Pens & Markers
Since I’m picky about my Bible, I’m also picky about what I use to write in it. I’ve tried several different brands of pens, so here are a few of my favorites.
Pigma Micron Pens
Pigma Micron pens are great. I’ve never had a problem with them. They are acid free, archival quality pens which won’t bleed through the pages of your Bible. I personally prefer to use the “01” size pens for actually writing notes, marking symbols down in the text itself, and any other detailed writing I need to do. It’s not so fat that you can’t write small, but it’s not so skinny that you can barely read it. You’ll want a few different colors for various and sundry marking purposes.
Amazon.com 8-Piece Pigma Micron Assorted Colors 01 Ink Pen Set
Jo-Ann 8-Piece Pigma Micron Assorted Colors 01 Ink Pen Set – Get coupon from website or newspaper! (40% or 50%)
ChristianBook.com Pigma Micron 01 Bible Note Pens, Set of 4
ZIG Millennium Pens
I also like the ZIG Millennium marker pens, too. I have them in a larger size (“05”) to use for underlining. They are my favorite “thick” pens so far, due to their sturdy tip. Also, the metal shaft which holds the pen tip itself extends far enough down the pen tip to allow me to drag the metal part against a ruler instead of the tip itself.
Zig 0.45-Millimeter Memory System Millennium Markers, Multicolor, 8-Pack
Dry Highlighters
A dry highlighter has several advantages over a traditional highlighter, which uses a fiber-tipped pen to distribute wet ink. With dry versions, there is no bleeding or smearing, either of the highlighter ink itself or of the words underneath. The pen won’t dry out and you don’t have to wait for its lines to dry to write over the top of it or to close your book. Dry highlighters won’t leak in your backpack or purse or desk. Many versions are refillable and completely erasable, able to be rubbed off with an eraser or similar object. I am starting to see these products more and more in Christian bookstores and websites like ChristianBook.com. Several vendors at Polishing the Pulpit had these for sale, including the refills. Some manufacturers have started to market the dry highlighter in “Bible highlighting kits”.
Amazon.com – Yellow Dry Highlighter
Amazon.com 4-Piece Bible Highlighting Kit
ChristianBook.com Four-Color Dry Pencil Marking Kit
Other Invaluable Tools
I’ll readily admit that I sometimes go “overboard” on things. Maybe the following tools are “overkill” for you, but they have certainly served to enhance my Bible marking. Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference.
One such little thing is my 6-inch steel ruler. I use it to keep my underlining straight and lined up correctly. I can’t stand marking accidentally over the text of my Bible, so this ruler has been one of those little tools that I never thought I needed, but appreciated once I found it.
6-inch steel ruler with either rubber or cork backing.
Amazon.com – 6-inch Stainless Steel Metal Ruler with Cork Backing
Another neat tool is my Mead Five-Star Stand ‘n Store pencil bag. It’s small, zips shut to hold all of my pens (and ruler), and even stands upright to make it easy for me to see all of my pens.
Mead Five-Star Stand ‘n Store pencil bag
Office Depot – (No Color Choice, you get what they send you)