Best Value Tactical Pen

[Mrhyde]

I picked up a 701 after reading this post. I've got to admit I like it a lot. I've carried the 301 for at least 10 years now and I've snapped the plastic part a few times.

This 701 is THICK metal.

I'm really thinking about taking Mercops course now.

I think this will be riding in my shirt for a good long while.

 

[Nixon]

The 701 is a very nice pen for the price, but they are too leaky to carry in my pocket. Any other suggestions?

 

[joppaj]

The 701 is a very nice pen for the price, but they are too leaky to carry in my pocket. Any other suggestions?

Really? I've never had one leak. Any chance you just got a bad pen?

 

[Auckland]

Do you think one could wear one of these and not have it taken away at airports and such? Or would these draw too much attention and be labeled a weapon?
http://www.benchmade.com/products/1150
http://www.benchmade.com/products/1100-15X
http://www.benchmade.com/products/1100-13X
http://www.benchmade.com/products/1100

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

I picked up a 701 after reading this post. I've got to admit I like it a lot. I've carried the 301 for at least 10 years now and I've snapped the plastic part a few times.

This 701 is THICK metal.

I'm really thinking about taking Mercops course now.

I think this will be riding in my shirt for a good long while.

MERCOP's Pen course is great!

 

[Nixon]

Really? I've never had one leak. Any chance you just got a bad pen?

I hope so. I got a couple of them so, I'll just pitch that one and try another.

 

[joppaj]

I hope so. I got a couple of them so, I'll just pitch that one and try another.

Good luck. I've got 3-4 in service somewhere between work and home and none of them have leaked on me.

 

[rglrguy]

I hope so. I got a couple of them so, I'll just pitch that one and try another.

Don't pitch it, convert it to the space ball cartridge (they cost like 4 bucks).

EDIT: Instructions I used http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=13351.0. Only thing I did different was I didn't discard the plastic insert, I trimmed the end to support the cartridge while still allowing it to click easily.

 

[Tanker_Super]

I picked up a 701 after reading this post . . .

I did the same thing, so far I like the 701 and showed some of the guys at the job site as a reasonable priced pen.

 

[Lykaios]

I don't have my receipt in front of me, but I believe the 701 was $5.24 at the wallyworld on 40 in Aberdeen (between rt. 7 and West Belair).

Man, talk about a nicely built pen

 

[localbuyer]

Just picked a 701 up at Staple: $6.79.

 

[mercop]

I don't have my receipt in front of me, but I believe the 701 was $5.24 at the wallyworld on 40 in Aberdeen (between rt. 7 and West Belair).

Man, talk about a nicely built pen

Man, talk about a place where you might need it.

 

[A. Wayne]

Pens are actually being marketed as tactical, and combat? Are we preparing, and buying a pen to have as a ccw to defend against an attack from an enraged and criminal essay?

 

[Tootall]

Pens are actually being marketed as tactical, and combat? Are we preparing, and buying a pen to have as a ccw to defend against an attack from an enraged and criminal essay?

i really like my 701. need to get a refill for it and may go the space pen route

 

[Lykaios]

Man, talk about a place where you might need it.

Maybe you know better than I, but that ain't Edgewood . I will take maybe needing a tactical pen in Harford Co. than maybe needing an AK in the city....I'm just sayin (I used to ride and work along the #20 bus route downtown)

So where do I get info on your class?? It looks interesting....

 

[phidelta308]

Freestate Gun Range is stocking some nice Archangel tactical pens. One is aluminum, the other is polymer. The one I have writes well, isn't super aggressive looking, and is quite sturdy.

 

[A. Wayne]

i really like my 701. need to get a refill for it and may go the space pen route

Freestate Gun Range is stocking some nice Archangel tactical pens. One is aluminum, the other is polymer. The one I have writes well, isn't super aggressive looking, and is quite sturdy.

ok so these are being marketed and purchased for another reason? Paranoya comes to mind.

 

[BigCity]

I also picked up a 701 today after monitoring this post.

 

[BigCity]

George,

When using the pen as a defensive weapon, is the pen point out, in or does not matter?

 

[Kilroy]

Tactical pens are stupid

I guess I'll be the first to say it. Tactical pens are a scam to separate you from your money. People are suckered into buying overpriced crap just because the word "tactical" is on it, and because some guy who trains people endorsed it. There is not, and never will be anything tactical about a pen.

A pen can be a good tool for self-defense, not because it's a pen, but because it concentrates the force of your blows into a small area. You could carry a tactical dowel rod for this purpose, but a pen is actually useful when you aren't being attacked. I'm not saying the idea of a pen for self-defense is stupid, just that the idea of a tactical pen if completely silly.

Lots of people recommend the zebra 701, but I think that forum groupthink is at hard at work here. Of all the millions of pens out there, why is this specific one mentioned over and over? Because somebody who's an authority mentioned it was his favorite pen maybe? Come on folks, think outside the box. Find a pen that looks good, writes well, and only then evaluate it's person-smacking qualities. Here's a few I've come up with.

Zippo pens. I believe these are US made, have a solid brass body and look good. They run for around $15 msrp which I think is reasonable.

If you're looking at $200 Benchmade tactical pens, I have something better for you. Bexley is a high end US pen company that makes very nice, and very expensive pens. $80-300 seems to be the price range. If you have lots of money, and not enough ways to spend it, buy this.

Lamy is another company that doesn't make it's pens in China. See a pattern here? These are made in Germany. This company has a wide range of products, from pretentious $200 platinum finished pens, to $12 models. I haven't tried one, but I'm going to in the near future.

Parker pens are European made and high quality, another company worth looking into.

Zebra pens are good, I like the Zebra Sharbo pen, it's a multicolor pen, and has a pencil too. Very handy to have. On a side note, pen review sites rate the Zebra 301 higher than the 701, has anyone compared the two? I think Zebra pens are made in Japan?

Sharpie pens are what I currently carry every day, although they are a little flimsy to be hitting things with. I do love the way they write, which is why one is always in my pocket. You might want to be careful with carrying a stainless steel Sharpie (marker I assume?) because security may think you plan on tagging their bathroom stalls or something.

Cross moved all production to China from New York in 2006, and continue to charge the same prices, so screw them.

That Cold Steel extra huge marker is silly, and anyone who has one should be laughed at. (Half serious here)