Question about having bats signed

[jlecates]

Still kind of new to the whole IP/TTM thing, so I am going to try to have my first bat signed this weekend. I have a Rawlings Big Stick Black and Big Stick Blonde. For the black I have a Silver Decocolor Paint Pen which seems to be the best way to go from what I have read. For the blonde bat I was wondering, should I go with a Sharpie or a Staedtler? Also, is there anything I should do to prep the bats at all - I was going to rub the barrels down a bit just so they aren't too slick, but is there anything else I need to do? Thanks for any help with this.

 

[TBTwinsFan]

I think sharpie would work fine, but make sure to get BLUE and NOT black.

 

[yankees23657]

For the blonde bat i suggest using a Bic Mark It marker. Pretty much the same as a sharpie, but a little bit thinner. I had Alex Gordon sign a big stick blonde bat (no prepping) and it turned out great! Blue sharpie has not failed me either, but the Bic marker pens seem to work great on everything (magazines and pictures)

 

[predatorkj]

I'll say it once again, you do not need to use a paint pen on a bat. A silver sharpie will come out bright and sharp on it. Trust me. Buy a new pack(they usually come in a pack of two) and take one out, open it, take a piece of paper(white paper with no ink on it), take the marker and make a small stroke with the marker(maybe at the most...2 inches long) and rotate the marker all the way around making a stroke every quarter turn. Presto...it's ready for the bat.

As for the blond, use a blue sharpie. A somewhat newer one with slight use will make the auto nice, crisp, and clean. Unlike some surfaces, bats tend to streak more if the sharpie is used(ie. fattened at the tip). They feather up a little leaving a dark mark along the sides on the line but a light spot in the middle(if that makes any sense).

As for prepping the bat, use a shirt or cloth and wipe the barrel down for about 10 seconds and it's ready too.


Just so people know, using a paint pen is only necessary in certain circumstances and if you want to play it safe, and have a nice looking auto, you should only use them in those circumstances. They are prone to streaking at any given time, they can also bleed too much ink out and tend to blot sometimes. Also, they smear, even after a little while of waiting(it's like the damn stuff takes forever to dry). Top all of that off with the fact that the auto almost literally looks painted on(especially on a super slick surface...like a bat for instance) and I see no apparent reason to use them on anything not rough. In fact, the only things you will ever need a paint pen for is the following five things:
1. A jersey
2. A hat
3. A football
4. A basketball
5. Any sort of ball that is white paneled(could be a football, basketball, soccer ball, or volleyball)

Why? Because they are all either rough, abrasive, or grubby surfaces, or in the case of the white paneled items, it will not fade like a sharpie will.

 

[cwells46]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

 

[predatorkj]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

I hate to say this but it might be lack of prep or maybe just you. It doesn't mean anything bad about you(so take no offense). I mean, some people(got a friend who comes to mind right now) just don't have any luck no matter what they use. My friend Nate has had countless items screw up no matter what he used. Some of it was luck, some of it was the item, and some of it was him. It's hard to know what is going wrong without being there with you but I know every time he had something go wrong, there was usually a reason and the few times there wasn't, I chalked it up to luck.

Point being, your three goals as an autograph collector are to get an item that looks good, that will last, and with minimal risk involved. You have to educate yourself on those three because the first is preference, and the other two can be kinda subjective at times but objective as well. Anyone wanting to use paint pens, kudos to em, but just be sure you know the risks involved. Use whatever item you want to get signed but know the risks involved. I don't know how many people I've told to get a white paneled football signed in paint pen or not at all simply because I feel bad about the fact that they are standing out there in the heat just like me but their auto won't last. They deserve more for their effort. It's not an ego trip. It's about seeing things and sharing that knowledge around so everyone can benefit.

 

[Guest]

I've got one bat signed, all in black and all the autos turned out well

 

[TBTwinsFan]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

They are my favorite. I am going to do mini-helmets as a general item.

One of the best IP's I got was signed in silver sharpie on a mini helmet. The sharpie was brand new and it came out fairly nice.

 

[cwells46]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

I hate to say this but it might be lack of prep or maybe just you. It doesn't mean anything bad about you(so take no offense). I mean, some people(got a friend who comes to mind right now) just don't have any luck no matter what they use. My friend Nate has had countless items screw up no matter what he used. Some of it was luck, some of it was the item, and some of it was him. It's hard to know what is going wrong without being there with you but I know every time he had something go wrong, there was usually a reason and the few times there wasn't, I chalked it up to luck.

Point being, your three goals as an autograph collector are to get an item that looks good, that will last, and with minimal risk involved. You have to educate yourself on those three because the first is preference, and the other two can be kinda subjective at times but objective as well. Anyone wanting to use paint pens, kudos to em, but just be sure you know the risks involved. Use whatever item you want to get signed but know the risks involved. I don't know how many people I've told to get a white paneled football signed in paint pen or not at all simply because I feel bad about the fact that they are standing out there in the heat just like me but their auto won't last. They deserve more for their effort. It's not an ego trip. It's about seeing things and sharing that knowledge around so everyone can benefit.

