What’s a Tactical Pen Exactly?

At its heart, a tactical pen is a fully functional ink pen that, in an encounter with an assailant, can become a very effective, painful weapon. They’re reinforced, with a sharp end and a blunt smashing end.

In an encounter with an attacker, the blunt end of these reinforced pens can deal quite a painful, often disabling blow, despite their small size. In a more serious encounter, if this isn’t sufficient, they can deal a serious stabbing injury if need be.

Advantages

The advantages of a tactical pen, versus other self-defense tools, are significant.

• For one, they’re compact and unassuming, fitting on key chains or pen holders. They can be produced quickly, and put to use if someone surprises you.
• There’s little to no legislation regarding this weapon in most of Europe or North America, aside from them being banned from flights. This means you can openly carry one of these pretty much anywhere, with a few exceptions such as government buildings and schools.
• They require no maintenance aside from ink cartridges, they require no charging nor sharpening.
• They require no education nor licensing to purchase nor carry.
• They’re not perceived by average people as threatening, which means there’s no social faux pas to worry about when you openly carry a tactical pen.

FAQ

Q.) Are tactical pens legal?
A.) Yes, there is very little legislation for these tools in most of the developed world. You don’t need a license to own one, though sale or gifting of these to minors is frowned upon, and prohibited in some areas. Don’t give this to a kid.

Q.) Can you take a tactical pen on an airplane?
A.) No. They will confiscate it just like they would a pocket knife or other sharp implement. This is actually a little silly, since if you really, really want to stab someone, a plain old, ordinary fountain pen will do damage too.

Q.) Can you bring a tactical pen to school?
A.) Colleges that don’t have severe security won’t notice nor care that you have one of these. However, public schools (grade/middle/high) absolutely prohibit anything like this being brought onto the campus. Don’t do it.

Q.) What are the best metals for a tactical pen?
A.) Aircraft aluminum has its charm – it’s rigid, it lasts, and it’s rust-proof. However, it lacks a lot of weight and impact force behind it. Other decent materials are stainless steel, titanium, and iridium, though the latter two tend to be relatively expensive due to their material scarcity.

Some Life Hacks

• Emergency Glass Breaker – Most of these can break a glass. Even if you’re not a criminal into breaking and entering, you never know when you might need to get into your house or car, having been locked out. This is especially a problem if someone’s inside injured. While glass in cars may take a few solid whacks, you’d be surprised at how effective these are at getting through even safety glass if you really put some passion behind it.
• Package Opener – The sharp ends of these are not blades, but they can break open most packages by tearing or weakening them. This is handy if you don’t like carrying a pocket knife on you (which is discouraged in some places). You’re not likely to injure yourself with it, aside from a mildly painful little jab that doesn’t draw blood.
• Prying Tool – In an emergency, these can be used as a prying or prodding tool, if you need just a little bit of strong leverage.