Fountain Pen To Write Checks?

[far.shooter]

A noob here (only 3 fountain pens), and I was wondering how everyone use their fountain pen to write checks or write receipts that have carbon copies? I ask because many people have commented that they uses strictly fountain pens (or rather, thats what I gathered), and when I tried to write checks or receipts with fountain pen, it doesn't went down on the carbon copy at all... Am I doing it wrong? Or I should just stick with ballpoint/gel-ink/rollerball for those tasks?

[langere]

I use fountain pens exclusively when I write checks, but I do not have carbon copies underneath for which I have to press hard.

 

If you have checks with carbon copies, I suggest you use ballpoints or a pen meant for carbon copies; some of the Esterbrook nibs are made for this, as are other pens that can handle pressing down hard. I think a Parker Vacumatic can take pressing like that too. These are all vintage pens.

 

One of the advantages of most fountain pens is that you do not have to press very hard and thus you can write longer than with a ballpoint.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Erick

[langere]

And welcome to Fountain Pen Network!

 

Erick

[Snargle]

Some vintage pens had optional "Manifold" nibs that were stiff enough to write through several paper layers with carbon paper between. I know that Esterbrook had them available and I believe there were others. Many Sheaffer nibs are quite rigid and should handle it also.

[far.shooter]

I use fountain pens exclusively when I write checks, but I do not have carbon copies underneath for which I have to press hard.

 

If you have checks with carbon copies, I suggest you use ballpoints or a pen meant for carbon copies; some of the Esterbrook nibs are made for this, as are other pens that can handle pressing down hard. I think a Parker Vacumatic can take pressing like that too. These are all vintage pens.

 

One of the advantages of most fountain pens is that you do not have to press very hard and thus you can write longer than with a ballpoint.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Erick

Thank you, this is why I ask because I afraid of pressing so hard on the nib as I doubt fountain pens are made for you to press hard on it.

 

And welcome to Fountain Pen Network!

 

Erick

Thank you, been lurking for a while~

 

Some vintage pens had optional "Manifold" nibs that were stiff enough to write through several paper layers with carbon paper between. I know that Esterbrook had them available and I believe there were others. Many Sheaffer nibs are quite rigid and should handle it also.

Thank you.

[nekosan]

I grumpily use a rollerball to write the occasional check. I found a fountain pen that can be pressed hard enough to make the carbon, but I have trouble remembering; sticking to a rollerball forces me to write firmly enough.

 

I suppose this wouldn't be an issue with non-duplicate checks, but I'm lazy and prefer having the automatic duplicate to keep.

[Tom Aquinas]

I use a fountain pen to write cheques, because it makes a painful extraction from my bank account a tad more pleasant.

[fpenluver]

I keep roller ball just in case like this, to make carbon copy. I use fountain pen to write checks though.

[maksim]

Heh, most rollerballs are not even hard enough for good carbon copies. I use the ball points around the office for it... or... I just write the check with a fountain, and then just rewrite on the carbon copy.

 

Check images avail online anyway.

[Moshe ben David]

A noob here (only 3 fountain pens), and I was wondering how everyone use their fountain pen to write checks or write receipts that have carbon copies? I ask because many people have commented that they uses strictly fountain pens (or rather, thats what I gathered), and when I tried to write checks or receipts with fountain pen, it doesn't went down on the carbon copy at all... Am I doing it wrong? Or I should just stick with ballpoint/gel-ink/rollerball for those tasks?

 

Seems like your only concern is being to handle the carbon paper or (as is more usual now) the 'carbonless' multi-forms? Are you also having concerns about ensuring that the check cannot be altered by those who may have fraud in mind? In which case, there would also be questions over which ink to use....!

[TorontoMontBlancGuy]

I have the entire Meisterstuck collection from 149 to pencil and each serves a purpose. I even have their highlighter which is just marvelous. I highly recommend that when writing multiple copies using NCR paper, etc., that you use the rollerball. One does not want to press too hard and take a chance of damaging or misaligning one's nib. Besides, the pleasure of using a 149 is the ease with which it glides along. Fountain pen ink of quality is generally going to soak into the check paper and help prevent fraud, especially if you do the usual and fill the writable areas of the check so that a digit cannot be added, etc. There are some cheap ballpoint pens on the market that are touted to do the same; I believe that they are simply wetter than the 39 cent BIC pens. If you really want to prevent the fraudulent misuse of cheques, have them printed "Not valid over $200 unless embossed" and use a chequewriter that embosses the numbers onto the paper and embosses crosshatches over your written amount.. like the Paymaster. I rarely bother and simply write with my Fountain Pen.

Edited November 25, 2013 by TorontoMontBlancGuy

[AnnieB123]

I use those 3-section pressure carbons in the lab and unfortunately, I haven't found a FP which will tolerate it. I intend to chase down a manifold nib "nail" pen sometime soon (but honey, I need this pen.. it's got a manifold nib, it's for science!). For those of you with experience with writing with really seriously stiff nibs.. any preference for pens? I'm thinking about a nice duofold (I've only got one duofold in working condition in my entire collection, and it's got a very flexy nib). I need another duofold!