No they just pretty much suck.....I have graphed with almost every pen/marker and they are the crappiest ever made.

 

[predatorkj]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

I hate to say this but it might be lack of prep or maybe just you. It doesn't mean anything bad about you(so take no offense). I mean, some people(got a friend who comes to mind right now) just don't have any luck no matter what they use. My friend Nate has had countless items screw up no matter what he used. Some of it was luck, some of it was the item, and some of it was him. It's hard to know what is going wrong without being there with you but I know every time he had something go wrong, there was usually a reason and the few times there wasn't, I chalked it up to luck.

Point being, your three goals as an autograph collector are to get an item that looks good, that will last, and with minimal risk involved. You have to educate yourself on those three because the first is preference, and the other two can be kinda subjective at times but objective as well. Anyone wanting to use paint pens, kudos to em, but just be sure you know the risks involved. Use whatever item you want to get signed but know the risks involved. I don't know how many people I've told to get a white paneled football signed in paint pen or not at all simply because I feel bad about the fact that they are standing out there in the heat just like me but their auto won't last. They deserve more for their effort. It's not an ego trip. It's about seeing things and sharing that knowledge around so everyone can benefit.

No they just pretty much suck.....I have graphed with almost every pen/marker and they are the crappiest ever made.

In that case, I'll just assume it's you. Cause me and the 150 or so autos I have signed in silver sharpie would strongly disagree. In fact, I'd go as far as thinking you had a couple of bad experiences and let it close your mind forever. In any case, who cares. They are your autos. And you seem to do mostly cards so for the most part you won't need silver.

 

[tikitomoka]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

I hate to say this but it might be lack of prep or maybe just you. It doesn't mean anything bad about you(so take no offense). I mean, some people(got a friend who comes to mind right now) just don't have any luck no matter what they use. My friend Nate has had countless items screw up no matter what he used. Some of it was luck, some of it was the item, and some of it was him. It's hard to know what is going wrong without being there with you but I know every time he had something go wrong, there was usually a reason and the few times there wasn't, I chalked it up to luck.

Point being, your three goals as an autograph collector are to get an item that looks good, that will last, and with minimal risk involved. You have to educate yourself on those three because the first is preference, and the other two can be kinda subjective at times but objective as well. Anyone wanting to use paint pens, kudos to em, but just be sure you know the risks involved. Use whatever item you want to get signed but know the risks involved. I don't know how many people I've told to get a white paneled football signed in paint pen or not at all simply because I feel bad about the fact that they are standing out there in the heat just like me but their auto won't last. They deserve more for their effort. It's not an ego trip. It's about seeing things and sharing that knowledge around so everyone can benefit.

No they just pretty much suck.....I have graphed with almost every pen/marker and they are the crappiest ever made.

In that case, I'll just assume it's you. Cause me and the 150 or so autos I have signed in silver sharpie would strongly disagree. In fact, I'd go as far as thinking you had a couple of bad experiences and let it close your mind forever. In any case, who cares. They are your autos. And you seem to do mostly cards so for the most part you won't need silver.

I don't really have a problem with you, but sometimes it's best to realize not everyone has to do things your way. Silver sharpies are probably the shittiest pen ever made. They can be used *maybe* once for a nice sig then they're worthless. If you can't properly use a paint pen on a photo or card then I'll assume it's just you, because I've never had a problem that wasn't my own fault when using them.

 

[predatorkj]

I don't really have a problem with you, but sometimes it's best to realize not everyone has to do things your way. Silver sharpies are probably the quit swearing pen ever made. They can be used *maybe* once for a nice sig then they're worthless. If you can't properly use a paint pen on a photo or card then I'll assume it's just you, because I've never had a problem that wasn't my own fault when using them.

Nobody has to do anything my way at all. It's just advice. But I'd rather have to go buy new markers after about 12 autographs with the same one(yeah, they will last that long) than have a paint pen explode all over my picture or mini helmet or leak all down the side of my bat. Or see it sponge up or get smeared. It's not that I can't properly use them. I do use them. But I only use them when I need to. So I have never had that problem. I just watch it happen to everyone else. Every damn time I go somewhere, I see it happen at least to a couple of people. And we aren't talking first timers either.

Curious though. Not sure what the beef is with sharpie. Especially silver. Sometimes I think people use paint because they see a lot of other folks shaking them around at signings without any other thought. To each their own.

 

[cwells46]

I have never had luck with silver Sharpies on anything.....I despise them

I hate to say this but it might be lack of prep or maybe just you. It doesn't mean anything bad about you(so take no offense). I mean, some people(got a friend who comes to mind right now) just don't have any luck no matter what they use. My friend Nate has had countless items screw up no matter what he used. Some of it was luck, some of it was the item, and some of it was him. It's hard to know what is going wrong without being there with you but I know every time he had something go wrong, there was usually a reason and the few times there wasn't, I chalked it up to luck.

