From: axtell@cray.com (Maureen Axtell)
Subject: Re: unsafe piercing and supplies
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Distribution: rec.arts.bodyart
Date: 12 Nov 92 19:24:25 CST


>I bought a needle from the same place that was definitely not old
>and worn. I trusted that it was sterile, it sure seemed new to me.
>Since the place sells Gauntlet needles, I wonder if someone at 
>Gauntlet had screwed up. Would blood and tissue remain moist in 
>a sealed needle package? I just don't see how they could use the 
>needle over and over, and repackage it. The shop is a reseller.
>Not a manufacturer. Since one of the artists/piercers there has
>won the 'Best of Denver' award for two years in a row, I seriously
>doubt he would risk his reputation on a $2 needle.

>Just my 600 pesos.
>Tim



sorry for the length of this response.  What follows is some commentary,
an update/more detail, and a flame.  Maybe I've been watching too
much Rush Limbaugh lately :>)


Ah, trust.  It's such a funny thing.  We who are into bodyart must
be able to trust those withwhom we trust our bodies and our very lives.
Often times we rely on professionals in these fields because we 
feel protected by their expertise, their reputations, and their care
for their clients. We assume that businesses involved in bodyart will
always use the proper proceedures, that government regulations will
protects us,  and shops will not try to find ways to reduce
costs at a consumers expense.  In short, your typical tat/piercing
customer is a naive trusting soul. When this trust is violated, it is not a
situation to be taken lightly - nor is it one to be forgotten easily.


an update:  the shop owner and my SO had a very serious heart to heart
discussion. The owner's attention seemed to perk up right after the words
'health department'.  I was assured that he would look into what
happened - and replace the needle.  Right!  Like I'm going to
trust the next one?   While the good intentions are appreciated, I think
I'll just skip this offer.


couple of points - if this was a gauntlet needle, their quality
sure has gone down hill in the last couple weeks since my last order
from the gauntlet itself.  This, umm, implement looked like a piece
of catheter hacked off sorta straight on one end and filed to a beveled
point on the other.  For those of you into burrs, this needle had a
considerable number of these.

I wouldn't have used this needle on my horse, much less my lover, even if
it had been clean. 


Blood and tissue might remain moist (but funky) in an airtight
envelope, but it sure wouldn't survive an autoclave.  

This was most defitely and old recently used needle, sold as new
and sterile.  I've been around the tattoo scene for quite a while,
and in lots of different places.  I can tell you from experience
that it is quite common to keep the best needles in the home shop
and sell the older/less perfect ones to artists without manufacturing
facilites.  I can see where resale of implements would occur in the
piercing community, too, and this doesn't bother me (though misrepresentation
does).  The reuse of sterilization envelopes is pretty stupid
not something I've seen before - and this was used before, since it
still had indentations from other differently sized/shaped pieces.


I wouldn't have used this needle on my horse, much less my lover, even if
it had been clean.

SET /FLAME=ON

And what the hell does 'best of denver' have to do with my safety.
Don't even let me get started on the politics of tat contests :>)

The artist mentioned above does own the shop, and is reputable,
but he can't watch everything that happens.  One careless employee
can cause a lot of difficulty.  I care very much for the man I was
piercing.  I don't need to give him hep or hiv, because of a suppliers
negligence. I also don't need to infect myself.

My concern has nothing to do with the shop's reputation.  I could
care less what they do, as long as it doesn't affect me or those
I love in an adverse way.  This has nothing to do with egos or titles.
It has to do with the safety of anyone who deals with this shop.  If
you feel comfortable basing your safety on an image and a certificate
on the wall, feel free to.  Personally, I've lost too many friends
to hiv already, to potentially let one more happen because of
carelessness.

Goddess, have we become a society of consuming fools who will purchase
anything from anyone without concern for our own safety?

SET /FLAME=OFF

thanks for listening,
-maureen

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