---
title: "How to Revive a Dried-Out Pen or Marker: What Makers Say"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker/"
description: "How to revive a dried-out marker, ballpoint, gel pen or fountain pen, from Mitsubishi Uni, Pilot and Copic, and which ones cannot be brought back."
category: "How To"
type: "Pen and marker care"
published: 2026-11-02
updated: 2026-11-02
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 13
products:
  - name: "Copic Sketch marker"
    brand: "Copic"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Not stated"
    material: "Plastic oval barrel and caps, replaceable nibs, alcohol-based dye ink (Copic)"
    released: "1993"
    price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas"
    model: "Copic Sketch (Amazon model number for 100 Black: SM-100S)"
    url: "https://copic.jp/product/sketch/"
    guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/copic-sketch/"
  - name: "Zebra Hi-Mackee oil-based marker (MC12C), refillable Hi-Mackee Care (YYT5-12C)"
    brand: "Zebra"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Not stated"
    material: "Plastic body; alcohol-based oil dye ink"
    price_band: "$ (under $5 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)"
    model: "Hi-Mackee"
    mpn: "MC12C"
    url: "https://www.zebra.co.jp/pro/detail/mackee/"
    guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-hi-mackee-marker/"
  - name: "Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm)"
    brand: "Pilot"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Japan"
    material: "Plastic barrel, rubber grip"
    released: "1997"
    price_band: "$ (under $5 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America"
    guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/"
  - name: "Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen"
    brand: "Pilot"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Japan"
    material: "Brass body and cap (painted; per Pilot Japan for the Cocoon and JetPens for the Metropolitan), resin section, steel nib"
    released: "2012"
    price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America"
    guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-metropolitan/"
---

# How to Revive a Dried-Out Pen or Marker: What Makers Say

> Refill or replace before you improvise. Copic and Pilot sell refill ink for their markers, and Uni says valve markers need pumping. Uni and Pilot both say a ballpoint that has stopped writing cannot be restored, so fit a new refill. Pilot says to wash a dried fountain pen with lukewarm water.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker/
- Category: How To
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-11-02
- Updated: 2026-11-02

![A Copic Sketch marker, a Zebra Hi-Mackee marker, a Pilot G2 gel pen and a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen lying side by side](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-illustration-16x9.png?v=88605af9)

*Four pens that can dry out: two markers, a gel pen and a fountain pen. Drawn in proportion.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-illustration.svg?v=bd0afe38>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copic Sketch marker | Copic (by Too Marker Products Inc. (Tokyo); sold in the US by Too Corporation Americas) | Japan | Not stated | Plastic oval barrel and caps, replaceable nibs, alcohol-based dye ink (Copic) | 1993 | $$: $5–20 per item |
| Zebra Hi-Mackee oil-based marker (MC12C), refillable Hi-Mackee Care (YYT5-12C) | Zebra (by Zebra Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Not stated | Plastic body; alcohol-based oil dye ink | – | $: under $5 per item |
| Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Plastic barrel, rubber grip | 1997 | $: under $5 per item |
| Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Brass body and cap (painted; per Pilot Japan for the Cocoon and JetPens for the Metropolitan), resin section, steel nib | 2012 | $$$: $20–75 per item |

- Made in (Copic Sketch marker): Not stated. Copic's own pages don't state a country for the Sketch. Search snippets of Muziker and Faire listings for single Sketch markers say made in Japan, while Digitec lists Japan and Vietnam for a 6-marker set; we couldn't open the Muziker or Faire pages, so check the pack. Source: https://www.digitec.ch/en/s1/product/copic-sketch-6x-markers-13018409
- Made in (Zebra Hi-Mackee oil-based marker (MC12C), refillable Hi-Mackee Care (YYT5-12C)): Not stated. Zebra's Japanese product page lists line width, ink, size, weight, part number and price but no country of manufacture, so check the label on your copy.
- Made in (Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm)): Japan. Per US retailer spec sheets (Stop & Shop, OnTimeSupplies for item 31171). Some grocery listings for a 4-pack say "Japan, USA", so origin may vary by pack. Pilot's US site doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source: https://stopandshop.com/groceries/home-office/school-office/office-supplies/pens/pilot-g2-pens-fine-blue-ink-7mm-2-ct-pkg.html
- Made in (Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen): Japan. Per Milligram's listing (made in Japan). Pilot's Japanese catalog page for the Cocoon (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. eBay and Rokomari listings cited earlier blocked our access on that date, so we dropped them. Source: https://milligram.com/products/pilot-pen-metropolitan-fountain-pen

## Key takeaways

- Mitsubishi Uni and Pilot both say there is no way to restore a ballpoint that has stopped writing; Uni adds that heating the tip with a flame or hot water rarely works on current pens.
- Copic says its Sketch, Ciao and Classic markers can be refilled repeatedly with Copic Ink, about 1 ml at a time, and that their nibs are replaceable.
- Pilot refills its twin markers with MN-35RF ink, about three dropper squeezes, then rests them flat for about 10 minutes.
- Uni, Pilot and Copic all store markers horizontally; Uni says a pigment marker stored tip up can write lighter and tip down can clog.
- Pilot says ballpoint ink goes off: use oil-based ink within about 3 years of manufacture and water-based gel ink within about 2.

