Baseball pen

[sharks789]

So I hear people say to use BIC blue pens for autographs on baseballs. When I write, I like to use blue uniball visions and vision elite because I feel they improve my writing and I like the quality but they tend to give out a lot of ink. Despite this, will it be alright to get ROMLB signed with them? On the subject of baseballs, is it true that those ones with synthetic leather fade and smear quicker?

[borisplante]

I wouldn't say I'm an expert on baseballs. But I have about 25 in my collection, and as far as I can recall, all were signed with your standard, cheap BIC pens. The one that I have that was signed with a 'higher end' pen is about 5 years old and looks like it has almost totally disappeared from the surface of the ball (stored completely out of light). In contrast, I have a Mickey Mantle baseball signed with a BIC 30 years ago that looks like it was just signed yesterday (other than some minor yellowing on the ball). I think BICs are honestly the way to go. I'd avoid something that puts out alot of ink because it is more likely to bleed into the leather.

And FYI, all my balls are official MLB balls (other than a couple of old AL balls before they went to one ball for both AL & NL). I would always recommend the real thing- never use a non official ball. Never know on the quality of the leather.

[sharks789]

So these are Rawling balls too, is it safe to assume they use the same leather since ROMLB is out of budget for now?
http://www.rawlingsgear.com/baseball...alls/rpbx.html
http://www.rawlingsgear.com/baseball...lls/rolb2.html

[Triple Peanut]

I pretty much exclusively use paper mate write bros blue pens. They're cheap and found at any store. The ink color is consistent as well. Until I got into collecting baseballs, I didn't realize how many shades of blue ink there are. Even some players have noted how every signature is the same color on my team signed baseballs.
Cheaper rawlings balls don't hold the signatures as well. Even some of the rawlings official minor league balls I've had signed bled/faded after a year or so. It's stinks that the price of ROMLBs have gone up but at the end of the day I'd spend the extra money to have a ball I'm happy to display.

[sharks789]

Would it be more economically friendly to do a team signed jersey and get a display frame if all i want to do is display if for myself?

[Triple Peanut]

This is straying a bit from the topic of pens but...a jersey and framing for it can get pricey too. Personally I like working on team signed balls. I like they way they look on display and they take up much less room than a jersey, poster, bat, etc

[sharks789]

Some players have big signatures, will an entire team roster fit on one ball?

[Triple Peanut]

If you're starting a new team signed ball just mention it to the players that you want to leave plenty of room for all their team mates. They can usually adjust the size of their signature although you might lose some detail or letters. I've had guys with big signatures squeeze them into small spots on balls that were already full of signatures.