If you want to get a tattoo but don't have a lot of cash, you could make a craft ink using baby oil, charcoal and some water, like what they use to do in prison. Remember that this is neither safe nor a substitute for real tattoo ink. This practice is illegal in most prisons and exposes you to the risk of serious blood infections; however, people who tattoo themselves use the method described in this article to make a base ink.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Material
Step 1. Find a metal can or container
It should be large enough to hold 120-180ml of baby oil, as well as some rolled cotton. Try to use an empty, clean can of shoe polish; if you don't have a ready-made container, use a sharp tool to cut a 360ml can in half and use the bottom as a container.
You should be able to buy shoe polish at the jail shop. If you can't find the polish, look for another canned product you can buy; it's important not to arouse suspicion among the guards, so don't buy something you don't normally use
Step 2. Put the cotton inside the bowl
If you can get some cotton, make a ball of it and put it in the oil like a wick to be able to set the oil on fire. Remember to leave one end of the fabric dry and oil-free to make it easier to ignite. If possible, use cotton balls or tear a thin strip from a pillowcase or shirt. if you don't have cotton, you can use paper or paper handkerchiefs - basically anything that is flammable.
Consider cutting your shirt sleeves; in this way, you can use cotton without arousing suspicion or completely ruining the garment
Step 3. Soak the cotton with baby oil
You should be able to get it from the prison commissary. Use enough oil to completely impregnate the fabric and be careful not to spill it out of the container; you will have to burn it to create a black soot, the main ingredient of the ink.
If you don't have oil, you can use petroleum jelly or another petrolatum; do not melt synthetic fibers, as chemicals irritate the skin
Step 4. Build a tool to collect the soot
Find a flat piece of metal to rest on top of the can without closing it completely; if you can't find anything else, cut a piece of aluminum from the top of the can and press it until it goes flat. This element collects the soot so that it can be mixed with the ink.
Part 2 of 3: Making the Dust
Step 1. Start the fire
Use a lighter or matches if possible; however, if you are in prison, you may not have access to these traditional tools. Find a way to light a flame without using a lighter. You need the fire both to make the ink and to disinfect the needle.
- Try to force a power outlet. Open an electrical outlet and hold the tip of a pencil and a cable with the inside electrically charged, so that a spark is generated; bring a piece of paper or a handkerchief closer until it catches fire.
- Be very careful when handling fire; on the one hand you can get badly burned or start a fire that you cannot control, on the other hand you could attract the attention of the prison guards.
Step 2. Burn the oil and the cotton
Use cotton (or paper) as a wick: set the dry corner on fire and wait for it to involve oil as well. Place the flat piece of metal - or "soot catcher" - over the flame, so that it comes into contact with the smoke; as the oil burns, the sheet of metal blackens with soot. Wait for the oil to burn completely and for the metal to cool before handling it.
Be prepared to have to burn the oil several times. This process does not produce a lot of soot, so you have to repeat it several times until you collect enough black dust
Step 3. Put the soot aside
Use a plastic or paper card to scrape it off the metal sheet. Do not use a razor or other metal scrapers, as they could transfer splinters into the dust which would then end up in the skin; start by scraping the soot onto a smooth, clean surface or onto a sheet of white paper.
- Don't expose it to moisture until you're ready to make the ink.
- The sheet of metal and the container are hot from the fire; do not handle them directly until you have given them plenty of time to cool down. Avoid using your credit card to scrape off the soot, as the plastic edge may melt and mix with the dust.
Part 3 of 3: Mix the Ink
Step 1. Put the powder in a small cap or container
Many inmate tattoo artists use the clean cap of toothpaste; Fill it about halfway with soot leaving enough room to mix the water. If you have collected the soot on the sheet of paper, you can fold it in half and let the dust slide directly into the cap.
Step 2. Add the water
Mix the powder with a drop of clean water; be thrifty when creating the mixture, a drop of water lasts a long time. Start with a small dose and mix the soot with the water inside the cap of the toothpaste tube. Consider adding a drop of colorless, odorless baby oil to thicken the mixture.
Remember that soot is much more difficult to obtain than water or baby oil. This is a limited resource; proceed with caution when preparing the ink, so as not to be forced to create more black powder
Step 3. Finish preparing the ink
Mix the soot and water mixture until it has a consistency similar to that of pen ink; it should be slightly denser. Adjust the proportions of each ingredient until you get the correct density. To dilute the ink, add a drop of water or oil; to thicken it, it incorporates more soot.
Warnings
- This type of blend is unsafe and certainly does not replace real tattoo ink. If you are not in prison, consider saving some money so you can go to a professional or at least buy some suitable ink. If you are in prison and have no other choice, make sure the tools are as clean as possible and be aware of the risks.
- Consider whether getting a tattoo is worth the risk of a serious infection. HIV, hepatitis C or other blood-borne diseases have been linked to "artisanal" tattoos, especially those done in prison; seriously consider waiting until the day you are released.
- Know that tattoos inside prisons are illegal. You may still be able to get one based on the security level of the specific prison you are in, but you run the risk of an increased sentence, losing your savings, or being placed in solitary confinement. These risks are the reason that inmate tattoo artists make so much money in prison.
