Many customers ask us how to choose the proper tattoo needles, the difference between Round Liner (RL) and Round Magnum (RM), Round Shader (RS), Flat Shader, Hollow Round Liners, and so on. A Tattoo Needle is a collection of Steel pins organized in a certain pattern. Today, let’s talk about tattoo needles.
Tattoo Needles Size Guide
Selecting a needle totally depends on your skill and the art you are going to make. There are numerous tattoo needles on the market. Due to its many models or sizes, first you will choose the size of the wire from which the pins are made, then you will select the pattern in which the pins are organized and soldered.
About the diameter of the wire out of which the tattoo needles are made.
It is simple to understand; it is the diameter of each needle on the tattoo needle, normally determined based on the thickest part of the needle.
The thickness of a tattoo needle is important as it affects the flow of tattoo ink and the damage it causes to the body's skin. The finer the diameter, the less the flow of tattoo ink is, the more controllable it is, or the impact on the body's skin is relatively small, so it is ideal for lines & fine lines Operation; the thicker the tattoo needle diameter, the more tattoo ink flow will be distributed, which can speed up the injection speed of tattoo ink, which is more suitable for the operation of shadow.
Overall, there are five diameters of the wire out of which a tattoo needle is made off.
#6=0.20 mm (Best Suitable for PMU or making hair thin line)
#8=0.25 mm (Best Suitable for detailed Minatare and portrait art work Like Portrait, Eyes etc)
#10=0.30 mm (Most commonly used for Lining, balanced in terms of Needles strength and fine art work)
#12=0.35 mm (Most commonly used and known as 'Standard Pins' for Tribal art work, Color Packing and Shading work)
#13=0.40 mm (Rarely used, Mainly for Full back Tribal work and Big work in Thigh etc)
Know the needle count of tattoo needles
It refers to the number of needles in a group of needles, and the number of needles directly affects the size of the needles and the coverage space when tattooing.
NEEDLE CONFIGURATIONS (Patterns) + USES
Your needle configuration describes how your needles are organized in a grouping. With so many different types of needles available, only experience can make you expert in picking the correct needle size and pattern. Check out some of the most prevalent needle configurations below, along with some of their most common tattoo applications.
Round Liners (RL)
Round liners are arranged in a circular (round) arrangement, the pins soldered closely and tightly to make it pointed from the tip, allowing you to draw exact lines. Choose tight round liners to achieve thinner, more precise linework. Ink flows between the pins if pins are too close then thick ink does not flow out nicely, so it should be balanced out.
Round Shaders (RS)
Round shaders, like round liners, have a round structure. The difference is that the needles are more spaced out than in a round liner, allowing you to shade (or even draw thick lines). These are similar to the painting brush; pins are soldered loosely allowing you to give a shading color effect on the smaller areas.
Hollow Liners (HL)
Hollow liners are the same as liners, just the centre pin is missing. needles have a hollowed-out centre, allowing for more ink flow and bolder tattooing. Used by artists with fast hand movement, Single move will make a bold line on skin.
Flat(F)
Flat needle clusters can be easily angled when arranged in a single straight line. These are like flat brushes with one single. Mostly used by Beginners as this type is easy to handle and slow in the work. such, they are ideal for creating exact shapes in geometric tattooing.
Magnum Tattoo Needles
All magnum tattoo needles have two rows of needles stacked together. They cover a big region of skin and give a lot of pigment.
Weaved Magnums (M1)
Weaved magnums have two rows of needles arranged in a "weaved" configuration. For example, a woven magnum needle will have more needles in the bottom row than the top. The spacing between the weaved needles makes them ideal for blending and shading work. These are the most commonly used needles after liners. Faster to work with, Ink flows very Nicely etc
Stacked Magnums
Stacked magnums are firmly packed together to increase color saturation. When it comes to color packing, reach for your stacked magnums. Solid Colors packing is best with these types but because of the configuration you may end up doing more damage to the skin in comparison to the weaved magnums.
Curved/Round Magnums ( CM or RM )
Curved magnums, also known as soft edge, soft, or round magnums, form a group with an arch shape. Similar to Weaved Magnums except the tip is not the straight line, it’s the arc. This helps them to better follow the curvature of the skin (resulting in less damage). For gentler shading techniques, consider using curved magnums.
NEEDLE TAPERS
Needle taper is the distance from the tip of your tattoo needle to the beginning of its thickest point (see above). The length of your tattoo needle's taper determines how much ink may flow from its tips. A needle with a longer taper will insert less ink, and vice versa for a shorter taper.
You'll most likely need needles with longer tapers for finer, more delicate work. Shorter needle tapers are ideal for your bolder linework and color packing. Mainly used in lining needles
Overall, shorter taper lengths are the most preferred option. Their continuous flow of ink enables a wide range of tattooing techniques. Preferred I shading needles
Taper Measurements
As previously stated, shorter taper lengths are usual, specifically 1.5mm tapers. However, you can still choose from a wide range of taper lengths.
Short Taper — 1.5mm
Long Taper — 2.0mm
Double Long Taper — 2.5mm
Extra Long Taper — 3.5mm
Super Long Taper — 5.5mm
Super Extra Long Taper — 8.0mm
OTHER TATTOO NEEDLE FEATURES
Beyond the four primary needle components, there are a few extra options to consider while searching for tattoo needles.
Benefits of Textured Needles
Textured tattoo needles have tiny grooves along their surface. This permits them to store (and deposit) more ink. For this reason, many painters choose to use textured needles for all of their color packing. "Polished" tattoo needles (more often used) have a smoother surface and can contain less ink.
Which Brand to Pick.
We provide both standard bar needles and high-quality cartridge needles to suit your needs.
Brands include
Kwadron Tattoo Cartridge Needles
Falcon Tattoo Cartridge Needles
Utopian Artistry Tattoo Cartridge Needles
Cheyenne Safety Tattoo Cartridge Needles
FYT Tattoo Cartridge Needles and others.
Browse our full tattoo cartridge needle collection.
Refer back to this information at any time while selecting the best tattoo needles for you. Time, practice, and experimentation are all necessary to determine the ideal tattoo needles for your style.