Writing Instruments

[bdoc]

In this age of computers and iPads, many of us still have occupations which require the frequent use of handwritten material. What are your "fine writing" instruments of choice?

My daily pen is a Montblanc Legrande Black Ballpoint Pen picked up in Mexico about 15 years ago (my last vacation to Mexico - there was a workers riot in downtown Cancun that week.) I lose several less valuable pens a week, but have managed to hang onto this one somehow.

B

[ERN]

Whatever cheap Bic pen I can pick up at the Nurses station. Blue preferred:)

[Gabriel Suarez]

Alas...for me, pens are disposable. Bad habit from the old police days. I do have a very nice Mont Blanc Money Clip the XO bought for me however.

19444

[bdoc]

Alas...for me, pens are disposable. Bad habit from the old police days. I do have a very nice Mont Blanc Money Clip the XO bought for me however.

19444

Very nice, may your clip be full in the new year.

B

[RayMich]

I lose too many pens, so I never carry expensive pens.

I use the cheap plastic BIC pens that I buy at Staples in a box of 60 pens for $5.99 -- I never run out of ink before I lose the pen, so they work quite well for me.

They should work well as a stabbing instrument in case of self defense, especially if jammed into someone's throat, temple or eye socket and they attract ZERO attention from TSA screeners. :smile:

[Invisible_Man]

Parker Frontier Fountain Pens. Great pen around $30 a pop you can't beat the performance. Writing is smooth as silk.
19445

[olywa]

Right now I have 2 fisher space pens. The bullet and the m4. Greats pens and will write anything and anywhere I'll need a pen. The silver one is a Parker with a fisher refill.
http://img.tapatalk.com/62cbac3c-08d9-1136.jpg

[Netpackrat]

I lose too many pens, so I never carry expensive pens.


What he said.

[Mike Skulls]

i have a black tuff writer pen that is part of my daily carry. But for work i bought a few boxes of cheep pens that are to me disposable. Sometimes its easier to throw them away then to clean blood or body fluid of them.

[EDELWEISS]

Ive been casuly looking for a fountain pen for a few years, none of the office/stationary stores around here have a clue. Id like to handle it before I buy so Im hesitant to "ebay" one.

Alot of guys seem to love Cross; but they are too thin for me.

For police work Ive tried alot, lost alot, and used more than one to "pursuade" a suspect. Currently I use two Zebra stainless steel pens. They arent special except that they are solid and cost about $7.00 ea. Another "police must" for me at least, is that they MUST be the push button type. I need a pen that is one handed, thats the major drawback to the TACTICAL PENS.

[olywa]

Tactical pens are cleaver marketing. I bought a cold steel shark in a moment of weakness. It's a fat pen, it lives in my backpack.

[P.D.]

I collect (and use) vintage 1930s and 1940s fountain pens. Those are the writing instruments of 'the Greatest Generation'.

I think of the history its previous owners lived each time I pick up and use one of my vintage pens and consider I'm holding an instrument that they used to share their experiences. But then, I'm a 'history freak' and a true 'headcase' so no surprise there.

[EDELWEISS]

Tactical pens are cleaver marketing. I bought a cold steel shark in a moment of weakness. It's a fat pen, it lives in my backpack.

Ive got one too, (cant remember which one but paid a bloody fortune for it). I really wanted to like it; but the "WTF" do I do with the cap each time I use it, means it sits on my dresser, with the cuff links I hardly wear. The stainless Zebra (model???) is just as good for dealing with threats and a whole lot easier to use and loose.

[NateR]

I have a CRKT Tao (another 'tactical' pen, purchased on a whim) which I keep in my backpack for airline travel, and lately I've taken to carrying a Zebra F-301 Compact in my pocket. I expect that'll last until I lose it or it runs out of ink, and then I'll go back to my usual method - using whatever cheap disposable I can scrounge from the nearest desk (my desk or someone else's, I'm not picky).

[Winchester67]

Smith and Wesson offers a "tactical" pen at a modest cost. That's my everyday, "hope I don't lose it but would not break me if I did" pen. I have always kinda thought I should own a vintage fountain pen, but don't know the first thing about buying one.

[fldback]

I carry a Zebra 701(?). It's the brushed aluminum finish with the rubber grip. It writes nicely enough, stays clipped to my shirt full time and can be used to shank someone if necessary.

Dr. Sal gave me a very nice "Tactical Pen" that I really like. But I got tired of arguing with certain Lieutenants who oversee staff searches while we are going in to work. Technically we're not allowed to carry a kubaton and that's what these Lt.s want to call it. The funny thing is, I've been through two staff shakedowns run by the Inspector General's office and they have passed it right through, and they write up everything!

[coastalcop]

Ive got one too, (cant remember which one but paid a bloody fortune for it). I really wanted to like it; but the "WTF" do I do with the cap each time I use it, means it sits on my dresser, with the cuff links I hardly wear. The stainless Zebra (model???) is just as good for dealing with threats and a whole lot easier to use and loose.

