Can We Revisit The Check Question Again, Please

[greencobra]

i've been reading the older posts on acquiring fountain pen proof checks. you know, ones that keep feathering to a minimum and don't bleed through. like a lot of you, i don't write that many checks anymore but i would like to still find a decent brand, they all seem to look nasty after using a fountain pen on them. the solution i've come up with is to print my own on good quality paper but the only printable checks i can find are the long "business" type and i don't care to use that style, i want the smaller personal sized check. any innovations in the last year or two i'm not aware of?

[LizEF]

I don't know if this will help, but I bought (eons ago, so it may not be any good anymore) laser checks, 3-per-page, personal size (with a stub on the side). I think they work well because I use a Japanese fine nib and it's laser paper. That paper back then was different from the paper used in regular personal checkbooks, so it may still be. If you order from a place like VistaPrint, it may be possible to request a sample sheet of the paper.

 

ETA: This is basically what I got: https://checkdepot.net/collections/computer-checks/products/quickbooks-wallet-computer-checks-with-lines-cdw553q

Edited October 17, 2020 by LizEF

[Misfit]

Where’s Inkstainedruth on this? She posts about writing checks with fountain pens. I wish I could help, but I use a pen that is supposed to be too good to “wash off”.

[greencobra]

I don't know if this will help, but I bought (eons ago, so it may not be any good anymore) laser checks, 3-per-page, personal size (with a stub on the side). I think they work well because I use a Japanese fine nib and it's laser paper. That paper back then was different from the paper used in regular personal checkbooks, so it may still be. If you order from a place like VistaPrint, it may be possible to request a sample sheet of the paper.

 

ETA: This is basically what I got: https://checkdepot.net/collections/computer-checks/products/quickbooks-wallet-computer-checks-with-lines-cdw553q

those look very similar to what i was using when i used quicken to help with financials when i had my business. but the checks were the large ones that fit in a #10 envelope, i think they call it transactional mail. but thanks, i will check these out next week.

[LizEF]

... I use a pen that is supposed to be too good to “wash off”.

So do I - my Pilot Stargazer, F, with Sailor Seiboku.

[LizEF]

those look very similar to what i was using when i used quicken to help with financials when i had my business. but the checks were the large ones that fit in a #10 envelope, i think they call it transactional mail. but thanks, i will check these out next week.

Best of luck. Hopefully if you explain your reasons, they'll be willing to ship you a sample - even if it's a scrap off the bottom of overrun or otherwise damaged stock.

[silverlifter]

any innovations in the last year or two i'm not aware of?

 

Only that banks in this part of the world are phasing them out. Some no longer accept them. It's all digital now, baby!

[BaronWulfraed]

I've been printing checks off my computer for decades now, but the only thing that a pen provides is the signature -- and personally I don't care if that bleeds through to the other side (considering I use broad nibs for signature purposes, bleeding is quite likely).

 

I've used VersaCheck to print the blanks, which then go through Quicken for actual usage.

 

While I paid for the upgraded VersaCheck last year -- I'm still running VersaCheck 2005. It turns out the new VersaCheck wants to lock you into their current paper stocks. Each pack of stock comes with an authorization code, and the new software will only print the number of checks that code authorizes. I still have half a ream of "pre-code" stock to print.

 

They'll also try to push one to buy their MICR ink cartridges, or even their printers. I'd used their ink in an HP (back when the cartridges contained the print head) but wouldn't risk it in a general use printer with fixed heads -- it clogs the nozzles too easily. Laser printers may not be a problem. OTOH, I suspect even banks don't rely on MICR readers any more -- optical scanners are probably the practice since banks no longer have to transmit the paper checks, just an image of it (just as smartphone apps for depositing checks work on images).

[Barkingpig]

After finding the checks from my bank had become impossible to use with fountain pens I finished the supply with a ballpoint pen. It was not an unpleasant experience to use the pen, it was from a set made by Visconti for Kaweco, that I had purchased for the fountain pen, both are a beautiful green celluloid with gold flecks. I even talked with my branch bank's home employees to see if they had any other checks which might be of a better grade paper; "they are all made supplied from the same company."

 

I took a chance on one of many check companies I saw from a Google search & ordered "blue safety" checks from "CHECKS Unlimited." They are surprisingly superior to my bank issued checks & I am back to using whatever pen is inked to fill them in & sign! I only keep broad or stub nibbed pens filled, an occasional medium nib but I don't own any fine nibs, so I am quite happy with these checks since they are accommodating to the broader nibs. Yes, there is a slight bleed thu or maybe ghosting on the back side of the check, but NO horrid spreading/ feathering I had previously found.

