Pens are undoubtedly among the most stolen, or accidentally taken, things in the school or office. Think about it. How many pens have you lost or misplaced through the years? Have you been able to stick to using one pen until it actually ran out of ink?
Fortunately, there are some methods to keep pens from being stolen, and some of them are quite simple. If you are already sick of losing pens, here are some ways to keep your writing implements from falling into other people’s hands.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here are some tried-and-tested methods that can help put a stop to pen thievery at school or in the office.
Method 01: Label your pens with your name
Sometimes, classmates and co-workers just simply forgot that they borrowed your pen. If you do not have any distinguishing markings on your pens, then those who “borrowed” them will not know whom to return them.
What to prepare:
- Thin masking tape
Detailed steps:
Step 1 – Write your name on the masking tape
Cut out a bit of masking tape and stick it onto a smooth surface. This will prevent the adhesive from peeling off later. You can stick the tape onto a mirror or any other smooth surface that you have. After that, write your name on the masking tape. Make sure that you use big and bold letters so that it is easy to read.
Step 2 – Wrap the masking tape around your pen
Peel off the masking tape from the glass surface and wrap it around your pen. Hold the masking tape at an angle around your pen and carefully twist the pen around the tape. Hold the tape as taut as you can while rolling it around the pen. This will make it stick better on the surface of the pen.
Now, when your coworkers or classmates see that they have been using your pen for a while now, they will return it to you.
Method 02: Using a label maker
If you want something more robust and clearer than just masking tape, you can use an old-school label maker.
What to prepare:
- A handheld label maker – You do not need to get expensive automatic devices. There are cheap, manual label makers that you can get for a fraction of the cost.
- Superglue (optional)
Detailed steps:
Step 1 – Create your labels
Depending on the type of label maker you have, this step will take anywhere from a couple of seconds to several minutes. If you will be using the cheaper devices, it takes around 5 seconds to emboss one letter on the labeling tape.
Step 2 – Apply the label on your pens
Once you have finished printing your label, remove the backing to expose the adhesive behind the tape and press it onto your pen. It is better to use a label whose color highly contrasts with the color of the pen.
Step 3 – Place a couple of drops of super glue
Just to make sure that the person who “stole” your pen will not be able to remove the label, place a couple of drops of superglue around the sticker. This will, more or less, make the label stick permanently on the barrel of the pen, or at the very least, make it difficult to pull off.
Method 03: Heavily personalize your pen
Another way to keep people from stealing your pen or remind them to return the pens they borrowed is to personalize your pens to the point that they no longer look like the original.
What to prepare:
- Different kinds of craft materials – You can use whatever materials you have at hand.
Detailed steps:
Step 1 – Dismantle the pen
To make it easier to personalize, you should disassemble it first. For most pens, you just need to unscrew the ends to remove the ink tube. However, in some pen brands, you will need a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull out the tip and the ink.
Step 2 – Customize the pen however way you want
You have absolute creative freedom when it comes to personalizing your pen. For instance, you can brush mod podge all over the barrel and then cover it with glitter. You can also dip the barrel in orange Plastidip. This will make your pen highly visible, which will keep you from losing it accidentally. It will also make it a lot easier to hold the pen.
When it comes to personalizing your stuff, the sky is literally the limit. You can do whatever you want. In fact, you can be as outrageous as you want so other people will not be compelled to steal your pens.
Conclusion
Losing pens constantly can get quite annoying and at times, it can also be tiring. However, you can put an end to this seemingly never-ending cycle that can be quite expensive in the long run if you learn how to keep pens from being stolen.
The methods mentioned above are all quite easy and do not cost an arm and a leg. With these simple methods, you can keep potential pen grifters at bay and force borrowers to return your pens.