nmkcle

We have all been on their searching every day. Something will turn up eventually, unfortunately we think it is some one who tattoos, they took other things that just led us to believe they were some how in the know. Thanks for the kind words.

Beginning of this month, November 6th or 7th about 15 machines were stolen from our shop. No leads yet so figured I would reach out to anyone in the greater Cleveland area that may have heard anything or bought something that seemed to good to be true. Items to look out for: Roy Rogers rotary with floral design on the canister, Lucky's supply one off nickel plated liner, stamped with a small anchor next to the binding post, one inch coils. Random one offs, one engraved with ''SARAH Cleveland Scum" , two of them built on Glyn Flew Waters frames one has a Seth Ciferri a-bar(says it on the a-bar) the other has a rear coil that is split in the middle from Surreal Customs. Two Workhorse Irons machines, Soba pilot 2011 and Seth Ciferri Owen 2012. Anyone with information please Contact West Anchor Tattoo Via facespace, call or message me through LST.

Thanks,

Nathan

Yeah sports...

I have noticed that there are a lot more of these "tattoo supply delivery" trucks entering the supply market. I think it's important that our money, the industry money, be invested back into our industry, or into peoples businesses who care about our industry. We are being preyed upon by companies who view us as a resource to be tapped. Don't let laziness open the door for these opportunists to leech off of us. Spend your money on quality products from quality vendors. Those trucks supply the kitchen wizards and unchecked amateurs that are cancer to our business

I hate blood suckers and feel bad for them at the same time. They don't understand tattooers or tattoo community, they only care about lining their pockets. I agree with not supporting these places(headshops, trucks or whatever crap shack you can buy a needle)and tell others to do the same.

I was in a smoke shop in San Diego this past week and noticed they had some tattoo books, so I was like "cool, these prices are totally reasonable". Then I turned around an saw tattoo supplies. I put my stuff back and walked out. I hate places like that. They have no f*ck!ng clue.

I know it is in Brooklyn, but I would suggest anyone at Smith Street. That's where I would go anyway. You referenced Smith street but Dan S. And Eli do some pretty diverse stuff.

Gross!

Sounds scary and disgusting. I agree with Flores to good to be true.

I say just laugh it off. Probably half the time the people are thinking about that tattoo they wanted when they were young and did not get. So they are just envious of yours. When My wife and I go to the public pool I always come out after her so I have to gaze around till I see her, every time I always think to myself, man why are these people looking at me. Then I remember I have a crap load of tattoos. The stares are funny. Get used to them and laugh.

What is the difference between a person with tattoos and a person without tattoos.

The person with tattoos doesn't care if you don't have any.

I think I heard that on here before I just thought it applied to this article. To each his own, he has to live with him self, and he will probably die bitter and alone. Having only his poorly written journalism left behind as his mark. Kind of feel sorry for someone so closed minded.

Detroit...what else can ya say?

Guy that got jacked did have at least two pieces, but yeah, it wouldn't instill confidence in me to get tattooed by him!

I agree. I had an interview at a shop a couple years ago in the summer. The gentleman were wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts. One guy had a skull cheese work thing on the deltoid the other guy had some little crap on his hands. That's it. I did not take the job strictly based on that. Just felt they were not in it for the same reasons . And the one guy had flip flops on. Nothing against flip flops, they're comfortable and all, I just would not wear them to work.

I hesitate to do all this politlcal shit on what is a forum for and about tattooing.

That said, there seems to be no one more intolerant than one who espouses tolerance.

If you don't want to tattoo something, that's fine, totally your business. But don't call the "racist" bullshit if you're willing to do the portraits of Che, the clenched fist, the Hammer and Sickle, all those other symbols that are, ultimately, racist.

The swastika is derived from the Sunwheel, which was/is a symbol used by the ancestory of ALL White people for thousands of years before a group of fanatical SOCIALISTS cloaked themselves in Nationalism and used it as a symbol of their regime. Many people still use the sunwheel, or various iterations of the swastika, as a sign of their beliefs.

