The FAA has now banned all knives on commercial airliners.  Many of us used to carry a small (then-legal) knife on-board just because they're handy tools.  In addition, they would have been much better than the butter knives from the in-flight breakfast if you were on the PA flight.  

So if we can't carry knives, can we still carry pens?  It would seem that a pen in an ice-pick grip, with the thumb over the top, would be useful against terrorists.  The old Roman motto was "Two inches in the right place is fatal."

Anyone have recommendations as to brands or models that might be sturdy and useful?

PS  Anyone know if the special webbing cutting knives from rescue kits are still allowed?  The cutting edge is at the base of a narrow U shape so there is NO possibility of using this type of knife to threaten the crew.  It will, however, get you out of a jammed seat belt in an emergency.    

If you get a good quality pen that is machined from brass, something along the lines of a Waterman perhaps, it can be used like a kubotan or opened and used as a thrusting instrument.  Cheaper plastic pens can be used, but I wouldn't depend on one to hold together w/o snapping when used in a vigorous fashion.  If memory serves, the Japanese had a whole set of techniques built around using a pen as a weapon.  When you go through the metal detector with a heavy, brass pen expect to catch some shytte from the security people.

Just Great. I don't suppose they'd have done anything else, but it's still dissapointing.
I don't know, carry a flashlight - an aluminum Mag-lite D-cell, like somebody else has said before?

[img]http://www.cwsecurityproducts.com/Images/Knives/penkniveslg.jpg[/img]

[url]http://www.cwsecurityproducts.com/penknives.htm[/url]

Nuckles.

check this forum posting,
just carry some of the shit posted here.
you'll be a hero if the plane is hi-jacked

[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=51490[/url]


Personally i woulda kicked some ass by throwing coffee mugs, or break a plate in half and use a broken peice.

Although i wasn't on one of the planes so i shouldn't say shit

Carry a good stout fountain pen.  It'll stab for sure, till you hit bone.  Anyway, with a pen you should go for an eye, temple, or adams apple.  

A heavy ring turned round on your finger can knock someone sensless if wacked hard on top of their head.  A woman's high heal shoe can be a very deadly weapon also.  Temple hits will kill easily with a sharp high heal.

Remember though, these guys probably practiced and practiced fighting people within the confines of an airliner.  I'd never go at them alone and expect to do much.  But I think from now on, now that people know what's in store for them, any further hijackers will find the entire plane attacking them.

Sigh.

When I fly first class is the FA going to cut my steak for me? Maybe it'll be precut like Alpo!

In the right hands a rolled up newspaper is a deadly weapon.

[url]joon.com[/url]

Maybe Joon Pens servers went down.  They are in NY.

[url]fountainpenhospital.com[/url]

a rolled up newspaper? -not in my hands. But, don't they sell beer on the plane? Can't remember if they give you the bottle or not. Now, a bottle I can use.

Beer is in cans not bottles.  Howabout a wine glass?

Cross pens and pencils are thin pointed, strong and relatively heavy.  A poke to the eye or face will momentarily stop most guys.

Don't "poke."  Ram the pencil into their eye orbit with all your force.  That's what I learned in survival school.

There's not much difference in diameter between the pointy end of most pens and the um hilt.  You might want to go with a fatter pen such as the Sheaffer series to prevent a sudden and painful loss of grip.  Though a lowly normal diameter disposable Bic pen worked for an acquaintance of an acquaintance of mine, who managed to impale my acquaintance's hand.  Complete penetration was achieved, with the pen remaining in the wound.  Quite painful though obviously nonfatal.

I had the local radio on today and the sports director of that channel was stuck in another town and was on the phone at the airport he was at. The securty took away his toenail clippers and nose hair trimmer! They will not allow them on as well.

The man in front of him had his .25 BIC razor taken away as well.

They had to go through 3 bag searches and was asked if they mind to be frisked. Then had a wand passed over them also.

Then they were allowed to board.

Read this before. Don't whack - unless you got it rolled up incredibly tight.
Use the end of it to ram with. The jagged edges of the rolled up paper is more painful than you think.

One of those cheap-ass pens with the knife blade in it will get you nothing but trouble if you try to take one on a plane.  Too, I've seen a bunch of them and they are so flimsy that I wouldn't trust one to hold together long enough to be of any use.
Get a good, solidly made pen that is nothing but a pen.  The kind that has a lid that screws on instead of snapping into place is to be preferred.  Learn to use it as an impact weapon, same as you'd use a kubotan or minimaglite.  The ability to stab/thrust with it is a bonus.  Put it in a portfolio/notebook type of arrangement and get on board.  Don't show up in your cut-offs, raggedy T-shirt and sandals with this heavy, expensive pen on your person or I GUARANTEE you are going to be noticed and singled out.  After they disassemble the pen, you may even get it back, but you'll be delayed and they will have noticed you.  The idea here isn't to have a weapon that is disguised as a pen.  It is to have a pen that can function as a weapon in an emergency.

As I dentist I feel the need to comment here...

Some of you still have TEETH dont you?  You'd be amazed how much strength even Grandma has in her masseter muscles!

I still say, lets fly "NAAY - KED"!  But in lieu of my fantasies with the stewardess...  You think they may consider buckling you in for the flight permanently?  Kinda like the rollercoasters that go upside down?  Only crew members would be able to hit a panic button to unlock all the passengers simultaneously in the event of an emergency like a fire... and be able to unlock individually.

M.

I carry a short thin rope dog leash in my pocket.  Very strong, and no metal parts.  

Some people might even say that it could be used as a garrotte, but it's only a dog leash.  [;)]