Sharpie work on '08 UD & '09 Topps ST TTM?

[deeakay]

OK - How much do you have to rub the eraser on a card to best prep it?

Does there need to be a noticable surface difference... or is it an unseen affect?

I saw some posts on another website with members talking about how much *experience* it takes to correctly prep a card especially with an eraser...
How hard can it be? I aggressively rub the eraser across the card (where is will most likely be signed) in a couple directions... but you don't see a noticable difference on the surface.

What's the deal?

[propete23]

had 08 topps football cards at cards camp last year. Many of my autos came out "bubbly" or smeary when the guys signed. Especially the guys that were very quick signers. Was using black, blue sharpie.

I wish that I would have known to "wipe down" cards back then. Oh well, there will always be next time!!!

[C&C Collecting]

Just take one of those mechanical erasers and rub vigorously on the surface of the card. You will feel a difference as it goes from glossy to a more textured surface.

[vikingfanant]

what 203 gunner said is what i do

[deeakay]

I'm not seeing a surface change... they should be fine though...
I spend about 20-30 seconds erasing on the card in different directions but, in the end, the card appears the same (maybe a little less 'slippery' but no visual difference).
Oh well, I did what I could. Any returns will show if it was good enough.

[samjams3]

Just take a couple junk base card from the set and try erasing them, using various techniques and aggressiveness when erasing. Then sign them yourself and go with the technique that produced the best auto. This way you are only losing a few base cards and are guaranteed nice signatures.

[deeakay]

Just take a couple junk base card from the set and try erasing them, using various techniques and aggressiveness when erasing. Then sign them yourself and go with the technique that produced the best auto. This way you are only losing a few base cards and are guaranteed nice signatures.

You're totally right except I don't have any base cards. I don't exactly collect cards anymore. I'm just crazy for my Brewers, and fans of various other Christian athletes, i.e. Gross, Zobrist, JHamilton, Lidge, etc. So whatever cards I get, I get for the purpose of TTM. I bought the '09 UD + Topps Brewers sets (and made a killer trade on Craigslist for 100+ '08-'09 Brewers cards) to send out as TTM! LOL

So maybe I can find an equivalent from a buddy and sacrifice a couple of his base cards..... wait, actaully I do have 2 junker '08 UD cards - the Cordero and Wise cards! LOL)

I'll have to try it when I get into the office in the morning.

[propete23]

what about the powder technique??? I heard from a few guys at ST phillies that the eraser is too much work for quantity of cards. I was messing around whith cards that are "glossy" by rubbing baby powder on them.

LMK what you guys think!

[deeakay]

The eraser worked perfectly on both the '09 Topps & UD.
I got Alcides on a Topps and Gallardo on an UD and both turned out MINT. No smearing or bubbling.
Point is, with the eraser, I didn't have to rub the cards until I got a surface finish change (like some have said - if they are seeing a surface finish it may just be from a junk eraser like my co-worker saw). I just aggressively rubbed in a couple directions on the bottom half of each card and sent them out.
I've seen the powder technique demoed on Youtube but... ah, no thanks.
The eraser worked, and it was just a cheapo Corporate Express Stick Eraser.
Although, for Chromes and Refractors, that maybe a different story... but, I don't send those.