[owend]

I use a fountain pen for cheques (please note correct spelling ); in Britain cheques don't have a carbon copy, we have a stub which stays in the cheque-book and is filled in, or not, as a separate action. You can argue that pressing firmly with a ballpoint to write a cheque leaves an indentation and makes forgery more difficult, but against that using a permanent ink or a wet-writing pen laying down enough ink to penetrate the paper is pretty secure. And remember, you should always check (correct spelling here!) your bank statements to ensure cheques clearing are the same value that you wrote!

 

Anyway, cheques are on the way out, most payments now are online, electronic, card etc.

 

I use a ballpoint for multiple copies such as carbon or carbonless: sometimes the top "best" copy is quite thick paper and even with a ballpoint pressed hard the under-copies can be faint.

[fpenluver]

I use a fountain pen for cheques (please note correct spelling ); in Britain cheques don't have a carbon copy, we have a stub which stays in the cheque-book and is filled in, or not, as a separate action. You can argue that pressing firmly with a ballpoint to write a cheque leaves an indentation and makes forgery more difficult, but against that using a permanent ink or a wet-writing pen laying down enough ink to penetrate the paper is pretty secure. And remember, you should always check (correct spelling here!) your bank statements to ensure cheques clearing are the same value that you wrote!

 

Anyway, cheques are on the way out, most payments now are online, electronic, card etc.

 

I use a ballpoint for multiple copies such as carbon or carbonless: sometimes the top "best" copy is quite thick paper and even with a ballpoint pressed hard the under-copies can be faint.

I usually write "cheque". However, it seems many FPNers write "check". So, why not follow for easier communication. Is there many "cheques" forgery these days? Anyway, cheques i use always have "not negotiable" on it, meaning they cannot be cashed out (only to account). I do not think that it will be phased out anytime soon (except if the banks reject them). There are some companies that use them for security purposes (two signatures requirement, mutiple accounts for cross checking, etc)

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

 

When I'm confronted with the occasional 2-part form, I'll still use my FP. I change the posture of the pen so it is nearly vertical: the extra pressure takes a more direct vector up the nib to its mount and the section, so there's less risk of over-torquing; and the nib is typically quite narrow in that posture, so the force is concentrated on a narrow line.

 

If I know in advance that I'll be working with many such forms, I'll take the Estie with an F manifold 'steel driver' nib, or a Parker 25 which has a short conical nib.

 

Bye,

S1

[Moshe ben David]

I use those 3-section pressure carbons in the lab and unfortunately, I haven't found a FP which will tolerate it. I intend to chase down a manifold nib "nail" pen sometime soon (but honey, I need this pen.. it's got a manifold nib, it's for science!). For those of you with experience with writing with really seriously stiff nibs.. any preference for pens? I'm thinking about a nice duofold (I've only got one duofold in working condition in my entire collection, and it's got a very flexy nib). I need another duofold!

 

Take a look at the Parker 180. Beyond a nail -- more like a stilletto!

[Tom Aquinas]

I usually write "cheque". However, it seems many FPNers write "check". So, why not follow for easier communication. Is there many "cheques" forgery these days? Anyway, cheques i use always have "not negotiable" on it, meaning they cannot be cashed out (only to account). I do not think that it will be phased out anytime soon (except if the banks reject them). There are some companies that use them for security purposes (two signatures requirement, mutiple accounts for cross checking, etc)

There are a few Australian banks that get a rude shock when they have it pointed out that some their "policy" is negated by the legislation governing cheques and money orders, and the endorsements one inscribe are by fountain pen. I particularly enjoyed educating a bank manager who tried to foist upon me his policy of only black ink.....I made certain I wrote in Waterman South Sea Blue when I cashed cheques.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Tom...+ 10.

Legally I can write a check on a bed sheet according to what I learned in 9th grade civics back in the dark ages.

They can return my bed sheet like they use to return all checks......$

£ still have bonnets, missspell words and such.

 

@1810 give or take, Noah Webster came out with his first dictionary; he wanted to make an American language....Unfortunately the educated were not modern and up to date.....Thum (thumb), com(comb) Iland*** didn't go over. So he had to bow to those who had the money to buy his dictionary. and revert much of the antique spelling back.....but not all, he snuck a few in.

 

His plan to separate American English and English into two languages like German and Dutch failed.

It was the best dictionary in the world, and sold more copies in England than America I believe I read....until 1895 when the Oxford unabridged 26 volume dictionary came out. The rich could afford to have a dictionary...and Noah's unabridged kept selling, in it was only one book.

 

Actually with out the American dictionary that held the languages in England together for the 85 years, Northumberland wouldn't be the only English language where you have to hire a translator to buy a beer,

 

***Some where about the 9th-10 century, there was an Abbot that was the smartest man in England...could read in a couple of languages. Everyone said Iland before and after him....but spelled it island because that is the way he misspelled the word.

The English have been very stubborn misspelling English for 1000 years and playing chequers, instead of checkers.

[owend]

Well, if we've been spelling English in a particular way for 1000 years, doesn't that make us The Original And Genuine, like Worcestershire Sauce, both of which words aren't pronounced exactly as written? Nor is "write", which our various ex-Colonials haven't changed the spelling of.

 

Maybe if you all came back to the British Empire we could sort this out. I'm sure we'd let you in...

[ebearius]

I use fountain pens to write checks.....for more fountain pens.