THE EDC GUIDE TO PENS

Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) asks a seminar attendee to

sell him a pen in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).

We all know the narrative that’s been force fed to us over the past several decades when it comes to technology. How advances in tech will lead to more freedom, connection, and, of course, less paper (sorry, Dunder Miflin). However, as David Sax writes in The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter, “A funny thing happened on the way to the digital utopia. We've begun to fall back in love with the very analog goods and ideas the tech gurus insisted that we no longer needed … Even the offices of tech giants like Google and Facebook increasingly rely on pen and paper to drive their brightest ideas.”

Having a great EDC pen in 2021 doesn’t make you a Neo-Luddite. Far from it. It makes you a smart man. Not only does writing on paper improve your chances of remembering what you write down (the result of several senses being activated at once), but it keeps you firmly grounded in nature. In an increasingly complex, digital world, the simplicity and utility of a great pen cannot be understated.

Whether you’re in the market for just a new EDC pen or any number of complimentary accoutrements from a notebook to a bag, we carry the greatest pens from the most trusted pen brands.

In other words, we’ve got you covered.

FINDING THE RIGHT PEN FOR YOU

Though humans have certainly evolved to get more comfortable with typing on a computer over the years, our innate instinct, our natural inclination to quickly grab a pen when we need to scribble down a quick note down so we don’t forget it later, is engrained in our psyche. As such, here are some of the qualities of a pen that we recommend you look out for when deciding which pen is the right one for you:

RELIABILITY

The whole point of having a great pen is that it’s there for you when you need to capture lightning in a bottle. As such, you always want to make sure your EDC pen has a reliable ink system. As a general rule of thumb, pens with more “flowy” inks tend to be more dependable than the disposable pens you find in 12-packs at Office Depot, which can get dried up and clogged a whole lot easier.

With its renown pressurized PR4 black ink cartridge (very easy to find when you need to purchase a refill), the Bullet Pen from Fisher Space Pen is one of our most reliable EDC pens…

THE BULLET PEN FROM FISHER SPACE PEN

First created by Paul Fisher back in July 1948, the Bullet Pen from Fisher Space Pen (5.25" open, 3.75" closed) literally got its name because astronauts in space used it! A capped pen with a medium point, brass construction, black titanium nitride finish, and available in both Black Titanium Nitride & Chrome, you can’t go wrong with this classic.

Built and hand-tested in the USA, the Bullet Pen is considered so vital to the art world that it was on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art for many years.

Backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee, this classic American writing instrument, with its tough brass exterior, opens into a perfectly balanced full-sized pen whether your packing a bag for your next trip to another galaxy with Elon Musk, going underwater, or just looking to jot down some thoughts at your desk.

Hey, the Bullet Pen from Fisher Space even got its own Seinfeld episode! 

HIGH-QUALITY INK

You always want to make sure that your EDC pen has ink that is high in viscosity. The thick, motionless gel inks found in the Japanese brands flow smooth and supply crisp, rich lines once you really get going. It is also our recommendation that you try to avoid pens containing super water soluble ink or ink that is prone to bleeding (i.e. slow to dry).

Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) gets creative with a pen after a fellow bar patron tells his friend Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro) to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine in Casino (1995).

VERSATILITY

One of the great aspects of many EDC items is that they can be used for a multitude of purposes. We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with just letting a pen be a pen, but we are saying there could be worse things than having your pen double as a tool or a weapon that you can use in self-defense should such a scenario arise.

Somebody should really let Scorsese known about the Grafton Pen from Everyman for his next picture…

THE GRAFTON PEN FROM EVERYMAN

Unpretentious, reliable, and endlessly elegant, the Grafton Pen from Everyman (5.7"), now available in Silver, gets the job done.

With a tough anodized 6061 aluminum exterior, a strong bolt-on pocket clip, clicker tip deployment, a deep groove grip, and a body that accepts both Pilot G2 and Fisher Space Pen refills (it comes with one Everyman .7 black refill), this 1 ounce EDC legend is guaranteed for life.

If you’re looking for a more minimalist, clicker pen, this sleek, trustworthy won’t let you down. Ever.

COMFORT

Like good clothing, it’s important that your EDC pen feels good when you hold it in your hand. After all, comfort equals easy, swift deployment. Not bad, right?

SIZE

These days, you’re likely to see a whole category of pens being advertised as “pocket carry” pens. While these pens certainly tend to be on the smaller side, there’s no hard-and-fast rule stating that can’t carry a larger pen around in your pocket. Your pocket. Your choice. However, all things being equal, we’d be remiss not to bring up the Stilwell Pen from The James Brand at this particular juncture…

THE STILWELL PEN FROM THE JAMES BRAND

Small enough to fit in the coin pocket of your jeans, The Stilwell Pen from The James Brand (3.5” closed, 5.4” open) is quite literally built to be taken anywhere. Simply put, “Adventure” is this pen’s middle name.

