Advice on how to remove "sharpie" writing on a guitar case please?

[Brig]

If something like acetone or nail varnish remover doesn't touch it then you might be looking at some kind of mechanical removal, when you tried alcohol bit you leave it a while to soak in? sometimes you need to do that & give it a few tries.
You could try an acrylic scratch removal product, normally come in a set of 3 one is almost just a polish, 2 is a light scratch removal & 3 is for deeper scratches.
Other option as has been mentioned is to make a highlight out of it with something like a brass plate or even a printed sticker would do.

That's what I'm thinking, a nice brass plate or printed sticker would cover it and look great on the case.

 

[Stigmorgan]

This may seem strange but have you tried hand sanitiser or cheap deoderant(lynx)? I use it on the tables in school when the little s***s write on them with permanent marker

 

[Brig]

This may seem strange but have you tried hand sanitiser or cheap deoderant(lynx)? I use it on the tables in school when the little s***s write on them with permanent marker

Just tried hand sanitiser and Lynx without success, the writing is so deep into the tolex that I'm afraid that anything strong enough to remove it would probably damage the tolex.

 

[D_W]

Depth might be the issue. I checked the MSDS for permanent markers, including sharpies. They are listed basically as being colorant plus four different types of alcohols. I've never tried removing *really* old stuff, but had an issue with my son and some of his friends writing on things when they were younger and letting all of us know after things dried.

Including a very particular mother of one of his friends (who is an engineer and freaked out- I'm not an engineer and not a chemist but sent my wife back with a can of denatured alcohol and then planned to send solvents one at a time from that to more and more potential fence damage to remove pen and marker, and alcohol did the trick).

Same has fixed the dryer drum after a burst pen leaves baked on ink all over the drum that my wife declares "absolutely will not come off".

That said, if it's way into the tolex, it seems only possible that you'd get some of it out by soaking a spot and then putting something on it to draw the alcohol out - at best.

I'd cover it with something instead.

 

[Ollie78]

I think the appropriate solvent is xylene. But it is pretty savage and you will need to do a test.

Ollie

 

[D_W]

I think the appropriate solvent is xylene. But it is pretty savage and you will need to do a test.

Ollie

I guess I would be surprised if it was banned in europe and california, but it's right on the rack here at home depot. The name seems sort of similar to something I use in smoothies..can't remember the name now without going and looking at the bag. How annoying....

got it. xanthan. Not that close.

Unless that was written a long time ago (on the case) there's no xylene. Sharpies have a label on them here "certified non-toxic". It a appears xylene was phased out of most markers here in the past.

 

[Ollie78]

Toluene maybe.

Ollie

 

[Tuna808]

Polishes the likes of T cut and some boat polishes have removed some stubborn stains for me in past.Most of these polishes have stain removing solvents which could work for you.

 

[--Tom--]

Or just bleach off the stain with BKF, I’ve done it before when it’s stained plastics. Once the plastic is stained wiping with any amount of thinner is ineffective

 

[Richard_C]

Hydrogen Peroxide ( as in "peroxide blonde") might work if the various organic solvents don't. Its less aggressive than household bleach. I've used it successfully on carpets to get out various stains. Dilute to c. 25% in water (you can always have another go with it stronger) , soak folded wet paper towel, not the bits with coloured printed patterns, put over the area and seal in with clingfilm so it doesn't dry out. Leave a while, have a look.

(on carpet I put a pile of books on top and give it an hour)

Just had a thought: the real sharpies of sharpieland have FAQs on their website with some how to remove suggestions.

https://www.sharpie.com/support/faqs

 

[Brig]

I guess I would be surprised if it was banned in europe and california, but it's right on the rack here at home depot. The name seems sort of similar to something I use in smoothies..can't remember the name now without going and looking at the bag. How annoying....

got it. xanthan. Not that close.

Unless that was written a long time ago (on the case) there's no xylene. Sharpies have a label on them here "certified non-toxic". It a appears xylene was phased out of most markers here in the past.

I have Coeliac Disease and my wife uses xanthan gum in gluten-free baking, perhaps I should try it
Xanthan gum is used to improve the texture and shelf life of gluten-free products.

 

[D_W]

It adds bulk and slickness (I can see how it would imitate gluten to some degree in otherwise dry and kind of harsh products).

I use it in protein shakes (on a slow diet this year, low effort, I guess). It will create the illusion of a bulked up drink and then for whatever reason, the bulk that gets mixed in doesn't disappear (you don't burp it out).

I see that it's in ice cream, etc, which explains why ice cream doesn't melt as easily as homemade ice cream (or at least, it doesn't become runny right away and it maintains airy structure rather than being dense - i'm sure the airy bit is beneficial to stretch the actual content in a box as it's sold by volume here).

If you put a tiny bit between your fingers and make it wet and then slip your fingers over, maybe it wouldn't remove the marker, but it would make a good lubricant for something to rub it off!!

 

[Nic_the_Urchin]

A drywipe pen over the top might work. We use this all the time in the film industry when doing slates. (Information that doesn’t change often is sharpie’d on)

 

[Southdownswolf]

A drywipe pen over the top might work. We use this all the time in the film industry when doing slates. (Information that doesn’t change often is sharpie’d on)

One of the first things I learnt (and only thing of worth) when I worked for Nobo. Not sure it will work in this case though as it sounds as though it's too deep into the material.

 

[Roseland 2]

I used a Magic Eraser sponge to remove (my) Sharpie writing from my phenolic router table table top, and it worked a treat. Good luck

 

[MikeJhn]

May sound silly, but have you tried blotting paper and a hot smoothing iron?

 

[PhilipL]

A tattoo laser removal service may be your final attempt before the brass plate.

 

[the great waldo]

Try some orange oil. If you want to use cellulose thinners then mix it with some lemon oil to stop it melting the tolex and wipe it off quicly as it will melt the tolex or whatever they use these days. Alcohol should dissolve the sharpie ink somewhat. What I have found works on removing glue from acoustic guitar pickguards without damaging the finish is superglue accelerator in spray cans. I'm not sure if it's the accelerator or the propellant that does the job but it's got me out of trouble before so it might work. Maybe putting some baby(talcum powder ) on it as well while it's wet might help soak it up, it works great on silk dresses that have a panfull of duck fat spilled on them (don't ask how I know!!)
Cheers
Andrew

 

[Uktvgold1]

I've just purchased a beautiful second-hand bass, but the previous owner wrote the name of the bass on masking tape which he stuck to the case, unfortunately, the case is a light creamy colour and the sharpie has gone through the masking tape, I've tried white spirit but it hasn't done much towards removing the writing.

Any advice on how to remove the writing would be very much appreciated.

Try hair spray it works on permanent marker

 

[Fergie 307]

Zippo lighter fluid might be worth a try, if no one has already suggested it.