In the early days of tattooing, needles were purchased in packages of 1,000 individual needles folded into paper packets about the size of a matchbook, along with packs of pre-looped bars. Tattoo artists would set up designated needle-making stations with a clean sheet of glass to arrange various jigs, a soldering iron, flux, solder, and needle bars, and the needles counted out into smaller groups for specific uses. Using small jigs designed for different needle groupings, they would take 3, 5, or 7 needles to make liners or carefully align the front of a stack of needles, ensuring they were perfectly positioned before tacking them with solder and using a razor blade to weave mags.
This needle-making process could take hours, and even with a small fan running, artists were likely inhaling toxic fumes from the flux and solder while occasionally burning their fingers on the soldering iron. After the needles were made, they would be cleaned, packaged, and sterilized, only to repeat the process for future appointments. Due to the time-consuming nature of this task and the desire to save money, some practitioners would reuse needles by cleaning and sterilizing them. Fortunately, this practice has fallen out of favor over time.
Unlike painters who could simply buy premade paintbrushes, tattoo artists had the additional cumbersome task of making needles, which was necessary for performing the tattoo application they loved.
Over the last 25 years, enterprising individuals began offering pre-made needles on bars, followed by the mass production of needles on bars. Around 15 years ago, an innovation from the cosmetic tattoo industry revolutionized the needle game: the introduction of cartridge systems. This was a significant advancement, allowing one machine to run various needle configurations with just a twist of a cartridge.
Pre-made, pre-sterilized needles not only saved tattoo artists a significant amount of time but also provided them with an abundance of needle sizes and configurations, offering better tools to practice their craft.
How to Choose the Right Tattoo Needles
The tattoo process involves four main components, aside from the artist: the machine, the needle, the pigment, and the skin. Understanding needles is crucial because they are equivalent to brushes for painters, chisels for sculptors, or pencils/pens for illustrators.
Tattoo needles are available in different groupings, spreads, and diameters, each configuration designed for a specific task. This article covers various components of needles to help make informed choices when purchasing products.
Ways to Purchase Tattoo Needles
There are two primary ways to buy needles: needles on bars or a cartridge system.
Needles on Bar
Initially, the industry-standard involved needle configurations soldered to a bar with a loop on one end, which hooked onto the armature bar. Grommets or paper towels were often used to create a snug fit of the needle bar on the armature bar, reducing sway and softening impact. Standard needle bars typically required multiple machines for various needle configurations and were often tuned to work specifically with particular groupings.
Cartridge System
Cartridge needles have gained popularity in recent years due to their quick-change ability and minimal machine requirements. Often used with rotaries, the cartridge system features a built-in spring setup, unlike traditional needle bar systems where the spring tension is in the machine. A cartridge system generally requires only one machine to utilize numerous configurations, including membrane and band/spring systems.
Band/spring drives use a small spring or rubber band to create tension and return the needle. These systems may lack a backflow valve, potentially allowing pigment to move up through the cartridge system into the tube device. Membrane systems, however, utilize tension and built-in backflow valves to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Learn the Tattoo Needle Code System
Needles are often purchased using a code system. Here is a breakdown of the typical coding:
- 10: The first number indicates the gauge (e.g., .30mm).
- 07: The second number is the needle count, indicating the grouping is made up of 7 needles.
- RS: This denotes the needle grouping or configuration, in this case, a Round Shader.
- MT: This indicates the taper length, with MT standing for Medium Taper.
Diameter/Gauge
The diameter of a needle is based on the thickness of the individual needles in a grouping and is measured in millimeters or gauges. The diameter is important as it affects ink flow. Smaller diameters create finer ink flow areas.
Three main sizes are used in tattooing:
- #8 Gauge (.25mm): Known as bugpins, used for controlled pigment flow, creating smaller/tighter configurations.
- #10 Gauge (.30mm): Popular in all groupings and styles, offering versatility with a higher inflow rate than #8.
- #12 Gauge (.35mm): Commonly used for traditional work, bold lining, and color packing due to more ink flow and larger penetration areas.
Needle Taper
The taper is the length from the needle's true diameter to its tip. Long tapers create tighter groupings, medium tapers are better for color packing, and short tapers offer more space around and between needle tips.
Needle Count
This refers to the number of needles used to create a configuration, such as a 09RL being a round liner with 9 needles. Larger counts result in larger configurations.
Tattoo Needle Grouping Types
There are two basic shapes: round and flat. Round shapes include Round Liners, Round Shaders, and Hollow Liners, while flat shapes include Magnums and Flats. Round groupings are used for lining and detail work, while flat groupings are used for filling larger areas with color or shading.
Round Tattoo Needle Types & Uses:
- Round Liner (RL): Used for tight, clean linework.
- Round Shader (RS): Used for thicker linework, shading, and color.
- Hollow Liner (HRL): Used for thicker linework, shading, and coloring.
Magnum Shaders:
- Magnum Shader (MG): Standard in color packing and shading.
- Curved Magnum Shader (CM): Used for smoother blending.
- Double Stack Magnum Shader (MG2): Tighter configuration for intricate work.
- Flat Shader (FT): Used for lining, shading, and intricate work.
Other Considerations
When choosing tattoo needles, consider whether they are pre-sterilized, made with high-quality materials, and whether the solder placement is appropriate for the intended use. Testing for needle imperfections before and during tattooing is also recommended.