Sharkie pen

[branchbuster]

Anyone hear of the "Sharkie" pen? It looks like an oversized sharpie. How is it do be used?

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[56kninja]

It's mainly for people who practice martial arts. Something small, hard, and easy to conceal.. Could be used as a weapon if you hit in the right place.

I'm not convinced though, I'd rather have an expandable baton than a hard plastic marker.

 

[OFADAN]

Yep, we sell them in the Pro Shop and train with them at OFA. We don't teach martial arts but we do teach intensive one day to five day Defensive Tactics (unarmed self defense) to military, LEO's, Corrections, P&P and Joe/Jane Doe's who don't have time to earn two Black Belts but have 8 to 16 hours to "get up to speed" quickly. The skills we teach, including the use of the Sharkie, are the same skills we teach cops and Spec Ops. We introduce to the students the Sharkie along with other improvised weapons so student are familiar with a variety of solutions to successfully defend themselves. We do not advocate this is a "wonder tool" but rather just a tool among many.

These Sharkie's serve a purpose for those who cannot overtly carry any sort of "weapon". Many students carry them on airplanes when they travel without issue. TSA just let's them go by. Many of our female student carry them to/from work and use them in an office environment where any other weapon wouldn't be allowed. I'm told they use Sharpies all the time in various sizes, colors and shapes so it doesn't draw any unwanted attention.

We train with them and allow students to go full speed/impact with our FIST suit. Even with the suit on you can feel the impact. We don't believe in just selling people "stuff" that might work...it's got to work and the student must train with it in simulated combat.

In the FIST suit we'll intentionally start a student in various "challenging" positions and then let them fight their way out of trouble. This tool is no different than any short range impact weapon. The key difference is most people are not committed enough to carry an expandable baton around with them and it draws too much unwanted attention. There are some legal considerations with an expandable baton as well as tactical. We learn about Batons and Sharkies in our Close Encounters of the Worst Kind course.

With the Sharkie, there are no legal restrictions anywhere for carrying a marker that I know of. Although anyone considering carrying this or any other tool/weapon must be truly squared away with the Use of Force Ladder/Matrix/Continuum and Judicious Use of Deadly Force!!!

Everything is a trade off...is it the most effective impact on the market? No, but at close range it most definitely works! I had one women literally pry my FIST helmet off my head and then begin to beat the snot out of my face with one - once before the Red Shirts could get her to stop...they drug her off of me. That left a mark!

Although not an ideal first line of defense (as we'd never want anyone that close intentionally) it is a good plan B or C that can be carried without drawing unwanted attention to oneself.

The FIST Suit we use at OFA...



Believe it or not...during the Basic Women's Unarmed Self Defense Course, this women is pinned by a 200+ pound highly trained SWAT Cop who is a DPSST Certified Firearms Instructor and Defensive Tactics Instructor at OFA and the Oregon Police Academy...yet she is able to use the "trap and roll" technique to roll him over and then she deploys her Sharkie to begin striking at bone - "knives seek flesh and impact weapons seek bone!" in order to get him to disengage.



As you can see she now is taking a decisive tactical advantage and now will use the Sharkie to increase the probability he will release her and terminate his aggressive attack.




During the confrontation the Sharkie flew away as they grappled (fairly common)....OFA teaches that a Sharkie (or handgun or rifle...) is the tool and we are the "weapon"...so this student even though she lost her "tool" continues to defend herself with an excellent palm heel strike to the chin...my partner Rick is literally temporarily stunned (remember he is surrounded by a padded helmet and he still sees stars!) and releases her. She then immediately escapes.


I captured this action as it unfolded...none of this is staged and it happened in real time. At this stage in the course the staff is no longer "sandbagging" for the students...we're actually trying to submit these students into giving up or "tap out." This is so physically exhausting for the staff we have three to four Red Shirts rotating. These women can fight back! They are successful with longer range tools (carbines) mid range (handguns) and close range (knives, sticks, fists or improvised). None of this kicking and punching in the air at OFA to make these women "feel" like their empowered...these women have to really fight to defend themselves in order to complete the course. They earn their confidence...the don't "feel" safer they ARE safer!

The caveat here is just don't buy a Sharkie and carry it around with some "feeling of security"...but rather seek out competent defensive training that will provide not a feeling of safety but rather true competence and confidence with the tool.

The key thing about the Sharkie is it doubles as a real marker and it designed for continuous high impact striking. Is it the 'magic defensive pill?' Of course not...but neither is a firearm.

