Ask Babe: More questions for the Babe

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Dear Babe: In terms of getting baseballs autographed, do you know if the ink in an "expensive'' pen (say a $1,000 Mont Blanc) is any better than, say, a 25 cent Bic? I have stopped by some expensive pen stores (such as a Mont Blanc store). Frankly, while the employees in the store may know a lot about the pen itself, they really don't know if their ink is any better than the ink in a cheap pen. -- Bruce Todd, Riverside, Calif.Folks have been using ballpoint pens up and down the value scale. The question of the durability of the ink itself never seems to come up."That's a question I don't know the answer to,'' said Mike Breeden, an autograph expert and editor of Tuff Stuff's autograph guide. "I do know that cheaper pens work fine, particularly on baseballs. I'd stick with what you know works rather than try something that might not."Ink quality aside, your question hit upon another aspect of interest to autograph seekers and collectors: What is the writing utensil of choice for getting items signed? No matter how fancy it is or how high the cost, a ballpoint pen is still just that. Other than for baseballs and plain paper, a ballpoint pen almost always comes short.A few of Da Babe's experts weighed in on this subject, but to simplify things I am going with the suggestions of Breeden and Dave Bushing, an expert on bats and jerseys and an authenticator for www.mearsonline.com, who offered tips on getting jerseys signed.For game-used jerseys, Bushing recommends using a black Sharpie. The signature should go on the inside of the tail near all the tags. "Use a needlepoint ring to tighten the area for signing, but don't put the ring on until just before signing as it will stretch the material,'' Bushing said. If you leave the ring on too long, the material will stretch and not jump back.For those with store-bought or replica jerseys signed on the number, Breeden recommends a thin black paint pen works best on white numbers. Thin silver paint works best on dark ones. Silver Sharpies don't work."The silver Sharpie was a nice invention, but it has limited uses. I would recommend it only for dark flats or the newer metallic helmets,'' said Breeden.As for everything else, here's Breeden's rundown:-- Cards: Sharpie or the Staedtler pen that the card companies use for their signed inserts.-- Baseballs: Fine-point blue ballpoint. You have to order them from office supply stores in most cases. They usually stock medium points, which will smear more easily than the fine point.-- Footballs and basketballs: Silver paint pen (not Sharpies) or black chisel tip marker. Black paint pens don't ever seem to dry.-- Helmets: Blue or black paint pens on light helmets. Silver paint on dark ones. Silver sharpie on the newer dark metallic finishes. They don't take the paint pen well. Silver outlasts gold, and I don't recommend using gold on anything. It will eventually turn a greenish color.-- Bats: On light bats, black holds up better than blue. On dark bats, use silver paint.-- Books, other paper: If it's not glossy, a ballpoint pen works best.(Send card questions to Babe Waxpak, PO Box 492397, Redding, CA 96049-2397 or e-mail babewaxpak(at)charter.net. If possible, include card number, year and brand or a photocopy. Please do not send cards. For Babe Waxpak's blog, see www.scrippsnews.com/waxpak. Babe Waxpak is a feature of The Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)