REVIEW: MODERN FUEL BOLT ACTION PEN

Several years ago I reviewed (HERE) a then-Kickstarter project for what was - and continues to be - arguably the most overengineered mechanical pencil I've ever seen, by US-based brand Modern Fuel. The precise machining and meticulous details of the Modern Fuel Pencil got me hooked. While their products aren't exactly cheap, I do feel confident that they are as close to heirloom quality as they get. I was really curious to find out if the same would hold true for their newer products, in particular the Modern Fuel Bolt Action pen. (Spoiler alert: it does!)

Designwise, Modern Fuel has a set-in-stone design language: sleek and clean aesthetic that runs across all of their products. While I compared mechanical pencil to an overengineered version of the Bic pencil, that comparison obviously doesn't hold true for the Bolt Action pen, but through the same, straight cylindrical profile, same thickness, tip shape and almost identical length, it's not hard to see where the design inspiration comes from. The entire pen received a hand-brushed finish, which adds a bit of random texture to the otherwise clean and modern look of the pen.

Other than that, the Bolt Action shares a very similar shape with Modern Fuel's own ballpoint 'Pen'. It has a j-shaped cutout for the bolt mechanism (obviously), but also a knock button on the back. 

The Modern Fuel Bolt Action's mechanism is essentially a hybrid between those found on the Karas and Tactile Turn Bolt Action pens

However, unlike the Karas Bolt Action pen, the knock doesn't serve an actual purpose (other than aesthetics). It completely retracts into the body when you engage the pen (and sits perfectly flush - a really nice detail!), making it impossible to activate the bolt-action mechanism just by pressing the knock. You'll really want to use the actual bolt for that. The bolt itself is a small cylindrical button with very crisp knurling on the side, almost like a small cog (The knurling actually serves a dual purpose!). The mechanism has surprisingly little travel, so it engages quickly with one swift motion.

L to R: Karas Bolt Action, Tactile Turn Bolt Action, Modern Fuel Bolt Action, Modern Fuel Pen, Modern Fuel Pencil, Wingback Mechanical Pen, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Bolt Action looks nimble, mostly thanks to the fairly slender design (9.3mm/ 0.37"). It measures 13.8 cm/ 5.43", down to 13.6 cm/ 5.73" when the bolt mechanism is engaged, so it's definitely a full-sized pen, just noticeably narrower than some of the competition (by comparison, the Tactile Turn Bolt is 11mm). All Modern Fuel products are available in either stainless steel, titanium, bronze, or copper. I was sent the steel version of the Bolt Action, which weighs 36 grams. It strikes a good balance between feeling solid yet nimble in hand. Interestingly, no weight measurements are given on Modern Fuel's website, but according to my guesstimate calculations, the titanium version should come in around 20 grams, with the bronze and copper versions both around 40 grams.

Machining is top-notch on this pen. Nothing rattles around when you write, and the tolerance on the tip is so small that there's almost no wiggle room for the refill. Same can be said for the bolt-action mechanism, which fits precisely in the barrel, yet moves smoothly up and down and engages with a satisfying 'snick'. The bolt is fun to play with, but the knurled edges are quite sharp so you do feel that on your finger after a while (maybe to prevent you from getting distracted for too long!)

Modern Fuel's Bolt Action pen is much sleeker and low-profile than comparable Tactile Turn (top) or Karas Pen Co (bottom) offerings

Modern Fuel ships this pen with a Pilot G2 refill as standard. I like the G2 refill a lot, but the Modern Fuel Bolt Action is also a very nice housing for it. It's a massive departure from the chunky and heavy copper Tactile Turn Bolt Action (the older-style Glider) that I daily. And it looks super sleek on the desk. While I'm personally not particularly bothered by it, the biggest complaint could be the all-smooth metal barrel. While the brushed finish adds a little to the grip (it's better than a polished metal finish), it can still become a bit slippery after a while.

When I say this pen is over-engineered, I mean it! The Bolt Action pen arrives with an 11-page manual, and you'll probably want to hang on to it. Like with the pencil, part of the beauty of Modern Fuel's products is that there's no obvious way to disassemble the Modern Fuel Bolt Action. The body and tip are all a single piece of metal, so the only way to get to the refill is through the mechanism. But how? Well, included in the box are a few small parts (all metal, by the way!), including a little wrench with what looks like a geared hole on one end. That hole fits precisely on the cog-shaped bolt to help unscrew it, and out pops the entire mechanism. 

The biggest engineering feat is that, despite it being such a slender and seemingly simple pen, the Bolt Action can accommodate anything from a Fisher Space or standard Parker G2, up to refill types that are even longer than a Pilot G2 (think: certain rollerball refills, etc.). Adjusting the pen to fit those different size refills is done with the other end of the little wrench-tool, which doubles as a screwdriver to tighten or loosen a long threaded set screw on the inside of the bolt mechanism to control how far it protrudes (This can also serve as a fine-tune mechanism to have the refill tip extend more or less from the tip of the pen, according to your personal preference!). 

You'll want to hang onto the instruction booklet for this one!

For very short refills like the Fisher-Space, a black metal adapter is included in the box, while an included shorter set screw allows accommodating very long refills. They even added a longer spring to better suit different refills. 

Perhaps the only thing missing in the box is a clip, contrary to the slide-on clip included with the regular pen and pencil. However, there's a simple reason for that: the slide-on clip can't work because it would interfere with the bolt mechanism on the side of the barrel. That means you'll have to go clipless with this one, perhaps a bit unfortunate for a pen that's otherwise quite pocketable!

MSRP on the Modern Fuel Bolt Action starts at 150$ for the bronze pen, up to 200$ for the all-titanium version. As said, Modern Fuel products don't come cheap, but I continue to be amazed at their design ingenuity and machining perfection. The looks of the Bolt Action are sleek and unobtrusive, making it even more impressive when you see all the practical engineering going on inside!

Note: This product was provided by Modern Fuel, free of charge, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review. The opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.