Tactical Pens and airport security

[nachogrande]

IN THE WRONG HANDS, THAT WOULD BE A BIG YES!

Is a box cutter a weapon? It is disappointing that someone on a gun forum thinks it is the inanimate object that is capable of evil.

The terrorists that hijacked the United airlines plane on 9/11 sure thought that box cutters were weapons, (in their hands) I would have to agree. I guess it would have been better if they only had harmless tactical pens. SO SORRY if you are disappointed and can't face facts. Evil people have & will continue to use "inanimate objects" to commit evil acts. NO, I don't believe box cutters are any more evil than pressure cookers, but there ya go. If you only needed to write why not a bic/pencil whatever? The description/name TACTICAL sums up it's TRUE potential use. Denial aint just a river in Egypt obviously.

 

[jlrhiner]

Cross pen and pencil set. You can drive one of them through a 2x4.

 

[JDBoardman]

TSA = Thousands Standing Around

 

[moralem]

Next they will want my money clip that if held just right can be as effective as a razor blade in cqb.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

When I was in the Army they taught me that I am the weapon; anything else is just a tool.

My credit union always has a canister of Bic pens on the counter for members. I haven't purchased a pen in years, tactical or otherwise.

 

[Muss Muggins]

MY POINT is that the OP should have known a tactical pen was NOT made for writing, . . .

Some write better than others. All depends on what the refill is. I've got a few, and use one every day. For writing . . .

 

[nachogrande]

THEY ARE NOT A SECRET ANYMORE.

IF you want to carry a tactical pen, fine. I have no problems with them. Carrying them onto an airplane, into a prison/courthouse or other restricted place, YOU may end up being the one with the problem, is all I am saying. Double edged belt buckle knives have been "discovered" too. Want to go all double naught spy? Sharpen an edge on your credit card, get a rolex with a garot, a kevlar trenchcoat, and a steel lined derby hat.

 

[Walkingwolf]

The terrorists that hijacked the United airlines plane on 9/11 sure thought that box cutters were weapons, (in their hands) I would have to agree. I guess it would have been better if they only had harmless tactical pens. SO SORRY if you are disappointed and can't face facts. Evil people have & will continue to use "inanimate objects" to commit evil acts. NO, I don't believe box cutters are any more evil than pressure cookers, but there ya go. If you only needed to write why not a bic/pencil whatever? The description/name TACTICAL sums up it's TRUE potential use. Denial aint just a river in Egypt obviously.

Tactical is a word used as a selling point/marketing gimmick. So are you suggesting confiscating 5-11 pants of passengers? One could take them off, and strangle somebody with a leg. This is what happens when the gun community cuts their own throats by marketing memes that sound exactly like they are intended to sound, yet mean nothing. A term used to evoke emotions to make a sale.

 

[Walkingwolf]

Forget flying on a golf trip if they ever sell tactical golf clubs...

 

[nachogrande]

NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING.

Tactical is a word used as a selling point/marketing gimmick. So are you suggesting confiscating 5-11 pants of passengers? One could take them off, and strangle somebody with a leg. This is what happens when the gun community cuts their own throats by marketing memes that sound exactly like they are intended to sound, yet mean nothing. A term used to evoke emotions to make a sale.

NO, but it might make things more interesting at airports & such.
Show me where I made ANY suggestion to take ANY action. Tactical pens are NOT A WEAPON because they can write, is like saying belt buckle "knives" are NOT KNIVES, cuz they can hold your pants up. Keep telling yourself they were not intended/designed from the ground up as a weapon. Eventually you may convince yourself. Me thinks many of you dost protest too much. I'm gonna go make some popcorn in my tactical popcorn maker.

 

[rockquarry]

I'm not tactically oriented and had never heard of a tactical pen until a few months ago on this forum. Other than tactical fad value, do these have any advantage over regular pens?

 

[Muss Muggins]

I'm not tactically oriented and had never heard of a tactical pen until a few months ago on this forum. Other than tactical fad value, do these have any advantage over regular pens?