Its a Zebra model F-701 and seems to be made for cop work, I carry several of them, and after carrying them for years it seems so do all of my men (they migrate out of my pocket on calls it seems) throw in a fine point blue refill and you have in my opinion the best cop pen out there. Stainless steel body, smooth writing with no smear, can be used to write, fight, or control as needed.

19448

[buckcz]

My daily carry pen is the Tuff Writer Operator, but when I have to fly I carry the UZI Tactical Pen II because at $15.99 I don't care if an over zealous TSA agent confiscates it.

Tip: While going through security checkin I always drop my pen in my carryon bag pocket along with change, money clip, keys and watch and no one has ever questioned it.

Thats a good tip for flying.

I have a Tuff Writer tactical pen that I carry if guns and or knives are off limits. I feel pretty armed with that and a surefire light for those rare social instances.
+1 to the Zebra pens for cheap work options. They have the clicky back and have a some sharp slim build good for stabbin'.
I have one of the Uzi pens too but the "crown" stike bezal is super sharp. It catches my clothes and I cant push hard with my thumb for downward strikes without it getting me as well.

[bdoc]

The Tuff Writer pen looks pretty solid and durable on the website. Does it write well?

B

[Spiffy]

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa272/Spiffums/2012-01-02_12-43-52_64.jpg

Nothing fancy in mine but I like them. From the top is my Fisher space pen (black), a silver clicker fisher pen and my cross pen pencil set. The thin black one is a Cross 3 Tech (I think that's the name) its a black ink/red ink/ .5mm lead. The fat black one is a Cross as well and is the one that goes inside my suit jacket pocket.

[Doug Little]

I have a Tuff Writer too...

It is a great pen and highly functional in other roles as well. The owner has trained with SI and is a really standup guy. Don't know if he is active on WT though.

[Chris Upchurch]

I use the Zebras as well (F-701, F-402 and F-301 Compact). Not really 'Bon Vivant' level of luxury, but not cheap crap either. Simple and effective, kind of like a Glock.

[CR Williams]

I just got a Schrade tactical pen to try out. What I was going to like about it was that it can run as either a rollerball or a fountain pen. Unless I can find another rollerball refill that fits, though, I'm going to convert it to the fountain pen. The rollerball cartridge that came with it isn't writing at all well.

I'm partial to rollerballs and fountain pens, and need a large body pen or my hand fatigues even faster than usual when handwriting.

[SPQR476]

Zebras are my favorite "disposable" pen, and I used them for my kneeboard writing tasks almost exclusively.

I have RITR pens that I used to jot down coordinates, 9-lines, detainee stuff, etc., and carried on my kit, and they now serve data book duty and some desk duty.

In my folio, though, I keep a Parker rollerball. I used Parker fountains for years starting in college when I discovered that I took better notes when the pen was more of a joy to write with, but I switched to rollerballs for a slightly more contemporary pen that didn't have issues with altitude/flying. I really like writing with a good fountain pen, though, and I've thought about getting another one for signatures and such to just keep at the desk.

[bae]

I've been a fan of Rotring, Lamy, and Namiki, which are not especially high-end, but have some great designs.

[SPQR476]

You mean you didn't use the gummint issue "200 nm pen".



The string that held my pen to my kneeboard was knotted in 100nm increments for the same purposes. Diverts were based on nightlife more so than wx conditions. Tell the WSO to put some of those 3 letter things on that DD-whatever and get us one of those weak-arse dash one thingies from the wx guesser. Then ask center for INS direct at FL420, 'cause there's no way we're gonna make it otherwise.

Well, OK...maybe it wasn't THAT sloppy. Close when wx was CAVU everywhere. I wasn't too proud to do some real planning when wx was bad, though.

[Patrick K]

I recieved a LockWrite pen as a gift. I like it. The pen incorporates a handcuff key to the writing end. It uses standard ink refills like Parker. It has some weight to it and looks likes a normal pen in my uniform pocket.

[SPQR476]

Double bubble, my friend. Have to deal with a pesky 60 alpha limit, but I've made ft worth to Beaufort plenty of times in one leg. That's not sooo bad....

[bdoc]

So from comments on this thread, I tried the Zebra F-301 - very slim compared to my Mont Blanc. I got the Bold ballpoint. It writes more smoothly than the medium. I could not stand how the regular ballpoint felt, it seemed as though I was writing with a needle.

Thanks - these are much cheaper to replace.

My next purchase if the Tuffwriter.

[CaptBeach]

So...what is the best Tactical Pen for NPE/Airline travel? Under $20?

[TheGrayMan214]

Cross Classic Century in chrome.

[CaptBeach]

Zebra with stainless steel barrel.
http://www.staples.com/Zebra-F-701-Retractable-Ballpoint-Pen-7mm-Stainless-Steel-Black/product-nr_710693

Just picked up 3 of them...one for the desk and one for the TIB and one for my carry on...

Nice pens...they write pretty damned good too...