hawk

The first capacitors were not capacitors at all, they were condensers, as in the "Points coil effect" of Edison applied to the internal combustion engine ignition of the points and coil adding the condenser to preserve the burning of the contact points in the ignition became necessary to prevent machines falling out of time with an enlarged point gap in need of burnishing of the contact points from the excessive snap of electricity. Working similar to the capacitor of today that fills and only releases X amount, the condenser simply arrests the spark. The true origin to the 6 volt condenser application to the later creation and application of the capacitor, as the capacitor in the form we use today post-dates in "electronic's" and not the dawn of the "combustible gasoline engine", can be found in Walter Cleveland's tinkering and among allot of his creations or experiments in the elaborate door bell concepts. The 6 volt condenser can still be applied and work, it's just BIG, you can do so by attaching the single wire spade connector to the contact screw binding post and you can still get the 6 volt and a 12 will work equally and pick them up in auto supply stores, I use early Harley 6 volt replacement condensers. The point made of the use of the condenser versus the capacitor are that the condenser works to arrest and save your points from burning quickly, in the day that the guys at the shops were running off of a bank of machines that ran all day and all night knocking out tattoos on sailors while in port for a few days strait, they needed to keep things from falling into repair and running smoothly as we all know, when things are not, it makes for more time consumption when time was essential. The Capacitor however works as just that, it limits the capacity, so two different electric components with two different applications. Lyle put in print once that Walter was the man accredited to inventing the "capacitor" in use of the tattoo machine but I don't believe Walter ever reached the days of the capacitor advent that we use today and it most likely came from necessity through someone who knew enough about transistor radios/electronics to make the switch or someone who burnt the devils lettuce and figured it and then the passage from then on became part of tattoo machine evolution. The "facts" are, the West Coast appeared to have capacitors on machines in use and photo form prior to anything else I have found. I know this doesn't answer the question of the "who and when" but it does lend to the advent of controlling the flow and operation of both mechanical and electrical evolution of the machine, Spaulding was offering them in the 1970's and I can't remember when I switched to using them, didn't use them until the early 80's.
Other things to note of Walter's experiments would be, the rubber band and coil spring controlled A-Bar machine, the side mounted nipple on the A-Bar which became antiquated by the use of constant changing of the needle bar for each customer as the needle bar was drawn tight to the nipple then to be considered "fixed" until the pins wore out, the use of mixing 8 wrap and 10 wrap coils, his work at developing a very light weight machine, square coil cores, the creation of what now has come to be known as "true spring" of cutting an angle into the A-Bar for the spring "pitch". As a footnote for evidence, I have examples of all of the above, from reworked early Waters frames and hacked Jonesy frames to what he came to use most commonly which were seconds supplied by J.G.Russell, they always appear "shop floor paint green" and have notches evident on the frame that is evident of a factory second as they are casting flaws and not always consistent. I would like to think that Walter was "the Father" of the capacitor but it is an important thing to keep the candle lit on facts when the record of history is of concern. Most important to note and to Walter's credit would be that he really invested time and care in understanding the machine long before there was so much that we see now and to mention that he had to have a love for what he did as he was born left handed and tattooed left handed for many years until he lost the fingers from a saw mill accident, Stoney mentioned he lost them in WW-I but we know now that the saw mill was the culprit, regardless, he continued to tattoo by understanding how to work with the right hand. This is not to mention all of the greats that he worked with and the circle he kept in a day and age that had no internet of cell phone. He certainly had a true love for his trade and the Cleveland Family certainly carpeted the halls we walk today and should never be forgotten.

Something tells me her body probably wouldn't turn my head without tattoos and from engulfing everything she has her opinion on I have to add mine to say that she definitely isn't good enough for a tattoo and will die the prude that she is.....without illustration.

