The Secure ID and Secure Marker Combo comes with a stamp, which is a neat feature. Though not ideal for redaction, it is a great alternative, should you run out of ink. Use it for slightly bigger text areas. The issue is that you sometimes need to redact again because the ink fades.

Admittedly, you might find yourself a bit old-school using a black marker in the 21-century to remove sensitive information in papers. But remember: You are far from the only one doing it!

A relatively good fit for the price. The nip on this redaction marker is finer than average, which comes in handy when you need to redact a small text or have limited space to redact on. You can go over the text without having to twist the pen too much.

In terms of grip, ExcelMark Redaction Marker ranks very high. The nib is durable and works on for example stickers on prescription bottles. It glides easily with minimal snagging. We experienced no nasty issues such as accidentally ripping paper by applying pen pressure. Finally, the ink volume is good, and it doesn’t run out quickly.

The marker provides a great alternative if you are looking for a less expensive redaction marker. Considering the price, the Sharpie Permanent Marker does a pretty good job redacting your sensitive information.

The biggest con here is the low amount of ink. Should you have a bigger redaction need (lots of documents), you need to buy a few extra markers. One simply won’t suffice.

The tips are chisel, which is optimal. At first sight, the ink dispense looks quite promising, yet after a while, it unfortunately tends to wear out. The marker hides black ink easily, and it is also useful for colored text, although you sometimes need to redact twice.

TASERBolt 2

However, if you don’t have one, a good redaction marker is your second best alternative! Redacting documents can be a tedious and time-consuming process, so a good redaction tool – like a marker – is quite the pain relief.

Quite surprising, considering how Denmark is one of the most digitalized countries in the world. A 2020 United Nations E-Government Survey confirms that the Danish public sector has a very high EGDI (E-Government Development Index)-score due to a successful collaboration between municipal, regional, and State governments on an intense public sector strategy for digitalization.

Since you read this article, you are probably familiar with/interested in the redaction process. If you have to take on manual redaction or equip your staff for the task, it is not irrelevant what kind of redaction marker, you choose. Here are some solid selection criteria:

We all love a solid marker with a firm grip, a good nip, a quick dry, and great flexibility. Yet, you might be ready to take a step back from physical markers and instead consider an automated digital tool.

The Artline Secure marker has a big nip, and it is great for redacting bigger text areas. Plus, it dries up pretty fast. A neat feature, since the redacted text sometimes needs a second layer of coating. With other markers, you would have to wait a bit longer in-between the two redaction parts. When working with official documents, it is quite important to have a marker that doesn’t “bleed”.

Imagine the overload of health records, housing registrations and historical figures etc. figuring in the public databases. All needs to be protected cf. the European data regulative. Now, take into account the number of workers, who have to redact the documents by hand. That is printing, redacting, scanning, and repeating the process (yes, they print twice!). You wonder why these people don´t use a professional and automated redaction software tool.

TASER

Both stamp and marker will last a long time - even with frequent usage. So, are you a redaction performer by profession? Then this is a good purchase!

A perfect gift for your office co-worker or friend. This redaction pen is pretty juicy with a paint-like ink giving a solid black color. As a result, you can't see through the ink. If the writing is in normal black letters, one round of crossing out should do the trick. Are the letters colorful, you might need to redact twice before the letters are completely gone.

The pen works best on regular paper but also shiny and glossy paper. However, a general issue is the ink quality. Sometimes, you can still see the original text, when you hold the redacted paper up against a light source. So, make sure to always redact the text a few times before you move on. Another bummer is that the ink doesn´t dry up fast, i.e., you need to wait a few seconds, before you can redact it again without any risk of saturating the paper.

The answer we often hear is: Caseworkers are afraid that the black boxes can be removed afterward if they don´t mark them physically. A valid concern, yet most modern redaction tools can (and should) produce an irreversible version of the document.

In a recent study, Cleardox spoke with no less than 30 Danish government authorities. It turns out that seven out of 10 public institutions (schools, local political offices, social care and law enforcement etc.) in Denmark still redact by hand. They print out official documents and remove sensitive and personal information with a black marker.

On the downside, it appears to lack a bit of juice. And you sometimes have to press a little hard to make the ink come out. Otherwise, a great redaction marker for the price!

With those pointers in mind, let's get to it. At Cleardox, we have done some serious pen-testing. We have selected pens that match different redaction needs. Here are the five best redaction markers right now:

Compared to the most professional redaction markers out there, this one does not rank in the top for concealing text. If your job is to redact, I would choose another redaction marker. But for small redaction needs, it is a good buy.

The Artline Secure Marker redaction pen stands out because it works well on other surfaces like glass or even wood. It also has a wide tip, so you don´t need to worry about redacting the same line twice (unless you work with very large letters of course).

Interested in getting a even closer look at our product? Sign up for a 14-day free trial including all of Cleardox's features here!

You don’t have to deal with your noisy shredder ever again! This combo pen features both a marker and a stamp. The marker is from Artline, so you can expect similar features and qualities to the ones described above. It has perfect coverage.