Best ball and pen for autographs
 

Living in Central Florida has its advantages, in particular the proximity to MLB Spring Training. I just purchased some tickets to several games, including Marlins vs Nationals and I'll be taking my 9 year old daughter. Luckily I was able to get front row tickets right next to the Nationals dugout so I'm hoping for her to be able to get some autographs.

My question, I was thinking about getting her a ball to have signed so she could display it in her room. What brand ball should I get or does it matter?

Second, I did some searching but couldn't find the thread, I think I remember folks saying to get a blue bic pen for signatures, is that correct? Why the blue bic over a Sharpie?

Thanks in advance.
Greg

Buy a real MLB baseball. Heck, I'll send you one if you want.

Sharpie has a much higher rate of fading, bleeding, smearing then pen.

I use Write Bros from papermate, but many use Bic or others.

Use Bic or Papermate in blue. Or a small/fine tip blue staedtler, those actually look amazing and don't fade (ball signed with a staedtler).

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Archival Ink Pen
 

On the "Old Board" someone brought to our attention the Sakura Micron 100 year ink pen. They sell for under five bucks ( last group I bought) and come in various colors and ball point sizes. I have been using both black and blue in 0.30mm size for TTM and in person signings on balls. I believe that these pens are used within the White House for document signings....at least I read this somewhere years ago. I recently had some balls signed by a AAGPBL Rockford Peach and she stated it was the best pen she had ever used and kept it for future sigs. At the low price per unit the pens makes a nice "Thank You For Signing Gift". On TTM I send one along and invite the player to keep it...sometimes they do sometimes not and send it back.

Don't forget there is a new Commisioners signature on Official MLB baseballs for 2015...

Always blue ball point on an official ball. Sharpie will bleed or smudge. Black ink will turn purple and then brown and then fade into nothing.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the input.

I have switched to a blue bic fine point ballpoint pen with great results. I used to use a medium tip blue bic cristal, but I have noticed that the ink has started to bleed a bit on some of the newer signed baseballs. Maybe something changed with the leather or how it was processed? Anyways, the issue has resolved using the fine point ballpoint and they look great. You can get a box of a dozen for a couple dollars from Staples.

Brent - that looks fantastic. I'm glad this subject came up, as I had several baseballs I needed signed by Mariners players but I skipped taking them to Fanfest because I couldn't decide what kind of pen to use. I'll have a staedtler ready for the next opportunity.

I was thoroughly impressed with how well it turned out. It will be hard switching back to a pen now. I just don't know what will happen years down the road to the ink but should be fine hopefully.


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To the OP: definitely use a Rawlings Official MLB ball. Should cost about $15-20 at your local sporting goods store. A few years ago I went down to Ft. Myers for ST and had Johnny Pesky sign a rubber "Red Sox Spring Training" baseball; now the signature is almost invisible.

Have any of you tried the Pilot pens on baseballs? I haven't, but I've heard they are an improvement over ballpoint for normal writing, so I was wondering if they held up for baseballs as well.

Thanks, I am definitely going with the official MLB balls. Lots of different suggestions on the pen so I'm still evaluating that.

Are there any suggestions as to which are best silver/gold/metallic ink pens for the black baseballs? These pens tend to smear easily and I was wondering if there were some that were better than others in drying faster and the appearance on black baseballs.

Best ball and pen for autographs
 

Staedtler is the best "marker" for signatures period. The majority of sports card companies use them for cards and other items. The ink seriously will dry after its signed on almost any medium.

The best thing to do is just go buy a ball and test out 5 or so different pens and scribble on the ball and see which is most appealing to you.


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What kind of pen is the Staedtler? I see they have rollerballs, "fineliners," "pigment liners" and ballpoints. I didn't see any markers on the Staedtler web site that looked close.

Here you go

http://www.staedtler.us/en/products/...niversal-pens/

Obviously you get the permanent one, but I use either small, fine or medium depending on the item as well as the colors, background, spacing etc depends on size


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These blue Crystal big pens are the bee's knees. Never had an auto fade with them. If you're willing to drop $140 - $160 you can get a dozen mlb balls on the bay.

You can get scrap leather easily enough. I only mention this because I was looking for baseballs to do my 'baked shellac over steel pen ink' testing, and someone suggested I use scrap leather instead. You can nail it to something round if that helps.