Removing felt tip/permanent marker from blanket?

[GR916/15/14]

Greetings,

I recently received an original issue blanket from a dealer. However when it arrived I found there to be a number scrawled in black felt tip/permanent marker pen on it, which was unknown to me at the time of purchase.

The blanket is in otherwise nice condition with it's original tag. I have the option to return but this has associated problems, leaving me out of pocket and without a blanket in my collection.

Is there a way to remove this mark without effecting the wool or it's colour?

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=hrbzu8&s=9#.V91YovkrJD8

There's a photograph of said mark in the above link.

Best wishes,
Nathan

[brooksbz]

You have a real challenge to remove the ink. I have never seen this done successfully.

[Waffe]

The solvent that dissolves permanent marker is De-natured alcohol (not Isopropyl or any other kind of alcohol).
If the marking was on a hard, non-porous surface, I would say you could remove it without a problem. Wool (or any fabric) is another story.
The de-natured alcohol would probably dilute the ink and make a bigger grey stain.
You could try experimenting on another piece of wool, but I would not expect any miracles.
Probably best to leave it.
The marking is likely from war-time, and if so, doesn't detract from the value of the piece (my opinion).

Regards,
Kent

[GR916/15/14]

Greetings, thanks for the replies

Unfortunately the mark was made post war as felt tip pens weren't invented until the 1960's.

[90th Light]

Greetings, thanks for the replies

Unfortunately the mark was made post war as felt tip pens weren't invented until the 1960's.

Are you certain ?

because they often wrote their names on their green or tan web belts in Africa or Italy with some sort of black pen during the war.

Are you sure the number is not a Field-post number ? They sometimes wrote that on their packs and blankets which were often transported separately when they were fighting a battle.

Might pay to post an image of the number here on WAF and get it checked,

Chris

[GR916/15/14]

My research on the history of felt tip pens tells me that such pens were not commercially available and sold until the 1950's and 60's. Some were designed before this but they were just patents and were never produced and sold.

The wartime markings I've seen have been in pencil, fountain pen, paint and typewritten.

The type of pen wasn't around at the time and the number has no wartime meaning I can think of, feldpost numbers had a different format. There's a pic of the number in question in the link above.

Personally I suspect the mark is from the blanket having been in storage with other blankets post war in some kind of depot or surplus store 1950's-1990's.

[juoneen]

this is the product I would try first: https://hvaconlineparts.com/shop/jan...remover-18-oz/

google its youtube video and watch, it may also be sold locally where you live check and see.

[90th Light]

I can now see it via the link, number "352" hand written.

Could be wartime, could be post war ? Could be an inventory number or an issue number ? Who knows for sure ?

Personally, I would just leave it as it is. You will make a bigger mess trying to remove it.

I certainly have German WW2 web belts with German names hand written in black like that which were brought back from WW2.

The Germans led the world with dyes and inks before WW2 followed by the USA,

Chris