For years I've been looking for a good way to keep a pen on my person. Shirt pockets fail when your shirt has no pockets. Pointy pens pierce pants pockets. Short pens make my hand cramp. For a few years, I had a penholder on my belt, along with beeper, Swiss Army knife, glasses case, pedometer, and Leatherman. I looked like Batnerd wearing a Batbelt.
Recently, I stumbled across Fisher Space Pens. Most advertising blandishments leave me cold, but Fisher Space Pens, with their high tech gas-pressure supply, I'm told, are used by astronauts and will write underwater and upside down. I tried recalling the number of times I’ve wanted to pen something while submerged, but I’m no Jacques Cousteau. I also tend to avoid being upside down, at least when I’m writing.
I was lukewarm until I saw the design of two Fisher models. These solid brass pens have a cover that slips on to make a compact 3 3/4-inch package. When you put the lid on the back, they become full-size pens. The writing is smooth, and they always start without hesitation – unlike throwaways. There are other models, but the purist will not be deflected.
Model 400 Bullet Space Pen: US$17.95. Fisher Space Pen Company
This article originally appeared in the October issue of Wired magazine.
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