Glossary

Here you will find a small tattoo dictionary with the most important terms and their definitions.

A

Ambient temperature
At certain temperatures, equipment may not operate at optimal capacity. The optimal temperature range for Cheyenne tattoo machines is between +10 and +35°C.

C

Cartridge
See needle cartridge.
 
CE certification
With the CE marking, the manufacturer, distributor, or EU representative declares, in accordance with the EU Regulation 765/2008, "the product is in conformity with the applicable requirements set out in Community harmonisation legislation providing for its affixing."
 
Coil machine
A magnetic coil machine with an electromagnetic switch that moves the needles up and down, thereby penetrating the skin. The coils create a resistance that regulates the speed as well as the force of the machine.
 
Color Cap
Color-coded end of our Safety Cartridges that characterize the various configuration types. There are six types of color caps: liner (black), round shader (yellow), powerliner (blue), magnum (green), magnum softedge (white) and flat (red).
 
Continuous needle protrusion
Rotating the grip (only on the PEN) allows you to continuously adjust and change the needle protrusion to your optimal setting. To achieve perfect results, the correct needle setting must be taken into account in accordance with application, preference, and skin type.
 
Continuous operation
An operating mode that does not require stopping and starting between pigmentation. Continuous operation is possible with Cheyenne tattoo machines and does not damage the device.
 
Craft Cartridges
Single-use needle cartridges for Cheyenne rotaries (and machines from other brands when used together with Cheyenne's cartridge connecting system) are available in 19 different needle configurations. The cartridges distinguish themselves through the highest needle quality and the patented Safety Membrane. Craft Cartridges are cast in one piece and do not have a removable tip. They are flattened laterally to allow for a good grip on the cartridge.
 
Cup
Disposable cups used as module holder or paint pot. They are molded from a single piece of plastic and stand firmly on the surface. When filled with water, the module will not dry out.

F

Flat shader needle configuration
Forms flatly arranged configurations. In contrast to the magnum configuration, this one has only one row of needles.
 
Foot switch
Switch that stops and starts the tattoo machine. The Cheyenne Foot Switch is round, offers 360° operability, and can be used in latched as well as momentary switch mode. The glass-fiber composite housing is robust and easy to clean.

G

Give
Springback of the needle configuration, experienced when hitting the skin. The higher the give, the gentler the machine feels while tattooing.
 
Grip
Grip for tattoo machines. Cheyenne Grips are available in three versions: The One Inch Grip for the Cheyenne HAWK Thunder or Cheyenne HAWK Spirit with a diameter of 25.4 mm; the Standard Grip for the HAWK Spirit, HAWK Thunder, and HAWK PEN with a diameter of 19 mm; the Disposable Grip as a sterilized single-use grip for the HAWK PEN, which is available in three sizes (One Inch, Ergo Long, and Ego Round). 

H

HAWK
Cheyenne's first tattoo machine. Cheyenne released the HAWK in 2007. The HAWK was an extremely gentle machine, ideal for shading and for black-and-gray work.
 
HAWK Spirit
Light rotary with a closed system, meaning the user cannot exchange the parts. A 2.5 mm stroke enables gentle, precise work. Ideal for black-and-gray and realistic filling.
 
HAWK Thunder
Light rotary with a closed system, meaning the user cannot exchange the parts.The 4 mm stroke allows for a strong hit, making the machine ideal for dots and lines. Also great for creating tattoos in an old-school style with large-scale filling.
 
HAWK PEN
Machine with an ergonomic pen shape. The needle protrusion is continuously adjustable. The protected cable jack connection ensures extra protection. The 3.5 mm stroke creates a balanced tattooing quality, making both lines and gentle filling possible.

I

ISO standard
Here: European standards as a quality management system for quality assurance (DIN EN ISO 9001) and quality management system for medical products (DIN EN ISO 13485).

L

Liner needle configuration
This type of tattoo needle is used for lining. It's great for drawing lines, creating outlines, and clearly delineating different designs. The needles form a conical tip and display different cuts. Types of liners include: Micro liner, textured liner, round liner, power liner, super point liner, etc.

