🚀 go-pugleaf

On a recent television journal program they showed how crooks
were able to place written-out cheques in some sort of solution
and cause the ink to disappear. The crooks would then write out
the check for whatever amount they wanted. 

I found this alarming and decided to try a common chemical called
bleach to see what effect it might have on various types of pens.
I took a trip to a local mall (Cottonwood Mall) and visited an
office supply store. Here are the results of what I found:


Description of experiment: Various pens written on regular white
copy paper, placed fully in bleach bath for a few hours (from 2
to 8), plastic wrap placed over solution to keep the fumes down.
I kept the bleach bath in my basement laundry room so as to avoid
contact with the fumes that did escape. Each piece of paper had
about five different pens written on them. After experimenting on
each piece new bleach was placed in the bath.


Make & model             Results*
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bic Micro Metal          disappeared

Bic ("cheapo" model -    stayed good
     transparent 
     barrel)

Bic 4-color in 1 pen,    disappeared**
    red, black, green
    & blue

LePen                    very light

Lindy (Black)            stayed good

Papermate fine point     very light

Papermate flex grip      very light

Pentel BK70              disappeared

Pentel Micro Permaroler  stayed good

Pilot Ball Liner         very light

Pilot BP-5 Fine          very light

Pilot Uball              disappeared

Pilot V5 extra fine      disappeared

Tombo Roll Pen JR        stayed good

Uniball Micro            disappeared

Zig Red                  disappeared


*A few pens gave a barely visible "burned" effect
**Gave a somewhat more visible "burned" effect


Again here are the models that fared best against bleach:

Bic (transparent barrel - "cheapo" model, black)
Lindy (black)
Pentel Micro Permaroler
Tombo Roll Pen JR


If you suspect your cheques will be bleached by deviants, I
suggest you choose one of these pen models. I'm not saying using
the above four pens will guarantee your cheques can't have ink
chemically removed, but hopefully these results will help with
most cases.

This experiment is dangerous. Don't try it yourself unless you're
prepared for possible negative effects. Bleach fumes can kill.

Jonathan Higbee
jhigbee@nyx.cs.du.edu