Point being, your three goals as an autograph collector are to get an item that looks good, that will last, and with minimal risk involved. You have to educate yourself on those three because the first is preference, and the other two can be kinda subjective at times but objective as well. Anyone wanting to use paint pens, kudos to em, but just be sure you know the risks involved. Use whatever item you want to get signed but know the risks involved. I don't know how many people I've told to get a white paneled football signed in paint pen or not at all simply because I feel bad about the fact that they are standing out there in the heat just like me but their auto won't last. They deserve more for their effort. It's not an ego trip. It's about seeing things and sharing that knowledge around so everyone can benefit.

No they just pretty much suck.....I have graphed with almost every pen/marker and they are the crappiest ever made.

In that case, I'll just assume it's you. Cause me and the 150 or so autos I have signed in silver sharpie would strongly disagree. In fact, I'd go as far as thinking you had a couple of bad experiences and let it close your mind forever. In any case, who cares. They are your autos. And you seem to do mostly cards so for the most part you won't need silver.

Actually its not me and I have alot more stuff than cards, I just don't feel the need to show it off.....Silver sharpies suck, their tips are made of different material and they flat out suck.....

Brand new silver sharpie, used once and thrown away after killing my Cashner photo.

 

[tikitomoka]

I don't really have a problem with you, but sometimes it's best to realize not everyone has to do things your way. Silver sharpies are probably the quit swearing pen ever made. They can be used *maybe* once for a nice sig then they're worthless. If you can't properly use a paint pen on a photo or card then I'll assume it's just you, because I've never had a problem that wasn't my own fault when using them.

Nobody has to do anything my way at all. It's just advice. But I'd rather have to go buy new markers after about 12 autographs with the same one(yeah, they will last that long) than have a paint pen explode all over my picture or mini helmet or leak all down the side of my bat. Or see it sponge up or get smeared. It's not that I can't properly use them. I do use them. But I only use them when I need to. So I have never had that problem. I just watch it happen to everyone else. Every damn time I go somewhere, I see it happen at least to a couple of people. And we aren't talking first timers either.

Curious though. Not sure what the beef is with sharpie. Especially silver. Sometimes I think people use paint because they see a lot of other folks shaking them around at signings without any other thought. To each their own.

The only reason paint pens explode or leak is due to the owner's ineptness. It takes very little effort and time to make sure it is prepped right. The "beef" with silver sharpie is well justified, not just because you believe paint pens are just a fad used because they sound/look different. They're garbage.

 

[the1mcjensen]

screw silver sharpies, srx all the way.

this has over 80 sigs on it all fromt he same srx that i used the first day of mini camp in june until mid october, also used it on minis and other teams helmets between and never had a problem.







and these were done with a new blue sharpie with very minimal prep

 

[TBTwinsFan]

Can you post a link to where you get those silver markers?

I like my silver sharpie, but those look like they work a LOT better.

Here is my mini helmet. I have no clue how many sigs are on it. The Al Franken sig was with a brand spankin new silver sharpie.

 

[predatorkj]

The only reason paint pens explode or leak is due to the owner's ineptness. It takes very little effort and time to make sure it is prepped right. The "beef" with silver sharpie is well justified, not just because you believe paint pens are just a fad used because they sound/look different. They're garbage.

So you would call a guy who's been getting autos for years inept with a paint pen? You'd call the smear factor a problem of being inept? No, it's not inept. Obviously I struck a bad cord with you so just brush it off. I'm not trying to offend anyone. Any of you can use what you want. I just don't think that there is less risk involved with a paint pen than a sharpie. Because, from what I have seen(and you can't erase all those year of auto nabbing) that wouldn't be true. And some people may not really know that. So you speak like it's the gospel, and now we have people going out and having problems.

Truth be told, all summed up, both a paint pen and a sharpie need to be prepped. The risk is after I prep a sharpie, I know what I'll get every time and not once have I had it vary nor have I seen it vary. I can't say that with paint pen. And you could say it's me, but what about all the other people who have the problems? After a while, it gets hard to dismiss everything due to ineptness.

 

[predatorkj]

Actually its not me and I have alot more stuff than cards, I just don't feel the need to show it off.....Silver sharpies suck, their tips are made of different material and they flat out suck.....

Brand new silver sharpie, used once and thrown away after killing my Cashner photo.

And it was prepped? That's an awfully thin signature. In any case, stick to what you wish.

 

[predatorkj]

To the1mcjensen , I like that but I can't find them without having to go jumping through hoops. I can get a pack of sharpies anywhere at any hour of the night. That right there, plus the fact I have seen very little difference between the two, has lead me to not worry about making the switch. I do hear they last longer but I doubt I'd ever use the same pen 80 times no matter what kind it is.

Helmet looks great though.