Tattoo Needles and Tubes

Tattoo Needles & Tubes

Tubes, which keep the tattoo needles in place, are a vital piece of any tattoo machine—as are the needles, which are arrayed in different formations depending on the type of work being done.  Both tubes and needles will get blood on them, which requires either purchasing disposable tattoo needles and tubes, or use of an autoclave to sterilize them.

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Tattoo Needles

Tattoo needles are on the front line of your tattoo work, and as such, you need to make sure you’ve got the right tools in place. Here are some things to think about when purchasing your tattoo needles.

1. Keep a wide variety of needles on hand.  Some tattoo needles are better for outlining, and others for shading, and of those, some are better for thin outlines or thick outlines—in other words, make sure you have enough tattoo needles on hand to cover any conceivable job that might come your way.
   • Liner needles. Liners are mostly grouped in circles (also known as rounds), and are used to outline tattoos. Liners can be made up of as few as one tattoo needle or as many as 18, but most common are 3, 5, and 7.
   • Shader needles. These usually come in 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 groupings, most often in two rows that create a flat shape—shader needles are also called flats. Shaders, as the name implies, are used to shade large sections of a tattoo, as well as for inking a lot of color in a short time.
2. Beware cheap needles. Cheap tattoo needles are more likely to have barbs or burrs that can make the tattooing process more painful for your customers—and cause scarring. If you do purchase cheap tattoo needles, make sure that you closely inspect them before use so that you can avoid any with potential problems.
3. That being said, look for discounts. Many suppliers offer discounts for bulk orders of tattoo needles, and individually packaged (blister packed) needles last for a long time.

You Need Tattoo Needles & Tubes

Tubes generally come in three different types:

1. One-piece tubes. These stainless steel tubes can be used multiple times, and can be thrown directly into an autoclave. They are reliably steady, and because they’re made of stainless steel, you won’t have to worry about any microscopic bacterial build-up that can accumulate even on tubes that are autoclaved on a regular basis.
2. Multi-piece tubes. Also made of stainless steel, these tubes are made up of several different pieces, and must be taken apart prior to sterilizing. Typically, there are five pieces: the tip, the grip, the stem, and two screw sets that hold the assembly together.  These are more customizable than the one-piece tubes.
3. Plastic tubes. These are single-use tubes that should be disposed of after each inking. The main advantage to plastic tubes is convenience: you won’t have to worry about sterilizing your equipment. They also make it clear to the customer that your equipment is sterile, because they can see you opening the bags. Unfortunately, there also tends to be a bit more variation in quality, with many of the tubes holding the tattoo needles at a slight angle, making your work more difficult.

If you decide to get non throw away tattoo needles then check here for tattoo sterilization machine.