The Fisher Space Pen Company was founded by Paul Fisher in 1948. The company has made numerous strides in writing instruments including the development of a universal refill cartridge in 1953. However, it is best known for producing the pen taken to the moon during the Apollo program and into space by practically every U.S. mission with crew since. Its legendary ability to right upside down, underwater, and in temperatures from -30°F to 250°F comes from its nitrogen pressurized cartridge and special ink formula. That cartridge is the heart of practically every pen the company sells delivering the same general writing experience in different shapes and sizes. The model used during the Apollo era is still sold today and is known as the AG-7.
The AG-7 is a solid pen with a brass body. The model reviewed here is the standard AG-7, which has a silver chrome finish. This finish appears to be resistant to scratches and hides them well, which is surprising given the high polish. It also resists tarnish, but can get occasional smudges. The body of the pen starts thin at the point and gets thicker up towards the clip. This puts the balance point a bit higher than the midpoint. Some may dislike that balance point as it does change how it feels to write, but we like how it seems to anchor the pen into the hand. The grip area of the pen is formed by a spiral cut groove. This offers a decent amount of traction without being too aggressive.
Fisher AG-7 (Left), Fisher Shuttle Pen (Right)
One of the neat parts of this pen is in its retraction mechanism. Normally, a ball point pen extends and retracts with the click of the same button on the back of the pen. The AG-7 works a bit differently. A press of the button will extend the pen, but pressing it again will not retract it. Retraction is handled by the round button on the side. This gives it a unique and special quality that is unlike any other non-Fisher pen that we have seen. We also like it as it makes it easy to determine the status of the point just by feel. Ensuring that the point is retracted is accomplished through a simple press of the side button. The click made by the mechanism is a satisfying one and provides a reassuring sense of the quality of the pen that is further bolstered by its dense feel. However, the spring is somewhat softer and the mechanism is not necessarily as crisp as the one found on the AG-7’s refined successor, the Shuttle pen series.
One of our favorite parts of the AG-7 is its clip. Its shape is reminiscent of a deep carry clip on a pocket knife. This allows only the top button to stick above the pocket. The front of the clip is nicely engraved with Fisher AG-7. The design allows it to accommodate thick pocket material without concern of straining the clip. Now, this does come at the cost of reduced retention on thin materials, but for the most part it works perfectly fine.
The Fisher cartridge delivers a decent writing experience. People often seem to be quick to judge the writing experience as inferior or nothing special, but neglect to consider the characteristics that help to set it apart. It is not as smooth as some gel pens like the Pilot G2 series and requires a bit more pressure in use. However, the benefit is that Fisher’s ink is incredibly hard to smear and dries quick. Left-handed writers or those who are simply annoyed by how easily other gel pens can smudge may especially like this cartridge. The ink is also resistant to water and can be used on Rite in the Rain’s treated paper for additional protection. This makes it well-suited for use outdoors as does the wide temperature range that it works in.
Another strength is that the cartridge never seems to dry out and keeps working until it runs out. We have never had an issue in about two years of writing notes where we needed to draw in circles to get the ink moving as sometimes needs to be done with regular ballpoint pens. Instead, the pen gets writing as soon as it starts moving across the page every time. While the cartridges can be a bit expensive at about $6.50, they do seem to last quite a while and are available in a range of options. They can be purchased with fine, medium, and bold points in a range of colors. Black, blue, red, green, burgundy, purple, turquoise, and silver are among the options available.
Fisher AG-7 (Left), Fisher Shuttle Pen (Center), Fisher Bullet (Right/Closed)
The AG-7 delivers excellent build quality with a satisfying mechanism and a decent writing experience. It also has a neat history, which would make it an excellent gift for anyone who is interested in space. If you are looking for a similar pen with a clip better suited for thinner materials, an improved balance point, and a more refined mechanism feel, it might be worth checking out the Shuttle series. It features the same cartridge and mechanism in a body that is thinner, a bit taller, and doesn’t taper.
FIT4RecreationTM is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
To help support our site and continue to provide new content in the future, these links provide us with a small commission for each sale.