Tactical Pen ?

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demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,691
710
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Putting "tactical'' In front of the word pen makes a big difference in the price.

Aye, tactical earthenware plant pot used to smash house windows.

Don't get me wrong, I was young and daft once (not right sharp now) and had a massive black "Survival Knife" to prove it.
Proper wally factor nine thing and that tactical I could hardly pull it out of the sheath without everyone around me thinking I was a numpty.
I'm going out on a limb and suggesting that a tactical pen might just be in that bracket.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Was just typing in a similar response when yours appeared, can you imagine the damage a wayward piece of pencil lead would do to a vital system in a spacecraft if it floated into the electronics, doesn't even have to be that big, just a bit of graphite dust will do the job quite nicely.

I have graphite pencils, solid ones. I don't even need to sharpen them to write and sketch.
I didn't know that the pen/pencil usa/russia thing was an urban myth though. It just seemed so eminently practical :)
 

Chief

Member
Dec 18, 2019
19
8
39
Lincs.
Janne: "The early Soviet space missions used a pencil, but one with a wax core enclosed in a rolled paper sheath."

That sounds like a chinagraph, which I was about to suggest as an alternative to a pen - not used one myself but I do know from my own experience that to get the wax off (of metal) required lighter fluid and a lot of rubbing :)
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Janne: "The early Soviet space missions used a pencil, but one with a wax core enclosed in a rolled paper sheath."

That sounds like a chinagraph, which I was about to suggest as an alternative to a pen - not used one myself but I do know from my own experience that to get the wax off (of metal) required lighter fluid and a lot of rubbing :)
We called them “grease pencils” if Janne means what I think he does. Really only suitable for writing on glass or plastic and largely they’ve been replaced by dry erase these days.
 

Forest fella

Full Member
Jul 2, 2008
2,890
211
Gloucestershire
Soz, I have just Edited my last post, Due to the possibility of a mis-interpretation. And I was Taught ''fight or Flight'' and on some days the 1st option was my only choice.
cheers
 
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Chief

Member
Dec 18, 2019
19
8
39
Lincs.
Waiting on some Rotring pens in the post. Might as well buy good stuff.
Last time I bought a pack of Rotring's two out of the three I bought didn't work (put pen to paper and have the lead shoot up the inside) - I take it from your recommendation this was the exception and not the norm and just my usual bad luck?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Rotring products have a good reputation here. Something akin to fountain pens made by Parker.
I convocated with my last degree in 1972 so a pen was essential in that day and time.
Hell of it is that I've mislaid the damn Parker pen.
The pens might be sitting in the village post office. If so, I'll collect them in less than a week.
 

Forest fella

Full Member
Jul 2, 2008
2,890
211
Gloucestershire
Might stick with my Thin Guinness Pen for now then, Which I've took off the Slanted End and added a wider washer style one instead. And see about getting the First Pen recommended.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
Ebay is your friend, don't pay for all those tacticool label markups from Uzi or whatever, put it this way if you are carrying anything that is likely to be confiscated by the rozzers you don't want to be spending much money on it :)
 
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Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,781
1,518
51
Wiltshire
I have some Rotrings, they were given to me by the widow of an old sckool Architect.

Never used them, -I like my fibre pens too much. (useful for drawing, -I can do draw most things provided I have something to copy.)
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
The Rotring Art Pen arrived along with the little ink cartridges.
Really nice in the hand and smooth to draw with. So smooth, even on CP w/c papers.
BUT, the blasted ink is not waterproof. I wanted to sketch.
Then fill and model with watercolors. Bugger! I feel like I got cheated.

Just so happened that a Med Lab Tech had a factory blunt needle (they do make such things deliberately)
with which I can reload the 0.5 ml cartridges with waterproof inks.
 

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