Hi Stampers! A few weeks ago I uncovered a box of old blender pens that I have had for over 10 years! As my blender pens started to get dried out (and the tips too mushy to color in details like the beaks of birds and little eyeballs) I replaced them with new ones. Over and over again -now I have a box of 40 or so that have accumulated and remind me of how much I spent on just blender pens!
I’ve tried to refill my pens before but didn’t give it a real effort. It was too easy to buy new ones. The refill recipe couldn’t work as well as a new pen – or could it?
These recipes have been around a long time with lots of different variations. I pulled up several through searches on Google and found one that popped up over and over so that is what I used:
1/4 tsp. rubbing alcohol
2 tsp. glycerin
4 tsp. distilled water
For the experiment, I stamped a bird in black StazOn several times on watercolor cardstock and on whisper white cardstock. Each bird represented a different coloring medium – Watercolor Crayon, marker, watercolor pencil, classic ink and pastels. Then I colored each one with a refilled blender pen and then a new one. (too much time on my hands or just obsessive…?)
Here are my “scientific” findings to answer the question for myself once and for all! (and maybe it can help you to save your abandoned blender pens, too)
*A few days after making the video, I found out that submerging the pen barrel in the solution WAS too much. I know, you told me but I just had to try it….! Just put an 1/8 tsp inside the barrel and that’s it!)
Video:
(Song “Colour My World” by Petula Clark 1967)
Next week, I’ll debunk the many theories of embossing and static reduction!
Linda
p.s. Almost forgot! Remember last week’s punching our soda cans to sharpen them? Look what Marni Levett did using those punched out soda can pieces!
Clever girl!
You can check out more of Marni’s blog here!
This is great! I appreciate all the time you are taking to figure this stuff out! You’re pulling at my engineer heart-strings you know!
I love your Stampbusters idea! This is great. Thanks for doing this.
This was very informative. My blender pens are about to be dried out so I would like to use this recipe. Thanks for doing this experiment. Big help.
Thanks for the information, Linda!
fantastic tutorial. I’ll be giving it a try! I just tried to dye my blender pen with riding hood red and found it didn’t work well..perhaps I need to get the ink inside the tube in the middle and it will work now 🙂
Oh Linda — you’re AWESOME!! I’m loving Stampbusters! Twice, I watched the video on using soda cans to sharpen punches — I was so stunned that it worked. Thanks so much for the many ways you teach us!
I do have a couple of tips for you on the blender pen refill. I have used that recipe for years and have had great results with it. Pens with mushy tips are to be tossed. Pens that are dry can be refilled by taking a plyers and removing the one end. This way you don’t have to remove the tips and weaken them. When they get wet again they expand a bit and are sometimes difficult to put back. The tube inside comes out with a tap or two. Solution should be stored in a dropper bottle. Drop solution on the cotton part of the tube you can see it absorbe the drops. Stop when the drop sits on the top and takes longer to soak in, then your tube is full. Or when it drips out the bottom. Then it’s actually too full and just squeeze it a bit to let a drop or two out and it’s good to go. Place it back in the pen and place the end back on. Place the cover to the tip back on and push shut on a hard surface. You will hear it click back in place. It isn’t recommended to soak your tips in the solution, it contaminates the whole batch. It’s best to put it in a bottle that seals.
I hope these tips are of some interest to you. I enjoy your Stampbusting!!!
Thnak you so much for you buster video’s – I have often wondered how the refill would work on these pens – sorry to say the I ahve thrown many away.
Great video!! I’m a huge Mythbusters fan, so these are fantastic, and right up my alley.
I’ve been refilling my blender pens for ages, and I don’t pull out the tips, I just put the solution in a smaller container, and stick one end in for about 15 minutes, then stick the other end in. It seems to work very well, and saves taking them apart. You’re right about using them for the ‘big’ spaces… that works really well for the ‘reused’ ones, but it’s still a good way to recycle.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Oh, and I LOVED the punch sharpening tips… my punches were suffering, now they’re good as new!!!
Is there something wrong with the Blender Pen video? It just seems to load but not play.
This was cool! I should have checked your site out when my daughter did her last minute “I have no science project and it’s due on Monday” ! This is a cool science project ! LOL
Hi
Someone post a link to your page and I just think it’s so nice of you to do this and at the same time it’s so cool. Thanks for doing this and at the same time thanks for the tips!!
I LOVE Mythbusters! Stampbusters is so cool too! : ) I really appreciated the soda can/punch video and this blender pen one came just in time! I’m always looking for ways to green up and reuse – now I’ll have blender pens for my little one to use any time she wants! Thanks so much!
In your video you mentioned that the refilled pens had dull points. I am wondering if you can flip the tip around and stick the uned end in and start fresh? I have not used the blender pens much at all but hopefully that would work.
A friend of mine just shared your site with me and I have to say “I am thrilled” … your video’s are so well done and the information is priceless! Thanks so much for doing this … you are now in my google reader so I won’t miss a thing!! Great job!!
You can buy new tips for your blender pens. An Amish stamp store near me sells them.
Linda, your videos are wonderful…so informative. I’m sure it’s a lot of work to set these up and post them. I really appreciate all the helpful tips and advice. Thanks so much…Mary
So it does work? I can’t watch videos at work! I am loving your stampbuster series!
Thanks for sharing I loved this video! it was a huge help!
thanks! That was an oldie but glad it still works!
SUPER!! GREAT IDEA THAT WORKS!!
You know if I can replace the distilled water with something else?
Everyone seems to recommend distilled water so it doesn’t get stinky:)