Titanium and Brass Tactical Pen (pic heavy)

Tofty · **on:** July 18, 2011, 08:29:34 PM

I recently bought a Mosquito Tactical Wasp Pen just to see what all the fuss was about in relation to tactical pens, however i feel the wasp has a couple of things wrong with it:
1. The knurling is too high up the neck compared with where i like to grip the pen.
2. It claims to take standard parker refills but the cavity is actually too short and the supplied refill is non-standard.

Despite these problems i generally like the wasp due to its chunkiness (14mm diameter) which makes it a pleasant change from the plasticy biros i'm used to using.

I have since modified my wasp to accept standard parker/fisher refills with a bit of drilling but the knurling position cant really be changed so i thought i'd have a go at making my own pen using some of the wasps dimensions as a template.

This is my first attempt:

Only the knurled brass pieces, the glass breaker point and the three drilled nuts are not made from titanium, everything else including the pocket clip are made from grade 5 titanium.
The drilled nuts will eventually also be made from titanium but i just wanted to get finished so aluminium was the quick choice.

The glass breaker is made of hardened silver steel and is replaceable.

ryan1835 · **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2011, 10:11:37 PM

that is very nice. how much?

Essexman · **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2011, 11:04:03 PM

oh that is very nice. If that's your first, I can't wait to see what you make next.

How did you find machining the Ti ?

Sparky415 · **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2011, 12:14:07 AM

Quote from: ryan1835 on July 18, 2011, 10:11:37 PM

that is very nice. how much?

Oi Ryan,

Not everything in this world is for sale! Not everything has a monetary value!

I guess in a way you can be forgiven as you are quite young

You have grown up in a world of fast food, instant food from a microwave, fizzy beer from a can, Entertainment beamed directly to your home without lifting a finger, every whim catered for at the touch of a button

I suppose I'm looking back to a better time, an era of the craftsman, where every man was proud of the work he produced

Where a man was rewarded not just for doing his job but doing it well

I guess I'm trying to say that's a great job Fatchappers!

Ummm and how much are you knocking them out for Mate?

Sorry Ryan

Tofty · **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2011, 12:43:16 AM

Thanks, not considering selling any time soon but perhaps i'll make a batch after some further design iterations.

The next step is obviously a sonic screwdriver pen.

Machining titanium is actually a very enjoyable experience on the lathe with carbide cutters, the metal just peels off smoothly in long thin ribbons and a half thou final pass leaves a very acceptable finish.
Drilling is where you have to be careful as titanium gets very hot very quickly as seems to work harden easily making tapping then impossible. I discovered alot of the heat was created by the swarf jamming in the flukes and causing friction on the hole walls, so much so that a couple of times the swarf has caught fire which burns with a similar ferocity to magnesium with the same incredibly bright white light.
The solution is to nudge cut (to break up the swarf) only a couple mm at most then draw the drill fully out of the hole to ensure swarf removal and repeat. Considering this pen has a 80mm deep centre bore patience is the key to success, also be careful with cutting lubricants as they help cause fluke blockage.
All the holes were however drilled with normal HSS drill bits and i'd say working with titanium isn't much more difficult than working with 300 stainless, in fact for external lathe work it can be easier....and it parts off better too.

jekostas · **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2011, 01:16:09 AM

That's damned nice work, it really is. Very well done.

J-sews · **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2011, 03:09:03 AM

Fabulous bit of lathemanship there FC!

Did you also make a couple of little assembly/spanner wrenches?

Tofty · **Reply #7 on:** July 19, 2011, 06:11:19 PM

i should do but i cheat and just use drill bits to tighten the nuts

J-sews · **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2011, 03:35:07 AM

Quote from: Fatchappers on July 19, 2011, 06:11:19 PM

i should do but i cheat and just use drill bits to tighten the nuts

I wondered if maybe that's what you did!

Drill bits are fine for the prototype, but when you go into production (making ones for the rest of us) you'll need proper spanners.

Tofty · **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2011, 12:30:17 PM

Some more photos without the aluminium nuts and polished up i bit more:

J-sews · **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2011, 01:22:15 PM

Oooh!

I didn't think it was possible FC, but it looks even better now!

Very nice!

