat bottom. Overall shape could look like one of those pour over coffee makers (see Hario V60 as an example)
Matt the Hoople
Neat idea. Are the holes large enough to keep a carpenter pencil or two in it as well. Need to have at least one slot where the cap comes out because sometimes you need to throw the marker in your tool belt and climb a ladder.
Mikedt
seems like a prime 3d printing project
ChrisH
Exactly what I was thinking… Off to thingiverse
Dwayne
Something close: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4121007
John Blair
I agree. I’m going to design and print my own where instead of them all being parallel they are angled so it forms like a trumpet shape so I can fit my sausage fingers in there to pull one free.
Kurt
I immediately thought the same thing; you could customize it pretty easily.
Andrew
Same, except I think it’s more like a drill press project.
Corey Moore
Well hot damn, this might be the gang box accessory I never knew I needed
RI Guy
On the topic of markers. May I humbly suggest the Markal Dura Ink brand. Tip last so much longer than sharpie or red. Maybe worth a write up Stuart? Also it’s a USA company making thing here or at least Taiwan. https://www.amazon.com/Markal-96023-Dura-Ink-Permanent-Marker/dp/B004N84B32/
Jared
That’s pretty slick. A product I didn’t know I needed.
Nathan
I like the idea but I don’t know I need 6 marker holes.
how about a 3 design either in triangle or arc like. I normally use blue and green but I could see also using red.
so 3 would be easier to grab too I think. I might get one. I could see putting one on my work bench and keeping one to have with my portable worktable setup. (metal saw horses.
garrett
Totally agree with 3. That way it wouldn’t roll off the bench when it got tipped over.
ca
I’m a biologist and spend an unusually large amount of time writing on tiny plastic tubes with sharpies every day. This looks like a good solution to not having enough hands and I’ll probably pick one up. I currently use retractable sharpies:
https://www.sharpie.com/markers/permanent-markers/sharpie-retractable-permanent-markers-fine-point/SAP_1926876.html
In my experience the fine point ones dry out too fast, but the ultra fine point are a good purchase.
Davethetool
Reminds me of when I bought a carousel tv remote holder as I was tired of my remotes sitting on my recliner arms and getting knocked off or me leaving one of the remotes somewhere in the family room and having to search for them. After I organized my remotes (4) in my new and cool carousel holder I patted myself on the back and wondered why I took so long to buy this. 3-4 weeks later remotes are back on the chair arms and/or side table and my cool remote holder is filled with mail, reading glasses pens, etc….lol
Koko The Talking Ape
To hold markers or pens on my fridge, I attach a magnet to it with a loop of aluminum wire, twisted tight. Seems permanent so far. I use magnets I’ve scavenged from worn-out electric toothbrush heads (the old Sonicare style, where the head is actually part of the motor.)
If your pen has a metal clip, Lee Valley has a double-ended magnet for your pen or other tools. You put the stronger end on your fridge or cabinet or whatever, and the weaker end holds the pen or wrench or whatever. That way when you pull the tool off, the magnet doesn’t come off with it. If your pen doesn’t have a clip, you can just wrap a twist of baling wire around it, or even a finish nail.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/storage-and-organization/magnetic/41734-standoff-magnetic-tool-holder?item=50K1801
And I personally prefer the retractable Sharpies. No cap to lose or to come off in your pocket.
Koko The Talking Ape
It occurs to me that it’s so simple for me to attach those magnets to my pens because those specific magnets have a slot, so the wire can wrap around them and the magnet face will still be flat against the fridge. Conventional disk or rod magnets might not be so easy to attach.
So you can glue a tiny magnet on with epoxy. Roughen the plastic pen a little where you glue it on. If that’s too much work for disposable pen, then glue the magnet to a pen cap, and just keep using the same cap.
Or just leave a larger magnet on your fridge, and wrap a bit of steel wire around the pen, or push a split ring down tight around the pen. The magnet will grip it strongly enough, but will still hold tighter to the fridge than the pen, so pulling off the pen won’t remove the magnet.
Jared
Those are some clever solutions too!
I was also thinking of DIY versions – in part because Stuart brought it up. If you were making a holder like this, it seems to me the easiest way would be to attach the caps permanently. i.e. you don’t need to be able to swap them in and out like this product does.
Maybe drill holes and epoxy the caps in place? Something like that.
I might just spin something up on my lathe and see how happy it makes me…
Koko The Talking Ape
Thanks!
But if you use one of my DIY solutions six times, you don’t need this $13 plastic holder at all. And I can’t imagine needing six different markers for work. Maybe two, at most three.
James Madara
Seems like an easy solution for the 3D printer folks.
Frank D
It certainly could use a bit more spacing between the pens … or maybe a model for just 4 pens instead of six. Not the easiest to remove a well seated and sealed sharpie grabbing it by the very end.
Jared
I don’t see why you couldn’t choose to put just three pens in.
Jp
For an unorganized tool guy I’ve done well enough that this strikes me as a superfluous money sink. But hey, if it’s that hard for some to use markers and cap them, this proves there is a product for everything. I might get it if it attached in a way that you could possibly use it on a ladder up high while your other hand was busy and couldn’t pull a cap. But for this situation I use my teeth……looks like a solution looking for a problem, and taking ppls money at the same time. This is not as innovative as the post it notes were in my view.
IronWood
I can definitely see where a certain work space would benefit from this. I’d get one for dry erase markers because my scheduling white board is on a metal wall at work. For sharpies I’ll stick with my tried and true routine of “buy a couple boxes and scatter them all over so one’s always close by.” Works for pencils too 🙂
Mac
My Sharpie drawer just got jealous and possibly repurposed…
-Mac
DRT42
I dont mean to be negative, but this seems like something useful for an artist, not for shop use. I only use 2 colors of markers! Why six holes? I was given a bunch of yellow, green, red, orange sharpies, and they are all useless for layout purposes because the colors are too light. I like to carry a marker to the job and recap as soon as I am done marking. Haven’t lost a cap yet.
Jason T.
I agree, for most purposes I only use two colors, usually black and silver. Occasionally I use red. I have never needed a dock/stand for my sharpies, I just keep them in a drawer in my toolbox and take them to my work as needed and put them back in the toolbox when I’m done with them, the same with my wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, etc…
BigTimeTommy
Is there anything like this that clips onto a belt or into a pouch?
fred
I bought some as stocking stuffers and one for myself. Even with using every other hole it is hard to get the pens out. I thought it might only be me – with my fat fingers – but none of my recipients like them. Nice idea – but works poorly.
Ct451
Just tape the cap to anything….. or stick one in a vice or pliers or cement or drill a bunch of holes in a 2×4 or just about whatever you can come up with.
Franco Calcagni
These look so cool, I want some. Then reading the comments, many having problems grabbing the markers because of space and other complaints, I’ll pass.
I don’t recall who mentioned the retractable Sharpie’s, but thanks for reminding me. I had one years ago, and I loved it. So I just bought a bunch of the retractables, instead of this holder.