I've had longer-term use out of artist's pencils. They're very dark and don't fade at all.

One nice thing about the oil based pens (AKA China marker) is that they clean right up with a bit of oil and you can re-use a label.

Just realized that you may have meant the oil based Paint pens like the Sharpie Paint or the DecoColor pens. They last a long time too.

Even pencil will work better that the regular Sharpie.

Oil based paint pens work, but I find them to be a bit of a bother to use in terms of getting the paint flowing well, and pencil just doesn't write dark enough to be easy to read on many surfaces.

I really did mean Sharpie marker -- but look for INDUSTRIAL Sharpie, not regular black "permanent" sharpie. I have some milk jugs that were labeled 2 or 3 years ago and are still perfectly readable. Rubbing alcohol cleans most Sharpie marks off most surfaces.

Yes, regular pencil is hard to read. Artist's pencils are MUCH darker.

I use the sharpies.Thanks for the alcohol tip!

Anna, if you use "regular" sharpies, be sure to get your hands on one of the "industrial" ones. You'll be amazed.

Thanks for the tip about INDUSTRIAL markers. I have never seen them for sale. Please give me a clue where I might find these to purchase them.

I first found them at Office Depot... so try an office supply store, and if that doesn't pan out, try Amazon. I've been buying them by the dozen from there for the past several years (I give them away, or I lose them, at any rate it seems I need a new box each spring LOL).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFEO/

Amazon has a pretty good price on them right now (both the fine and extra-fine point ones (less than $1 each if you get a dozen)... especially good if you're on Amazon Prime for free shipping... not sure if they're still doing free ship on orders over $25, but if so, get some silver metallic sharpies too.

I learn the hard way NOT to use a regular permanent??? marker. I marked some winter sow milk jugs with them now I don't know what tomato plants are which. I will get the Industrial markers next time. Thanks for the tip!!!

I've seen several people suggest double-labeling WS jugs. Put one label INSIDE the jug so the sun doesn't fade it.

I agree that normal 0.5 mm mechanical pencils make a faint mark, but the wide-lead ones make a darker mark (like 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm).

The mark is still nowhere near as dark as any Sharpie, but I have bring the label close to my glasses anyway to read it.

I've tried HB and B lead, but the softer lead smears a little if I rub it.

Oh! Oh! I just found a cheap 1.3 mm pencil!! $4 for 8 mechanical pencils!

http://www.officemax.com/offic...
"Paper Mate Mates 1.3MM Mechanical Pencils"

Thanks! I think those wider pencils will be great for any number of things... main issue I have with most mechanical pencils is that the point is just too fine.

>> main issue I have with most mechanical pencils is that the point is just too fine.

Many MANY years ago I treasured my 0.5 mm and 0.3 mm mechanical pencils (can you tell I was always a nerd?

Now the 0.3 mm lead snaps when I get NEAR the paper, and I use 0.7 most of the time because I snap 0.5 mm so often. I use the 0.9 mm pencils for plant labels unless I have a lot of info for a small label.

I'm going to look for those wide mechanical pencils... Amazon, maybe? When I sharpen a "regular" pencil, I try not to get the point too fine... or I look in the drawer for one worn halfway down.

I did some online searching and found several specialty sites with matching "special" prices. But nice, steel-and-plastic drafts-person mechanical pencils that would last for decades.

Then I was in some "everything" drug store and found 0.9 mm plastic pencils - a bag of 10 for less than $10 if I recall.

(But one bag of cheapies like that was around 30% defective: the lead-gripping mechanism slipped if you pressed hard. I forget whether the "bad bag" was 0.7 mm or 0.9 mm.)

It wouldn't surprise me if some office supply stores had the 0.9 mm size at a reasonable price and quality point. They do make even thicker leads "for children". But my bad handwriting already fills up a mini-blind slat without 1.2 or 1.3 mm lead.

I just got the ones I ordered from amazon -- Paper Mate "Mates" 1.3 mm mechanical pencils, a pack of 8 with brightly colored barrels, $5, ships free as an add-on item.

I didn't realize when I ordered them (although it's in the description) that the slightly plump barrels are also triangular... very comfortable to hold and less likely to roll off the table.

I haven't done much with them yet but really do love the way they write. Can't comment on durability, but they feel solid, and all of their mechanisms worked fine out of the box.

I'm really pleased to have a mechanical pencil I actually like!!

Great!