Hey Mask0311,
First off, I would love to see everybody sportin great tattoos wherever I go but unfortunately there are fewer people out there "keepin it real" and if I go to WalMart I can see a store full of bad tattoos these days.
As far as this guy "blowin you off", it's an old game, as old as it gets with "runnin' the scam", some will spot you and size you up to start something at a high price that they never intend to finish when they have a string of butterflies they can knock out and make more on when you may have already paid in advance, basically you will get shuffled to the rear like you got treated at the 9pm bell. NYC went crazy with those scams when it opened tattooing back up and on this subject I could go on and on.
As far as the tooth hurting thing, RUN!!! should have been your instinct and this leads me to tell you that there are tattooers out there who relish a challenge of turning bad tattoos into good ones, so don't worry about having someone else drive over the mess you have started.
As far as your expecting better treatment/respect for being home from the military, your absolutely right, the military has always been our staple in tattooing and when everybody's home and the wars are all over we will miss that amount of biz and it goes from steak to pork chops for us tattooers and this is not to mention that there are those of us out here that understand your service to Uncle Sam.
So, as far as "keeping it real" and to prove that not all of us are like this disgrace to our trade I will fix and finish your dragon at no charge with the stipulation that you provide the steaks that I will personally grill for you at my country home where I have a rifle range that I will provide 500 rounds of ammunition for you to shoot through my legally owned and registered machineguns after we are finished with the tattooing, on this deal you have my word. Your only hitch is to make it by land sea or air to Illinois and provide the bovine. It can be fixed and finished and picture posted to this thread should you come through on your end of this bargain and I mean all of this most sincerely.
I can't do this for every person that's received your treatment or I would work myself into the poorhouse but this is my offer to you.
Thanks for your service and I apologize for the hack who misrepresented our trade and culture and I hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
-Hawk- of
Hawks Tattoo's

Beauty marks are a different story, cosmetic tattooing that nobody could tell for certain was tattooed.
Don't know exactly where the thread will lead but the "taboo" of face and hands comes out of the era when "it had become taboo", evolution curves the way and want. For instance, the old wall chart that some here can remember or may still have dictated in color code what pricing variations of the area's to be tattooed, i.g. the hands, neck ect. and where we did not tattoo, so evolution takes place and when at one time we "generally" denied a foot tattoo, it became a "fad" so after the passage of time among the uninitiated to get their very first on the foot and they were done by us all due to the acceptability, demand and profit. This being said, when Dale Kellitt called from New Orleans after Lil' Wayne became successful telling me of the large amount of people from Waynes area of the Big Easy wanting designs on their eyelids, symbols that could get you into trouble in some areas, all kinds of stuff that the uninitiated wanted for their very first tattoo on the face was overwhelmingly in demand and became somewhat a everyday semantic argument of "what I do with my body" versus takin their money and shuttin up was a weird balancing act, it seemed everybody wanted to start "representing" their area whether they were gangsta's or not.
It may be "fad" to get the face tattoo and it may also be in the "new tribalism" area of some locations of the planet as, we know how well a Moko Face would go over at the farm supply store in Billings Montana versus South Central, the former would be met with "hard luck" where the later would be "accepted".
I honestly feel that most people can be discouraged with a "Yu don't want to do that hon" and can accept such advice but when someone wants anything within the shop standards of design understanding, such as not givin somebody at symbol that the operator knows they aren't qualified for or some racial standard violation of shop policy, then by all means have them fill out whatever and put that ice cream cone with sprinkles on their cheek and accept the money knowing ya did the best job ya could after a fair discussion about the repercussions.
It's really in the same family of "mah girlfriends name" for the most part, we have all ran the rundown to the client about that kind of tattoo and there was never a soul who wanted one who wasn't convinced that "No, this gal is forever" but the reality is that we can choose to say that they will regret it and take the money or ask them to come back in 12 years and if they are still together we will do it for free, it's when the job turns into arriving at the studio every day to talk people out of getting the product you offer is when it gets as defeating as being forced to watch a whole season of 16 and pregnant.
We can't cure stupid but we can profit from it, we can also choose to refuse stupidity from a shops moral standard which can be referred to a sign on the wall that reads "We have the right to refuse service to anyone", the operators choice.
We all have stories of the people we turned down and the ones accepted, I walked into my shop years ago to find Celtic Ruins being drawn across a guys forehead, I asked "what the hell are you doing?" the question directed at my artist, I was met with "It's "I am the Lords (Isaiah)" in Celtic" by the artist. Long story short, I ran into the guy 2 years ago after he had worn it for 13 years and it was GONE. the client asked me if I noticed and I replied I had, then I ran down to him the entire situation from start to finish with "I remember walking in and asking what the hell you were doing and I knew you figured whatever the f&%k I want to cause it's my body" he replied with your absolutely right. I said "I figured you got tired of people asking if it was Satanic because the average person don't know the diff between Celtic and anything else and it was counter productive of what your intentions of showing the world how you felt or where you stood with Jesus" and he agreed with that also and then told me how he had it lasered off. All full circle a learning experience for artist who did his best to see his work removed and the Christian that figured out the hard way that he never had to place it across his forehead and could have ran the bumper sticker instead. Just watch, tomorrow somebody will walk in wanting "Wicken" across their forehead, it's their business but I will try my best to talk them out of it and when all else fails I know I would refuse, it's just the way I feel and if they can find somebody to fulfill their dreams I hope they can find a doctor who can be handy with the laser.
Just my two cents, if the client can't pull it off like Mike Tyson and don't have much for any other tattoo I feel I myself would have to refuse the service.

