Hand-Tap Tattoos

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Hand-tap tattoos were something I'd only ever seen on TV, but here in Kuching, there's one man who still does them: Ernesto.

I was fortunate enough to have a few friends getting hand-tap tattoos (and who had in fact traveled to Kuching solely for this purpose), and they invited me along to watch.

Hand-tap tattoos are done with two sticks: one has the needles and the other taps the first, imprinting the ink in the skin. There are 14 needles at attached to the stick and there's a smaller version with only 4 needles for small detailing. The tattoos are only done with black ink. I was surprised how fast the process was and I watched with fascination. My friends said that the amount of pain is similar to tattoos done by the electric needle, but Ernesto says these heal faster. Most people get more traditional tattoos and tribal art, but it is possible to get something else if you like.

For those of you wondering: No, I didn't get one. I'm still not a fan of needles.

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Photos

Equipment
The needle is actually 13 needles. There's another with 4 for detailing.

Masters at work
It's an old tradition, and this is one of the only places that does it today.