DIY: Make a mini Bic pen in less than 90 seconds

Need a tiny pen for your glove box/purse/notebook/travel bag? You can make one in less than a minute and a half with common household tools. You’ll need:

• A standard Bic (or similar) stick pen
• A sharp utility knife
• A small pair of pliers
• A round toothpick (or alternatively, some transparent tape)
• Wire cutter or a pair of dykes
• Eye protection

Over this past weekend I took a series of step by step pictures of how to do this and then thought, “You are such a complete idiot.”  (I try to have these little motivational talks with myself at least once a week.)  In a rare moment of lucidity,  I realized that this process is much more suited to video, rather than a series of still images.

So I got out my Flip Mino, grabbed a lightweight tripod, and shot this (your tolerance is requested:  this was unscripted and done in one take):

If you don’t have any round toothpicks handy, wipe off any ink that leaks out after you cut the resevoir and tape the end with transparent or electrical tape.  I really prefer the toothpick approach, though – it’s simpler, easier, and more secure.

An option: you can drill a small hole in the end of the pen so it can be secured on a key ring or cable key ring as shown here:

If any of you has a source for mini pens like this, let us all know.  Much pricier than a DIY mini Bic but definitely cool is the Pilot Dr. Grip.  More elegant but also a bit pricier is the Fisher “Stowaway” Space pen. Have any other suggestions?  If yes, please comment!

The Fine Print:  I have no connection with any of the companies mentioned in this post