Tell me about it! Just helped a friend awhile back in putting a "fresh rebuilt" trans in his shovel, placed it in, replaced starter, battery box, primary(inner and outer), adjusted the chains, etc. to find out the trans was not done right, wouldn't shift to fourth....Everything back off and out and the "mechanic" didn't replace a simple plunger that was obviously out of spec, so the part replaced and back to doing the left side to right side motorcycle jog (you know what I'm talkin about), got it all back in place and correct and got that "Motorcycle Zen" feeling when she found fourth and she's been runin smooth ever since. If only I had taken the top cover off for a look before we put it in but the "mechanic" had "totaly rebuilt" the trans, just because some have wrenches don't make them a mechanic but when everything is right it seems to stay right for good while and there's no feelin like knowin whats going on inside and how fresh the parts and/or wear is.
Good luck with the Suzi, there will be rewards.

Hey Mask0311,
First off, I would love to see everybody sportin great tattoos wherever I go but unfortunately there are fewer people out there "keepin it real" and if I go to WalMart I can see a store full of bad tattoos these days.
As far as this guy "blowin you off", it's an old game, as old as it gets with "runnin' the scam", some will spot you and size you up to start something at a high price that they never intend to finish when they have a string of butterflies they can knock out and make more on when you may have already paid in advance, basically you will get shuffled to the rear like you got treated at the 9pm bell. NYC went crazy with those scams when it opened tattooing back up and on this subject I could go on and on.
As far as the tooth hurting thing, RUN!!! should have been your instinct and this leads me to tell you that there are tattooers out there who relish a challenge of turning bad tattoos into good ones, so don't worry about having someone else drive over the mess you have started.
As far as your expecting better treatment/respect for being home from the military, your absolutely right, the military has always been our staple in tattooing and when everybody's home and the wars are all over we will miss that amount of biz and it goes from steak to pork chops for us tattooers and this is not to mention that there are those of us out here that understand your service to Uncle Sam.
So, as far as "keeping it real" and to prove that not all of us are like this disgrace to our trade I will fix and finish your dragon at no charge with the stipulation that you provide the steaks that I will personally grill for you at my country home where I have a rifle range that I will provide 500 rounds of ammunition for you to shoot through my legally owned and registered machineguns after we are finished with the tattooing, on this deal you have my word. Your only hitch is to make it by land sea or air to Illinois and provide the bovine. It can be fixed and finished and picture posted to this thread should you come through on your end of this bargain and I mean all of this most sincerely.
I can't do this for every person that's received your treatment or I would work myself into the poorhouse but this is my offer to you.
Thanks for your service and I apologize for the hack who misrepresented our trade and culture and I hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
-Hawk- of
Hawks Tattoo's

More amazing history found at some garage type sale on EBay! Damn good thing people aren't tossing out literature as this find of 1910 shows a good catalog of info, from lining and shading machines to hand poke from the Prof. H.W. Rebec of Cedar Rapids Iowa.
This seller on Ebay has 4 different catalogs, one from "Bucky & Walters" , Bucky taught Charley Barrs to tattoo and Charley was of age when Custer lost on the battlefield in 1876.
Just found it amazing that such a catalog would turn up with a such equipment when to this date we have never seen a catalog of/from Charlie Wagner.
If you stroll through their literature you can read mixing formula, single needle liners and flat shaders of #12 pins, switchboards and rheostat's back in 1910 and the machines are not the "doorbell" but the dual coil like we still use.
Kinda makes a person wonder what direction supplies came from and the suppliers that suppliers went through to then stamp their name on something.
Like most discoveries it can often lend to more questions than answers.
Thought this worthy to post as the literature from the seller was posted last night and anybody can do a search on the items from the same seller and collect the info from the pic's or maybe want to bid but the info is awesome to some of us who have such interest on the historical side of tattooing. Whoever gets these items should forward the info to the Tattoo Archives if they don't have it already
The link is : 1910's antique tattoo artists supplies machines PRICE LIST CATALOG H. W. REBEC | eBay
Hope the photo's uploaded well, just 4 but anybody careing to brouse the auctions while they are up there should take the time to have a look. Shareing is Careing, ha!

