How to seal a signature on a glossy basketball?- Jason Kidd

Ahmanfan

Hey guys. I just caught Jason Kidd and he gave me a nice silver signature on this glossy NBA basketball. I can tell the signature will wipe off if I rub it- it already has smeared a little bit. Ugh. How can I seal this signature so it wont rub off? Any ideas? I think maybe I used the wrong type of basketball. The pen is a MaxPen Ultra Brite metallic marker.

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thanks
John

MBMiller25

John, it will ultimately dry, just sit it down and let it dry for a day or two. Did you keep the box that the ball came in? It's a great way to keep the ball from rolling, yet it keeps the ball in the open air. I remember getting Kidd when he was a rookie at an Orlando Magic game. I still have that ball.

Ahmanfan

Matt, nice to hear from you. I made a test mark on the back of the ball, gave it 2 hrs and boom it rubbed RIGHT off. I am skeptical that it will ever dry. but it's the situation i'm in, so i'll give it a day and see what happens. I hope you're right
John

vols1

You should have sanded the gloss off first. There is nothing you can do now.

Ahmanfan

That's disappointing. Anyone else have any ideas on preservation?

ldferg

I thought hair spray worked on this.

magikbilly

Hmm. It really wont dry? If it does, be careful if you try to seal it with something - some sprays may contain the solvents of the pen's ink! Like alcohol on a regular Black Sharpie. Perhaps a quick email to the pen manufacturer would help. Possibly a spray fixative like those used for charcoal or pastels might work, but check the contents or experiment first - you don't want your autographs dissolving!

Best wishes and sorry I could not be of more help.

Eric (from the Autograph Forum)

stown

If it still is 'wet', take a hair dryer on the lowest setting and VERY CAREFULLY go back and forth at an indirect angle. That should dry any leftover spots and then place in a ball cube for display/storage.

Ahmanfan

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Its as if the ink is sitting on the gloss and has not actually sunk into the ball. Very strange. I'm scared to do anything but I feel like something needs to be done or else one day its just wiping right off. If there are any other suggestions out there, I'm all ears.
John

DetroitSquirreL

<< <i>I thought hair spray worked on this. >>



thats exactly what I heard, but it has to be the old school hair spray like aqua net in the can since the formula has changed