A question: Did you make the clip from scratch, or...?

Sparky415 · **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2011, 01:25:08 PM

That really is a work of art!

I hardly ever use a pen but

Great work FC!

Tofty · **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2011, 03:07:41 PM

yeah, the clip was rough shaped from 1mm ti plate with a hacksaw then heated with a blowlamp and beaten into shape. Its not perfectly straight but sometimes you just gotta know when to give in as it'll never get any better.
It's actually not a bad clip and goes over jean pocket edges fine while never feeling like its going to deform. Alot better than i expected it to perform.

Cheers guys.

Vladimir · **Reply #13 on:** July 23, 2011, 05:00:18 PM

Extremely nice!

edcgear · **Reply #14 on:** July 23, 2011, 05:18:47 PM

Woow man... That's awesom pen!!

I can see a CEO of some multi billion global company signing very important contract with that pen!!!

AHB · **Reply #15 on:** July 23, 2011, 09:13:15 PM

Amazing work FC..

Tofty · **Reply #16 on:** July 23, 2011, 09:53:19 PM

@ edcgear: signing important contracts.......i keep thinking its the pen Arnie should have had in The Running Man.

Thanks again guys.

edcgear · **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2011, 10:38:47 PM

Quote from: Fatchappers on July 23, 2011, 09:53:19 PM

@ edcgear: signing important contracts.......i keep thinking its the pen Arnie should have had in The Running Man.

Thanks again guys.

LOL, well he should have, and now that he's a Governor he could of signed some great stuff...

Never the less...

It's real beauty!!!

Redstarny · **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2011, 01:32:28 AM

You've got to be kidding. That is an awesome pen. Can you feel my jealousy??

Gareth · **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:18:24 PM

I hadn't looked at this thread before today and I have to say; wow, what a great bit of machine work.

Tofty · **Reply #20 on:** October 27, 2011, 12:01:25 AM

Technically this ones made with phosphor bronze instead of brass but who cares...

This design is quite similar to Tom Anderson's Bolt Action Twister Pen with a few changes, mainly that the cartridge is accessible without the need to dismantle the bolt and requires no tools, The pocket clip allows for a slightly deeper carrying and the internals are made from phosphor bronze as i didn't fancy my chances of tapping an M1.6 thread in titanium.

Neil · **Reply #21 on:** October 27, 2011, 12:10:10 AM

I missed this thread first time around. Both of these are very impressive

Gareth · **Reply #22 on:** October 28, 2011, 04:41:30 PM

I don't know why this thread hasn't garnered more interest as I think that's flippin' gorgeous.

Sazabi · **Reply #23 on:** October 28, 2011, 04:46:45 PM

It's easy, Gareth: Too many people shortcircuiting their computers via drool attack. It's a gorgeous pen; just for kicks and laughs, how much would one of those run? About the price of a new Escalade?

edc.addict · **Reply #24 on:** November 01, 2011, 03:54:06 AM

what is a "tactical pen" can it be used for fighting?

Essexman · **Reply #25 on:** November 01, 2011, 12:04:00 PM

Quote from: edc.addict on November 01, 2011, 03:54:06 AM

what is a "tactical pen" can it be used for fighting?

Have you not heard? The pen is mightier than the sword!

Tofty · **Reply #26 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:16:04 PM

Thanks guys,

Quote from: Essexman on November 01, 2011, 12:04:00 PM

Quote from: edc.addict on November 01, 2011, 03:54:06 AM
what is a "tactical pen" can it be used for fighting?

Have you not heard? The pen is mightier than the sword!

Yeah, and paper beats rock!

The tactical pen is a strange concept but i suppose it boils down to; someone is attacking me, i dont plan on doing them excessive harm and the only thing i have to defend myself with is a pen. Wouldn't it be better if your pen was big, chunky and solid so that when you jab your attacker with it they know they've been jabbed and promise not to be so naughty in future. Basically its a kubaton but with slightly more legality (at least in the uk where all dedicated weapons are illegal).

As for cost....i wouldn't give tuppence for an escalade so thats not a great comparison, i suppose Tom Andersons bolt action pen sets the bench mark so a value lower than $575 would be what i would aim for, not that i plan to make any more.