Fountain Pen As Murder Weapon?

[SockAddict]

Has anyone else been watching Forever? On this week's episode, the victim was killed by being stabbed in the neck with a fountain pen. I was laughing because a.) I can't picture a fountain pen nib being sharp enough to do that, and b.) The upper crust character should have had a Montblanc (instead of a brand I've never heard of called Lanier -- yes, I know it's real, I looked it up).

 

Never having killed anyone personally, I know I could be wrong about the nib being strong enough, but I'm sure people who aren't familiar with them see a point and think it's sharp. (It's the same phenomenon that led to knitting needles being banned on planes after 9/11, when they're no sharper than a pencil.

 

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else had seen the show.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

I don't know I have a Sailor Saibi Togi nib the is EEF and it looks pointed enough to hurt if some stabed you with it!

[brimic]

Personally I'd fill a really fine nibbed pen with Baystate Blue and just inject that, it'll just melt them from the inside out.

[NinthSphere]

A thing doesn't have to be particularly sharp to be thrust through into...stuff. It's a matter of force being applied to a small area.

 

I watch. I was disappointed that the pen was also straight from the catalog, although that goes along with making the most of the employee discount.

[SockAddict]

Personally I'd fill a really fine nibbed pen with Baystate Blue and just inject that, it'll just melt them from the inside out.

 

LOL! I agree.

[katerchen]

Has anyone else been watching Forever? On this week's episode, the victim was killed by being stabbed in the neck with a fountain pen. I was laughing because a.) I can't picture a fountain pen nib being sharp enough to do that, and b.) The upper crust character should have had a Montblanc (instead of a brand I've never heard of called Lanier -- yes, I know it's real, I looked it up).

 

Never having killed anyone personally, I know I could be wrong about the nib being strong enough, but I'm sure people who aren't familiar with them see a point and think it's sharp. (It's the same phenomenon that led to knitting needles being banned on planes after 9/11, when they're no sharper than a pencil.

 

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else had seen the show.

 

Oh. You wouldn't want to go on an aeroplane with the Levenger L-Tech 3.0 (or risk a one-way trip to Gitmo)

 

That thing is massive and sturdy. And very pointy. And an excellent writer. Bit on the heavy side though.

[SockAddict]

 

I watch. I was disappointed that the pen was also straight from the catalog, although that goes along with making the most of the employee discount.

 

I agree. My husband pointed out that probably no well-known brands would let them use their pens in the storyline.

[SockAddict]

 

Oh. You wouldn't want to go on an aeroplane with the Levenger L-Tech 3.0 (or risk a one-way trip to Gitmo)

 

That thing is massive and sturdy. And very pointy. And an excellent writer. Bit on the heavy side though.

 

I'll take that under advisement!

[Vips.fp]

lol

[WaskiSquirrel]

I saw that on Hulu. I think it's possible. A regular wooden pencil can be used to stab someone. I read somewhere about the physics of using a Cross ballpoint as a murder weapon (apparently the metal ones would be good for that).

 

Now, what I question is whether someone would actually think to use a fountain pen this way, but I have to remind myself that it is entertainment.

[pendexter]

I've stabbed my self with a Vanishing Point with a fine nib... I had the pen flipped upside down while taking notes and tried to click the nib... only a little bit of blood...

 

I think that you could get the entire nib/feed into a guys neck, but it may be difficult to get past the section if there's a bit step. However, if it was a Lamy 2000... I could totally see someone driving the pen a few inched into a guys neck.

[welch]

There is a legend, a false one, that students of John Scotus Eriguina stabbed him to death at the blackboard. Said Scutus Erigiuna was the only philosoher "killed in the line of duty. My "pragmatism professor", the great John Mcdermott had a slew of stories like that.

 

(Scotus Eriugina was the only Western philosopher between Boethius and Acquinas's friends.)

Edited December 4, 2014 by welch

[Kyouju]

I'm fairly sure it's possible if it's a steel nib. As someone above noted, it's a question of force being concentrated in a small area. Unless the person doing the stabbing is really weak, really slow, or has a really soft/slippery grip, the average steel nib would very likely puncture the skin. The question of whether or not it causes fatal damage is subject to even more variables, though.

 

And I actually have seen someone get stabbed by a pencil. It happens

[DaveBj]

I saw that on Hulu. I think it's possible. A regular wooden pencil can be used to stab someone. I read somewhere about the physics of using a Cross ballpoint as a murder weapon (apparently the metal ones would be good for that).

 

Now, what I question is whether someone would actually think to use a fountain pen this way, but I have to remind myself that it is entertainment.

 

Very true. In junior high a friend was flipping a pencil, and it landed point-first in the palm of his hand. Punctured an artery, REALLY bled.

[PenChalet]

Mr Green in the Conservatory with the Fountain Pen

[ThomasB]

Try the broad italic on the Sheaffer No-Nonsense...You could do surgery with them

[Ronchamp]

In France there are statistics that indicate that a great quantity of fountainpens and pens that go the drivers in the pocket of the shirt finish pushed in the trachea of the drivers after the road accidents. And they are covered.

 

Yes, in some conditions, the fountainpens can be a weapon.

 

Regards.

[Kansas Pen]

...

Edited December 4, 2014 by Kansas Pen

[Ron Z]

I think that this shows a profound lack of understanding of the mindset of a fountain pen user. It would never happen. Not because it is impossible to inflict injury on someone with a fountain pen nib (assuming that the nib didn't bend and/or the feed break first). Anyone who really likes and uses fountain pens would think twice.... as in "What? Risk damaging my nib??? No way! I like that nib!"

[SockAddict]

Thank you all! Obviously I had concentrated on the fact that the nib isn't the dagger it might look like to others and forgot about the physics! (Heck, I stabbed myself in the knee with a pencil back in high school, but it promptly ran into bone, so it wasn't deep.)

 

The killer in this story wasn't the pen owner, so he wouldn't worry about the nib, but that actually just makes the story twice as implausible -- who would grab a pen off the other guy, *unscrew* the cap, and then shove it in his neck to kill him? Bashing him over the head with a rock sounds so much easier!