They were self regulated by the tattoo industry. Shops wouldn't sell them to you online or in person without a license or a verified shop claiming you. Then, Amazon started selling cheap, Chinese knock off kits to whoever had access to a credit card.
This as well as the safety thing. Cross contamination is no joke! Also, a setting that isn't luring sexual assault victims to a private residence. A front facing shop lends accountability in a few fronts, like taxes and comradery between shops, too.
Some of my highest quality tatts were done by people who weren't certed and hadn't ever worked at a shop. If one was interested in buying a machine, and really wanted one, they were easily available and always have been.
If one is interested in a machine, one can be made with a radio, but that does not mean there was not a collective culture in tattoo machine selling to try to keep machines in studios.
As for quality, in my experience cleanliness and safety could not be guaranteed in a shop even with the certificates and licenses.
As for quality, in my experience cleanliness and safety could not be guaranteed in a shop even with the certificates and licenses.
I'd say that the home artists I went to were more paranoid about cleanliness than the certified shops were. And the worst linework I've ever got was at a very reputable shop, and I payed out the nose for it....
I've done 3 tattoos with a tattoo gun made of a guitar string, eraser, and electric toothbrush.
One was a plain black ring around my friend's finger
Another was "METAL" inside another friend's lip
And the other was on my roommate's arm, a terrible drawing with an apology for the quality written under it in big letters. [ETA] I forgot about the big smiley face under the words because he thought it sounded too angry
If I wanted to doxx myself, I'd post the last one because it's very unique and hilarious.
My first tattoo was done with a homemade machine. I was 15 years old. I covered it up when I was 21 and then I covered the coverup when I got my first sleeve at 26.
15 Comments
L0rdMathias@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 1y
Tattoo machines were regulated?
AndegAbid@lemmy.ca · 15 pts · 1y
They were self regulated by the tattoo industry. Shops wouldn't sell them to you online or in person without a license or a verified shop claiming you. Then, Amazon started selling cheap, Chinese knock off kits to whoever had access to a credit card.
xeekei@lemm.ee · 11 pts · 1y
Maybe they wanted to avoid people tattooing rose vines that look more like ballsacks on their skin.
AndegAbid@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1y
This as well as the safety thing. Cross contamination is no joke! Also, a setting that isn't luring sexual assault victims to a private residence. A front facing shop lends accountability in a few fronts, like taxes and comradery between shops, too.
Sturgist@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1y
Some of my highest quality tatts were done by people who weren't certed and hadn't ever worked at a shop. If one was interested in buying a machine, and really wanted one, they were easily available and always have been.
AndegAbid@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1y
If one is interested in a machine, one can be made with a radio, but that does not mean there was not a collective culture in tattoo machine selling to try to keep machines in studios.
As for quality, in my experience cleanliness and safety could not be guaranteed in a shop even with the certificates and licenses.
Sturgist@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1y
I'd say that the home artists I went to were more paranoid about cleanliness than the certified shops were. And the worst linework I've ever got was at a very reputable shop, and I payed out the nose for it....
Punchshark@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 1y
Not regulated, but most reputable suppliers will not sell to anyone that does not work in a shop.
But now that amazon exists, we get to see all these horrible pieces!
AFreeLarryHoover@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 1y
I’m digging the heart-butts though.
BenLeMan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
You mean the half-finished cock and balls?
glimse@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
I've done 3 tattoos with a tattoo gun made of a guitar string, eraser, and electric toothbrush.
One was a plain black ring around my friend's finger
Another was "METAL" inside another friend's lip
And the other was on my roommate's arm, a terrible drawing with an apology for the quality written under it in big letters. [ETA] I forgot about the big smiley face under the words because he thought it sounded too angry
If I wanted to doxx myself, I'd post the last one because it's very unique and hilarious.
Punchshark@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1y
My first tattoo was done with a homemade machine. I was 15 years old. I covered it up when I was 21 and then I covered the coverup when I got my first sleeve at 26.
Noodle07@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Funny coming from someone with laser as their username
Punchshark@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1y
Right back at ya, noodle...
Noodle07@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Damn now I need a noodle tatoo