I kinda only like getting tattooed by Fast tattooers. It's efficiency. Take your time with the drawing, then bust that tat out. I personally think it says a lot about a tattooer that can tattoo Good, and fast. It's like Illegal graffiti writers versus permission wall guys. One is working on the fly with the cops possibly breathing down their neck. One is taking his sweet time, looking at his sketchbook. That raw, real shit is always gonna be king in my book. Anyway. haven't seen the show. But I like the time limit thing. It will separate the hustlers from the fartists.

Dang Lizzie, almost a hundred???? I remember in 1983 in Taronto there was D's Adventure Tattoo and Empire Tattoo with Tatu Manotu as the owner, both shops on Queen street and the basement shop of the old fella people knew as The Chinaman", wow have things changed!
As to the shop owner thing, it's burning down the industry, "Boutique" shops with everything from bar owners to somebody who viewed something on the net as to what "expected earnings" come form tattoo shops simply buying into the industry.
But not to worry, trends rise and fall and come back around but to do good tattooing and being true to a customer base will win out should the "image" of tattooing burn to the ground from these jackwagons.
There are the areas of the past where it reverted back to what it was before the trends and always there were those who held fast and kept busy. The pisser of it all is that those shop owners will move onto something else and toss our baby back at us like an over the hill abused hooker who once was our kid Sister, like a neighborhood bully who took off with a kids bicycle to return it only after it was broken, but back in our hands it will return.
Look how things exploded in NYC in the 50's, the easiest solution was to ban it after it came to be too large to handle and regulate, underground for nearly forty years it opened up again but this time starting out with regulation and revenue that everybody could deal with, this is not to mention how it exploded and there were the 3 month shop locations with people no learned in tattooing taking every customer to the cleaners or dermatologist capitalizing on it's new infancy just to grab the buck and move out. But holding onto what is ours and standing our ground when the time comes that the general pop may turn from the reality program consuming idiots that bring us their money now to becoming a disrespectful lot wishing they hadn't followed a trend, it will then bring those who hang in there a wealth of property from the shop owner/proprietor magnate that dumps their "investment idea", flash, chairs, mirrors, tables, lamps, and equipment for everyone! Pennies on the dollar!
And most gratifying of all will be that we will still have the customer base we built if not the second or third generation of those customers simply from doing honest good tattooing through all that time.
Tattooing isn't just the "Americana" Norman Rockwell painted, it rolls up and down from sub culture to pop culture historically but part of our culture just the same and never in our history has it ever "left the building", the trend may have "shot it's load" as Tuttle so eloquently put it, but if it's what we do, then we will have work.
Also, I see allot of people who came from the art school area that are doing as well if not better selling their artwork. As overcrowded as it gets, there is still areas for extra income. Reminds me of Walter Cleveland, traveled in the hay days and owned shops in several locations but when times were when he had few coming through the door, he went to part time work at a saw mill, zipped the fingers of his Left hand off, he was a lefty, learned to tattoo right handed by redrawing all his flash with his right and got back to it! Now that is drive to do what you do!
The way I see it is this, these people coming onto the scene with all the EBay import stuff and their scratchers making Doctors and Dermatologists rich in a field that is practically impossible to institutionalize will wither away with the trend, we will have to swallow the blame of their invention until it comes around again in a form we can't predict, but tattooers true to the trade will still eat. The blame we swallow is the trouble they will or are causing that's hurting the reputation that so many worked hard to elevate from what it was years before they came on the scene.
Damn if it don't play like a broken record, but when we were playing records it was Milton Zeis School of Tattooing days, now we are using "Media Player" and look at the amount of 40 hour classroom diploma toting "Professional Tattoo Artist" we have now, cranked out every two weeks like some checkbook biker wearin their authorized leather clown outfit and callin themselves "Bikers", ha! And we all know that a new bike and leather outfit don't make you a biker no more than a self respecting S&M catalog would carry "soft cuffs", ha!
Damn, little did I know that when I was doing interviews talking about how it's not just for sailors anymore that I was tradin sub culture customers for yuppie scum wanting a Kanji on their wrist. I didn't know how big of a plate I needed for all the words I'd have to eat.........
Sorry Lizzie if I ramble off topic, but just one more thing, I enjoy having fun with some of the people who start talking the talk of getting into or buying into this business, like ask those that think it's their direction because they are "really great drawers" to define MRSA, ha! As for the people who buy into it and are NOT loving of the life, they are the train wreck waiting to happen and will be their own undoing, just wait for the time to pass to split up their gear.

