CRKT Tao Pen

[edcgear]

CRKT Tao Pen is one of the products that commes out of CRKT ID Works laboratory. Design of this tool belongs to Allen Elishewitz, who is a world-renowned manufacturer of custom knives from Canyon Lake, Texas.

CRKT Tao Pen is something that we can call “the Tactical Pen”. “Tactical” products are a bit strange to this region, especially pens, then what is at stake. Tao Pen is a combination of self defencive tool called kubotan which uses pressure points on the body for self-defense against an attacker (more on kubotan see here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan ) and the common everyday object EDC such as a pen.



CRKT Tao Pen is made of 6061 aluminum intended for the aeronautical industry with HA III hard anodized finish. Columbia River Knives and Tools went on high end road and made hard anodized finish on both outside and inside surfaces. Tao Pen is available in several colors and patterns, olive drab, black, brown, with or without chrome rings. Dimensions of Tao Pen are:

- Length closed 14.5cm
- Length open 16cm
- Diameter at the widest part 2cm
- Weight 50g



Tao Pen has threads so that you screw or unscrew lid to open it, and screw and unscrew lid on the back of the pen. This is made to secure lid and to enhance stiffness of entire pen used as kubotan for self defence. CRKT Tao Pen is equipped with a Fisher Space Pen refill, which was developed by Fisher for NASA. This cartridge for the pen is filled under pressure, a ball of tungsten carbide and thixotropic ink (Thixotropy is the property of certain gels or fluids that are thick (viscous) under normal conditions, but flow (become thin, less viscous) over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed.) which allows the pen to write in extreme conditions far below and / or above zero, under water and at any angle.



Using Tao Pen in self-defense can be described as follows: on the cover of pen is the crown end which is blunt and is used for setting shocks or strong pressure in the head, neck, wrists, hands, groin and armpits. The other side of the pen has narrower end that isn’t curved so that this side of pen can be used for scratching, pressure and / or strokes in all soft tissue, where even the low pressure can cause a high degree of pain to attacker. The third way to use is the most extreme one and this means to turn off the lid and put it at end to a pencil so that the top of the pen can be used for placing strokes into the soft tissue that can lead to penetration in the body. All these techniques of self-defense may be intuitive, but also learned and trained, and for all this there are many courses for kubotan techniques which can be found, even online.



Columbia River Knife and Tool's Tao Pen is of exceptional beauty and value. Allen Elishewitz passed his years of experience in martial arts in this pen and achieves harmony of design, use value, simplicity and beauty. The times in which we live dictate the need for awareness for self-defense, and right here Tao Pen comes in handy. Tao Pen can find it’s place in pocket’s of law enforcement, army personel, workers, but allso has it’s place even on CEO’s desk besides important contract which waits for signature.

[Gareth]

Nice review mate.

[edcgear]

Thnx mate... One more is coming this way, though that one was rewieved on MTO... 

[Mr. Whippy]

I didn't know much about Kubotans so I went to your link and found this:

Kubotan is a registered trademark of Takayuki Kubota, who originally developed it as a tool for police officers to restrain suspects without permanent injury. Its popularity began in the mid-1970s when Kubota first brought the weapon to the attention of the LAPD and began schooling female officers in its application. It is often touted as extremely effective in breaking the will of unruly suspects with painful locks and pressure point strikes. Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the Instrument of Attitude Adjustment. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".

What is interesting is this bit:

Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the Instrument of Attitude Adjustment. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".

It is of interest to me because here on the farm, when something is stuck and needs fixing, I go get the "Persuader".  Everyone around knows exactly what that is--my 8 lb sledge hammer.   

[PyroJames]

Nice pics and review, edcgear! 

I didn't know much about Kubotans so I went to your link and found this:

What is interesting is this bit:

Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the Instrument of Attitude Adjustment. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".

It is of interest to me because here on the farm, when something is stuck and needs fixing, I go get the "Persuader".  Everyone around knows exactly what that is--my 8 lb sledge hammer. 

I have a friend that calls his wife that... and she has just about the same flexibility and reasoning as an 8lb sledge hammer.  Poor guy doesn't even bother arguing with her anymore...

[edcgear]

Nice pics and review, edcgear! 

I didn't know much about Kubotans so I went to your link and found this:

What is interesting is this bit:

Because of that the Kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the Instrument of Attitude Adjustment. In some law enforcement and security circles it is known as "The Persuader".

It is of interest to me because here on the farm, when something is stuck and needs fixing, I go get the "Persuader".  Everyone around knows exactly what that is--my 8 lb sledge hammer. 

I have a friend that calls his wife that... and she has just about the same flexibility and reasoning as an 8lb sledge hammer.  Poor guy doesn't even bother arguing with her anymore...

Aren't all wifes like that?!? 

[Zed]

Nice review Gojkan , i will get a nice tactical type pen one day, but at work i leave them everywhere although this might make me be more carefull if i had one like this     


paul

[edcgear]

Thnx Paul, I have simmilar problem, but now knowing the value of this (and knowing it's allmost impossible to get one here) I'm bit more caucious... 

[jzmtl]

I see something shiny on the other end from pen tip, is that a glass breaker or just decoration?

[edcgear]

I thaught that is a glass breaker, but now I see it's a decoration... Though I didn't try to brake glass with it... 

[jzmtl]

Ah, I was hoping it would be one. Been looking for one that doesn't break the bank (and doesn't look like Klingon made), no luck so far.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Seen these?

http://www.edcsource.com/auction_details.php?auction_search=1&auction_id=106997&option=basic_search&src_auction_id=&keywords_search=&buyout_price=&reserve_price=&quantity=&enable_swap=&list_in=&results_view=&country=&zip_code=&username=&basic_search=smith

Tim has three of them listed on EDCSource.  I have one, they aren't that bad, despite being S&W.  Apparently even Taylor Craplery can't screw up something as simple as a pen....

Def

[J-sews]

Nice write up edcgear

[jzmtl]

Seen these?

http://www.edcsource.com/auction_details.php?auction_search=1&auction_id=106997&option=basic_search&src_auction_id=&keywords_search=&buyout_price=&reserve_price=&quantity=&enable_swap=&list_in=&results_view=&country=&zip_code=&username=&basic_search=smith

Tim has three of them listed on EDCSource.  I have one, they aren't that bad, despite being S&W.  Apparently even Taylor Craplery can't screw up something as simple as a pen....

Def

Yeah, don't think they have window breaker though.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Not specifically, but the end is pretty pointy, and I'd be happy to have it if I needed to get out in a hurry.

Def

[jzmtl]

I dunno if I'd trust it to work, in my experience it probably won't. I've accidentally thrown a dart into glass window before (don't mount your dart board next to window), made a loud bang and I thought oh hell there goes the window and $$$. But the steel tip flattened on impact with no damage to glass, so I think either carbide tip or really hard steel is necessary.

[Woz]

I use a normal Sharpie or Edding as an EDC Kubaton, but I guess I will give the CRKT pen a try.

I thought of getting a Benchmade, Surefire or maybe even a Hinderer pen, but all those pens are bloody expensive. The CRKT is a fair deal, thank you for sharing your thoughts on it.

[edcgear]

I EDC Tao for about two months, and it holds great!!