Goddamned Scratchers

I'm standing around the shop today chillin' with my counter guy when this dirty ass dude walks in and we're thinkin he wants to get tattooed. He walks up to us and asks, and i quote: "Y'all know anywhere around here where i can buy a tat gun?" I stared at him for a second like 'is this guy for real?' I asked him if he had a shop, even though we knew full well he didnt if he's referring to it as a 'tat gun'. He said no and i told him that he wouldnt be able to buy anything since he wanst a tattooist. Most good suppliers wont sell to just anyone. Of course there are places out there that just want to make a quick buck and will sell to anyone, but he didnt need to know that. He left empty handed, no better off than when he came in. The more i thought about it, the more pissed off i became. Most of us have heard about those recent infections in the midwest and all the arrests that have been made in connection with these kitchen magicians. As if it wasnt bad enough, they're still poppin' up everywhere and they have the balls to show their faces in professional shops. I started to think that i should have told this guy that he was scum and if he didnt leave our shop in less than 3 seconds we would have called the cops on his ass. I think its safe to say that if we see his monkey ass around our neck of the woods again, we're breakin 'em down something nasty.

Yeow O.o You know, I honestly don't think a good percentage of these guys have any clue at all. I mean, seriously, I dont think they understand how dire the consequences are for people they are working on. It's got my gears rollin...... I'm thinkin of doing a site now. The "So you think you want to tattoo people in your kitchen, because no one will apprentice ya." site. Maybe, if some of these guys knew what kind of serious harm they could be causing, they will stop and go about it the right way, instead of the way of instant grat. Just a pondering....

Think I'd have to agree with Saiyge, I've found most of the ones I've talked to don't seem to have a clue as to the possible consequences, rarely, if ever have any concept of what cross contamination even MEANS, let alone how to avoid it. The horror stories I've heard over the years and the excuses I've heard...jezz., the morons who think they can sterilize their equipment w/listerine (no shit) or rubbing alcohol, even had one try to tell me he sterilizes his needles/tubes in the microwave, unfortunately I am NOT making this up. I guess all we can do is try to educate people but I have long known that's an uphill battle and most of 'em don't bother to investigate until AFTER they let some 'kitchen magician' work on them. Some of that crap can't even be salvaged (reworked) or covered up if they get scarred up bad. Something I might suggest to others is the policy I've had for years, I will not work on ANYONE who has a tattoo from ANYONE whose sterlization/blood borne paths contol I question for a minimum of six months from when they got it. Most problems resulting from poor sterilization, dangerous pigments, etc.,will manifest within the first six months, it's called CYA- cover your ass for those who didn't know. I sometimes question the real sense to fixing/covering up that stuff. Think about it, true, we could repair it, cover it up and, obviously, make money from it BUT (now follow me a moment) don't we also thereby HIDE the crap these bozos are doing and thereby preventing people from seeing the crap some of these morons are doing and what they could end up with if they are not carefull and, ultimately, sorta helping them stay in business? Think about it, I have

No Saiyge my sweet...They DO NOT give a DAMN about who they give horrible infections to...they are the scum of the earth. I am surprised someone doesn't kill one of the low life grease weasels! Mario..if the dude would have come to MY shop ...well...we DON"T call 911!...I have been known to lock the door behind one of these creeps and yell at em for a while...tell em just what we think of em...send em out with their fuggin tails between their dirtlegs! But ya know what I think is worse?...The scumbags who will let these morons tattoo on them...I just do not get it! What person in their right mind would allow some greasy fuck with fungus growin under their fingernails perform an invasive proceedure on them?...Are people just THAT stupid? And its not just the street "scratchers" either...Had a girl who was tattooing in a local shop located about 4 blocks from my shop...she called and wanted to bring in her portfolio to apply for a job...was a college grad....she came in with the WORST artwork I have EVER seen...I mean BAD!!...I asked her what kind of machines she used and she said.."oh you know the one with flames and the black one"...JESUS!!! And this girl had been tattooing at a shop...WITH A VALID LICENSE for 6 months!!! She was a sweet kid and I tried to be nice but dammit she knew NOTHING about art OR tattooing....How did ANYONE allow her to tattoo them after seeing her portfolio I just cannot understand... She saw Ant sterilizing some stuff and wanted to know what the FUNNY LITTLE BAGS WERE FOR!!!...Then asked what that weird lookin chrome thing was (autoclave!)..I asked what they sterilized in and she said a pressure cooker on a hot plate!...FUCK!!!!!!! And we wonder why there are killer infections running rampant! We gotta do something!...NOW!!!...TAz

I remember that girl. You asked me to be at the shop early to check her stuff out. You know, I have been considering going back to school strictly for art but seeing what I saw...hmmm. Now I am not trying to be mean, or talk down about someone. Like Taz said, she was a very sweet young lady, but I haven't taken an art class since middle school and I can guarentee that I can produce better work than what I saw that day. And what was even more sad was that she was licenced at one point. Wow! This what we are "competing" with at our shop. It blows my mind! And then on top of that are the droves of kitchen scratchers. There was an individual whom I work with at a previous job about 4 years ago that was and probably still doing that shit. And I distinctly recall him saying one day, "I can't draw to save my life. I just love the art part of tattooing." WHAT THE FUCK?!? .... 5 minutes later he was scratching some of the worst blue flames I have ever seen and he kept asking me when I was going to let him do one on me! I never let him touch a enth of my skin, but boy if i knew then what I know now.... I'll punch a dumb motherfucker!