Free dermatology advice is what your searching for whether ya know it or not,but that's OK, tattooers often know more about the afflictions in tattoos than the local dermatologist.
With that said, let me state that there are pigments coming into countries form other countries that are not entirely sound, why would China care about cheap tattoo pigments when they don't seem to care about the paint they spay on kids toys.
Anyhow, I don't think this is the case for you, mainly because it took this much time to appear and you had no initial reaction during and after the healing. I "suspect" that you have recently been outside in the Springtime season when the suns rays are closer to the Earth than any other time of the year and the pigments can react to that and become "puffy", your saying that it's not itchy and irritating tells me that it's not a "rejection" of the skin. I have witnessed this with some of the import pigments received off places like EBay. I may also be a "mild" rejection but I lean towards the sun diagnosis.
So, I would have to say without being a bonified doctor that, breath easy and wait it out as I feel that the puffy area's will subside in time, this area of time will probably be as much as 6 weeks and if it does persist and more importantly become irritating, first consult the shop that executed the tattoo and if you don't feel satisfied with their advice then see your dermatologist. Be cautious of what they recommend to do though and consult LST before committing to something that sounds drastic as some will recommend procedure's based on the quality of insurance you might have.
Keep us up to date on your progress/recovery as there are very knowledgeable people here on this site. Also, it would be good for a you to at least call the place ya got from for input and ya never know, they may need to change up on what they are usein and need to know.
Good luck

Came home last night after burgers and beers, poured a glass of whiskey and turned on the TV. Flipped around and saw the show, caught it about 5 minutes after it started, watched the thing and laughed my ass off. Pretty funny stuff and yeah, it's a TV show, so it's gonna be.. just like a TV show. The best part was the names. HEATHER SIN, B-TATS, AL FLICTION.. Al Fliction is barely clever.. by like the narrowest of margins.. AL FLICTION!!

That is so funny that Sailor Jerry is mentioned, because if you read "American Tattoo Master" he hated Doc Forbes, Lyle Tuttle and Bill Skuse.

I'm a member and a regular here.

I'm a member and a regular here.

I wish I could be there to help you have a good time and get some ink from ya.
Have Fun!

i didnt read the article but heres m2c. by nature pastel colors fade quickly do to exposure to light. so it stands to reason that that would happen when you put them into the skin. i also do believe as i said in a different thread that the technical ability of the person putting them in comes into play a great deal.
but in the end all tattoos will change, some will spread some will fade. to what level, i believe really depends on how a persons body deals with the ink and the technician applying the ink.
ultimately if the client is happy and business is good then its a success. even the people who have bad tattoos that love them, see a great tattoo in their head. figuring out what tattoos are better than others is a moot point. as tattooers we all pretty much are on the same grind so what difference does it really make. as a collector that loves their tattoos what difference does it make if another collector doesnt.

So last week I had a bunch of meetings and one ran late. Since uncle @Lochlan was at the house already I asked if he could pick up our 2 boys from pre-school.
Then I called the school to give them a heads up that the random totally tattooed guy was not trying to kidnap my kids. I tell the supervisor who is very sweet but a little goofy that:
Uncle loch was going to pick up the boys. He is a handsome guy covered in tattoos.
She says no problem and Loch picks up the kids.
Today at drop-off one of the teachers came up to me and said:
Remember the day the boys got picked up by their uncle....the supervisor came in and told us to expect "a handsome guy in tap-shoes" and I was listening for tap shoes