MAny people today still have swastikas tattooed on them that have no political meaning whatsoever. I know it's hard for someone that is, say, in their twenties or early thirties to imagine an era before political correctness, but int he sixties and seventies, the swastika was extensively used, especially by "bikers", as an emblem to shock, or to express their alienation from society.

This does not make them racist.

If such a person were to get that tattoo retouched, it could well be nothing more than refreshing their memories of that time. If a person got such a tattoo in prison, it's quite possible that they have an attachment to it that transcends politics or race. A mark of survival, if you will.

I've posted before that I've done too many "bad" things to judge ANYONE for anything. I guess I've lost touch with that essence of absolute innocence and conviction that allows one to condemn sommeone they know nothing of because of a symbol they have tattooed on them.

And just to prove what a racist I am, my oldest son's Godfather is Puerto Rican, my Granddaughter is a quarter "Native-American", and my best friend and main partner is half-Riquenoo tambien.

To be truly tolerant of others means to be able to be tolerant of them even when you don't agree with them.

.02

Thank you for your input.

Hey man this was never about the symbol. And I agree with you on politics having little to do with tattoos. I just wanted some feed back as to whether or not I am being a jerk for refusing to do something I am very capable of doing. It just happened to be a Nazi swastika. And Swastikas were around way before white people. I have seen cuneiform writing with swastika like patterns. Most people however attribute it to Hopi Indians, Buddhist, and India. None of which are white people. I understand the hammer and sickle Stalin thing. Not to well versed on the whole communism thing but I get it. But seriously, comparing a black power fist to a Nazi swastika is reaching. That fist symbolizes empowerment over oppression. It was used to rally for unity and more over safety of black people. If you have any doubt of this read about Cointelpro, War on black America you may change your mind.

So that was the first tattoo I had to now turn down. I have not had to do that before, I like the challenge of people bringing in whatever non tattoo able reference and drawing it to make a tattoo. Or using old flash as reference. I have no issues with any ones beliefs, so long as they don't take it to my door step.

Like I said though, the shop he was at before quoted even higher. Like 100 dollars higher. Poor guy may never be able to polish his bigotry. (< sarcasm)

exactly. And in quoting high, you adversely affect your name. To him and the people he speaks to, you charge exorbitant rates for simple cleanup work. At the end of the day, he gets to be who he is openly without sweating how it's received and so should you. Neither of you has to explain yourselves. Judgment is deciding what other people should do, integrity is deciding what you should do...always do one and seldom the other and you should be alright, in work and in life.

Two weeks ago, a guy came in on a busy walk-in day wanting an iron cross with a swastika wrapped around it. We simply told him we don't do them, we're not the place -- short and sweet, on to the next.

Further back, I had a guy who wanted to clean up some old stuff and expand it into a sleeve. What he showed me was no problem but when he came back and took his shirt off, he revealed a huge swastika on his ribs and some SS insignia, stuff like that. He made his choices in life, that's his business. What I do is mine so I gave him some good ideas for the reworking of his current tattoos, told him I don't do that stuff but I can work around it with the new work. No lengthy discussion needed. He was on board with the solid ideas I had for his sleeve so I turned up the soul music and got to work. He got some great tattoos, I turned him on to quality work and he came back week after week, then sent his friends in.

Had I bullshitted him until he left instead of speaking freely we both would have missed out on the chance to get some good work going.

yes, I agree, and like I said lesson learned, in the future I will just be straight up with him. Tell I won't do certain things. It was just the first time it happened to me and I did not think it would happen in a Cleveland Ghetto. Seen a lot covered just not any requests for redoing them. Kind of threw me. But I have my bearing now thanks.

Way to go. Nice way to start things off, and looks great so far.

I won't do faces, I will do head neck and hands but only if they have made their way there.

All right. Let me go over this one last time. I gave him a steep price hoping he would walk. He accepted the price because the shop he was at just before that, quoted even higher.

