Tattoo Needle Sizes report
Whether you are new to tattooing or a customer in a tattoo shop, various tattoo needle types, diameters, tapers, and needle counts can be hard for you to understand. Each tattoo artist uses tattoo needles more often than any other item. You will also need to clearly understand different groupings and sizes if you plan to begin your business.
Normally, you might be confused by all the different types and sizes of tattoo needles available. Understanding the tattoo needles cannot be as complicated as you think. Finding tattoo shops nearby will help you have an exceptional understanding of the different types available and their sizes.
We are talking to you about the sizes and uses of different tattoo needles. Remember, you should use a fresh new tattoo needle every time. This article will help you make sense of the tattoo sizes, assist you in making the most informed decision possible when it comes to buying tattoo needles.
Tattoo Needle Types
There is a lot to learn on the road to becoming one of the best tattoo artists. This section introduces different tattoo needles for you, and these options fall into six basic types of tattoo needles:
Round Liner needles
The pins on round liner needles are soldered in a round pattern to produce crisp, clean lining tattoo work. A numerical value describes the thickness. 01 would be fine, and 14 is exceptionally thick. These needles don’t let a lot of ink out at once, so they can be used for details and dot work.
Round Shader needles
Round shaders are similar to round liners, but the needle's pins are not close together. Besides doing thicker lines, they can also be used for color filling and basic shading.
Magnum Shader needles
The magnum shader needles are preferred for many different types of shading and are great for bigger areas. They hold and deliver a lot of ink, making them perfect for large color packing and shading areas, which means less trauma to the skin.
Double Stack Magnum Shader needles
This type has gone out of fashion somewhat. It helps for any intricate shading or colorwork because double stack magnum shader needles can disperse a lot of ink, but they are designed to do so very evenly and not cause pain or damage to the skin.
Flat Shader Needles
Flat shader needles are soldered in a straight line on the needle bar and can deliver lots of ink into the skin at once for dark shading. Larger flat needles can be used for color fills and shading as they deliver more ink quickly with just one pass.
Tattoo Needle Gauge (Diameter)
The gauge of a tattoo needle is directly linked to ink flow. The narrower the gauge or diameter, the more controlled and finer the ink flow is. The higher the diameter, the thicker the tattoo needle and the more area it will fill at one time. The gauge is indicated by a number (usually 8, 10, or 12) and diameter by a millimeter measurement. Size10 is the most commonly used.
- #8 gauge (0.25MM)
It is a small needle, and they are often called Bugpins; the ink flows a bit slower so it is good for intricate detailing.
- #10 gauge (0.30MM)
This is very popular among tattoo artists, and it tends to be the middle ground. It gives a steady flow but doesn't restrict and slow down as much as the #8 gauge. People referring to double zeros are talking about this size.
- #12 gauge (0.35MM)
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.
Tattoo Needle Sizes and Uses Chart
The table below shows tattoo needle sizes 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: round liner needles
- RS: round shader needles
- RM: round magnum needles
- F: flat needles
- M1: weaved magnum needles
- M2: stacked magnum needles
NEEDLE GROUPING | TUBE SIZE | COMMON USES |
---|---|---|
4F, 5F | 4 – 5 flat | Lines and detail |
6F, 7F | 6 – 7 flat | Shading, thick lines, and color fill |
9F | 8 – 9 flat | Shading and color fill |
5M1 | 4 – 5 flat | Thick lines, color fill, and shading |
7M1 | 6 – 7 flat | Lines, shading, and color fill |
9M1 | 8 – 9 flat | Thick outlines, shading, color fill |
11M1 | 11 flat | Color fill and shading |
13M1 | 13 flat | Color fill and shading |
15M1 | 15 flat | Color fill and shading |
5M2, 7M2, 9M2 | 4 – 5 flat | Outlines, lines, detail, and shading |
11M2, 13M2 | 6 -7 flat | Thick outlines, thick lines, shading, and color fill |
15M2 | 8 – 9 flat | Color fill and shading |
5MR | 4 – 5 flat | Small lines, detail work, and intricate shading |
7MR | 6 – 7 flat | Lines, shading, color fill, and detail work |
9MR | 8 – 9 flat | Outlines, shading, and color fill |
11MR | 11 flat | Color fill and shading |
13MR | 13 flat | Color fill and shading |
15MR | 15 flat | Color fill and shading |
1RL, 3RL | 1 – 3 round | Lines, intricate shading, and fill-in |
4RL, 5RL | 4 – 5 round | Outlines, shading, and fill-in |
7RL | 7 round | Shading and color fill |
8RL, 9RL | 8 – 9 round | Shading, thick outlines, and color fill |
11RL, 14 RL | 11 – 14 round | Shading and colors |
3RS | 1 – 3 round | Lines and detail |
5RS | 4 – 5 round | Lines, small shading areas, and small detail |
7RS | 7 round | Shading, lines, small area fill in |
8RS, 9RS | 8 – 9 round | Shading, thick outlines, and color fill in |
14RS | 11 – 14 round | Shading and color |
4F, 5F | 4 – 5 flat | Lines and detail |
6F, 7F | 6 – 7 flat | Shading, thick lines, and fill |
9F | 8 – 9 flat | Shading and color fill |
5M1 | 4 – 5 flat | Thick lines, color fill, and shading |
7M1 | 6 – 7 flat | Lines, shading, and color fill |
9M1 | 8 – 9 flat | Thick outlines, shading, color fill |
11M1 | 11 flat | Color fill and shading |
13M1 | 13 flat | Color fill and shading |
15M1 | 15 flat | Color fill and shading |
5M2, 7M2, 9M2 | 4 – 5 flat | Outlines, lines, detail, and shading |
11M2, 13M2 | 6 -7 flat | Thick outlines/lines, shading, and color fill |
15M2 | 8 – 9 flat | Color fill and shading |
5MR | 4 – 5 flat | Small lines, detail work, and intricate shading |
7MR | 6 – 7 flat | Lines, shading, color fill, and detail work |
9MR | 8 – 9 flat | Outlines, shading, and color fill |
11MR | 11 flat | Color fill and shading |
13MR | 13 flat | Color fill and shading |
15MR | 15 flat | Color fill and shading |
As you can see, there are a lot of different varieties when it comes to tattoo needle sizing. I hope the above chart will help you understand the different types and sizes of tattoo needles. Choosing the right tattoo needles is all about matching up what tattoo pattern you want to achieve and using different needle types for different uses.