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I know that a blue ballpoint pen is the best to use, but which one specifically? Is there a top of the line pen for autographs, or is a simple Bic the best?

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I like medium point blue Papermate. It has a nice DARK blue and a strong line.

I avoid blue pens with a weak/light blue and a razor fine tip. In my experience, some Bics are weak.

This one?

Yes, that's what I use.

Medium point Pentels are pretty good, too.
Steve, have you found that the autographs with Papermates last long, no fading?

Keep your autographs out of the light. If you want to display them, use UV double protection. 

Everything I display is behind UV glass in a room with no outside light. Prob a bit excessive, but even light from light bulbs can lighten ink over time....I've heard stories of people storing newly signed balls in boxes, in drawers, never exposed to light....and open them up years later and sigs have faded or gone! Perhaps they were crappy balls or crappy pens
Only use OMLB baseballs. Minor league baseballs will fade quickly. Even some mlb baseballs will fade quickly. The problem is the use of a natural surface, the leather used for the baseballs has minor variances which cause each ball to be better or worse for autographs. Good luck finding a way to tell which balls will last and which ones will fade.

This has happened to me. I have had signatures literally evaporate. Baseballs were in ball cubes in a dark, dry cabinet and a few years later when I checked on them, the signatures had virtually disappeared. They were OAL baseballs. So it must have been the pen. They were signed with a very fine tip -- almost razor thin -- weak blue ballpoint. Those super thin tip pens don't deliver enough ink. This is why I would only buy signed balls in a nice bold blue medium point. 

I have had no issues with fading on the blue Papermates. I use UV protected ball cubes and rotate my display every few months. 

We just got a supply of these Paper Mate Profile pens in the office. Nice bold blue line. I haven't used them on a baseball, but I suspect they would be a good choice. 

It all comes down to the density of the ink in the pen.  Common/cheap ballpoint pens (and color makes no difference) have very watered down ink, they may even appear very bold but loose their color over time on leather and fade.  You really need to invest in a good quality ink cartridge pen with good ink in it.  The more you pay for the cartridge the stronger the ink pigment should be. 

I used a Mont Blanc pen when I used to get balls signed with my son years ago and they are just as dark as the day they were signed.  Now you don't have to go to that expense for a pen (I found mine in a rental car) but a quality pen will help in your problem.

It didn't happen to be found in a car on Maui, did it? :P I lost my three color (red-blue-black) Mont Blanc pen a few years back. I definitely agree on the pigment.

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