I've been using Noodler's bulletproof ink to write checks. When I found that Black was taking a long time to dry, I tried Ebony and it worked a little better. But it still takes a long time to dry. Now I"m finding they all do--Aircorp, Blue Black, Zhivago, Ebony and Black. I always shake the bottles some before filling, so that isn't the problem. Does anyone else notice this, or have a suggestion for what ink to use on checks? I find that simply blotting the check with blotter paper doesn't always seem to stop the smearing either. thanks.

John

I recently discovered that the Swishmix Glacier Blue I've had on the shelf for a year is extremely fast drying, faster than I ever imagined an FP ink could be. On the papers I use it on, it dries in one heartbeat to zero smear. It's bulletproof and a nice sedate blue. It's become my main everyday ink now because of the fast drying. It's definitely what I would recommend to a southpaw who drags their hand across the text.

I've done basic waterproofness tests. Washing it actually makes the blue slightly more vivid. I've had a sample taped to the side of my kitchen sink for several weeks now where it gets wet and hit with detergent every time I use the sink and it's unaffected.

There's a review of it here:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=2911

Down in that thread you'll find a link to a color sample.

You aren't the only person I know (of) who uses bulletproof ink for checks, so I'm curious - does anyone know just how prevalent check forgery is? I've been writing checks for more than 30 years using nothing but washable ink without mishap - have I just been lucky?

Simon

Of the limited number of bulletproof inks I have, I think the FPN Galileo Manuscript Brown is the one least likely to smear. I reason that smearing is more likely with an ink that flows more freely, and FPN GMB is probably the stingiest ink I own when it comes to flow.

I'm not sure about elsewhere, but locally a couple of years ago a foreign syndicate was busted for cheque forgery. They fished them out of office mail boxes and altered the particulars before depositing them. Uniball actually tried to sell a pen on the basis that you would be safe from such cheque-washing incidents, with a poster containing the cutout of the newspaper article in stationery stores. A video on their website (http://www.uniball-na.com/main.taf?p=3,1) claims that the ink 'embeds in the paper fibres'; looks like its the bulletproof ink of the ballpoint world.

The Uniball's been torture tested her on FPN. Based on that, I got some for the non-FP members of the household.

It's a fairly common crime for people to smash mailboxes and make off with the contents. That's one reason that U.S. postal mailboxes are becoming very scare compared to when I was a kid. Mailboxes used to be on every other street corner. Now they usually place them near ATMs where the ATM's security camera has a good view of the mailbox. The thieves also smash apartment mailboxes and take the contents. It's not unusual for a cop to pull over a local petty criminal and find the back seat of the car filled with a cubic yard of mail. The thieves take it home and go through it for anything that can be turned into cash or used for identity theft, usually to buy drugs, and the rest goes in a dumpster.

So it's hard to define what "common" means but as far as I'm concerned it's common enough and bulletproof ink is an easy solution. In fact the best solution was brought up in another thread and that is to make the check out with bulletproof ink and then use a super washable ink like PR American Blue for your signature.

In response to the original post, I use Noodler's Luxury Blue on my checks. It dries very quickly that I've experienced. Haven't had a check smear yet. I use the bank safety checks, as well. No pictures or other addons. I might try Socrates though. Hmmmm. That would liven up a check a bit.

Socrates is a really nice ink. It's my daughter's favorite. If I were a girl I'd probably use it too. It's well behaved, does not smear when wetted (from unreacted dye) and it's passed my bulletproof torture tests (hot ammonia, hot bleach, etc.)

I run checks through the printer, but like the idea of signing my name rather than use the signature stamp that was made for the task. True, it would make the whole thing so much easier, but I find it impersonal. If we're talking about disgorging oneself of money, it's always a bit personal, isn't it? Even with just a signature though, I've found smearing to be quite common. I've used Diamine Registrar's Ink, Noodler's Lux Blue and Legal Lapis, Platinum Blue-Black, and even Waterman Florida Blue (to live a bit dangerously) -- and they all tend to smear. I basically have to line up the checks to dry for a bit. This leads me to believe that it's the paper that causes the inks to dry rather slowly (low absorption?) -- thus resulting in the smearing that is quite common. Hope that helps.

Cheques at least in the UK often seem to have a slightly shiny surface so absorption can be slow. To be honest I have found Noodlers Black, the only Noodlers I own, is very slow to dry on most paper, even when blotted so not one I use as much as I would like to.

Andy

I blot the ink with a small blotter ( about the size of a 3X5 card and not much thicker).
Take a look at "Check Writing" Jan. 30, 2008 post by vwbeetle. Lots of insight.

For check security I always use Noodler's Black or Luxury Blue, and always have a check-sized blotter on the checkbook.

I've been using Noodler's black mixed half-and-half with another brand of ink (currently Waterman blue-black, because it's what I had, although I want to try some others). At that concentration, if it gets wet the Noodler's is still perfectly readable (I personally can't tell a difference) when the other washes off, and yet it behaves much better than the straight Noodler's.

I'm pretty sure Nathan has mentioned (on alt.collecting.pens-pencils?) that certain brands of check paper are more FP-friendly than others, but darned if I can find the specific reference now.

The Vision Elite is darn good for check-writing -- and just about any other purpose, too. I keep a blue-black or black one around in case an FP with bulletproof ink isn't close at hand.

I'm curious about the suggestion to blot the checks. I have some blotting paper that I use, but the Noodlers ink I've used on the checks looks like ball point ink when it comes a bit thick and doesn't dry--sort of oily. On checks, the Noodlers ink sort of glistens, and even blotting it doesn't seem to stop the smearing very well. I assume you simply place the blotting paper on the ink, press and release....perhaps I need to press and hold for 20 seconds or so? I guess I can try that, but what have others found?

John

I do not use a lot of checks these days, so I have time to let them dry. For the checks I do write, I use Noodler's Eternal Brown, Legap Lapis and frequently Iraqi Indigo. I have not yet used my Manuscript Brown, but I will.

As far as the frequency of check theft and laundering, I always believe in being prepared. I carry a spare tire and jack in my car. I have not had a flat tire in something like 20 years, but I still carry them. Check theft is possible so I use bulletproof ink.

I think you will have to blot for longer than 20 seconds from my own experience even then no guarantees.

Andy

I know I risk being tarred and feathered for mentioning this but I discovered a solution that might work for some. On a whim I bought one of those rollerball pens that takes standard international FP cartridges. I bought the Herbin pen. It works. I've only tried one ink in it (Noodlers Red Black) but it works. I continue to use my FPs to write checks but the rollerball might be a solution for some.

Checks???? Ok, like perhaps many fountain pen users I am not the most cutting-edge kind of person. But, checks???? Digital signatures are what I worry about.

But perhaps they are a good idea. No-one here seems to have actual experience, first, second or third hand, of forged cheks.

One does not have to experience it first hand. In the U.S. just keep an eye on the "police blotter" section of the local smalltown newspaper and see how many people get busted for check forgery.

Our local police blotter has things like people calling the police because someone bicycled down their street.

Really.

Maybe it depends on the check paper, but I don't have any problem writing checks with Noodler's bullteproof black. I have not had a smear yet. I write them with a Pelikan 200, fine nib.

Iraqi Indigo is my everyday ink and it dries very quickly despite having great flow. Much more quickly and Bulletproof Black. Upper Ganges Blue also dries reasonably fast.