Do you call it a tattoo gun or machine ?

Posted by Emergency-Cup-1369@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 34 comments

Someone from up north told me they never heard it called a tattoo gun and everyone I know does , I’m trying to work out if this is a north vs south thing

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Dai_Bando@reddit

It doesn't look like a gun, doesn't work like a gun, you don't hold it like a gun, it doesn't shoot anything. Why would you call it a gun?

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Voodoopulse@reddit

I get the impression that professionals call it a machine while posers call it a gun

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blue_rizla@reddit

So anyone who isn’t a professional tattoo artist is a “poser”?

It just seems very disparaging language to use, is all

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RoutineCloud5993@reddit

Dude you're taking this far too seriously.

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RoutineCloud5993@reddit

I didn't call them posers. I'm just joining in the conversation because it's hot and I'm bored

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blue_rizla@reddit

Yeah I know you’re not the person who said it, but if you endorsed the viewpoint. No hiding behind “ooh I’m just popping up to join in” here my friend

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Voodoopulse@reddit

People who talk about it like they really know what's going on but in reality they have a surface level knowledge

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blue_rizla@reddit

You mean people who aren’t tattoo artists? The general public?

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OkFinding8093@reddit

I'm a southerner living in north and I've not heard it called anything other than a tattoo gun

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Emergency-Cup-1369@reddit (OP)

I’m both north and south ?

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QuaintStaircase@reddit

All the tattoo artists I know are quite aggressively protective over calling it a machine.

Everyone else I know is quite flexible either way, and uses the two interchangably.

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Emergency-Cup-1369@reddit (OP)

I hadn’t even considered that it might be a thing honestly until someone said “ no that’s a horrible thing to call it “

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GarrySpacepope@reddit

This is also my experience. Seems to be a "day one of the apprenticeship" chat.

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WraithOfEvaBraun@reddit

Gun, same as a piercing one (source: three tattooist/piercers in the family)

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Unique-Scientist8114@reddit

No reputable piercer uses a piercing gun.

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I have never in my 51 years, seven tattoos and tattooists in the family (who are perfectly reputable) heard a tattoo gun being called a tattoo 'machine' - whether it be regional or not (and from all the replies it seems to be so) is another matter

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