With its twist-off ballpoint design, sleek aluminum construction/brushed finish, attached lanyard, and a D1 Style Replaceable Ink Cartridge, The Stilwell looks great in any of our current color offerings: Titanium, Silver Aluminum, and Black Aluminum.

Hardwearing and perfect for capturing ideas on-the-fly, this full-size compact pen packs the goods.

The Stilwell Pen

$49.00

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DURABILITY

Does the pen crack easily? Is it leak-proof? How easily does the cap slip off? These are some important questions to keep in mind when looking for your next perfect pen.

THE STANDARD BOLT ACTION PEN FROM TACTILE TURN

Since the release of Tactile Turn’s inaugural bolt-action pen in 2017, the rifle-inspired writing instrument has been the Texas outfit’s best-selling product, praised for its minimalistic yet elegant aesthetic and wildly-rugged construction. In response to the ongoing demand, the Richardson-based one-man operation has opted to deliver an updated version of the bolt-action pen for 2020. Like the outgoing version, the new Bolt Action Pen can be deployed or retracted with one hand in a single fluid motion. The pen is made from precision-machined copper and is extremely durable yet lightweight, tipping the scales at just 2.3oz (or 0.143lbs). Protected by a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty, the standard size Bolt Action Pen is 5.6” long, measures 0.43” in diameter, and is sold with a matching copper pocket clip and a Pilot G2 0.7mm cartridge.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• All bronze construction
• Made in the USA
• Unique arcing bolt-action deployment and retraction
• Matching bronze pocket clip
• Includes Pilot G2 0.7mm Cartridge
• Protected by lifetime warranty
• 5.6” L x 0.43” D
• 2.0oz weight
• Made in the USA

Available in Zirconium, Bronze, Copper and Titanium

Standard Bolt Action Pen

$99.00

[tab title="Details"] Since the release of Tactile Turn’s inaugural bolt-action pen in 2017, the rifle-inspired writing instrument has been the Texas outfit’s best-selling product, praised for its minimalistic yet elegant aesthetic and wildly-rugged construction. In response to the ongoing demand,… read more

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COMPATIBILITY

Some men use pens on cheap paper in a hurry. Some men use high-quality notebooks. Some men use pens on this paper, that paper, and every kind of paper in between. In any case, do consider the type of paper that you’re most likely to write on when you’re making your next EDC pen purchase.

PRICE TAG

Are you someone who loses pens often or are you someone who is really ready to settle down with a nice, gorgeous EDC pen? Something to keep in mind as you consider the role that price point plays in your next purchase.

EDC PEN NO-GOS

HARD-TO-FIND REFILLS

There’s nothing more aggravating than investing in a great pen only to end up beating your head against the wall while attempting to locate a refill for it. One of the great things about the aforementioned Fisher Space Pens is how easy it is to find refills for them.

Believe us, an easily refillable pen is a sound investment. Who needs the stress? Not you.

SKIMPY TIPS

This might seem obvious, but a pen is not, in fact, a pencil. This being the case, a thicker, less fine pen tip tends to make writing easier. A nice, classy tip between 0.7mm and 1.0mm lets people know you mean as much business as your new EDC pen.

MARKERS ADVERTISED AS PENS

We dig a nice marker or Sharpie as much as the next fella, but, c’mon, there’s a time and a place. You know what we mean? The ink gets all over the place, and all over the place isn’t where you’re looking for your ink to go with your new EDC pen.

No disrespect to the marker community, really, but a reliable, sharp EDC pen as a writing utensil is in a league of its own.

IT’S NOT JUST A PEN

Brad (Jon Bernthal) and Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) remind the boys why pens are EDC classics in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

There’s still a real, tangible, physical world out there. It’s for this reason that no matter how digital the world gets, EDC items only continue to grow in popularity and relevance.

EDC items resonate with us because they have always and always will continue to serve as robust reminders for the richness of the physical world.

The Gallantry Man can still enjoy doing certain things the old-fashioned way – with a pen and paper – in our modern, digitalized era. Let’s get real, shall we? A classy, hand signed contract still holds a certain gravitas that an e-signature just can’t give you.

Suave billionaire Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) deploys his EDC pen to

sign a contract in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999).

The truth is we like to hold, touch, and write with pens. Before EDC pens, we wrote with EDC feathers, and before that we were writing on cave walls with EDC chalk.

So, which pen are you getting?

STREAMING THE EDC PEN

While John Nash (Russell Crowe) is being interviewed by Thomas King (Austin Pendleton), a member of the Nobel Committee, his Princeton colleagues present him with their pens in an impromptu ceremony.

You don’t have to accept secret work in cryptography like John Nash to respect the pen. However, you should definitely accept that A Beautiful Mind is currently streaming on IMDb TV and treat yourself to a pen ceremony of your own (after having purchased your new, sleek EDC pen from Gallantry, that is).