 

I pay no attention to waterproof qualities of any ink I purchase, nor am I worried about someone altering a check I have written; I just choose inks for their color & usually pick one of a darker hue to use for the check. It may be purple, brown or green, each one has worked well with these checks.

[langere]

I'm cheap - my bank offers to send me free checks to my home. It's a good deal. I just use them, though the paper is just okay.

 

One less thing to pay for is good for me!

 

Erick

[wallylynn]

& ordered "blue safety" checks from "CHECKS Unlimited." They are surprisingly superior to my bank issued checks & I am back to using whatever pen is inked to fill them in & sign!

Can you look in the corner of your check and tell us the name of printer? Mine were printed by Harland-Clark. I'll find out how they are next month after my old checks run out , but first impression feel gives me low expectations.

[kestrel]

Can you look in the corner of your check and tell us the name of printer? Mine were printed by Harland-Clark. I'll find out how they are next month after my old checks run out , but first impression feel gives me low expectations.

Your expectations will not be exceeded. I use a somewhat wet (7/10) 0.9 mm Binder Italifine with Bad Belted Kingfisher on them because I get them free through my credit union. Feathering and bleed through are an issue. ATMs occasionally refuse to accept them for deposit because of the endorsement bleed through. I still use checks because I have several problems with electronic payment through two different financial institutions including hackers getting my personal data.

[Barkingpig]

Can you look in the corner of your check and tell us the name of printer? Mine were printed by Harland-Clark. I'll find out how they are next month after my old checks run out , but first impression feel gives me low expectations.

I have looked @ all sides & back of the check, gone to the website & cannot find mention of WHO is the printer of the checks I received & am using.

Perhaps you could call or write to them (CHECKS Unlimited) & ask them who prints their checks.

 

I only mention these checks because I found them to be an improved paper quality than the checks from my bank.

[inkstainedruth]

Where’s Inkstainedruth on this? She posts about writing checks with fountain pens. I wish I could help, but I use a pen that is supposed to be too good to “wash off”.

Sorry, I'm going to be no help. I use the crummy checks that my bank orders. Years ago, when I was still single, I ordered checks from one of those companies that run ads in the flyers that come with the Sunday paper, but of course wasn't using fountain pens back then -- and also doubted that I could find a design that my husband and I could agree on.

My current bank bought out my previous bank and other than the crummy checks I like them on the whole. The funny thing was that the old bank insisted on my using *only* black or blue ink to fill the checks out (but never blinked an eye at Noodler's El Lawrence for "black" or Kung Te Cheng or 54th Massachusetts for "blue"; I decided that, while waterproof, Noodler's Upper Ganges Blue was probably NOT a good idea in that it was likely too close to "non-repro" blue in color.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: I just saw wallylynn's post. Our bank gets Harland-Clarke checks as well, and they really are pretty awful -- lots of spread and some bleed through -- but I use them anyway.

Edited October 18, 2020 by inkstainedruth

[bemon]

I've also seen 3 or 4 versions of this question pop up. Why are folks still using cheques instead of e-transfers or other types of electronic payment?

 

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm just curious. I was using cheques to pay for daycare up until a year, maybe 18 months ago when I ran out. I asked my bank for more, then wanted something like $80 to print more and I said forget it. I can use e-transfers like I do for everything else. That way the transactions are immediate, and the "paper trail" is established as part of the process.

 

Occasionally I need to present a void cheque for something, but I can just download a PDF from my online banking portal at no charge. I do use bank drafts for weddings or times money is given as a gift, but other than that I haven't encountered a day to day situation where I can't transact electronically since I started making my own money back in my teens.

 

I do hear that some retailers in the States still accept cheques as forms of payments. If that's true, are some people just hanging onto the old ways of doing things?

 

Again, not trying to be aggressive or critical. Just trying to learn what people do that absolutely requires this particular form of payment.

 

As for me, I swing 100% electronic. I use my credit card for everything. I just used it 10 minutes ago for a $1 can of Coke. I keep it paid off so I'm not paying interest or fees, and it's just handier than manual payment.

