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I've accumulated quite a collection of Copics. I have purchased maybe 10 refills. I've recently started to worry that all of these Copics (well, most, the ones I use regularly) will need to be refilled soon. While the refills last a while, it's still a sizable outlay of money to get the ones I need. Anyone else dealing with this?
Nope. The first one to go will be the light blue I use most often for sky; so I may break down for that one. The rest could last for years though, and when they start going I have enough colors to use a close substitute.
Since I want to start airbrushing a lot, I've thought about buying the refills. I haven't done it yet because I'm still buying the colors. But refills will be next. I can't think of anything worse than running my COPIC dry and not having the refill. I believe they will be a good investment.
Janet
__________________ (My Avatar is my son in Iraq and his dog, Bodie -- note Bodie's haircut!)
I've been collecting the markers also. Eventually I may start purchasing the refills to go along with the markers. I have the needle to do the refilling. So far I'm not using them enough to run them dry yet.
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Loretta Rathert~
So far I have 3 refills. The W2 marker got dry first because I use it to outline everything. Then the pinkish white because I use it to do faces and last, crimson because I have the airbrush and I know that color is going to get alot of use for Christmas. I'm not too worried about running out because when I do, my order comes within 2 days. Not too shabby!
Funny you should ask this. I went to the Copics website b/c my colorless blender dried out. Which I thought happened pretty quick. I didn't feel like I had used it alot. But, regardless, I tried refilling it with a homemade recipe I found online. BIG MISTAKE. I don't know if I just didn't mix it right or what..but, it ruined my pen. So, I did a search on their website for a local distributor and was thrilled to find one about 20 minutes from me. :p I went there and purchased another CB plus a skin white E00 one. When I got home, I went to their site again b/c I bought a refill for the CB also. I wanted to directions on how to refill it and got to reading about how long the sketch markers will last approx. before they need refilled. I didn't find the information very encouraging and feel I'm gonna find myself buying ANOTHER refill for the skin white pen. I found it very disappointing and am VERY happy that I invested in my Bic Mark-It's instead of buying all copics. Which I couldn't afford to do anyways. I have just been wanting to use the CB to lighten the bic colors. The bics did not come with the flesh tone that I was looking for which is why I purchased the copic one. However, the refill for that is gonna cost me more than the marker did...:rolleyes:
Sue, you can refill the marker 5x with the refill. It will cost me 93 cents each time I refill the pen. I do have the Bic as well but once the ink is gone, I just have to toss the pen. I have tossed 4 colors from the large set so far and can't find anywhere to just buy those colors.
Yes, I bought the markers and then started to use them. I began to freak about the colors I use a lot, so began to order refills. Personally I don't have a store close to me that carries the refills, so I really want to have them on hand.
It has been a struggle. Then, after I began to purchase the refills it became--where and how am I going to store them. I bought a plastic shoe box tub. I can put them on their side and see the numbers on the caps.
Yeesh, isn't it always something!
I love the markers and love the look, but the expense well, lets just say I don't like it....
I'm still collecting the markers...but I try to buy 10-12 markers and then 5 refills of the colors I use the most. The only ones I've had to refill so far are my colorless blender, Cool Gray for outlining, and my skintones and browns (for hair and animals). I bought my first ones last year for Christmas, so its lasted me a long time already.
I bought like 8 refills at once, but the shipping was horrible. It came in this little box and was about $10 to ship! I have a few colors I need refills in still. I just don't want to get hit all at once. I do think some dry out earlier than others, but I guess you never really know if the lid has been off at some point, even before you buy them.
HI! The place I buy them...shipping is free with a $50 purchase. I am collecting the originals. The refills are $4.63 and the pens are 3.90. They do not charge me tax as they are in MI and I am in CA. The only thing, he is out of alot of colors, so I have to admit, I have bought what was available instead of what I wanted....so I may be heavier in some color families,lol. The stores in my area charge $5.99 a pen and I've heard that the prices are going up everywhere at the first of the year.
I have about 80 markers *shhh!* But only a reinker for my C1. I use my markers quite often (for about 1 yr) and have only really needed it for this one.
Creative Pals near Milwaukee, WI will refill your pens for you! If you're concerned about doing it yourself. They are wonderful people and it's a great store.
Sue, you can refill the marker 5x with the refill. It will cost me 93 cents each time I refill the pen. I do have the Bic as well but once the ink is gone, I just have to toss the pen. I have tossed 4 colors from the large set so far and can't find anywhere to just buy those colors.
I understand and that does sound reasonable however, I can't buy the refills locally here so, I'm gonna have to pay for S & H too aside from the $6.97 they charge for ONE refill. Plus, the whole set of Bic Mark-It's only cost me what...$11.99? on sale at target? and I just read in another thread that they are on sale at a local office supply store for $19.99 with a $10.00 mail-in rebate. Also, I just read another post in this thread that the price of the markers are going up after the first of the year. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?? Please don't get me wrong! I'm not bashing! just stating what I feel are a fact. your basically paying for the name. BUT!! I've bought them! so, I have no soapbox to stand on IMO.
I very very recently (6 wks to be exact) bought some Copics and have found in the last week, that 2 colours are dried out. Already! I'm not a pro colouring all day for a job, rather just colouring a bit on some evenings. They are stored flat, caps are all clicked shut tightly and no kids are messing with them. Sooo why are 2 (Eoo & YG11) I use a little (Xmas cards aren't requiring these pale colours) all dried up already? I was under the impression that these markers last quite a while, but this seems silly.