M

Magnum needle configuration
Flat needle groups for filling and shading. These differ from other needles in their special tip, which form two rows. Common needle cartridges consist of 5-27 needles of all needle sizes and cuts. However, considerably larger magnums with up to 39 and 45 needles also exist (but these cannot be incorporated in the cartridge system due to limited space).

N

Needle configuration
The needle configuration indicates the ways in which tattoo needles are grouped together, for example circular needles grouped as round liners (RL) or round shaders (RS). Numerous aspects factor into the decision of which needle configuration to use (tattoo style, art, and technique, as well as design, condition of the skin, etc.).
 
Needle cartridge
Needle cartridges are needle groups in different configurations. The first needle cartridges were developed by Cheyenne in 2007 and produced in Germany (Cartridges). Cheyenne needle cartridges are available as Safety Cartridges and Craft Cartridges, with 56 and 19 different needle configurations each.
 
Needle depth
In tattooing, the needle depth ranges from 1.5 to 2 milimeters (depending on the condition of the skin). Good, professional tattoo artists have a sound knowledge of dermatology and are well-informed when it comes to different skin types. 

O

Open Liners
Open Liners are new configurations for artists who need rich lines. We call these liners Open because the individual needles run parallel to the tip and are not compressed there, as with conventional liners. They differ from shaders of the same design by their stiffer needle packages (shorter solder-free length) and more pointed individual needles (longer taper length).
To develop our Open Liners, we defined 5 needle package sizes for 5 different thickness lines and built 172 different configurations to meet these specifications. We tested these 172 different needles with well-known international artists to offer you the best of the best. The result is our Open Liners.
 
Name
Needle package diameter
Configuration
Open Liner S 0.5 mm 5 open liner 0.30
Open Liner M 0.7 mm 7 open liner 0.35
Open Liner L 1.1 mm 9 open liner 0.40
Open Liner XL 1.4 mm 15 open liner 0.40
Open Liner XXL 1.7 mm 21 open liner 0.40

P

Power consumption
Power consumption indicates the strength of the energy flow between the two systems. One system supplies the power, the other system consumes this power and transforms it into the desired type of energy.
 
Power Unit
Cheyenne's power adapters, available in three versions: Power Unit I, II, and IV. Cheyenne Power Units are consciously minimalistic and intuitively designed, compact, and thereby ideal for use in your studio or at a convention.
 
Precision DC Motor
Motor for direct current.

S

Safety Cartridges
Single-use needle cartridges for Cheyenne rotaries, available in 56 different needle configurations. Safety Cartridges distinguish themselves through their special construction and the patented Safety Membrane. Colors in use are recognizable through transparent tips, while color caps provide orientation in distinguishing between the cartridge groups.
 
Safety Membrane
Specially patented safety membrane with which all Cheyenne Cartridges are equipped. The membrane prevents absorbed liquids from flowing towards the grip or penetrating the machine, thereby ensuring the utmost safety while tattooing.
 
Shader needle configuration
See round shader.
 
Soft edge needle configuration (SE)
Also "curved" or "round magnum", ideal for filling and shading. The row of needles has a slightly rounded front, thus counteracting the skin's umbrella effect (the skin doesn't evade the needles in the middle and the design remains even). SE needles are made in the same sizes as normal magnums, with all needle thicknesses.
 
Stroke
The distance between the highest and lowest point of the needle movement. The higher the stroke, the more forceful the penetration.
 
Stroke frequency
The stroke frequency indicates the number of strokes per second.

T

Taper
Taper refers to the cut of tattoo needle tips. The taper affects the needle tip's geometry. The following types of tapers exist: short taper (ST), medium taper (MT), long taper (LT), super long taper (SLT).
 
Texture needle configuration (TX)

Textured, individual needles of one configuration, ideal for quick filling and strong lines. Thanks to the rough surface, the needle carries an especially high amount of color into the skin.

Tip
Tip of the tattoo needle cartridge, also check cartridge.

U

Ultrasonic bath
Frequently used to clean small, complex, and fine-structured components. The ultrasound reduces the necessary exposure time of the disinfectants
(by 10 minutes with a frequency of 35 kHz).

V

Volt
The machine's input voltage, influences the motor's speed of rotation and thereby the frequency. Depending on the model and motor, every machine has its own volt/frequency ratio.