Tactical Pens

[Blackhawk30]

I looked at a Benchmade and an MTech.Both seemed to be well made.At $80 the benchmade is pricey.Who else makes them?Any real differences?

 

[zhyla]

Amazon is loaded with them... S&W and a bunch of no-name stuff.

I view these as mostly weapon nerd wankery.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I would avoid these and carry something else. Police, security guards and lawyers have access to the same information we do and there are plenty of things (like this thread) on the internet telling what these "pens" are really made for.
There are also videos that could be downloaded and used by a lawyer to show your proof of premeditation in court.

There are too many other common items that will serve the same purpose without drawing unwanted attention at the airport. For example, I once bought a small hard wood figure of a wizard at the import store in the mall. It is about an inch in diamiter and about five inches tall. The wizards hat is every bit as pointy and every bit as hard as the Cold Sreel Sharkie. No one will bother you for having something like that in your pocket because it is not marketed as a weapon.

Here is a picture of something similar:
http://books.google.com/books?id=dPI1BNz3fogC&source=gbs_book_similarbooks
Mine is a little thinner and unpainted but it is the same sort of thing.

 

[Weedy]

The wizards hat is every bit as pointy and every bit as hard as the Cold Sreel Sharkie. No one will bother you for having something like that in your pocket because it is not marketed as a weapon.

Getting stabbed with a wizard figurine would be just plain embarrassing. In fact, you should attach a picatinny rail to your wizard figurine, paint the wizard's robe black, and make it a "tactical wizard figurine."

 

[heron]

I'd think that a 50-cent plastic stick pen would be every bit as effective as one of those "tactical" models. Remember the old Bic TV ad, where the guy used one to punch a hole in a metal jar lid?

 

[Cosmoline]

As a defensive weapon they're not worth much, but I do keep one for the simple reason that it's too big and heavy to lose. And I have a habit of losing all my pens. It's also sometimes handy to have a solid piece of steel around. I've used it to aid a few bike repairs and to pop open cans. Also works as a pretty good oyster pry bar. You use it to wedge the shell then cut the muscles with the pocket knife. If you wedge with the pocket knife alone a big Pacific oyster can just snap the blade. Broke a nice knife that way. Also I've used it as a wood punch to create a starting point for a screw.

There are also videos that could be downloaded and used by a lawyer to show your proof of premeditation in court.

Premeditation?

 

[Owen Sparks]

Remember the scene in the movie 'Casino' where the Joe Pesshie character stabbed some bully in the throat with a pen? Any sturdy metal model should work but I would choose one with a larger diameter blunt base so it will not also stab me in the base of my palm when it meets with sudden resistance.

The thing I like about my wooden wizard fighre is that it also functions as a kubaton as blunt force tends to stop fights faster than punctures. The base of this thing is capable of delivering a vicious hammer fist strike.

 

[Cosmoline]

where the Joe Pesshie character stabbed some bully in the throat with a pen

I have doubts about that film scene being an effective move. Neck skin is exceptionally loose and tough. Even a benchmade pen on the throat is more likely to lacerate the surface than plunge right in, though it could do some dangerous blunt trauma damage to the throat. A hit to the back of the skull or spine would likely be more effective, as the surface cannot yield. That's always a gripe I have with vampire movies, as well. Neck skin is tricky to deal with even for plastic surgeons using scalpels.

The old pilsner glass would scare me a lot more. I've seen what those can do!

 

[Weedy]

You could always try the old Joker "disappearing pencil" trick from the Dark Knight.

 

[sidheshooter]

For a decent pen that writes well, is easy to refill, is solid, and doesn't scream "tactical", it's hard to beat countycomm.com's embassy pen:

http://countycomm.com/pen.html

 

[steveno]

what are the opinons on Cross pens? they seem to be fairly stout and shouldn't attract any undo attention

 

[tdstout]

For a decent pen that writes well, is easy to refill, is solid, and doesn't scream "tactical", it's hard to beat countycomm.com's embassy pen

At the bottom of the page it says that the lid does not fit on the back of the pen for "discrete reasons are best kept quiet". I don't understand...

