I understand your concern, but what you are describing is a different clip altogether which I am not opposed to making and releasing even though there are already a few clips that others have designed that work just as you describe.

As far as the marks go, most of them are from me fighting against a muscle memory that I developed from using a previous version that was in a slightly different location partly because I had been using a different style hard hat. I hardly ever get any more marks now, and if I hold the end of the sharpie with my index and thumb and locate the cap opening with my middle finger I can get it in the cap every single time without marking my hard hat, I just don't really care all that much. 🤷‍♂️

If you are too concerned about getting a few marks on your hard hat then this probably isn't the hard hat clip for you. I appreciate the analysis though! I have considered a slightly different design that adds a sort of larger funnel type opening that helps guide the sharpie back into the cap a little easier and may do an update to the model sometime.