We recently picked up a tactical pen as a souvenir from our trip to Zero Tolerance's Oregon headquarters. This billet aluminum pen makes for a great writing utensil, but its true purpose is that of a self-defense tool. Like any other tool, it only becomes useful when you know the proper technique — swinging it wildly isn't nearly as effective as directed strikes against an attacker. So, we started researching some of the techniques for using a tactical pen for self-defense.

This Zero Tolerance pen is a special-edition version of their popular 0010 tactical pen.

In our search for tactical pen usage tips, we came across a video series from none other than our friend and magazine contributor Michael D. Janich. Michael is a martial arts expert, with more than 35 years of experience with hand-to-hand combat and weapon-aided self-defense. He partnered with Stay Safe Media to produce the two-part video series titled “Focused Impact: A Practical Course in Self-Defense with Tactical Pens”.

A palm to the face can short-circuit your opponent's punch, and provide an opening for tactical pen strikes.

These videos — Volume 1 and Volume 2 — have a total run time of over 2.5 hours, but short previews are available on YouTube. Even in these preview videos, it's possible to learn quite a bit about the tactics behind tactical pens. In the first 12-minute preview segment, Michael discusses the definition of a tactical pen, why he carries one, and demonstrates some basic strikes:

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As stated in the video above, the obvious advantage to a tactical pen is the ability to carry it in almost any environment. When you're unable to carry a concealed handgun or knife, a tactical pen can be an invaluable resource for defending yourself. In the second video segment, Michael shows off some more advanced methods for using a tactical pen for self-defense. These include facing off against armed attackers, and using your pen while pinned on the ground.

To see the tactical pens used in these videos, go to TuffWriter.com. To watch more of Michael's self-defense videos, check out the Stay Safe Media YouTube channel or visit StaySafeMedia.com.

Written by Patrick McCarthy