 

[glistam]

what are the opinons on Cross pens? they seem to be fairly stout and shouldn't attract any undo attention

Opinions are good. They make pens that are thin, but very solid. I don't have first-hand experience using one martially, but a few regulars on this subforum have told some great tales from law enforcement days. One as I recall about a traffic stop that the perp didn't want a ticket from, and ended with a "field tracheotomy." Ouch.

 

[glistam]

At the bottom of the page it says that the lid does not fit on the back of the pen for "discrete reasons are best kept quiet". I don't understand...

Sort of an inside joke. It has to do with people asking "hey can I borrow a pen for a second?." You keep the lid when you do so, and they'll be less likely to "steal" it.

 

[Carl Levitian]

"what are the opinons on Cross pens? they seem to be fairly stout and shouldn't attract any undo attention"

I've been carrying the same one for a bit over 40 years now. It's been a great pen, and it's traveled with me everywhere in the world I've been. TSA doesn't even look at it. When I went through police academy in the summer of 1977, the head training officer in hand to hand stuff said to keep it in hand, it's a great compliance tool.

It was.

Carl.

 

[hso]

I carry a Timberline LCP with me everywhere.
It doesn't look threatening and it is an impressive pen that other people admire a great deal when they borrow it. It get's a lot of compliments for being a handsome substantial pen that writes very well. Few people suspect it's use as a defensive tool.

If you just want to stab someone with a pen, the old yellow Bic stick.

The CRKT wrote well and looked good, but was uncomfortable for anything other than signing your name and brief use.

 

[RX-178]

I made a video reviewing a few under-$40 tactical pens, along with a cross pen in the same price range.

http://blip.tv/altac6/altac-review-tactical-pens-5330138

 

[conw]

I have tried "tactical non-tactical pens" such as the Retro 51 Tornado and the Zebra 701 and now carry, and like better, my S&W M&P pen. Some black spray paint on the removable clip and now it doesn't say S&W.

It's tough, takes a common refill (Parker), and is not deadly sharp - thus it has some ballistic potential and I would use it in a scenario where lethal force was not warranted, whereas with the really sharp, nasty pens, I wouldn't.

I think the "what if you go to court?" and "people will know it's tactical!" concerns are overblown. If you are using a pen to hurt another human being I don't think the brand of the pen is the major concern. And if you aren't, there is really no concern whatsoever, except with regard to airlines.

 

[mortablunt]

Tactical pens? For a moment there I thought you were saying tactical -PINGAS! Quickly, ass me that tactical pen! I must make a tactical note on my tactical Calculus homework about tactical derivation concerning tactical lines.

 

[Brian Williams]

I carry a Cross pen/pencil set, Sterling silver, very classy. Almost every day I also carry a Zebra 701 and I am getting a 701 pencil as well.

 

[dirtengineer]

http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=297_446&products_id=2847

 

[X-Rap]

In the post 911 world 3 or 4 people with bulk packs of Bic Pens to hand out to fellow passengers is better than nothing if there is a "Lets Roll" moment. I will be doing it.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

L.A. Police Gear had some sort of closeout sale on "handcuff key" pens. They looked stout, just a sleek brushed silvery finish pen with fairly large button, so I bought a pair. Wife and I both notice they got the taper wrong. I'm going to have to put some "tool grip dip" on them to make them easier to hold while writing. Refill looks a lot like Fisher Space Pen, but it skips more than my cheap BIC.

Oh well, life is learning, and you must be willing to pay tuition...

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Metal Billet

I don't carry a tactical pen.

I carry a billet of aluminum which some fool has machined into a round-tipped cylinder that holds a Fisher pressurized pen refill and has a threaded cap.

Turns out these same fools have made a stainless steel and an all-copper version of this same metal billet-as-pen.

They cost upwards of $40 -- that copper one being upwards of $150 -- but they are very useful for . . . signing things.

You will also find that it doesn't "walk off" when borrowed. It also tends to get borrowed less, for some reason.

 

[hso]

It gets borrowed less because it's ugly.