Schrade tactical pen

[prime77]

Tactical pens seem to be all the rage these days with every company jumping on the bandwagon. It also seems that if something is tactical it is also expensive. Happily that's not the case with the Schrade tactical pen. Available for around $23 bucks you can get a tough, all metal, really cool looking pen. 





Featuring a screw on cap the pen is seems very strong when in the closed position. When writing the cap rests on the pointy end of the body. I have found that it if you don't slap the cap down on the body it won't stay on good and will work it's way off after some time writing.



Then pen's body is made up of three parts that all screw together. On my two samples the fit, finish and anodizing is perfect and fits together nicely.  Speaking of anodizing. Schrade states that the pen has type 3 hard anodizing. I wasn't sure of this on a $23 pen but after two months of sitting in my pocket at work rubbing against a Zippo and box cutter here is what a used one looks like against a new one.



The finish has held up really well and I have been pleased with it. After several drops on the flood no major chips or scratches to report. The clip while being very tight at first quickly came loose and required some locktight to put it back on. But not after a attempt at polishing at.



While larger than other pens sits in the hand good while writing and I haven't had any problems carrying it in my EDC rotation.




Overall I have been really pleased with this pen. Great deal for the price if you want a rugged, all metal, tough pen to EDC. Whether or not you can use it to defend yourself if need be I'll leave up to you. I know I'm not Jason Bourne so I just stick to using it to do paperwork.

Some parting shots compared to other EDC pens I have:

[cgk]

Thanks for the review.  These "tactical" pens never really have done it for me, but for the price I may reconsider my opinion.  Are the refills easy to get?

[Nutznboltz]

Nice write up and pics Prime, Thanks.
I'm not into the tactical pen thing either ,  if I really needed to defend myself with a pen I think the 0.99 cents disposible would work fine.  It might break on impact but I wouldn't be sticking around long enough to require solid construction that would allow for repeated striking.

[Gadget Guy]

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design. 

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

[Freudian Frog]

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design.  

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

[Benner]

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design.  

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

Grinds teeth.

The price has nothing to do with it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

[Gadget Guy]

The problem is that Taylor Cutlery is ruining the knife industry. They buy up quality knife companies and make their knives in China. If you dont mind the fact that they make their products in China and rip people off, then I guess they're ok. 

[Freudian Frog]

The problem is that Taylor Cutlery is ruining the knife industry. They buy up quality knife companies and make their knives in China. If you dont mind the fact that they make their products in China and rip people off, then I guess they're ok. 

I don't mind, because I don't get ripped off.

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design. 

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

Grinds teeth.

The price has nothing to do with it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

Funny, do you not know how capitalism works? =P

[Benner]

I think I'll move on from this convo. 

[Gadget Guy]

The problem is that Taylor Cutlery is ruining the knife industry. They buy up quality knife companies and make their knives in China. If you dont mind the fact that they make their products in China and rip people off, then I guess they're ok. 

I don't mind, because I don't get ripped off.

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design. 

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

Grinds teeth.

The price has nothing to do with it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

Funny, do you not know how capitalism works? =P

That was a very stupid comment!    Ripping off the American people is not Capitalism!!!  

[Pacu]

Usually it's hard to make a ripoff as good as the original. Consumers know the difference (smart ones anyway) and the dollars will follow.

[Freudian Frog]

The problem is that Taylor Cutlery is ruining the knife industry. They buy up quality knife companies and make their knives in China. If you dont mind the fact that they make their products in China and rip people off, then I guess they're ok.  

I don't mind, because I don't get ripped off.

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design.  

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

Grinds teeth.

The price has nothing to do with it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

Funny, do you not know how capitalism works? =P

That was a very stupid comment!    Ripping off the American people is not Capitalism!!!  

Capitalism brings the competition which should drive down the price, increase the qualitiy, and eventually prove which is the better product and smarter company...

And I don't believe in calling things like these a "rip off"... sure the design is similar, but there's not really much to patent here... just some random denting in a aluminum barrel. o_O

So, if you don't want to be ripped off don't buy from them, though I have to say $89 for essentially the same product is the rip-off here.

[Gadget Guy]

The problem is that Taylor Cutlery is ruining the knife industry. They buy up quality knife companies and make their knives in China. If you dont mind the fact that they make their products in China and rip people off, then I guess they're ok.  

I don't mind, because I don't get ripped off.

Nice review, but I hate the fact that Taylor Cutlery ripped off the Miltac pen design.  

http://store.mil-tac.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5&HS=1

I'd have to say I'm glad they did! A whole $89 for a stick of aluminum...

Grinds teeth.

The price has nothing to do with it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

Funny, do you not know how capitalism works? =P

That was a very stupid comment!    Ripping off the American people is not Capitalism!!!  

Capitalism is the competition which should drive down the price, increase the qualitiy, and eventually prove which is the better product and smarter company...

And I don't believe in calling things like these a "rip off"... sure the design is similar, but there's not really much to patent here... just some random denting in a aluminum barrel. o_O

You're thinking is what's wrong with this country. I bet you would feel different if you designed the pen. No use talking to you anymore, it's like talking to a brick wall. I'll send you the stuff I said I would but then I'm done with you! 

[Benner]

Guys this is a subject that's always a sensitive one.  Lets just all agree to disagree and move on.

