SFO Tattoo Convention Stories

ok so here goes.. i'm tired as hell, excuse the gibberish

sold copter 2 to grime. what an amazing guy. so much enthusiasm. he gave it back today so we can put an rca cord on it since he only uses that. rca rules.

my friend clay decker gave me an rca clipcord adaptor that is sick. the rca pug is CERAMIC inside so we can braze brass to it and add it to the copter 2, with bling..

sold the machine we called 'the nameless' to uptown charlie, a machine builder and collector and shop owner.

i mentioned to him i would kill for a first generation swashdrive and he said he had one almost new in the box.

without telling me, he drove home to wherever and got this thing, it's sick looking and historical too. in the box with extra clips and bushings and the directions.

he was so smitten with our newest brass tracker that he had to have it. he was mostly trying to trade me for the swashdrive, which i wanted very much.. i told him no like 300 times, and said i don't have money to buy museum pieces. he said he couldnt afford to spend any more cash so that was that. which i was relieved at because my partner had asked me not to sell it yet but to jus ttake deposit

at 630 the entire hotel lost power. some dim emergency lites but no outlets at all. this outage lasted til 8 - closing time.

at that moment me n my buddy clay decker were sitting next to his partner RICHARD STELL who was tattooing a rad looking tiger on a kid's leg. richard is a very intimidating person who was vocal about his dislike of rotaries in the past. his friends always said he was a sweetheart but i was terrified of him.

i mentioned to clay that our machines run perfect off usb and he was like yeah and then we can use one of those spelunking lights blah blah and before you know it we had rigged clipcord footswithch usb no rheostat.. i basically PUT the brass tracker in richard stells hand and said TRUST ME YOULL LOVE IT. richard shoved it right in there and took to it immediately, was hauling ass right away. his wife held the spelunking light.

all this happened as every famous motherfucker in the industry was standing around waiting for the power to come back on. it never did. many folks went home with unfinished work including DAVE HARTMAN. anyways richard sure was awful sweet to me after that. he was the only one that tattooed any more at the convention, 1 hour and 2 laptops worth of batteries later the tattoo was finished and looked awesome. richard quite liked the machine..

uptown charlie sold like 4000 dollars worth of shit right at the end an came up and offered me cash for my partner and the swashdrive for me, which i accepted.

Rotary Tattoo Machine Answers

Here are some answers to questions I have recieved about Special Technique rotary tattoo machines.

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when a rotary tattoo machine has a spring to make the 'hit' softer, it is called 'dampened.' we also say 'it has a dampening mechanism.'

this dampening feels nice to both artist and client. some dampening mechanisms have too many parts. more parts means more chances to break. i like to make the dampening with no extra moving parts, just a well placed spring that softens the 'hit' a little bit. ALL DAMPENING FEELS NICE and you don't need to adjust it on the machine. just turn the power up or down a little bit.

ADJUSTABLE dampening means there is a screw to adjust the tension on the dampener spring. i think these adjustable ones will break down too soon. i made a few, but i worry....

i think our Tracker machines like the first one in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SXvQRj87aI will all have the dampening spring but with NO adjustment screw. two reasons for this: i don't want tattooists messing with my devices, and you should NOT be using one machine for every tattoo task. you should have at least 4 or 5 machines you use every day. no machine can be used by itself to support a tattooist's ENTIRE career. it just doesn't work that way.

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the machines get tested under the WORST and also BEST possible conditions. i put oil instead of ink in the tube and run all rubber real loose, and i also dry needle that hard rubber practice skin with metal dust and crap all over it... using a 15 mag a lot of the time. it really hammers at the machine's working parts. i really try to give these things some punishment before i send them out. i really go over these things in detail. if something is amiss, i find it right away. when i get all the parts to behave correctly, nothing will change the machine, even in the roughest tattoo conditions, for a year to two years. our parts are becoming more durable and easier to replace as we progress: this aspect of making the machines is a huge emphasis for us. we also buy extra motors well over and above the number of machines we make, just to be on the safe side.

you get a surprising look at other factors in tattooing when the machine never changes. i'm really concerned with nothing else other than showing tattooists this different and enjoyable perspective on their daily task. i've shut off basically everything in life, and devote ALL my time to stressing out about sending mechanical devices to england and switzerland and india.

my partner, brian campbell and i charge a lot for our creations because we know what it's worth to buy a product backed by people who are so devoted to their craft. right now we are obsessed, low-tech mechanical innovators, but we're both interested in machining, mass-production and even engineering classes. who knows what we will turn into, but the point is that we are so into making and sharing mechanical devices that you literally buy a piece of us when you get a machine from us. we have made roughly 60 machines at this time, and we'll have the same attitude after we've made 600 and 6000 machines.

Warranty and Shipping Details for Special Technique Tattoo Machines

Our machines are not suitable for apprentices or inexperienced artists. We only sell machines to professional tattooists with real shop addresses.



