How to Baby Powder

[Cobra22nd]

How to Baby Powder Your Cards.
By Chad Griffith (cobra22nd)

Illustrations will be added shortly.

When preparing to get autographs in person or through the mail, you will encounter many brands with a high UV gloss. This gloss will prevent the ink from the pen from properly adhering to the card surface. To prepare these cards for being signed, we must alter them. There are two methods for doing this. Before we go forward, if you are wary about altering your cards, you may use Staedtler Lumocolor 318’s. The problem with those is availability. They can be quite hard to find.

So, if you have decided on using a sharpie or a bic to get your glossy cards signed, you will need to prepare them. For this method, you need the following supplies: Paper napkins or tissues and baby powder (I use Johnson and Johnson). For napkins, I have used everything from Wendy’s napkins to Brawny. It just depends on what is on hand.

First, you lay out the cards to be altered. I do mine after they have been placed in my book. This way, the photo corners will hold them in place.

Second, you sprinkle a bit of powder on each card. I know of no specific amount to apply, just use a little bit, and you should be fine.

Then, use your tissue or napkin to gently rub the powder around on the cards. It does not take any amount of force. Be gentle. Basically, what we are doing is sanding the cards with this ultra fine powder. I have never seen a card ruined using this method, but I’ve never seen anyone muscle it either. You just want to knock the gloss down a little bit. On my cards, I have not been able to discern the difference between a factory card and one altered using this method.

Once you have finished and your cards are signed, you will be able to tell the difference in one that has been altered and one that has not.