Ian,
         Easy and cheap answer. Check your pencil, is it an HB, then change 
to a softer lead starting with 1B and see how it goes.
Ian.




>Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 21:33:35 +0100
>From: Clarke Ian <clarke.ian@virgin.net>
>Subject: Re Pens for labelling slides and cassettes
>To: histonet <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
>
>Dear Histonetters,
>                                I am looking for a pen that is able to write
>on twin frosted slides , we use pencil on these slides at the minute but
>find lab numbers hard to read sometimes .  We have tried the Shurmark  pen ;
>Sharpie industrial fine and extra fine markers and Shandons slide pen.The
>Sharpie  is fine for the superfrost slides and cassettes but comes off the
>twin frosted slides.The Shurmark  is also fine for cassettes and superfrost
>slides but is only slightly better than the Sharpie in that it appears to
>have faded when used on the twin frosted slides .Shandons pen is only good
>for the superfrost slides and it also dries out very quickly. Does anyone
>know of another type of pen please forward details.
>thanking you
>
>Ian Clarke
>Histopathology/Cytology Department
>Craigavon Area Hospital
>UK

Dr. Ian Montgomery,
West Medical Building,
University of Glasgow,
Glasgow,
G12 8QQ.
Tel: 0141 339 8855.  Extn:6602.
Fax: 0141 330 2923
e-mail: ian.montgomery@bio.gla.ac.uk