Needles

[Bubba]

I know all needles arent created the equal, I make my own. I also know a bad needle is BAD. Who sells the best premade sterilized needles? What are thoughts on textured needles? What do most of you use as far as diameter and taper? I liked the carbon steel needles of years ago, but now it becomes a health concern with them possibly rusting due to sterilization. Any alternatives known?

[Slider]

Liner .30mm long taper, Mags/Flats .34mm ex. long taper. Im just getting into textured so I really have no comment there...You can still use carbon(the artist I watch uses them) He autoclaves them the day of the tat and what he doesnt use gets tossed, so they dont ever sit around for more then a couple hours if that...This dude checks his needles non stop, even the ss ones...He doesnt use them on every tattoo and im not sure what determines what he uses them for. As far as suppliers, I shop by price and loop them all....

[jjbbuzz]

shop by price and loop them all??

[Slider]

yeah lol...means I look for the best price then magnify each one and toss out the bads...you can get cheap if you just plan on practicing and pick out the best for any use on human skin....

[jjbbuzz]

oh ok... but if ya get bads.. ya wouldnt buy from them again eh? and ya cant scrimp on the needles! rather pay over the odds..! where dya get yours? even though your over there..

[Slider]

see pm jj..

[Slider]

but yer right definitely dont want to scrimp on quality needles for price sake...

[voodoo]

I have used them from tts and freedom tattoo supply.My shader/mags are bullet short taper needles. But i have also used reg tapered on the shader needles too.

[undercover art]

I've been using them from freedom supply as well...like them very much, especially the 7 round liner bullets.....Just got a whole lot of Cam needles...can't say I really like em all that much, but the 14 rounds I bought from em are great, I just didn't like their liner groupings much...I have a ton of bugpins that are pre-grouped into different size mags, just waiting to be soldered on the on the bar.....I'll get to em soon....

[Inkslngr]

As a personal preference I use dermagrafics(sp) needles, I think I may have had to throw out 1 or 2 in the last 2 yrs. They are long tapers. Always get good crisp lines and the mags are great for packing color.

[chaos2007]

In my opinion I have been pretty happy with World wide tattoo supplys needles.Yes you are always going to have to pitch a few out of a box of 50 but that comes with anything that is mass produced at a factory.(or made in China)HA HA HA But any way bro its all about finding what you like and what you find works best for you.Just liek with ink you can ask 10 diffrent artist what brand ink they prefer and I gauruntee at least 7 of the 10 will choose a diffrent brand for one reason or another

[L_Pease]

You can neutralize your carbon sharps with baking soda or Alconox. That'll help keep them from rusting. Also, make them and clave them the day you will be using them.

I use .33 standard taper for most anything. Preference I guess.

[papadurivage]

Kingpin for tight groupings.. Technical for loose ones..

[Alucard]

Are you absolutely sure that Technical does not sell tight grouped needles at all?

[L_Pease]

probably means TTS needles are'nt very tight compared to Kingpin. I like to make my own and I make them very tight. That's another reason I cannot bring myself to use pre-mades.

[Alucard]

I'm starting to consider making my own needles myself, however would that definitely be cost effective?

[papadurivage]

Are you absolutely sure that Technical does not sell tight grouped needles at all?


Yeah.. technical's tight groupings arent very tight.. Based on how tight I was taught to make needles.. But, then again, I like my liners extra tight.. Kingpin offers both regular and "tight" liners.. So I get liners from them.. because they are more what I look for in a liner grouping..

[Alucard]

Would there be a way for me to make Technical's needle groupings tighter?

[L_Pease]

I'm starting to consider making my own needles myself, however would that definitely be cost effective?Not at all! It probably costs me more to makethem but I know exactly what I'm using. I can solder them anyway I see fit for the job at hand. If I want an extra tight liner, or a specific shape to my shader, I can do it. Takes an extra hour or so before I start my day but I have to do it or I would drive myself crazy always wondering what I am really using.I sometimes wonder about the solder used for pre-mades. I'm assuming they're made in China or some place like that and we all know how good their QC is these days. When I first started seeing pre-made needles they were $5 for a single and it went up the more needles you had. Used to be cost effective to solder your own. Not anymore.

[Alucard]

I've got a few #3 liners and #8 liners, but they are too lose for my liking, is there a way for me to tighten them?

[jjbbuzz]

just buy some tight needles,:rolleyes: