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Steeldrifter

Tattoos

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Quick & easy....who here has one, and all crap aside if you don't want to read below, does it hurt? lol

I've managed 5 decades without ever getting one, but just made an apt for Friday at the local place to get looked at/quote for what I want. Been thinking a lot over the past few yrs about what I would really want for life on my body. And keep coming back to one thing, I know it's somewhat common, but I want to get "We The People" in the calligraphy text on my right forearm, with a bit of the American flag as a background. Thats American, 2nd Amend, something I will never regret on my body so thats why I decided on that. Anyway... No color, want the flag to just be faded and blk/wht so that the text stands out.

So as never had one before...does it hurt? What am I looking at time/pain wise? 😆

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I have several and all have a meaning and most are family related. I have a heart on my left,inside forearm that is comprised of my grandkids names and DOB's. I have several smallish ribbons on the interior right forearm signifying family members passing. I have a pink Breast cancer ribbon,top left chest honoring an aunt that survived 4 different cancers ,starting n the 70's with Breast cancer, and ending just a few years ago from the brain cancer that she didnt survive. Brave lady, never once complained. I have one on each sholder. One is a Duck riding a Marlin. This is a nod to my Dad who gave me a love for hunting and fishing. The other sholder is a portrait of the best retreiver I ever trained. He was a Master National champion. The last is high up on the back. Its a big piece of a piece of needlepoint that my Mom did for me in the 70's. Its a mythological creature combining a Lion Dragon and Griffin. Its called By-Tor after an old Rush song called By-Tor And The Snow Dog.

 I never understood the concept of "Flash" just for the sake of saying you have ink. To me, its a personal thing that should have some meaning to you. It sounds like you have picked on with some meaning...Good On You !!!!!!!!!!! 

 

AND....Yes, sometimes it can hurt. A lot depends on where you are getting inked. Places where there is little muscle or fat tisssue can be really painful. When I had the one on my back done, every time the guy went over the spinal area, my nose started to itch

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My wife has two, each honoring one of the twin boys are daughter lost to SIDS in what now seems the distant past. 3 and 4 months old and was hard to take for the family as anyone can understand. I've never had one and find it hard to understand why. I may be one of the only people in my large outstanding family who doesn't. We even have one part time and one full time tattooist in the clan. If anyone is familiar with the "End of the Trail" tattoo it is the one I wish had gotten when younger to honor my lost B-I-L who loved that tat and had it painted on his bike and 4 wheeler also. I do have a small loop earring in my LEFT ear I got at a motorcycle rally years ago so I'm I guess I can say I'm pierced.

My S-I-L has full sleeves and the daughter with him has some mural painting covering much of her body. Like she says, the stomach ones cover the stretch marks. The artist who did much of their work has past on but was literally known around the industry as one of the top and did much of the art work on top bike builders and several people who he had to close the shop for and their entourage made sure no one entered. He showed me much of his real canvas art work and it's easy to see how it transitioned to permanent skin work for him.

So this is a good period in time to be getting a tattoo since it is so readily accepted across almost the entire spectrum of work and life today. Once upon a time a person was given a pass for a tat since he was in the war and him and drunken buddies had to do it and tattoo parlors were down a set of dark steps with a small neon sign the only indication of what went on there. Like bowling alleys and pool halls of the past the unsavory aspect of the parlors is now pretty much gone and all are accepted into normal society today.

Sorry for the long treatise on tatts but go for it Steve. Another one I've thought about is the Fish Hook tattoo that really looks like it's through the skin. Ouch..

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Two years old on the forearm, 5 on the upper arm. Worst spots were near the wrist, elbow wasn't bad. Just think of fire injected into your skin for a few hours. Eat a good heavy meal before you go and ask for breaks if you need them. 

Follow the artists recommendations for aftercare, use sunblock or long sleeves and it will last you much longer.

16589428461732032956427372864732.jpg

16589425760542720204863428216721.jpg

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50 minutes ago, dogfacedoc said:

Two years old on the forearm, 5 on the upper arm. Worst spots were near the wrist, elbow wasn't bad. Just think of fire injected into your skin for a few hours. Eat a good heavy meal before you go and ask for breaks if you need them. 

Follow the artists recommendations for aftercare, use sunblock or long sleeves and it will last you much longer.

16589428461732032956427372864732.jpg

16589425760542720204863428216721.jpg

To add to that...Be VERY well hydrated whe  you go set stuck

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I've got two.  An old one from the military I wish I'd never gotten.  I got it while stationed at an Air Force base ... and one driving force for getting it ... I figured it would start a fight or more.  Didn't.  Once they lost my loyalty by "laying me off" in a reduction of force bulls##t after the first gulf war, I almost got it removed ... but I couldn't afford it.

I've got a dragon on my chest that I wish I'd never gotten.  Got it in London.  It's never been sunburnt, but the colors have blended and it's hard to tell what it is at this point.

Had I the knowledge then that I have now, I would not have gotten any tattoos.

It's a personal decision Steve.  If you feel the need/desire/want to get a tattoo, consider it very carefully. 

1)  Why?  What's the purpose/message you wish to convey?  Do you want to declare your patriotism for the patriotism, or to piss off "non-patriots"?

2)  When do you want it seen?  If it's for others to see, or for you to see, it needs to be done on different areas of the skin.  I once got into a fight on a Navy ship when I questioned a sailor why he had a beautifully done nude woman on his back.  His reply, "I liked the picture and wanted it on me."  I said, "You can't see it on your back.  The only reason to have that on your back is so your buddy has something to look at while he's pile driving your a---  (That's when the fight started)

3)  Jennie has a one, and she wishes she hadn't because it's also blended to the point of unrecognizability.   She says, Have a T-shirt made.  It's cheaper, less painful and you can always get another one with a new message when you tire of the original.

4)  And yes, they are painful.  Obviously, it's survivable.  As stated above, it's worse in areas of less fat/flesh.  Take a small pin and just lightly poke yourself is various areas.  Now, imagine hundreds and thousands of those pinpricks.  Tattoo needles need to penetrate about 1/16th of an inch.  Then there's the healing time of salves and clingfilm wraps, etc.   If you're going to do it, put some serious thought into it first.

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2 hours ago, dogfacedoc said:

Two years old on the forearm, 5 on the upper arm. Worst spots were near the wrist, elbow wasn't bad. Just think of fire injected into your skin for a few hours. Eat a good heavy meal before you go and ask for breaks if you need them. 

Follow the artists recommendations for aftercare, use sunblock or long sleeves and it will last you much longer.

True my S-I-L's sleeves have faded and blended quite a bit but like he said from the start many years ago, if I keep them covered all the time to protect why in the world would I get them. 

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I think you're making the right decision!  haha!  I've got 2 tattoos and enjoy them both.  Got my first about 10 years ago.  It's on my left pectoral and is a compass with the words "Simple Man" around the edge. (I'll save you all from seeing my chest)...

The 2nd I just got back in April while over in Germany.  It's for my kiddos.  My son in the middle and both daughters on either side.  Also, I thoroughly enjoy traditional archery too - win win! 

Arrow Tattoo.jpg

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I'll also add, from personal experience...

In Germany, they were not allowed to give/sell any after cream(s).  That artist recommended getting a tube of Aquaphor and use that.  There were a handful of guys on the same trip who have sleeves and they concurred.  Google after care and you'll read a plethora of different methods/ideas.  I'll say that the Aquaphor works.    

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I used aquaphor the first few days while everything was "weepy", then changed over to just eucerin lotion. Happy with the results.

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Didn't want to reply back till I was sure. Been talking to the local place, gonna go there this weekend and finally get a price and go from there.

Mike..far as

On 7/27/2022 at 4:06 PM, mikechell said:

1)  Why?  What's the purpose/message you wish to convey?  Do you want to declare your patriotism for the patriotism, or to piss off "non-patriots"?

Why, because it is me. I've thought long & hard for years now as to what I want/is me. "We The People"...2A, the Constitution, that's just me and something I have been 100% about my whole life since I was a kid. So that's why I want that. If it pisses someone off, that's their problem, I couldn't care less to be honest.

Nice sleeve Dog...I'm only looking for my first one, but with my ocd and how addictive I get to things. Gimme 2 yrs and I may have a full sleeve myself lol

 

 

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never gonna happen to me

i'm diabetic and a scratch takes months to heal

i cant imagine that a gazillion needle sticks over an area would heal quickly

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I do not have one, my wife has one. Yours sounds very cool but much larger than I had expected. I see girls have some so I expect you can handle it pretty good😁.

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