How long can I use a cartridge for practice?

Hello, everyone! I just got my pen machine a week ago. I've been practicing on fake skin and I've used a couple of cartridges. I discard them when I feel they are losing edge and my lines are getting choppy, but I'd like to know how long do they really last if I use them for practice.
Thanks for the advice in advance!

Ava.Vanesa said:

Hello, everyone! I just got my pen machine a week ago. I've been practicing on fake skin and I've used a couple of cartridges. I discard them when I feel they are losing edge and my lines are getting choppy, but I'd like to know how long do they really last if I use them for practice.
Thanks for the advice in advance!

Click to expand...

I've always used mine for as long as possible. I know that when tattooing on human you can use a needle for several hours. But you would have to change to a new one if it's a very long session. Very unspecific answer, but I haven't ever heard any more precise info than that. Best is to observant on how the needle feels.

However, there's one thing that can be important. I've been using many different machines on fake skin. Mostly with traditional needles though. A few with carts. And with the machine I've had the last 3 years - an Inkmachines Scorpion - I can't use the carts for too long or the motor starts to make a whining sound. As I've been working on Reelskin very much (for an art project), I think I've actually destroyed it. It works strange nowadays and is not nearly as good as when I bought it.

That can be something to keep in mind.

Ava.Vanesa said:

Hello, everyone! I just got my pen machine a week ago. I've been practicing on fake skin and I've used a couple of cartridges. I discard them when I feel they are losing edge and my lines are getting choppy, but I'd like to know how long do they really last if I use them for practice.
Thanks for the advice in advance!

Click to expand...

if you use green glide instead of vaseline your liners won't clog and you can use them a bunch more times on fake skin. Also, longer taper needles and thinner gauges will become dull faster.

on average you could easily get 5 tattoos per cart (on fake skin). just make sure to rinse them out, if the ink drys in the cart they're done.

the fake skin wears down the needles after a while (way faster than on real skin), after like 10 hrs of straight tattooing i would change it.
u will notice it doesnt saturate as quickly and chews up the canvas more and more.

soulstare22 said:

the fake skin wears down the needles after a while (way faster than on real skin), after like 10 hrs of straight tattooing i would change it.
u will notice it doesnt saturate as quickly and chews up the canvas more and more.

Click to expand...

good point I said 5 tattoos but I didn't take into account the size. if you doing a portrait for 12 hours it will wear on the needle way more than 30 mins doing a fine line tattoo.