NED BURWELL | PUBLISHED MAY 31, 2026

There has always been a symbiotic relationship between the tattooist and the supplier. Supply companies closely examine tattooists’ needs, driving economic expansion by introducing new technologies to tattooing. Over time, tattooists have come to trust reputable tattoo suppliers to provide safe and reliable equipment to keep us working. In turn, tattooists keep them in business.

1900s | From DIY... To Percy Waters Tattoo Supply

Tattooing in the early 1900s required an incredible amount of ingenuity. Unlike today, the supplies and equipment required to run and maintain a tattoo business were not packaged and ready to ship with a click of a mouse or a few taps on your phone. The early pioneers of tattooing in North America had no supply companies at all; everything needed was made by the tattooists themselves. If you were lucky enough to acquire a tattoo machine, you still needed to sort out the remaining tools and supplies to run your operation. It is important to look at the early tattoo supply companies, for they helped grow tattooing into what it is today. In the early years, pigments came as powder, and tattooists had to learn how to mix them. Their power supplies were either dry cell batteries or simple DC power adapters wired to a rheostat. Tattoo needles were made by hand and were reused until they became barbed or unusable. Many of the supplies we take for granted were not yet used or even invented, such as ink caps and stencil paper. Rubber gloves were not used until the 1970s, and even into the late 1980s, some tattooists still did not use them at all. Understanding the evolution of the tattoo supply businesses and its relationship with the growth of tattooing in North America provides a deeper perspective on the advancement of tattooing.

As supply companies strengthened, the economics of the supply chain, had a ripple effect on tattooing. One of the first tattoo supply businesses to appear selling equipment to outfit a tattoo business was J. F. Barber from Cincinnati, Ohio. His advertisements began showing up in 1912.

Advertisement in Popular Mechanics magazine, April 17, 1912, p.4

His lineup of tattoo supplies was not as complete as that of his successors, Percy Waters and Milton Zeis, a decade later. Next among the early pioneers in the supply business in the first century of electric tattooing were Percy Waters and Milton Zeis.

By the early 1920s, Percy Waters began selling tattoo machines and equipment. Although Percy may not have been the first person in North America to sell tattoo supplies, his company was definitely one of the first, if not the first to have a complete catalogue of supplies to outfit a tattoo studio. His equipment was used by many tattooists all over the world. He advertised his business in various publications such as Billboard and several men's magazines.

1950s | Huck Spaulding

By the mid-1950s, Huck Spaulding began selling tattoo equipment along with all the consumables required to run your studio.  Much like Milton Zeis, he both sold supplies and published a guidebook, Tattooing: A– Z: A Guide to Successful Tattooing, which provided more advanced information on equipment and techniques.

He also broached topics on running a successful tattoo studio, offering business advice and an ethical approach to the work.

Huck had a vetting system in place, but he was fluid in exercising it. Some people could purchase his supplies without any troubles, while others were made to prove they were operating with a proper business licence. Many of the early tattooists in Canada were proud to be associated with Huck in any way. He undoubtedly elevated the status of tattoo supply companies in North America and had a loyal following for many years.

1970s | National Tattoo Supply

The National Tattoo Supply was established in New York in August 1974. It was owned, founded, and operated by Don & Flo Makofske with the guidance of Flo’s brother, Eddie “Crazy Philadelphia Eddie” Funk. Their lineup of machines and homogenized colour pigments was very successful in North America and beyond. Having the support of a number of notable tattooists like Terry Wrigley, Bob Shaw, and Peter “Tat2” Poulos, helped strengthen their success. National operated under very high professional standards for quality, safety, and reliability. They also had a strict vetting system in place. You had to be referred by an existing client to purchase from National. They did not advertise their products to the public; they stuck to selling to professionals. Instead of making a quick dollar from a scratcher, they understood that the deeper relationships they needed to foster were the ones with the people who would be buying their equipment on a regular basis. This, in turn, created trust among the professional tattoo community.

National was celebrated for its conventions, as it was one of the first to operate and support tattoo conventions. Their efforts helped bring together tattoo artists and enthusiasts from around the world. The first National Tattoo Association Convention was held in Denver, Colorado, in March 1979 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Speakers at this convention included many of the era’s significant artists such as Don Ed Hardy, Terry Wrigley, Peter “Tat2” Poulos, Bob Shaw, and Painless Jeff Baker.

In February of 1991, the company moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania. Their business was flourishing, and in September of 2001, they moved to a larger facility. After a long and successful run, National Tattoo Supply announced its closure on October 28, 2022.

1979 | The First Canadian Tattoo Supplier

In 1979, Joe Prokopowicz opened the first tattoo supply business in Canada. He made rotary tattoo machines, and he also sold power supplies, clip cords, footswitches and tubes. Although Joe kept his operation very small, he still managed to sell his machines and supplies in Canada, the United States, and a few in Europe as well.

Mack Bregg, Joe Prokopowicz and Ned Burwell 

1980s | Studio One Tattoo Supply

Gary Chynne opened Studio One Tattoo Supply in Toronto, Ontario, in the early 1980s. Gary started manufacturing tattoo machines and later developed a relationship with Huck Spaulding, becoming a Canadian dealer for Spaulding & Rogers.

Gary Chynne

Gary is still in business today, and he has claimed the title of being the longest running tattoo supply company in Canada. After all these years, his business model is still the same; he continues to buy and sell tattoo supplies and equipment.

Many tattoo artists have started their careers by purchasing a starter kit from Gary.

Late ‘80s/Early ‘90s | Panther Products Canada

The next Canadian tattoo supplier that came along was Panther Products, which was originally founded by Frank Mailin of Blue Dragon Tattoo in London, Ontario. Frank’s connections in the tattoo world helped Panther Products get the business off the ground. Some of the early supplies for Panther Products were imported from Europe. Frank ended up selling the business to Wayne and Joan Wilton. In the early years, Wayne ran Panther Products out of a small room in his house, growing it to a storefront operation in Dutton, Ontario.

 

Wayne was a machinist, so his skills helped him manufacture some of the supplies they sold. In the early days of tattoo suppliers, they would sell to whoever inquired. By the 1970s, the craft of tattooing was experiencing a bit of a boom. An influx of new people entering the field made some of the old-timers feel that tattooing was getting too crowded. The reputable tattoo supply companies had enough clients by the late 1970s – early 1980s, so they began to tighten the reins on who they would sell to. Panther Products and Studio One were both scrutinized for lacking any kind of vetting system. They allowed the public to purchase their supplies with no trade affiliation or experience.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief history of the early tattoo supply companies. We’ll stop here for now, because the history of tattoo suppliers gets pretty interesting in the early 90s when Eikon begins researching, and manufacturing, needles and power supplies – but that’s a story for another time!

Ned Burwell is a Canadian master tattooist, and dedicated historian, who began his career in 1993 under the mentorship of veteran tattooist Mack Bregg.  Ned’s tattoo style is most recognized for his large-scale, black-and-grey tattoos featuring wildlife and spiritual imagery. Since 2008, he has been meticulously documenting the origins of Canadian body art, and is currently compiling his research and interviews into a comprehensive 3-book series that will trace Canadian tattoo culture back to 1899. He has recently finished writing The Canadian Electric Tattooing Scene - Volume which will be published in the fall of 2026, and to celebrate the launch, and give you a taste of what’s to come, Ned is writing a series of articles called "Historically Speaking", and each month you can expect to see one featured in our Insider Email, and here in the Buzzz.  If you want to be sure to get yourself a copy of Ned’s first book, you can pre-order it here.