Surefire IV Writing Pen with Clicking Mechanism

I'm delighted with this pen. I'll admit some hesitation due to some of the other reviews, but none of their issues found their way to my pen. Retracts as I'd expect of any pen, solid construction, and while the clicker isn't silky-smooth, it does feel no-nonsense mechanically sound.Now what drew me to this pen—its unobtrusive appearance. While other tactical pens look like they're a spare part that fell off an M-16, this pen looks like, well, a pen. I can pull it out in a meeting without raising any eyebrows, which for me is vital. I don't want a pen that looks like a post-apocalyptic badass—I want a pen that won't be noticed, can be used daily as a pen, and has the structural integrity to serve as a defensive tool should the need arise. And this pen fits the bill nicely.

Sehr solide gebaut. Ein outdoor Kuli.Wunderbare Soft Mechanik.Perfekt balanciert.

I have bought a variety of edc pens at all different price points. This is the one I carry now and like it. A bit heavy, but very well made Writes good too.

SureFire IV with Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 ReviewLikes: Fit and finish seems to be above most other ordinary, and even extraordinary pens. I love SureFire products and have many of their flashlights. I use them for every day carry, and have been considering purchasing this pen or other previous versions for some time, but have resisted due to cost considerations and need. After deciding to make the purchase though, I knew that this pen would not disappoint, even though initial quality was suspect - see "Dislikes" below. Overall, it is a great pen. This pen seems to be weighted slightly forward to the paper during use, which I like, and has an ergonomic grip (for my personal taste) using three fingers on the three flats that are also perpendicularly grooved for an even better grip. Built like a tank, I especially like the grooved forward grips. Although I like the provided Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 ink in this pen and it flows nicely on the paper, I like the fact that others have stated that the refill may be replaced with a "Space Pen Refill" if desired. Though it is said that the pen may be used tactically if need be, it does not really look intimidating at all in my humble opinion. For ease of use, it is nice and quick to have a click button to extend the pen point instead of a fixed pen point that does not retract, or one with a removable cap that may get lost or fall off.Dislikes: Though cost to value may be an issue for many, my main dislike is that the function, and therefore surprisingly the quality, of the pen was initially disappointing. Some reviewers noticed clicker and pen retraction problems, therefore, besides cost, I was hesitant to purchase this pen at first. I purchased it anyway and low and behold, I was not exactly surprised, but disappointed that my pen was as received with this sticking problem. I was able to easily rectify it, however. I am not sure if my issue was the same as some others had experienced, but out of the box, the pen would not initially retract or extend fully. After unscrewing the tip, as if to replace the refill, I found some gummy substance surrounding the refill barrel just below the ball that was interfering - making too tight a fit between the hole of the silver pen tip and the refill barrel, preventing smooth extension and retraction. So after removal of the gum with a fingernail, voila - smooth clicking of the mechanism and the ball retracted fully past the pen tip into the main barrel of the pen. Not sure if the aforementioned problem is a manufacturing issue, since the gum was on the refill only and not on the pen itself, but you would think that SureFire would functionally test each pen before delivery to their suppliers and customers at least. I am glad I could fix this pen myself, and am cautiously optimistic that the clicker failure, that some others had also mentioned in the reviews, will not occur and that the pen will function properly and last a long time. But if not, I know from experience that SureFire stands behind their products and will make things right if the failure is due to a manufacturing defect. I hope my above "user-fix" of removing the gum from the refill barrel may help someone else if they experience the same retraction issue.Overall I consider this a great pen, on par with, or even superior to several other expensive non-SureFire pens I own, both tactical and non-tactical. My Surefire IV just needed a slight break-in (gum removal from the refill), before first use, but now is working perfectly. Not the cheapest pen out there, but not the most expensive either. This is now my favorite pen, meeting all of my expectations.

I had high hopes for this pen, but I am disappointed in it. The weight and feel of the pen are very nice. It writes smoothly and is well built except for one thing. The ink cartridge does not retract far enough into the pen. It barely passes the plane of the tip when you retract the pen to put it in your pocket. It's so close to the end that it leaves an ink mark on my pockets. I can't believe that a pen that costs this much would leave marks on my shirts. I don't want to have to wear a pocket protector just to carry this pen. Very disappointed.