What is the difference between tattoo needles

The magnum shader needles are preferred for a lot of different types of shading and are great for bigger areas.

They can allow a lot of ink to be transferred at once so these types of needles are fantastic for covering larger spaces within tattoos. These are sometimes called soft edge magnums too. These types of needles are great for delicate shading. Needles are similar, but they have gone out of fashion somewhat. They are good for lining and can deliver lots of ink into the skin at once for dark shading. For instance, if you need a dark, black outline or even some intricate shading such as in mandala-style tattoos.

The flat shader needles can be used for certain types of makeup, semi-permanent styles of makeup tend to use flat shaders. The table below, our own tattoo needle sizes and chart, will show both tattoo needles and what they are used for.

There are different groupings, and these have different common uses based on what they are most suitable for. Different codes stand for different things when it comes to tattoo needles.

RL stands for the round liner, which gives a small circular formation normally used as lining needles. There are different gauges and diameters out there which can be suitable for different uses. The three below are among the most commonly used tattoo needles. This is a small needle, and they are often called Bugpins, the ink flows a bit slower so it is good for intricate detailing.

This is very popular among tattoo artists, it tends to be the middle ground. People referring to double zeros are talking about this size. A 12 gauge might be referred to as standards, but they have a faster flow of ink which means they are good for shading and coloring even in bigger areas. There are some other gauges under these, 6 is 0. From how to's to equipment guides to state laws made simple, this section can help you navigate through the industry successfully and keep you up-to-date.

Breaking out to open your own tattoo shop can be a fantastic experience, but it's also an incredible amount of work to start a new business and meet all local and state regulations. We've streamlined some of the basic information for you, to make getting started just a little bit easier. If you're new to tattooing, it can be hard to find the supplies you like. Which ink is best? Which needles are always good? Today we're launching a series to help you make the most informed decision possible.

You'll use tattoo needles more often than any other item. You'll need different groupings and sizes. This guide will walk you through basic needle features and what to look for when you're buying them. Remember, you never reuse your tattoo needles: you should use a fresh needle every time. There are an infinite number of needle styles, but they all fall into four basic categories:.

Round needles are needles that are soldered around a central shaft in round patterns. Round needles can be liners or shaders, depending on how close together they are placed. Round liners are packed tightly close together , which makes them perfect for technical work, small lines and details. You might also see loose round liners. Loose round liners are used for thick, bold outlines like those found on Japanese-style tattoos.

Round shaders are great for all-purpose color fill and basic shading. You'll almost always see them written with their number in front, like 9RL. The number in front tells you have many needles are used in the configuration, so a 9RL has 9 needles placed in a circle configuration, a 7RL has 7 and so on. If you're just starting out, you'll want to focus on round shaders in sizes 3, 5, 7, and 9 for some shading and filling in small areas. Pretty straightforward.

Flat needles are needles that are soldered in a straight line to a needle bar. These needles are the most popular for lining because their shape lets them deliver more ink to the skin. This means clearer, darker lines with just one stroke. Larger flat needles can be used for color fills and deliver more quickly with just one pass. Just like round needles, these are written out with the number of pins in front, like 7FL or 5FS.

Also like round needles, flat needles use their twin-sized tubes, so a 7FL needle will use a 7F tube. Magnum needles are the go-to for almost all shading work. Magnums deliver a lot of ink, making them ideal for large areas of color. There are a few variations of magnum needles:. Weaved magnums are soldered to a flat needle bar like flat needles, but they are soldered on alternating sides of the needle.

So one needle would be soldered to the top, one two the bottom, another to the top, and so on; this means that they can cover more area. Weaved magnums are always marked M1 with the number of needles beforehand. So a 5M1 would be a weaved magnum needle configuration with 5 needles soldered to a needle bar. RL or round liner needles grouped together in a tight round formation. RS or round shaders are grouped together in a loose round formation. F or flats are grouped together in a line formation.

M1 or weaved magnum are grouped with 2 rows of needles in a weaved formation, so for example a 7M1 will have a bottom row of 4 and an upper row of 3. M2 or stacked magnum are grouped in the same way as M1 but are tightly stacked together hence the name stacked magnum.

RM or round magnum are grouped the same way as M1 but the points are arranged in a curved arch. So what tattoo needles do what? RL or round liner needles are used for lining. RS or round shader are used for shading. Flats are used for areas with geometric shapes and shading. Weaved magnums are used for shading, blending and coloring large areas. Stacked magnums are used for shading, blending and coloring tighter large areas. Both can be used for lining if you turn the needle to the side.

This does take a bit of skill to do, so only do it if you have practiced the technique enough or else you may end up damaging the skin. Round curve magnums are used for shading, blending and coloring large areas with less impact to the skin.

The needles are made in an arch formation to better deflect the skin when it goes in and out. With a regular magnum, there is potential for the edges of the mag to dig into the skin, with a round magnum, the arch of the needle will allow you to move more freely on the skin without the risk of the edges digging in. So how to use tattoo needles like rounds, magnums and curved magnums? Rounds are quite straight forward. The larger the area of coverage, the larger count needle you would use.

For thicker lines, use a larger count round liner. Pigment dispersal using a magnum is smoother than rounds. A good comparison would be a round liner is a pen while a magnum is a magic marker.

Proper use of a magnum takes a bit of practice. The magnum should always hit the skin at an angle. If it goes in straight and not at an angle it will stick into the skin which will cause the needle to jump.