The VAST majority of my writing is on a keyboard. In my office there’s my MacBook Pro (for work) and its dedicated Bluetooth keyboard, my gaming PC and its wired keyboard, and I have what we IT people call a crash cart (keyboard, mouse, and monitor, often on wheels but in my case bundled neatly in an IT “go bag”) hooked up to a Raspberry Pi that I’m futzing with, and the folding keyboard for my iPad that I’m composing this post with right now. I spend a lot of time using keyboards.

A pen is always part of my EDC. I like using my own pen to sign things, write checks, take handwritten notes (uncommon and for specific purposes; most of my notes are typed), and mark targets. When I started flying a lot more, that led to thinking more about self-defense in non-permissive environments, so I moved from a tiny keyring pen to full-size metal.

My requirements for an EDC pen are:

• Titanium (it’s tough, light, and I have to confess I have a thing for titanium)
• Can serve as an improvised weapon but does not look tactical
• Uses a ballpoint refill that I like (I’ve become particularly fond of the Schmidt Easyflow 9000)
• Capless — clickytop pens are fine, but Tactile Turn’s curved bolt action is fiddleicious and super reliable

I’m also very fond of the texture that Tactile Turn machines onto the pens.

As for waterproof inks, it takes the Fisher Space Pen refills, and I haven’t had any issues with the Schmidt refill smearing.