I did not and will not do the tattoo. I also won't do any tattoo that will impact someones life(wearer or viewer)in a negative way. The guy did not show up and did not really set an appointment it was kind of tentative. When and if he comes back I will tell him what I just told to you. Cool pictures by the way,I imagine you have a nice collection going. Thanks for the feed back as well. Everyone has been really helpful on this topic.

And I would tattoo a swastika, if it had absolutely zero Nazi affiliation.

nmkcle is the swastika the only symbol you would not tattoo?

I did not mean to agree, as I said my contingency for this situation was flawed. And if you read the first part of the thread you will have the answer for this question.

Again to reiterate; the situation I was in questioning has nothing to do with a symbol. It has to do with me refusing to do something based on my beliefs, and whether or not I am still doing my job or just being a jerk. In the future when I refuse to do thing I do not believe in and the customer becomes angry because of it, they have that right. I can't get mad at them, for being mad at me for refusing to do their tattoo.

I don't do that stuff, not because I'm half Puerto Rican which is the case but because I choose not to makey money on stuff that's in direct opposition to my conscience. You don't have to pass judgment to tell someone straight up that they're entitled to get what they want but they won't get it from you. I understand that it can be difficult for the first time it walks in the door and you're unprepared so get prepared. Determine your boundaries on how you choose to make your living and stay true to them. Everyone I work with knows what I will or won't do and respects my decisions. What I believe I don't push on people but I believe firmly enough that I never feel conflicted. A lot of us got into all of this because we choose to live on our own terms. I've never felt the need to trade that in for a day's pay.

Thanks. That is pretty much how I feel I just wanted some reassurance. I played the scenario out in my head, it just didn't go the way I planned. Lesson learned. Rather than beating around the bush I will just say sorry, can't help you with that.

Oh yeah-don't misspell "Racist" if you tattoo it on someone.

Dan, didn't mean to and was not trying to strike a nerve with the racist thing. My dilemma was whether or not I would be in the right to refuse to tattoo him. And as far as where it comes from. From his perspective... well I doubt that he knows it is a Hopi Indian sign as well as variations appearing in several other cultures before appearing in a George Lanz book and being adopted by Nazi party, thus becoming a symbol for tyranny, genocide and of course racism. He did not show up by the way and like I said, not here to judge, just wondering if I am an asshole for refusing to do something because I don't see things the way a customer does.

I personally want nothing to do with that guy and I hope he doesn't come in. I don't want to put my name or the shop name on his lips.

@nmkcle: At the top of every forum (you have to actually click on a forum and get the full list of threads in it), you should see a large, incredibly obvious, red button labeled "Post new thread".

Thanks man. I am an idiot.

So I have only been out of apprentice status for just under two years. I knew eventually I would come across this situation but my solution did not play out as I thought it would. So this dude comes in the shop covered in prison tattoos, for the most part they were actually done well. So we get to talking and he said his reason for coming in is to have some things redone, just gone over he says "brighten them up" I believe is the term he used. So I ask to see what he wants done. The first one is an old Cleveland radio station logo, the other is an iron cross with a giant blazing red swastika in the center. Now our shop is in the hood, so it took balls for him to even walk in there. My solution for this problem in my head was to quote a high price in hopes they would walk away. If it is not already apparent, I don't want to do this tattoo, strictly based on the content, and a promise I made to my self to never do anything overtly hateful that may have a negative impact on the client or others they may see it.

So my query is if I refuse to do it I am refusing to do my job, which he is allowed to be mad at me about because I am condemning him for his beliefs. I am not there to judge I am there to provide tattoos. O, I forgot to mention, he accepted the price on the count that the shop he was at just before quoted him even higher than I did and said he would come and see me Saturday. That's today, shit.

Congratulations. Not sure what something like that entails but it sounds involved. Very ignorant when it comes to computers, I don't even know how to start a thread... How do you start a thread? I actually have an issue I am quite conflicted with, and would like to discuss and get tattooer and tattoo enthusiast opinions on.