Awesome Pens

Shortly before last year came to an end, the editorial staff at Everyday Carry picked out a handful of items they hoped to get in their stockings for the holidays, and there’s some pretty sweet gear on the list. We’re particularly fond of the heat-tinged Kaweco Liliput Fireblue fountain pen.

Machinist Brian Howey of Automog designs and fabricates these smooth metal writing instruments. Available in brass, copper, or aluminum, the pens feature a satisfyingly clicky mechanism. Options include a cleanly-integrated pocket clip, a textured grip, and a custom leather pen case from UpState Handmade.

Handmade by Taiwan’s 22STUDIO, this unique writing instrument features a body made from high-density concrete. This gives the pen and its matching desk stand an artful, modern look while adding heft and substance. Available in grey or red.

Accessory maker YSMART London updates its TIPEN compact titanium pen, refining its case design, and bestowing its rollerball with a durable silicon carbide tip that doubles as a tool for opening packages and prying lids. Its refill is custom-made, so we suggest ordering one of the kits that comes with spares. Available in four textures.

Vital Carry’s latest pen doesn’t just have a single bolt-action mechanism, it has three of them. The pen can accept three individual D1 refills, so you can write in black, red, or blue simply by clicking the right bolt. The back ends of each bolt are color-coded for ease of identification. Available in a variety of metals.

With a price approaching some 3D printers, the 3Doodler Pro+ isn’t for everyone, but it does feature big upgrades including a powerful dual-drive system, precision temperature controls that enable more intricate and consistent drawings. It can print with ABS, PLA, FLEXY, wood, copper, bronze, and nylon filaments.

Pens are usually made from metal or plastic, but 22STUDIO’s unique model has an outer case made from cast concrete. Its name reflects its deeply contoured edges, which provide a nice tactile feeling and grip. Available in two shades of gray and white.

This unique tactical pen is machined from aluminum, stainless steel, and polished copper. It features a bolt-action design inspired by the M16A4 rifle, and comes with a Rite-in the Rain permanent ink cartridge, which lets it write in extreme conditions. KeySmart is offering big discounts for purchases of 2 or 3 pens.

Nominal is a unique pen with a design inspired by the retractable legs on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Each pen is made from 34 individual components, and is available in aluminum or stainless steel. A magnetic “crew cabin” slides off to reveal a black mother of pearl end cap, which can be monogrammed for a small fee.

The MagBolt pen features a unique mechanism that uses the power of repelling magnets to engage and retract its pen tip. Each one features a smoothly machined aluminum barrel, along with accents in copper, brass, or aluminum. Accepts a Schmidt 9000 M refill (included).

This modern writing instrument features a sleek metal body in aluminum or steel, and its magnetic hex opening holds screwdriver bits for eyeglasses, watches, and electronic gadgets. It comes with eight tool bits, and can store up to four of them inside of its body. Special price available for a limited time from Drop.

Woodworker James Garwood shows off the time-consuming process of laminating, assembling, and turning numerous pieces of cherry and dyed-blue tulip veneer to create an exquisite custom fountain pen. While they’re not all quite this fancy, you can purchase one of his handmade pens from James’ website.

From the Truth in Advertising Department, machinist Brian Howey’s shiny, stubby, and fat metal pens have a clean, minimal look to them, and measure just 4-3/4″ long. They come in various combinations of aluminum, brass, and copper, and can be optioned out with a matching leather case from UpState Handmade.

A bargain-priced bolt-action pen, CNC machined from brass, and featuring a hexagonal body to prevent rolling off of your desktop. Available in natural brass, or antique bronze finishes, and accepts easily-found refills from Parker, Fisher and Schneider.

This handmade pen from Russia’s WarmKnives is crafted entirely from titanium. It’s got a textured, military look with a cap inspired by the ridges on a hand grenade, and a pointed rear end that most certainly could be used for self-defense. Takes a standard Parker refill.

In this age of digital communication, sometimes it’s nice to put down the screen and sketch out your ideas with good old pen and paper. Bolt action pens offer durability, unique styles, and a confident locking mechanism that’s great for fidgeters. Everyday Carry shares their favorite bolt-action models of 2020.

Made entirely from titanium, Big Idea Design’s versatile pen has the unique ability to accept more than 750 different kinds of refills, letting you customize its writing characteristics to your exact preference. Available in Stonewashed, Midnight Black, and Machined Raw finishes.

Tacray’s unique titanium pen combines a writing instrument with a self-defense / glass breaker tool on its rear end. It’s made from Ti-6AL-4V alloy that’s been oxidized to produce a colorful, iridescent look, and its knurled body provides a firm grip while adding to its bullet-inspired style.

WE Knife’s durable and lightweight titanium writing instrument features one of the cooler designs we’ve come across, with a deeply-textured barrel that provides both aesthetic appeal and grip, along with a bolt-action retractable cartridge, and a glass breaker tip. Available exclusively from Drop.

This handsome writing instrument is made from durable titanium alloy, and features a concave, textured barrel for a confident grip. It’s got a bolt-action mechanism, and takes smooth-writing Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 refills. It’s also got an emergency glass breaker on its tail end.

UK leathersmith Victory Leathercraft is working on collectible pens made from oak timber from the famed ship HMS Victory. The wood was gathered during renovations of the British warship, which fought in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Available in ink or rollerball versions, and with an optional leather case.

In addition to its twist-action ballpoint pen, this hexagonal aluminum tool packs six other useful functions. It’s got metric and inch rulers, a removable touchscreen stylus, mini flat and Phillips screwdrivers, and its back end doubles as a phone stand and a bottle opener.

Knifemaker Rick Hinderer creates these elegant, yet practical writing instruments. Each one is precision milled with a great tactile design, and features a removable self defense tool on its rear. Available in stainless steel, brass, or our favorite look, copper, which is sure to patina beautifully.