They're heavy and hard to break . . .

 

[PALADIN85020]

I'm not tactically oriented and had never heard of a tactical pen until a few months ago on this forum. Other than tactical fad value, do these have any advantage over regular pens?

Here's one I USED to carry on commercial aircraft. Now I have to get by with a Cross pen...

John

 

[Old_Cop]

Maybe TSA could start profiling like the Israelis and reduce the kabuki theater.

 

[Walkingwolf]

NO, but it might make things more interesting at airports & such.
Show me where I made ANY suggestion to take ANY action. Tactical pens are NOT A WEAPON because they can write, is like saying belt buckle "knives" are NOT KNIVES, cuz they can hold your pants up. Keep telling yourself they were not intended/designed from the ground up as a weapon. Eventually you may convince yourself. Me thinks many of you dost protest too much. I'm gonna go make some popcorn in my tactical popcorn maker.

Heavy duty pens have been made for a long time with metal housing long before the word tactical was put to everything to make a tactikewl buck. A pen is not a knife, that is apples to oranges. A knife is intended to cut, a pen to write, besides the knife belt buckle would still be a belt buckle designed to carry a knife even if it did not have a knife in it. You seem to be suggesting banning the buckle because it can carry a knife. That gets back to the tactical pants, they can carry a number of options of weapons, including a expensive gentleman's pen which are usually dangerous if used improperly. You seem to be hung up on the word tactical.

 

[nachogrande]

TSA BASHING NOW?

Does the TSA get employees with secret service type pedigrees, for what they pay? I doubt it, nor does the avg screener get a say in what makes the NOT ALLOWED list. To any TSA members, I wouldn't want your job. NOT ALLOWED ITEMS are well posted. Here's a wild idea, since it's only been 17 years since 9/11. DON'T BRING NOT ALLOWED ITEMS INTO NOT ALLOWED PLACES. I came up with that one all on my own. At home or about town, do as you will.

 

[Walkingwolf]

I guess since K-Bar makes a tactical cane I will be forced to use a wheel chair if I ever fly. Or are there tactical wheel chairs?

Has anybody ever been seriously injured, or killed with a tactical pen yet? I would be interested in hearing the news reports. Outside of pressure points I am curious to it's value as a 'lethal' weapon? My hickory stockman cane is more dangerous used as a weapon than the pen. Oh shoot that word 'stockman' will probably get it banned.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

For the record, jokes aside, politics aside, cynical and and vituperative remarks aside, the "tactical pen" that I lost to the TSA was a Hoffman-Richter similar to Paladin's EXCEPT it was flat on both sides. It had no point. To write with it the cap had to be removed like Paladin's but it did not have that pointed end - I have one like that as well but it's not the one I flew with. So it was a very non-threatening tube of aluminum. But TSA knew what it was and it is on their list as a kubaton, as discussed above, end of story.

So, the whole point is, pun intended, the tactical pen is specifically designed as a personal defense tool that can also be used to write with. If TSA doesn't like them then we are stuck with their rule if we intend to fly. But I pay attention to my friends and Forum members and I lloked up the Zebra F701 pen - it WILL suffice for the purpose. As long as it is metal - plastic is good, pencils are good, but they can break. Aluminum pens will work.

Besides the Zebra referenced above suggestions include the Retro 1951 HEX-O-MATIC Ballpoint and the Rotring 600 pencil and Rotring Rapid-Pro pen. All metal body. Just pens. Ten bucks, maybe twenty bucks, they'll do in a pinch and won't be confiscated or looked at negatively by anyone.

Yes, you are the weapon, so choose your defensive tools carefully.

 

[SMSgt]

There are heavy-duty pens that look tactical and have silly tactical logos and will get snatched up by TSA as tactical pens, and then there are heavy duty pens that are just pens and look like regular pens but will be just as effective.

Choose your pen wisely.

 

[old tanker]

No one pays much attention to an old man with a cane...