Needles

I order needles from Cam supply because it's easy, they have a huge selection, they're never out and they're cheap.  I have heard a lot of people talk crap about the quality of their needles, but I inspect every needle with an eye loop before tattooing, and I have never found a bad needle from them.  So either I have no idea what I'm looking for (which is not the case) or people are just assuming that they're bad needles because they are cheap and their logo is embarrassingly terrible!

 I keep on hand Supertight 3, 5, and 7 rounds (I don't like the triple tight) and an 8 round shader, which I often line with and also often color with.  It's by far the most versatile needle.  I can get smooth gradients with it and sharp clean lines.  When ever possible I try to use at least two different lining needles on a tattoo.  The variation in line width gives tattoos more dimension.   This variation can often be created by double lining certain areas, and some times that will give the line a more natural organic look, but that natural look is often misconstrued as week, or sloppy line-work.

For mags I use 9s, 11s, 13, and a couple types of 7s.  Anything bigger than a 9 has to be curved for me, or I hate it!

These are 17 mag bugpins with a curved end.  It's what Niko Hurtado makes to do his full color portraits.  They're available through Cam supply for about $15 (box of 50, that's like .30 a needle).  I've used them a few times already, they're amazing, they lay color in so smooth, you barely have to push it in, I use my black and gray machine mostly.

Another thing I've always wanted to try is testing the difference between long and short taper needles.  The theory is that the long taper (sharp) needles will make smaller holes and smoother gradients in color blending and B&G work, while the short (natural) taper needles slam in color and are great for solid blocks.  I also have shown here a bugpin 9 mag (which is going to sit in a 7 mag tube).  If you don't know what bug pin needles are, they are actually smaller diameter pins laid in the exact same configuration as larger ones, so each needle pokes more, smaller, closer together holes in the skin.  I had an opportunity to use the bugpin 9 on my chrome wrench, piston memorial tattoo yesterday.  I was absolutely thrilled to death with it, I hope I get to do some more ink today!  I have a customer who came in yesterday asking about a half sleeve with a landscape.  It would be perfect for these new needles I've been playing with.