 

To get back to the question, if I HAD to sign a cheque I'd just use basic bank-issue cheques with a ballpoint. Because it would be so infrequent an occurrence it wouldn't matter if I liked the pen I used or not. Also I don't think any of my inks are waterproof, so I'd probably be well advised to use a ballpoint.

Edited October 21, 2020 by bemon

[brokenclay]

I have a few people I pay (my music teacher, for example) who prefer checks, and I'm not going to argue with them, it's not that annoying to write a check and pop it in the mail to them.

 

I have one business (MetLife) that has screwed up every form of non-paper payment I've tried (EFT, credit card), and so I continue to pay them by check, which is really annoying, but I don't want to risk not paying for insurance (I worry that they would screw up, claim I hadn't paid, and cancel my policy).

 

Aside from that I'm all e-payment. Because I use very few checks, the calendar on the register I got with the last batch of checks ends at 2017.

Edited October 21, 2020 by brokenclay

[wallylynn]

E-payment means I use my fountain pen and bullet proof ink even less than I already do. I also want to use a colorful happy check and maybe bring a smile to someone's face. (not safety blue)

 

But seriously, there's a few things that I'm more comfortable with a paper trail for (eg taxes) , and some I'm uncomfortable giving account access to. Yes, technically it's all scanned and electronic now, but legally different. And some charge a convenience fee.

 

I should ask about those bank issue checks, the ones some banks mail out on your behalf.

 

Other than that I put lots on my credit card to consolidate payments.

 

Our family has registers with 19__...

[kestrel]

I've also seen 3 or 4 versions of this question pop up. Why are folks still using cheques instead of e-transfers or other types of electronic payment?

 

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm just curious. I was using cheques to pay for daycare up until a year, maybe 18 months ago when I ran out. I asked my bank for more, then wanted something like $80 to print more and I said forget it. I can use e-transfers like I do for everything else. That way the transactions are immediate, and the "paper trail" is established as part of the process.

 

Occasionally I need to present a void cheque for something, but I can just download a PDF from my online banking portal at no charge. I do use bank drafts for weddings or times money is given as a gift, but other than that I haven't encountered a day to day situation where I can't transact electronically since I started making my own money back in my teens.

 

I do hear that some retailers in the States still accept cheques as forms of payments. If that's true, are some people just hanging onto the old ways of doing things?

 

Again, not trying to be aggressive or critical. Just trying to learn what people do that absolutely requires this particular form of payment.

 

As for me, I swing 100% electronic. I use my credit card for everything. I just used it 10 minutes ago for a $1 can of Coke. I keep it paid off so I'm not paying interest or fees, and it's just handier than manual payment.

 

To get back to the question, if I HAD to sign a cheque I'd just use basic bank-issue cheques with a ballpoint. Because it would be so infrequent an occurrence it wouldn't matter if I liked the pen I used or not. Also I don't think any of my inks are waterproof, so I'd probably be well advised to use a ballpoint.

Without getting into too many specifics I used to maintain two checking accounts. It made sense when I deployed on Navy ships in the pre-internet era and I had bills to pay and my wife had bills to pay. I had a few epayments when those became available and both bank accounts were hacked via some of those electronic payments. It took a long time and some not very nice attorney's fees to straighten it all out. I no longer have any electronic payment linked directly to my bank except for a couple that are required by law. Identity theft is a pain in the tush and can get very expensive very fast. I do not wish to go through that again.

[LizEF]

I've also seen 3 or 4 versions of this question pop up. Why are folks still using cheques instead of e-transfers or other types of electronic payment?

There is one entity whom I must pay once per year who will only accept two forms of payment: check or "give us your bank account number and we'll take what we want when we want it". I decline to do the latter, so I write one check per year. Everyone else allows me to use my bank's website to "push" them money (on the date I specify). Needless to say, I like everyone else.

[Bananabender]

The only cheques I write these days is to pay the monthly credit card Invoice which is not linked to any other bank account and the half yearly private health insurance bill . Oh,deposit on a new car .

My bank automatically sends a new cheque book when I get down to five left but dont know how long that will last.

My wife uses plastic exclusively since covid however is computer illiterate hence I demand paper so if I cark it before her ....She has her own bank accounts ,cheque , savings etc. and refuses to link them. Me! I’d prefer to pay everything by electronic transfer but hey,I love sitting down with a nice fountain pen and writing out the monthly cheque.

My daughters had a great laugh when we told them we exchange cheques when transferring funds

between our accounts.