I've read as many of the Copic messages as I can and haven't seen any that answer this question. I was made aware that refills of popular colours will be needed, but certainly not after less than 6 wks of use! Do I have duds? (I had a prob with broken Prisma pencils a while back- thanks for your help ladies- all was corrected. And yes, mine were duds. Figures)
Any help would be appreciated. I fell embarrased to go back to the LSS and whine about these, but am not sure what else to do espeically after paying so much for them (I bought the 36 pck).
I have the whole 144 set of Ciao plus about 24 Sketch. The ones I use a lot started drying out pretty quickly. I was worried about being in the middle of something and running dry, so I splurged and started buying refills 24 at a time from this site: http://www.copicmarkers.com/storefro...spx?sfid=78416
You can order a custom set of 24, no shipping, and they cost about $5.61 each.
I feel that buying the Copics was the best of all my crafting purchases (and probably the most costly! LOL!) They've made my card-making such fun!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
I have one copic marker, and all the rest are Bics and Dick Blick markers. I love the Dick Blick ones - and this is the set I'm going to ask for Christmas
[quote=palominoblu;15385205]I very very recently (6 wks to be exact) bought some Copics and have found in the last week, that 2 colours are dried out.
My markers range from 2 months old to a little over a year old. My first color to dry out was a pale blue I knew I used a lot for sky. Okay, no problem. The second, though, is G40, which I doubt very much has gotten nearly so much use. It surprised me, too, that it was not just pale and dry feeling but bone dry. As long as it does not become a common problem, and I have not heard much complaint from other Copic owners I will chalk it up to just a freak incident of one lemon. Ordering re-inkers is something I knew I would have to do anyway with certain colors. It just seems like predicting which colors will need re-inkers first might be futile.
I don't use my Copics a WHOLE lot, just because I don't make a lot of cards (but everything I make I usually do use the Copics, so they get a fair amount of use), and nothing except my blender pen has run dry yet. I do make sure to recap them quickly (even if I am coming back to that color soon)...
So, my guess is that you DID get duds?
BTW I tried the Bic markers for substitutes, and they work fine if you want dark colors...but they were very limited because of that, to me. Plus, I found them harder to blend. I didn't think I would like the Copics after trying the Bics, because the tutorials indicate they work "the same." But in my experience, the Copics are far better. Not only for the colors available, but for the ability to blend and the way the brush tip works.
__________________ Lynn
"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right�--Lincoln
Here is some specific information from the Copic Certification class about how much ink is in a marker and how many refills in a bottle.
An Original marker on regular copier paper will evenly cover 5 sheets and streak for a 6th page.
A Sketch marker will evenly cover 4 sheets of regular copier paper and streak for another 3/4 of a sheet.
A Wide marker will evenly cover 4 sheets and streak for another 2 sheets of copier paper.
(Keep in mind that the paper you use DOES affect how much ink you use...)
Also...for refills,
Wide markers can get 5-7 refills per bottle
Original markers can get 8-10 refills per bottle
Sketch markers can get 10-12 refills per bottle
Ciao markers can get 12 refills per bottle
I personally have had most of my markers for about 3 years and I only have had to refill my blender and a blue (sky) and a brown (ground) and I'm just now noticing that I will need to refill my light earth tones for skin colors. I color with them almost every day.
I know that buying a refill at around $6.00 sounds pricey, but when you consider that it gives you up to 12 times the longevity of your marker for that price... it's definitely worth it for me.
__________________ Colleen Schaan - Education Specialist at Imagination International Inc.,/Copic Marker
Blog - Distinctive Touches;My Copic Books!
I saw on one post that a lady has a LSS near her place that offers a refill of the marker at $1 each. That is to say, she will bring her almost dry marker to the LSS and have the shop refill it for her. I am guessing that other LSS may be willing to do it as well and it saves you from spending so much on individual bottles of the refills. As for the paper that you use, smooth coated paper that are not as absorbent actually uses less ink and so your markers would probably last longer with these. I have only used marker paper with copics so I am not sure how they function on more absorbent paper.
We refill a lot of markers at our brick and mortar store in Madison, WI. We don't have all the colors but we have about 120 of them. It doesn't take much ink to refill them however, the investment for all the reinkers can be pricey. Customers love the option of being able to refill a couple of markers for just a couple of dollars. Check around to see if anyone is doing that in your area.
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Owner- Gina K. Designs
I have about 17 Copics and will not be buying anymore. Some of them did not last long before they started going dry and now they sit. I cannot afford to buy the refills.
I decided My Prisma Markers I bought about 2 years ago are still going strong and will stick with them if I need to use the alcohol markers.
Besides, I do have the Bics, Sharpies , and some SU and CTMH markers and Prismas pencils so I am fine for coloring.
We refill a lot of markers at our brick and mortar store in Madison, WI. We don't have all the colors but we have about 120 of them. It doesn't take much ink to refill them however, the investment for all the reinkers can be pricey. Customers love the option of being able to refill a couple of markers for just a couple of dollars. Check around to see if anyone is doing that in your area.
This is what a lot of stores are starting to do. The store I just taught at this past weekend in Amarillo just started carrying Copics and her plan is to offer a "refill bar" so that her customers can come in and get their markers refilled right at the store.
I think this is a WONDERFUL idea!
__________________ Colleen Schaan - Education Specialist at Imagination International Inc.,/Copic Marker
Blog - Distinctive Touches;My Copic Books!
Location: Virginia, where we have the beach and mountains all in one state!!
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I would so LOVE to have "a refill bar" offered where I live. I really don't like the idea of having to buy the reinkers but I may have too! What a great service to offer your customers. It just makes since ya' know!
Have you been buying refills for your Copics?
