{"id":1271,"date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/beginners-guide-to-tattoo-needle-types-uses\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T12:47:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T07:17:36","slug":"beginners-guide-to-tattoo-needle-types-uses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/beginners-guide-to-tattoo-needle-types-uses\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading tattoo needle and cartridge labels"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beginner Guide Tattoo Needle Types<\/p>

Needle and cartridge labels contain information that helps identify the product. Learning to read that information is a useful early exercise, but it does not by itself tell you which item or technique is appropriate for a procedure.<\/p>

Recognise the grouping names<\/h2>

Common labels include RL (Round Liner), RS (Round Shader), M (Magnum) and SEM (Soft Edge Magnum). Check the manufacturer\u2019s terminology.<\/p>

Do not assume that two products with a similar abbreviation have identical specifications. Compare the actual listing and packaging, not just a photograph or a familiar-looking code.<\/p>

Read the whole specification<\/h2>

On paper, copy the product name and the manufacturer\u2019s description of its grouping, count, diameter and taper where supplied. Keep those fields separate. If the listing leaves a detail unclear, record a question rather than filling the gap from memory.<\/p>

Ask your tutor which specifications matter for the assigned exercise and why. Avoid buying a large mixed selection before you understand the course equipment requirements.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

Worked example: reading 1205RL<\/h3>\r\n

Some catalogues use 1205RL<\/strong> as a compact needle code. Read its three parts separately, then confirm the notation against the manufacturer’s own specification.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n

12<\/strong><\/p>

Diameter code<\/strong><\/p>

In this common format, #12 means 0.35 mm<\/strong> for each individual needle.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

05<\/strong><\/p>

Needle count<\/strong><\/p>

Five needles<\/strong> make up the group.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

RL<\/strong><\/p>

Grouping<\/strong><\/p>

Round Liner<\/strong> identifies the grouping.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Taper is still unknown.<\/strong> The bare code 1205RL does not state the taper. Record it as not stated in this code<\/em> until you find the manufacturer’s taper specification. The code also does not tell you the finished line width.<\/p>\r\n

A real catalogue uses another format<\/h4>\r\n

KWADRON describes 0.35 mm as #12<\/a>. Its cartridge catalogue<\/a> lists products using wording such as 0.35mm RL – Round Liner – 1pc<\/strong>. Here the diameter is written directly in millimetres. The listing title alone does not identify the needle count inside the grouping; check the selected product’s full specification. This is why decoding a familiar code and checking a specific product are separate steps.<\/p>\r\n

Try the next code<\/h4>\r\n

Before opening the answer, write down the diameter, count and grouping you would read from 1207RL<\/strong> in the same common format. Then name the specification that is still missing.<\/p>\r\n

Check your reading of 1207RL<\/summary>

Diameter: 0.35 mm per needle<\/strong>. Count: seven needles<\/strong>. Grouping: Round Liner<\/strong>. Taper: not stated in this code<\/strong>. Compared with 1205RL, the count changes while the diameter code and grouping stay the same.<\/p><\/details>\r\n

Keep this as a label-reading exercise. For the equipment lessons and assigned practice that follow, see the online tattoo course for India<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

Compare two listings without opening a pack<\/h2>
  1. Choose two products from the manufacturer\u2019s catalogue.<\/li>
  2. Write the full name of each, including its code.<\/li>
  3. List the details that match and the details that differ.<\/li>
  4. Mark any abbreviation you cannot explain.<\/li>
  5. Ask the instructor to review the comparison.<\/li><\/ol>

    This is a reading exercise. Do not open sterile packaging or handle exposed needles simply to inspect a grouping.<\/p>

    Keep setup questions separate<\/h2>

    Product identification does not establish machine compatibility, a safe operating setup or permission to practise on a person. Use the manufacturer\u2019s instructions and the practical training assigned by your instructor. A general guide cannot provide a universal depth, voltage or hand-speed setting.<\/p>

    Use a manufacturer reference<\/h2>

    The Kwadron catalogue is one example of a manufacturer organising cartridges by grouping. It is a terminology reference here, not a claim that a particular product is included in a Skinart course or a recommendation to purchase it.<\/p>

    Reference: Kwadron: Round Liner cartridge catalogue<\/a>.<\/p>

    Connect the exercise to your training<\/h2>

    Check the regional course catalogue<\/a> for the curriculum and practical requirements of your chosen discipline. Bring unresolved questions to your tutor before the next assigned exercise.<\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A beginner\u2019s label-reading exercise: recognise grouping names, compare the exact manufacturer specification and ask useful questions before buying or practising.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4043,"featured_media":1272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-skinart-team"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2026\/01\/tattoo-needles-explained.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4043"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1271"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1355,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions\/1355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skinarttraining.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}