Yeap! 6 hours bike ride done.... Second honeymoon for 23 td anniversary. Left 3 teenagers home, hopefully will have a home to go to...rode to Port Dover Friday the 13th biker event. They said over 150 000 bikers. Insane yet beautiful. Funny moment; there was a shop for tearless airbrushed tattoos. Empty. More ink in that town that i have seen in my whole life. And beer. Vendors of all sorts; the Hells had a children charity going in a booth ( tshirts). A few booths later, lawyers were set up with business cards, saying they were experts in bike accidents and parole violation. Everybody just got along.... Pretty cool if you ask me! Off to Niagara Falls tomorrow.

took a new pic, here's a few pictures from the past month...
June 2

June 21

Today- July 7

Technically this past session shouldn't really start to fade until the 6 week mark so between that and what it should fade from one more session I should be good to go. So glad I went through with this and I'll be happier once the new tattoo gets started :D

First of all, the guy takes me in early for my appointment. WTF? Then he has the nerve to have my tattoo already drawn up and looking perfect.
The SOB even takes the time to work with me on size and placement.
While he's tattooing me, he has a great conversation with my wife and treats her super nicely. Fucking unbelievable.
He takes his time and gives me a gorgeous new tattoo, all the while acting like a consummate professional. Something has to be done about this guy. He's too nice, too professional, and too damn good.

"Buyers Remorse" is allot different with tattoos than tires......Choose wisely

I have to say that YOU make that tattoo look very cool. Tattoos don't make cool as much as the "Individual" can and YOU pull it off perfect!
I don't mean this in a "horney old man" kind of way either.
You appear as the kind of people who keep tattoos cultural, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

Woulda just out this in the "Pet Peeves" thread, but since I'm not a tattooist...
Reading through all of that, man, I felt bad! I've never gone to a shop in any but an immaculately clean condition, wouldn't think of trying to tell an artist how to do his thing, nothing like that, but you know, in the last three or four months, I've probably done some of every pet peeve on there.
Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.
I get tattooed at CTC exclusively. No big news there. I've got six kids, and they are all fascinated by tattoos. My oldest, 25, disregarded my advice and went to a local "shop" on his 18th birthday. He has kept the thing as a reminder not to go there anymore. When he was 16, I brought him and one of his buds into CTC with me to watch part of a six-hour session I had booked with Miles Maniaci. I asked if it was kool for them to come back and watch a bit, and was told it was all good. They watched for maybe a half-hour, then split, then came back later for another maybe half-hour.
That one has gotten two fairly decent-sized pieces from Nick Colella at CTC since then, and was talking to me the other night about how he'd like to have Mario do some Oriental-style work on him. My 18 y.o. son has gotten some good pieces from Nick as well, and both of them are planning on getting more.
When my Lady and I went into CTC to get a matching piece, I had spoken to Nick and e-mailed back an forth with him about the piece we wanted, and he drew it up. We got there, and it just didn't light us up...the execution was great, the idea was just not that good. My Lady spotted some old Sailor Jerry stuff, and we both liked it immediately. I apologized to Nick, and asked if he would do that for us instead. He agreed, and didn't want to hear about being paid for the sketch he did.
I went back last month and had Nick do an old piece of Cliff Raven flash, I had e-mailed him and told him I wanted that, but customized with my kid's names and some other things, asked him to run with it. No pics, just gave him an idea. Went in, took my 14 y.o. daughter and my Lady with me. Asked if they could watch, and again, was told no problem. Looked at the thermo, laid down on the table, and never looked back. Killer piece.
So last week I went back, this time with my 16 y.o. daughter, my 17 y.o. son, and my Lady, got a fairly large chunk of my ribcage done-still hurts like a mofo-and again, asked if they could come back and watch. Again, no problem. I told the kids they had to split if it got crowded, and to stay away from the other artists work stations.
I suppose I'm one of those guys who watches every line being done. Not because I can't wait to see my stylized dreamsickle, but because the craft, the art, the skill, blows my mind, even after all these years of being tattooed. I ask questions about equipment, I ask questions about technique. I wouldn't dream of trying to tattoo in a million years, I am just curious as hell, and am amazed at the development of the equipment-and techniques-that have taken place in the 38 years since I first walked into CTC and plunked down my $20 for my first pro tattoo.
Even with all that ignorance, Nick and Mario have never blown me off, always answered any question I've asked, and never treated me like a mark. Last week, I was asking about power-supplies. I had seen a fairly high-end power-supply/regulator at American Science and Surplus in Milwaukee, and wondered if it would be worth buying and bringing in for them. Mario was gracious enough to explain the advancements in power-supplies, and why it was better to use purpose-built units than to adapt others, and he didn't even make me out to be stupid.
I've always told my kids to be quiet, to be respectful, and to stay out of the way. When they do come back, I ask where they should sit or stand, and make sure they stay there. If I have a coat, a hat, glasses, whatever, I ask where I can put them so they won't be in someone's way. I turn my phone off, and make sure anyone with me has their phone off.
I'll be going back to CTC as soon as my ribs heal to start sleeving-in my left arm. I have a bunch of work on it from Dale Grande, and a bit from Mark Miller. It's all connected, but Nick is going to put it all together for me. I guess I should rethink bringing my kids with, but to us, it's a big deal, something we do together. Guess I'll talk to Nick, and make sure it's okay with him, and with the other artists working there before I do.
I know there are a lot of jag customers out there, I've seen 'em. Maybe there's a way to get 'em to go only to the jag scratchers that abound?! Went into a place local up here, I had met the owner's wife where she works. The owners apprentice was the only one there, and I heard about the shop he had that "went under because the assholes around here work too cheap", I hear fuck this, fuck that, fuck the next thing, I got cigarette smoke blown in my face, and ya know, the guy never even asked if I was interested in getting a tattoo.
Guess I missed my chance with him.