## Can you revive a dried-out pen or marker?

**Sometimes, and it depends on the pen.** Refillable markers and fountain pens can often be brought back; ballpoint and gel pens usually cannot.

| Pen type | What the makers say | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Refillable alcohol marker (Copic) | Refill with Copic Ink and replace worn nibs | Refill, then swap the nib if needed |
| Valve-type paint marker (Uni) | Ink only flows once the nib is pumped | Shake, then pump on scrap paper |
| Twin marker or highlighter (Pilot) | Takes Pilot's own refill ink by dropper | Refill, then lay it flat for about 10 minutes |
| Ballpoint or gel pen (Uni, Pilot) | Both say a pen that has stopped writing cannot be restored | Fit a new refill |
| Fountain pen (Pilot) | Dried ink in the nib and feed is the usual cause | Wash with lukewarm water |

## How do you revive a dried-out marker?

**Pump it, refill it or change the nib, then cap it and store it flat.** Use the step your maker supports; none of the maker pages we read advises dipping a marker nib in water or a solvent.

1. **Shake and pump a valve-type paint marker.** Uni says to shake it with the cap on until you hear it rattle, then about 20 more times, then press the nib again and again on scrap paper, about twice a second, until ink appears. Holding the nib down does nothing.

   ![A hand pressing a marker nib up and down on scrap paper, with a red double arrow beside it](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-pump-a-valve-marker-on-scrap-paper.svg?v=6a2191b3)

*Press and release, not hold. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

2. **Refill a refillable marker with its maker's own ink.** Copic says to match the exact ink color, remove the broad nib with tweezers, put the nozzle straight into the core and add about 1 ml at a time. Pilot's Twin Marker takes MN-35RF ink, about three dropper squeezes, and Pilot warns that overfilling can splash ink when the cap comes off.

   ![A hand holding a marker nib up while a small bottle drips red ink toward it](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-refill-a-refillable-marker-with-its-own-ink.svg?v=a92b52a1)

*Maker ink, a little at a time. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

3. **Swap a worn or clogged nib.** Copic says its nibs can be replaced and suggests changing them when they look worn or stained or write differently; for its acrea pen it sells spare nibs for a clogged one.

   ![Tweezers pulling a dark nib out of a marker held in a hand, with a fresh spare nib above it](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-swap-a-worn-or-clogged-nib.svg?v=d9f76a88)

*Pull the old nib, fit a spare. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

4. **Cap it until it clicks and lay it flat.** Uni says to close the cap firmly because the ink can dry out. Uni, Pilot and Copic all store markers horizontally; Uni says a pigment marker stored tip up can write lighter, and tip down can clog.

   ![Three capped markers lying on their sides in a shallow tray, marked with a tick](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-cap-it-and-lay-it-flat.svg?v=bbac0218)

*Capped and flat. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*


## How do you handle a ballpoint or gel pen that has stopped writing?

**Rule out the paper, the angle and the tip, then fit a new refill.** Uni and Pilot both say a pen that has really stopped cannot be revived, so do not spend long on it. If the pen still writes but skips, blobs or leaks, see [how to fix a ballpoint or gel pen that skips, blobs or leaks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-fix-a-ballpoint-or-gel-pen-that-skips-blobs-or-leaks/).

1. **Test it on plain paper with the tip pointing down.** Pilot says writing with the tip above horizontal, such as on a wall calendar, lets air in, and advises writing at about 60 degrees or steeper. Uni says the ball can slide without turning on glossy or coated paper, film, toner or pencil lines.

   ![A hand holding a ballpoint steeply upright over plain paper with a line of ink behind it, and a flat-held pen crossed out](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-test-on-plain-paper-with-the-tip-down.svg?v=0529c853)

*Tip down, on plain paper. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

2. **Look for a damaged tip.** Pilot names a damaged tip and paper fibers or coating clogging it among the main causes. If the ball has dropped out, Pilot says the spring's end shows like a wire in the tip.

   ![A magnified ballpoint tip with a dent beside the ball and a thin wire poking out, crossed out](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-look-for-a-damaged-tip.svg?v=18d2d6db)

*A dented or empty tip will not recover. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

3. **Leave the flame and hot water alone.** Uni says the old advice to heat the tip came from oil-based pens, where warming dried ink could sometimes soften it, and that it rarely works on current products. We would not try it.

   ![A flame under a ballpoint pen tip with a red cross above it](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-leave-the-flame-and-hot-water-alone.svg?v=2823c458)

*Do not heat the tip. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

4. **Fit a fresh refill.** Pilot says ballpoint ink changes with age: use up oil-based ink within about 3 years of manufacture and water-based gel ink within about 2. Our [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/) guide lists that pen's refills.

