{"id":5931,"date":"2013-10-07T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2013-10-07T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=5931"},"modified":"2013-11-10T15:03:59","modified_gmt":"2013-11-10T20:03:59","slug":"zebra-f-701-pen-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=5931","title":{"rendered":"Zebra F-701 Pen Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<style><!--\n@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Times New Roman\";\n}@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Arial Unicode MS\";\n}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }p.Body1, li.Body1, div.Body1 { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Helvetica; color: black; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }\n--><\/style>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Zebra-F-701.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-5938\" alt=\"Zebra F-701\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Zebra-F-701.jpg\" width=\"1782\" height=\"1356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Zebra-F-701.jpg 1782w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Zebra-F-701-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Zebra-F-701-1024x779.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1782px) 100vw, 1782px\" \/><\/a>Since moving to a plainclothes job, I started to re-examine my daily load out.\u00a0 Seems it no longer qualifies as such.\u00a0 The utility of a duty belt and cargo pockets has given way to the functionally spartan nature of dress shirts and slacks.\u00a0 In both Patrol and CID, a writing instrument is required.\u00a0 I decided I needed something less than a full blown &#8220;tactical pen,&#8221; but more than a plastic clicky pen.\u00a0 Thus, I bought a <a title=\"Zebra F-701 pen\" href=\"http:\/\/www.zebrapen.com\/products\/pen\/f-701?c=30\" target=\"_blank\">Zebra F-701<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>An Internet darling, the Zebra F-701 is a stainless steel barreled retractable ballpoint pen with a 0.7mm fine writing tip.\u00a0 The pen&#8217;s overall length is 5 3\/8&#8243; and its weight is 1.1 ounce.\u00a0 It features a steel pocket clip and a nice texture on the lower portion of the barrel for a non-slip grip when writing.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1848.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-5934\" alt=\"IMG_1848\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1848.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1408\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1848.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1848-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1848-1024x720.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<style><!--\n@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Times New Roman\";\n}@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Arial Unicode MS\";\n}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }p.Body1, li.Body1, div.Body1 { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Helvetica; color: black; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }\n--><\/style>\n<style><!--\n@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Times New Roman\";\n}@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Arial Unicode MS\";\n}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }p.Body1, li.Body1, div.Body1 { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Helvetica; color: black; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }\n--><\/style>\n<p>Zebra&#8217;s F-701 looks like it belongs on some 1960-era rocket scientist&#8217;s drafting table.\u00a0 The retro appearance comes from<!--more--> the straight brushed-finish barrel and textured knurling.\u00a0 The mirrored clicker, tip, and clip provide a third surface treatment.\u00a0 F-701&#8217;s expensive guise does not belie its reasonable price, which hovers between five and eight dollars, depending on the vendor.<\/p>\n<p>Important to my current &#8220;uniform,&#8221; the F-701&#8217;s clip is smoothly engineered so as to not cut into the top of a pocket.\u00a0 Some less well made pens have clips which are folded metal that have sharp inner edges that can shred fabric.\u00a0 As you can imagine, I do not like exceeding my yearly clothing allowance.<\/p>\n<style><!--\n@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Times New Roman\";\n}@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Arial Unicode MS\";\n}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }p.Body1, li.Body1, div.Body1 { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Helvetica; color: black; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }\n--><\/style>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1846.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5933\" title=\"IMG_1846\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1846.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1846.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1846-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1846-1024x789.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1845.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5932\" title=\"IMG_1845\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1845.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1845.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1845-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1845-1024x732.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1875.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5937\" title=\"IMG_1875\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1875.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1875.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1875-300x208.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1875-1024x710.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1860.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5935\" title=\"IMG_1860\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1860.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1860.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1860-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_1860-1024x788.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a>As I said, this pen is the stuff of Internet fandom, however, despite the F-701&#8217;s solid look, it is not a replacement for a <a title=\"Kubotan\" href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=1449\" target=\"_blank\">Kubotan<\/a>.\u00a0 The barrel is made of two roughly 1\/16th inch walled steel tubes press fit together at the seam where the knurling meets the brushed finish.\u00a0 Because of this, the F-701 cannot be used to apply lateral pressure for joint locks.\u00a0 That said, I was still interested in its strength for jabbing.<\/p>\n<p>In my secret testing laboratory (garage), I stacked 10 layers of cardboard, wrapping them in two layers of brown packing tape.\u00a0 I backed this with plywood.\u00a0 Overall, I thought it made for a decent analog to soft tissue and bone.\u00a0 Donning a leather glove, eye protection, a ballistic helmet, full body armor, and a cup, I stabbed the Zebra F-701 into the test medium.\u00a0 Okay, I only wore the glove.<\/p>\n<p>After half a dozen full power hammer grip strikes, I found that the pen easily penetrated eight layers of cardboard.\u00a0 The F-701 suffered no damage.\u00a0 It clicked and retracted normally and wrote as it did before the workout.\u00a0 Its barrel did not loosen.\u00a0 Last ditch defense?\u00a0 Yes it can.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1997.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6118\" alt=\"IMG_1997\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1997.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1997.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1997-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1997-1024x767.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1993.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6117\" alt=\"IMG_1993\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1993.jpg\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1993.jpg 1700w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1993-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_1993-1024x767.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<style><!--\n@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Times New Roman\";\n}@font-face {\n  font-family: \"Arial Unicode MS\";\n}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: \"Times New Roman\"; }p.Body1, li.Body1, div.Body1 { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Helvetica; color: black; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }\n--><\/style>\n<p>In researching the pen, I found out that there are many forums devoted to writing instruments.\u00a0 Who knew?\u00a0 Posts and videos are available to show one how to modify the F-701 to hold a Fisher Space Pen refill or to replace the clicker with the all-metal clicker from a Zebra F-402 pen.\u00a0 Neither is necessary, in my opinion.<\/p>\n<p>I saw the Zebra F-701 for sale on <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/amazon.com\/\">amazon.com<\/a><\/span> today for $5.18.\u00a0 That is a great price for a pretty cool pen.\u00a0 I&#8217;ll just keep handing out Bics with the statement forms&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Randall<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since moving to a plainclothes job, I started to re-examine my daily load out.\u00a0 Seems it no longer qualifies as such.\u00a0 The utility of a duty belt and cargo pockets has given way to the functionally spartan nature of dress shirts and slacks.\u00a0 In both Patrol and CID, a writing instrument is required.\u00a0 I decided I needed something less than a full blown &#8220;tactical pen,&#8221; but more than a plastic clicky pen.\u00a0 Thus, I bought a Zebra F-701. An Internet darling, the Zebra F-701 is a stainless steel barreled retractable ballpoint pen with a 0.7mm fine writing tip.\u00a0 The pen&#8217;s overall length is 5 3\/8&#8243; and its weight is 1.1 &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=5931\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[786,8,4,10],"tags":[828,782],"class_list":["post-5931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-detectives","category-misc","category-officer-safety","category-street","tag-officer-safety","tag-zebra-f-701-pen-review"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p28xkp-1xF","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5931"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6135,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5931\/revisions\/6135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}