My first tattoo at a shop, I was 21. I walked near closing time, for a large stomach tattoo. I didn't know any better at the time. So I was quickly informed of my stupidity and quoted a high
price. Which I said I would pay. The point I am trying to make, is no body was trying to be my friend, or give me great customer service and they should not have to. All anyone should expect walking in to a tattoo shop is a good clean tattoo. After that tattoo I went back for more, and more. Years later I started tattooing, and I still get tattooed at that shop. I actually may be leaving the shop I am at now because I have a job interview there on Monday. I just feel like a shop should look appealing(good work, clean) but be some what intimidating at the same time. That way people don't ask you if they can do dumb shit while they are getting tattooed. I hate those situations, I always feel awkward being the voice of reason. And I always feel like they can read on my face, me cursing them in my head.

That is BA! Thanks for the treat. Can't help but love a tattoo you can see from across the room and know what it is but that can be seen from across the street, very cool.
All said and done, it's the skill, pigment and the care of the artist's that tattoo "for the long run" e.g. those whom, with the foresight and forethought, that tattoo with longevity in mind and not a pic for the portfolio. This is to say that, when someone enters into your establishment and a tattoo you did 21 plus years ago is still holding well in pigment and they are there for another tattoo and not a "renewal" then you have validation that you have been doing "true tattooing in it's intended form" for those 21 plus years.
Dye lotts and maintaining proper pigments is a major key in the answer to the question posed here as longevity is the goal. I think we all can admit to ourselves that if you do a color portrait with a dozen shades of this and another dozen of that and still another dozen shades of another color until you have forty caps of ink from varying suppliers then you can expect a somewhat tye dye effect in the long run of the life of the tattoo and the smile on the customer, ha!
Mixing down the individual color and creating multiple shades from the same "tried and true" color lott's should yield the best results for longevity sake. I started maintaining my "dye lotts" in the early 80's and still have pigments I stocked from back when and what started me on that road was when I had read George Burchetts memoirs where he spoke of the difficulty he had in searching and collecting "ink" in a day and age where most if not all of what you could obtain was of quill pen "ink" variety, it almost begs the question of "what" he used when he tattooed the Queen out of her Doctors"surgery" as he called it.
A fine example of obtaining good pigment in more recent times would be when "tribal" came to be so popular in the USA, simple bold black.....it was like everybody was stumped for finding something so simple and I was one of those spending loads on what some claimed was the best, I threw out several tubbs of stuff I had good money in and reworked for free what boomeranged back while experimenting, ha! Truth had it that pitch black was always around all along, it just took some mixing to create something you would never use for detail work as it needs to be at that "stain" value.
Anyhow, I always bear in mind the longevity of what I do whether portrait or Pegasus, makes for good rep return business and ultimately is what should be considered "proper" in tattooing for the sake of the trade.