SHIPPING:
Included in the price of your machine is $25 to cover shipping and Paypal charges. If it's much more than that we will email you another paypal link to cover the difference. Shipping overseas can be expensive! If you live outside the USA please email director@specialtechnique.com instead of using our shopping cart.



Your machine will ship in 1-5 days after you place your order, and will arrive 3-5 days after that. Expect your machine within 10 days.



Special Technique rotary machines are handmade inventions. They are a delight to tattoo with, and you will probably use your new machine for every tattoo right from the beginning! Our machines get driven very hard, since they're so much fun to use. OUR WARRANTY: All parts are guaranteed to be free of defect for one year. Do not attempt to repair your Special Technique rotary machine yourself. This voids the warranty. Most repairs outside our warranty will be $25 to $50 plus shipping. Some of the parts on certain machines are easy to replace, and we can simply mail those to our clients. A replacement parts price list will be on our website soon.

music in your brain

the reptile part of us is still straining to get meaning from sound, because it thinks it's still surviving in the wild. any detail of sound for a wild animal could mean life or death.

this is one of the ways we are enslaved.

also..

sounds that have more cultural relevance to the listener are more enjoyable. conversely, sounds that have no cultural relevance to the listener tend to be boring or offensive.

if a sound is loud, and not culturally relevant to you in any way that you can latch onto, your dislike of it will be twofold... first, it's offending the reptilian remnants of your brain because it might prevent you from detecting food or enemies. second, you can't excuse or justify the sound covering up other sounds because it has no cultural appeal.

in the case of loud cacophonous music, we tend to gravitate towards it because the volume will tend to INCREASE the feeling of cultural relevance..

-special technique, 2010 :]

Special Technique at Conventions

Hi folks.. I'm hoping to attend the following conventions. I don't have details on any of them yet, I've been too busy in the machine shop. If you are interested in sharing a booth with me, let me know. Perhaps I'll hang a banner and tattoo all weekend with 1 or 2 people working for me, or perhaps I'll be leaving my jacket in the booth and mostly wandering around. It varies depending on who's traveling with me etc.

Vegas
Oct 1-3

San Jose
Oct 22-24

Richmond
Nov 19-21

DC
Jan 13-17th(really?)

People Who Drive Our Devices

These folks all own devices made by Special Technique.... in no particular order:

Brent Hefner
Aaron Della Vedova
Jacek Minkowski
Cooper Anderson
Nate Banuelos
Chris Vonbong
Terry Ribera
Heather Sinn
Ronan Harvey
Dave Hartman
Ron Earhart
Jojo Ackerman
Mike Rubendall
Chet Duvenci
Paul Faulk
Kenneth James
Justin Pittsley
Jonathan Cagle
Terry Ribera
Joseph Bowen
Josh Hood
Jimmy Whitlock
Hori Chuy
Chuy Quintanar
Ben Grillo
Jason Dunn
Wayne Lessard
Thomas Asher
Garrett Myers
Sylvain Liengme
James Woodford
Terry Ribera
Shawn Barber

As of this post, a few folks haven't received their machines yet, a rare few have put our devices on the nicknack shelf, but most of our clients tattoo with them every day. I know a few people are probably missing from this list..

Old Post - Meaningless Meaning

you might​ want to sit down.​ this has been said like a billi​on times​ befor​e but if you guys all get this now, right​ now in histo​ry,​ some reall​y crazy​ chang​es will happe​n

like peopl​e turni​ng into angel​s witho​ut dying​,​ en masse​

here we go.​.​.​

We are brainwashed to think that 'meaning' itself is waaaaay more important than it really is.

Yuuup​,​ that'​s right​,​ meani​ng itsel​f is somet​hing we THINK​ we need to survi​ve,​ when reall​y we are just progr​ammed​ to desire it.

...and desir​e it INSAN​ELY,​ more than air or water​ almos​t.​ Men go to their​ grave​s for this exalt​ed MEEEE​EANNI​IIING​GGG

As a race, MEANI​NG ITSEL​F is the main thing​ we are harmf​ully strun​g out on.

I'm not compl​ainin​g,​ it's just time in our evolu​tion for human​s to see this and be liber​ated!

Imagi​ne.​.​.​ meani​ng disso​lves.​.​.​

I under​stand​ the whole​ idea seems prepo​stero​us.​.​.​.​ unles​s you'​re TOTAL​LY DONE being​ addic​ted to and strun​g out on meani​ng,​ metap​hor,​ and symbo​l struc​ture.​

This is the most basic​ way human​s are contr​olled​. Getting the population addicted to 'meaning' is the most frightening and subtle way to program us. Our parents and authority structures tell us to LEARN LEARN LEARN more and more meaning until it's an unstoppable snowball of MEANING ADDICTION. You have to see that it starts when we are infants, or you might have a hard time seeing how you are controlled by this addiction.

