There have been many self-defense weapons that have been invented and developed over the years, but one of the most peculiar is the tactical pen, which looks like an ordinary pen for writing at first glance, but it is actually a very effective self-defense weapon despite its size. While the regular pen is often used by some people as a weapon because of its sharp end, the tactical pen features a much sharper end that is specifically designed to harm an attacker. How effective is the tactical pen? And how was it invented? We will find out as we get a closer look at several details about the tactical pen.
Functions of a Tactical Pen
The tactical pen’s main feature is its extra-sharp ballpoint that allows the item to be utilized as a self-defense weapon. Although it is very sharp, the ballpoint of most tactical pens is relatively safer than other sharp weapons like knives and blades.
In addition to using it as a self-defense weapon, the tactical pen can also be utilized to break through glass, wooden walls, and other barriers because of its heavy body that can act as a hammer. The other end of the tactical pen, which is usually blunt, can be used to hit and break walls if a passageway is blocked during emergency situations. Because of the heaviness of the tactical pen, it can also be useful as a blunt weapon if you don’t want to use its extra-sharp ballpoint.
The simplest tactical pens would typically have a heavy body with a sharp ballpoint, but there are some cooler variants that feature laser lights, flashlights, and a keychain to store keys. So, the tactical pen can also serve as a complementary accessory with a Swiss army knife since you will have almost every tool you will need if you are outdoors.
One of the biggest advantages of the tactical pen is its size, as it is much smaller than most self-defense weapons. As such, no one would even notice that you are bringing a self-defense weapon with you because of how small and inconspicuous the tactical pen looks. Its small size can also be beneficial if you want to put it in your pocket or in the smallest compartment of your bag. Of course, because it is technically still a pen, you can still utilize it to write down random things, like grocery lists, addresses, etc.
Origins of the Tactical Pen
The tactical pen is supposed to be an improved version of the Kubotan, a self-defense keychain weapon developed by Japanese American karate master Takayuki Kubota in the 1960s. One of the main differences between the tactical pen and the Kubotan is that the latter doesn’t have a sharp ballpoint since it is only used as a heavy blunt weapon. According to Kubota, the Kubotan keychain was derived from an invention by his father, Denjiro, called the “hashi stick,” a wooden stick used for self-defense.
Before the invention of the Kubotan, It should also be noted that Kubota served as a self-defense instructor for the Tokyo Police Department in the 1950s because of his mastery of karate and its practical use. Following his tenure at the Tokyo Police Department, Kubota then served as an instructor for the US Army, Air Force, and Marines stationed in Japan.
Because of his expertise in self-defense, he was invited by American martial artist Ed Parker to perform a demonstration at the First Annual International Karate Tournament in California on August 2, 1964. Around the same year, Kubota decided to live permanently in California, where he taught self-defense at the Los Angeles Police Department Academy. It was in his tenure at the said academy where he first demonstrated the use of the “hashi stick,” which quickly became very popular among students and fellow instructors.
Under the formal request of then-Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Edward M. Davis, Kubota developed a more durable version of the “hashi stick” called the “Kubotan.” Kubota would then train female officers to utilize the Kubotan as another self-defense weapon. Besides being used for self-defense, Kubota also taught officers to use the weapon for “attitude adjustment,” which means that it can be effective for disciplining unruly people apprehended by the police.
The tactical pen would soon be invented and developed by various companies in the United States. However, despite the popularity of tactical pens, the original Kubotan can still be bought today, and most of the Kubotan weapons you will find right now would have a ring attached to one of its ends, which could then serve as a keychain for storing and grouping keys together.
So, those are some details that you should know about tactical pens and their predecessor, the Kubotan. There are hundreds of different tactical pens that you can buy online, but make sure that you are buying the best and most suitable one for you by reading or watching reviews of particular models.