[Freudian Frog]

You're thinking is what's wrong with this country. I bet you would feel different if you designed the pen. No use talking to you anymore, it's like talking to a brick wall. I'll send you the stuff I said I would but then I'm done with you! 

Well sheesh dude, it's just my opinion. And the only thing wrong here is that you'd call my thinking wrong. I'm actually kind of offended by that.

At any rate, if I designed the pen I wouldn't be charging $89 at all for it, and then maybe a company that excells at taking designs and producing them at low costs won't find a proper niche to muscle me out. It's a pen, I don't think it's much of a brain child.

And people like me are why they have a market in the first place, and if you're blaming all of that on me... well nuts to you.

[Pacu]

Come on now....we are all just one big multitool family.  

[Gadget Guy]

You're thinking is what's wrong with this country. I bet you would feel different if you designed the pen. No use talking to you anymore, it's like talking to a brick wall. I'll send you the stuff I said I would but then I'm done with you! 

Well sheesh dude, it's just my opinion. And the only thing wrong here is that you'd call my thinking wrong. I'm actually kind of offended by that.

At any rate, if I designed the pen I wouldn't be charging $89 at all for it, and then maybe a company that excells at taking designs and producing them at low costs won't find a proper niche to muscle me out. It's a pen, I don't think it's much of a brain child.

And people like me are why they have a market in the first place, and if you're blaming all of that on me... well nuts to you.

Didn't Ben tell us to move on? 

[Benner]

You're thinking is what's wrong with this country. I bet you would feel different if you designed the pen. No use talking to you anymore, it's like talking to a brick wall. I'll send you the stuff I said I would but then I'm done with you! 

Well sheesh dude, it's just my opinion. And the only thing wrong here is that you'd call my thinking wrong. I'm actually kind of offended by that.

At any rate, if I designed the pen I wouldn't be charging $89 at all for it, and then maybe a company that excells at taking designs and producing them at low costs won't find a proper niche to muscle me out. It's a pen, I don't think it's much of a brain child.

And people like me are why they have a market in the first place, and if you're blaming all of that on me... well nuts to you.

Didn't Ben tell us to move on? 

I did, and sadly this is one of those situations of "what I says goes". 

[Freudian Frog]

Thing is, you took a direct shot at me, and I intend to discuss it while people've yet to understand whatever point I was trying to reach. I'm a bit miffed.

I'm all for supporting the "original" (verifiable?) designers... but in all intents of the laws of out country, there's nothing wrong here, and it's what I'm arguing against (I just don't want to support him 8 times more than I should have to ).

No one has the right to call it wrong as there's no patent/copyright violation at all, and it happens to be the current business model...

And there it ends.

EDIT: And I wasn't ridiculing people's conception of capitalism, just pointing out that price is VERY related to it...

[Gadget Guy]

Thing is, you took a direct shot at me, and I intend to discuss it while people've yet to understand whatever point I was trying to reach. I'm a bit miffed.

I'm all for supporting the "original" (verifiable?) designers... but in all intents of the laws of out country, there's nothing wrong here, and it's what I'm arguing against (I just don't want to support him 8 times more than I should have to ).

No one has the right to call it wrong as there's no patent/copyright violation at all, and it happens to be the current business model...

And there it ends.

EDIT: And I wasn't ridiculing people's conception of capitalism, just pointing out that price is VERY related to it...

Now you've really pissed me off! It doesn't end with you, it should end when Ben asked us to. Now shut up!!!!

[Benner]

Guys this ends NOW or I lock the thread which will be a shame as Prime did some good work here.  No one gets the last word in apart from me. 

[Gadget Guy]

Sorry Prime, this has nothing to do with your review. 

[Benner]

Sorry Prime, this has nothing to do with your review. 

Which was superb as always.    Thanks for the effort buddy.

[Anthony]

I like how "Schrade" is in a similar font compared to "Sharpie"...

[Mike]

Very nice review. Looks like it would be a nice pen of the "tactical" type.

Mike

[J-sews]

Question: After stabbing someone a time or two with your tactical pen, how does one go about getting the blood and goo out of the little hole in the end?






  Heh-heh, nice pics as usual Prime.

[Benner]

Question: After stabbing someone a time or two with your tactical pen, how does one go about getting the blood and goo out of the little hole in the end?






  Heh-heh, nice pics as usual Prime.

Just use the toothpick from your SAK.  Just give it a rinse before you use it on your teeth. 

[Mike]

Question: After stabbing someone a time or two with your tactical pen, how does one go about getting the blood and goo out of the little hole in the end?






  Heh-heh, nice pics as usual Prime.

It's too nice to actually stab someone with, use your thumb to poke 'em in the eye or a #2 pencil.

Mike

[Grant Lamontagne]

Question: After stabbing someone a time or two with your tactical pen, how does one go about getting the blood and goo out of the little hole in the end?






  Heh-heh, nice pics as usual Prime.

That'll be a good question to ask all the tactical pen makers at this year's SHOT Show! 

Def

[LatinoHeat]

LOL.  The whole tactical pen thing to me is kind've silly.  No knock on anyone who likes them.  I mean, while the price on some of them IS a bit steep, if you like em, buy em, you know?  That's a cool thing about being a consumer, we buy what we want.
However, I don't understand the whole tactical pen thing.  I mean...... is it for stabbing someone?  I can do that with my Bic pen which came in a pack for a dollar and ninety nine cents.  I just don't get it.
Although they do look cool.  Good job with the review, Prime.