   ![A nearly empty refill sliding out of a pen barrel above a full blue refill marked with a tick](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-revive-a-dried-out-pen-or-marker-fit-a-fresh-refill.svg?v=380d897d)

*Swap the refill, keep the barrel. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*


## What about a dried-out fountain pen?

**Wash the inside with lukewarm water, as Pilot says.** Pilot says a fountain pen left unused for a long time often clogs where dried ink and debris sit in the nib and feed, and that if washing does not help, it should go to repair. Our [Pilot Metropolitan](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-metropolitan/) guide covers one such pen. For the full soak and flush steps, see [how to fix a fountain pen that won't write](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-fix-a-fountain-pen-that-wont-write/) and [how to clean a fountain pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-fountain-pen/).

## Where do the makers differ?

**On whether a pen can be revived at all, and on how to refill.** The marker makers sell a way back; the ballpoint makers do not.

| Question | Uni | Pilot | Copic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can a dead ballpoint be restored? | No; heating rarely works | No | Not covered |
| How do you refill a marker? | Pump a valve marker; replacement cores sold separately | Dropper with MN-35RF (Twin Marker) or SGRF-12SL (Spotliter) | Copic Ink, about 1 ml at a time; nibs replaceable |
| How do you store markers? | Horizontal; avoid heat such as a dashboard | Whiteboard markers horizontal; some paint markers never tip down | Horizontal, cool, out of sunlight |

Our [Copic Sketch](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/copic-sketch/) and [Zebra Hi-Mackee](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-hi-mackee-marker/) guides cover two refillable markers in detail.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can heat or hot water bring a ballpoint back?

Rarely. Mitsubishi Uni says the advice to warm a dead tip over a flame or in hot water grew from older oil-based pens, where softening dried ink sometimes worked, and that current products seldom recover. Pilot says a stopped ballpoint cannot be revived. We do not recommend heat.

### Why does a pen stop writing when it still has ink?

Pilot lists four main causes: air swallowed at the tip, a damaged tip, paper fibers or coating clogging it, and ink that has changed with age. Uni adds that the ball can slide without turning on glossy or coated paper.

### How much ink does a Copic marker take when you refill it?

Copic recommends around 1 ml, one mark on the bottle, each time. Its ink FAQ says the listed refill amount assumes a fully dried-out marker and is well below a new marker's volume to avoid overfilling, so top up with less for a small refresh.

### Can you refill a Pilot twin marker or highlighter?

Yes. Pilot's refill page names MN-35RF ink for the Twin Marker, about three dropper squeezes, and SGRF-12SL for the Spotliter. It warns that overfilling can make ink splash when you take the cap off.

### Why does a new whiteboard-marker cartridge not write?

Pilot says that if a long time has passed since the old ink ran out, the dry nib may not soak up the new ink. It asks you to replace the cartridge soon after the ink disappears, checked with the nib pointing up, and to close the cap until it clicks.

### How long does ballpoint ink last?

Pilot suggests using up oil-based ballpoint ink within about 3 years of manufacture and water-based gel ink within about 2, because the ink changes with age. Heat and swings in temperature, such as a car dashboard, speed this up.

### Should you dip a dry marker nib in water or solvent?

None of the maker pages we read advises it. Copic only says to wipe excess ink off an acrea nib with a damp cloth after use so it does not harden. Copic and Uni both warn that their inks are flammable, so we do not suggest solvents.

## Sources

- [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japan): Typical reasons a ballpoint stops writing; no way to restore one, and what heating does (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/customer/ans_11.html)
- [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japan): Ballpoint stops writing, ball does not turn on slick surfaces (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/customer/ans_11e.html)
- [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japan): Ink will not come out of a valve-type paint marker (shaking and pumping; read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/customer/ans_59.html)
- [Mitsubishi Pencil (Japan): How to store felt-tip pens and markers (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/customer/ans_35.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): Why a ballpoint stops writing (four causes; no way to revive; read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/ballpen/ballpointpen_1.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): Four things not to do to a ballpoint (angle, shocks, ink age; read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/media/knowledge/011.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): How to refill each marker (Twin Marker, Spotliter; read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/sign_marker/1126177459480.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): Storing whiteboard markers (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/sign_marker/post_9.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): New whiteboard-marker cartridge will not write (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/sign_marker/post_6.html)
- [Pilot (Japan): My fountain pen's ink flow is poor (read November 2, 2026, translated from Japanese)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/fountain/1122817724431.html)
- [Copic (Japan): Markers, FAQ (refilling, replacing nibs; read November 2, 2026)](https://copic.jp/en/support/marker/)
- [Copic (Japan): Ink, FAQ (how to refill, refill amount for a dried-out marker; read November 2, 2026)](https://copic.jp/en/support/ink/)
- [Copic (Japan): FAQ, storing markers horizontally and wiping an acrea nib (read November 2, 2026)](https://copic.jp/en/support/faq/)