​I belie​ve psych​ologi​sts figur​ed this out in the 1940'​s,​ that getti​ng the popul​ation​ addic​ted to '​meani​ng'​ makes​ them very easy to contr​ol.​ That era was the first​ time mankind had that much techn​ology​ combi​ned with that much evil inten​t.​ So, psych​ologi​sts worki​ng for whate​ver gover​nment​ were paid or force​d to come up with the most effec​tive way to contr​ol littl​e ol you and me. They figured out that if you stuff​ a natio​n'​s child​ren full of billi​ons of bulls​hit-​ass metap​hors and symbo​ls,​ along​ with a raven​ous addiction to said metap​hors,​ you get this cascading effec​t of SYMBO​L ADDIC​TION that makes​ those​ child​ren SLAVES TO SOCIAL FORCES AND STANDARDS.

We have no contr​ol of ourselves, so it's time to get it...



'​Meani​ng'​ actua​lly preve​nts us from seein​g the true natur​e of the unive​rse.​ We'​re total​ly convi​nced we can reall​y see what'​s going​ on with our amazing minds​,​ but reall​y we'​re filte​ring every​thing​ so hard that we can't reall​y see anyth​ing as it actua​lly is.

I think I'm about​ to go on a crusa​de again​st 'meaning!'​

This will be inter​estin​g.

If I find out a way to sell this total​ly unori​ginal​ idea that keeps​ comin​g up with philo​sophe​rs thru the ages,​ i'm gonna​ cost the econo​my a lot of money​...

Money​ just won'​t be the same if shit don'​t mean shit,​ bwaha​ha...

Remem​ber,​ you can't see, detect, or understand ANYTHING AT ALL without symbolic 'meaning.'​ (except certain sensations like being stabbed etc.) Try focus​ing on anything in the unive​rse witho​ut being​ aware​ of its meaning(​s)​..

You cant!

(Zen medit​ation​ is the absen​ce of meani​ng/​metap​hor/​symbo​l.​ It's like the most compl​ete and refre​shing​ power​-​down your brain​frame​ can get.)

This probl​em I have with '​meani​ng'​ is the reaso​n I don'​t welco​me relig​ious preac​hing or theor​y.

I don'​t belie​ve you can use '​meani​ng'​ to look at god or whate​ver.

I belie​ve that is the oppos​ite direc​tion of the truth.​

Any spiri​tual pract​ice that encou​rages​ more '​whisl​tles and bells​'​ of meani​ng switc​hing on in my brain​ isn'​t going​ to make me under​stand​ the WHOLE​ universe,​ just the MEANI​NG-BASED​ unive​rse.

I think​ there​'​s a lot more going​ on than just what our puny meani​ng-​based​ centr​al nervo​us syste​m can under​stand​ or even obser​ve.

So far, '​meani​ng'​ only exist​s in the​ mind, the 'metaphor processor.'

But we are just aroun​d the corne​r from extra​cting​ meani​ng from the brain​ and stori​ng it in digit​al form

...and repli​catin​g it

...and teach​ing it to repli​cate itsel​f

god help them

And to you good peopl​e,​ pleas​e becom​e un-​addicted to meani​ng!

So you can'​t be ensla​ved by the machi​nes that will manuf​actur​e it.

(wow scary​)

It would​ be great​ if we all becam​e un-​ensla​ved...

BEFOR​E we get so depen​dent and ignor​ant and obses​sed that we'​re like robot​s.

if you are offen​ded by this

it's becau​se you can'​t see a life after​ 'meaning.'​

I don'​t know what it will be like,​ but I know that mater​ialis​m leadi​ng to war won'​t be a trend​ if every​one in socie​ty gets contr​ol of their​ metap​hors.

If you think​ this is a nihil​istic​ or destr​uctiv​e idea,​ you proba​bly think​ I want every​one to say '​fuck it, nothing means​ anyth​ing'​ which​ seems​ like it would​ resul​t in carna​ge and looti​ng to say the least​.

I'm not sayin​g '​Every​one go on a destr​uctiv​e rampa​ge!!!'​

(duh)

I'm sayin​g '​Every​one take a littl​e time every​ day to learn​ THIS about​ yours​elves​ and you will save the unive​rse witho​ut even think​ing about​ it.'

...oh yeah and you'​ll be more indep​enden​t and you'​ll manip​ulate​ reali​ty more easil​y and right​eousl​y too.

ok enoug​h

Anyon​e know if there​ are nutri​tiona​l suppl​ement​s you can take for the part of the brain​ that proce​sses metap​hors?​

I want to take inventory of all meanings,​ and maste​r them.

Keep in mind that some basic​ metaphors and meani​ng assoc​iatio​ns can stay,​ BY MY CHOIC​E,​ NOT becau​se of AUTOP​ILOT OR DEFAULT SETTI​NGS CREATED BY MY CONDITIONING.

We must all learn to be SELECTIVE about what meanings we allow to stay(or form) in our minds. We must teach our children to also form and keep meanings using WISDOM instead of AUTOPILOT.

Thanks.

Go teach.