Review: Uni-ball Signo 207 Anti-Check-Washing Pen
A few weeks ago, I got a review request from a gentleman at Uni-ball for the Uni-ball Signo 207 with “Super Ink”. The relation to personal finance was that this ink was specially formulated to prevent “check-washing“.
While I never got around to washing any checks, I did try out the pen for just everyday writing.
Overall, the pen wrote nicely, but I did find that it put out a bit more ink than I would have liked. It’s a .70mm pen, so I think a .50mm would have worked more nicely. Also, the ink doesn’t dry fast enough and it smears easily until it dries, but that’s common among all the gel pens in my current possession. Lastly, the pen is very lightweight and feels good in the hand.
As for price, Amazon currently sells 4-packs for around $10-$12:
- 4-Pack Uni-Ball Gel Signo 207 (Black Ink)
- 4-Pack Uni-Ball Gel Signo 207 (Blue Ink)
- 4-Pack Uni-Ball Gel Signo 207 (1 Red, 2 Black, 1 Blue)
$2-$3 is a bit high for a pen, but if you’re a frequent check-writer, it might be wise to buy a pack. Otherwise, this pen is like any other .70mm gel pen.
I can’t attest to the claim of resistance against check-washing, but I would think if a company is putting that claim out there, they better back it up!
Not too familiar with “super ink”, but I am a huge a$$ fan of Uniballs! Freakin’ love those pens…
Frank Abagnale (author of Catch Me If You Can) endorses this pen. Actually, I think he helped to formulate the technology behind the ink to make it less susceptible to check washing. Apparently the ink adheres to the fibers of the paper. Pretty interesting. The following link has a funny Uni-Ball commercial that makes light of forgery and check washing..
http://smartsecuritypeople.com/2008/10/14/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword/
It is a pricey pen though and I would only recommend it for check writing and for signing important documents. For everything else just go for the cheap gel ball pen.
For more information on “check washing” and Identity Theft Prevention go to http://www.uniball-na.com/main.taf?p=11
Robert Siciliano