 

[branchbuster]

Wow,that is interesting. How much is the "Close encounters" course?

 

[OFADAN]

branchbuster - PM sent.

 

[Redrum]

Expandable batons for the most part are an overrated piece of crap for use as an impact weapon..I've seen ASP batons bend after striking people...they dont stay open and they dont close when you want them to... I carry one at work only because I dont have a choice.


I do however love my Sharkie..for a discreet unobtrusive impact weapon its tuff to beat

 

[twoclones]

I just ordered 3 Pocket Sharks for Christmas presents

 

[branchbuster]

Where did you get the sharkie pens? I found the one at a gun show and wanted to find more for friends.Thank you.

 

[twoclones]

eBAY. Looks like Sharkie is an old model. Cold Steel only has the Pocket Shark on their site now so I suppose it's the newest model.

 

[Riot]

Just buy a nice zebra pen guys...if you want to learn basic defensive tactics, youtube some Krav Maga tecniques or get some actual MMA lessons.

 

[branchbuster]

Is there a Krav Maga trainer in the Albany area?

 

[The Somnambulist]

why did cold steel have to go and put a shark face and their logo on this marker? It kind of ruins the non-threatening nature of the weapon.

 

[twoclones]

why did cold steel have to go and put a shark face and their logo on this marker? It kind of ruins the non-threatening nature of the weapon.

I suppose without the shark face, "Sharkie" would be a stupid name for a marker...

 

[parsons_12b]

Branchbuster I believe that there is a place in Albany over off of queen I can't think of the name but I have seen a sign.

 

[OFADAN]

Yes there is a Krav Maga trainer in Albany his name is Scott Turner at Turner's Tae Kwon Do...check out his website at www.albanymartialarts.com.

OFA also teaches Close Encounters of the WORST Kind which is a series that deals with close quarters defense using empty hand, Sharkie, edged weapons and handguns. Fully integrated so none of this all in the dojo stuff...we train with handguns, knives and empty hands all at the same time just like you do on the street. Same material we teach to LEO and Spec Ops.

The issue with Krav Maga (which is a very good system) is it has become highly commercialized like many/most martial arts. Many instructors teaching today have no actual fighting or full contact fighting experience other than some Dojo "soft light contact kicking/hitting" and gives them no real sense of what works or doesn't really work in combat. Also it only takes a couple days to become certified as a Krav instructor so one doesn't necessarily have to master it.

Whereas our Lead Instructor (a retired undefeated MMA fighter and retired Pro Heavy Weight Boxer) has trained in Krav and you'll find some aspects of Krav in our Close Encounter series...along with elements of Ju Jitsu, Sambo, Arnis, Judo, Tae Kwon Do. Shawn, our lead instructor, has taken his many years of fighting and training and blended the best of many systems into one. Check it out on our website. Here is Shawn in action testing his skills in the ring/cage:

Here is Shawn using a guillotine to choke out Chris Silva in the first 15 seconds of the first round! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9dNmD3SgPM&NR=1

Here is Shawn again boxing (in black trunks) winning by TKO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKgO1fPwa3I&NR=1

And Shawn TKO another guy big time! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb4qeXO-3hc&NR=1 and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuUqfp_ZdjM&NR=1



Or give Scott Turner a call at Turner's Tae Kwon Do www.albanymartialarts.com . Scott is a great guy and runs a good business. If you want to learn Krav he is a great guy to learn from.

 

[MarkSBG]

What Dano doesn't mention is that Shawn is a nice guy and a great instructor.

 

[branchbuster]

Thank you for the info. I have started getting in better shape and hope to start learning soon.

 

[Boats]

It's not everyone's cup of tea at the price, but the Benchmade pen made from anodized aluminum is much classier and likely a better impact weapon too. Since i don't buy Cold Steel products I can't say, but I have handled the Benchmade and the striking tip would do a number on someone.

 

[Marshall Tall Eagle]

Just curious what ever happened to the pen that shoots a .38 special round, it was a single shot ball point pen. I had one years ago. If they are still availabe where can I get one.

 

[Marshall Tall Eagle]

You must be a younger guy, about 30 years ago, there was a single shot tube that looked like a ball point pen to the human eye, however it was lethal .38 special single shot. You could wear it in your shirt pocket undetected, they were awesome. I owned two of them one .38 and the other .22 cal. Like to find where I can get one today.

Thanks