How to Choose Tattoo Needles?

Gradually, tattoos are accepted by all, so there comes more ways to do tattooing and tattoo supplies are flourishing. Here I’d like to express my own ideas of choosing tattoo needles, as now there are various classifications of tattoo needles for tattoo artists to choose and most people feel confused. Following are the most common needles for your choice.

Round Liner Needles

  Rounder liner needles are usually for liner. The so-called rounder needles refer to gathering a certain number of needles together according to one center when welding them. Usually, the thickness of each needle is between 0.25 and 0.4. Experienced tattoo artists may tell the needle whose thickness is between 0.3 and 0.35 is most commonly used. That’s definitely right and such needles are pretty easy in use.

  Liner needles that have the widest application are those with tips of middle dullness; too sharp and too blunt are not ideal in use. When choosing, you are suggested to pick those with sharp reduction treatment as the tips are holding together, and there will be no bifurcation when liner.

  The common types of liner needles are: 3, 5, 7, 9 etc. You’d better not choose those too small nor too thick, which may affect the tattoo designs when using.

Flat shader Needles

There are many types of flat shader needles: single row, double row (subdivided into overlapped ones and bifurcated ones), arc etc.

Same to round liner needles, the thickness of flat shader needles are range from 0.5 to 0.4. The commonly used is 0.3 to 0.4. Needles for shader usually have a blunt tip. Tips that are too sharp are easy to scratch the skin and do much more damage to the skin, while blunt tips do well in inserting inks. Single row needles are used in trimming and modifying sharp corners, especially when the tattoo designs are small, but not so helpful for large color areas. Overlapped needles’ tips have a big density, therefore, when piercing; the depth is relatively shallow, which is suitable for exquisite shader. Bifurcated needles, both big and small sizes, are mostly practical, pretty helpful to insert colors. Arc needles do a great job in shading.

  Those two needles are easy to be found. Online stores may sell you a set of tattoo needles that contain them both with a pretty favorable price.