I think I figured out the globbing issue.In the cap there is a small plastic insert.This may cause a slight vacuum and pulls out the ink.Or the ball is depressed when the cap is put on and allows the pressurized ink to ooze out.This may only happen on a few space pens and could be from manufacturing variances.Just a thought......

BOATMAN
John

I've been carrying a Fisher Bullet pen for almost 20 years. I've been through a few because certain pants pockets spit them out so that they are swallowed by omnivorous couches and voracious car interiors. Now I carry mine in the bottom of the zippered leather couch I use as a wallet. (A bad back made me give up on regular wallets in back pockets.)

Regarding the ink globs. I never had a Fisher pen do this until the late 90s, and I think it was a manufacturing issue. I had a few refills do this back then, but none recently. It was slightly annoying.

Besides the pocket-ability, I really appreciate that the refills won't dry up from lack of use. My current EDC pen has a refill made in 2001 and somewhere I have a pen with a refill from 1985. Hard to beat.

Zebra makes a pocket pen (F-301 Compact) that has a plastic body and metal cap, that turns into a full size pen when the cap is posted. Sadly they are hard to find. I gave my father-in-law one a few years ago and he had to order several from Amazon to replace it. The current Amazon price is more than double what I used to pay for a two pack. The cartridge is very small though and runs out of ink quicker because of it.

The one Fisher Space Pen I have is the non compact military model that has been fairly trouble free. It's a solid pen and while it may not fill the needs of someone who wants a compact model, it's a good piece of gear for writing.
Fisher Space Pen Military

Lots of options, exactly what I was seeking, thanks everybody

I use a Bullet as an occasional desk pen, and it has the ink-gobs problem.

I've been carrying an Inka pen on my keyring for many years. It's great to have with you for occasional use, but I don't think it has the capacity if you need to use a pen every day. (I'm not sure whether the original poster needed that.)

I also carry some EDC items, including my Space Pen, in a small zippered pouch in my front pants pocket. I have lost a couple EDC items over the years through small holes worn into the pocket. Right now, I'm using a pouch made of hemp. Very durable, thin, and doesn't feel clammy next to my thigh when it is warm like a nylon one might.

I keep a Space Pen, Leatherman Micra, and a Fenix E05 AAA flashlight in the pouch. They are all basically the same size and shape. I feel that the pouch is more compact and less likely to wear a hole in my pocket than similar items connected by a keychain would be.

I ordered the PicoPen. Nobody mentioned it in this thread, but searches for other pens brought it up. From reviews, the PicoPen is uncomfortably small and sometimes the magnet cap releases without intent. However, most important to me is that it's small. The PicoPen should fit my need for a pen to take quick notes if no other pen is around.

I also ordered some Rite-in-the-Rain notepads.

I also did, until the bloody thing unscrewed the bottom part and I lost it. I'll never buy another

Let us know what you think about it when you get it ireckon.
It looks too small for me but I'd like to know your thoughts.

Rite in the rain is great paper. I have some in all my kits. They also make copy paper that I've printed checklists on and have used to print a copy of Doug's psp instructions for my wallet.

Enjoy your new toys.

GauchoViejo brought up a good point, one I've experienced before ... two piece pens ... and losing one of the pieces..either by mis-laying a piece or having them come unscrewed, uncapped or whatever.
I like pics of the cut-down BIC or whatever it is. Am a big fan of keeping the cost low, just on principal alone and naturally this allows me to "salt" pens everywhere with little concern over expenditures. Since just like knives ... the best one you can have is the one you have with you !

And whomever brought up space pens not drying up .... I believe you are right. I haven't thrown out my last Space Pen Refill (hoping to get one that didn't spit out globs....have had it for over a decade and it writes each time I try it .... and no I don't have a capped style Space Pen body ... its a Sensa Pen my wife bought me that takes Space Pen refills and it's design doesn't use a cap ...but I like the theory of cap interference ... had not thought of that.

Manufacture date is also a issue with more than pen cartridges ... besides other pens no longer being made I really liked, the moving off-shore or cheaping out of the products today, makes it always a possibility that what works great today ...won't on the coming years.

As for the drying up issue ...this is one I've battled with pens in the e-kits....and those I keep in my cars....and have not found resolution. My EDC pen gets used every day. I don't leave the house without a pen in my pocket whether I'm going to work or not.

Thanks to all for their thoughts, ideas and experiences ... I'll be looking into INKA refills as a result.

--KW