Services – Hardwire Tattooing

Hardwire Tattoo Shop of Jacksonville, NC

Tattoo's & Piercings

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

We accept walk-ins on a “first come, first serve” basis. If you are interested in a particular artist, you are more than welcome to request them, or may contact them through their contact information. Larger pieces may require some time to put together, and we suggest contacting your preffered artist ahead of time in order to iron out any details before your visit. Appointments can be made with a $50 non-refundable cash deposit that will go towards the total price of your tattoo.

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE, AND CAN I GET PERMISSION?

Tattoos: The state of North Carolina requires an individual be at least 18 years of age to get a tattoo, no exceptions.

Piercings: The state of North Carolina requires an individual be at least 18 to receive a body piercing, although ear lobes don’t count. A parent or guardian may sign for individuals younger than 18 provided they can both provide proofs of identification.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

There is a $50 shop minimum, but without seeing what exactly it is that we’re doing, we cant guess at a price. A good rule of thumb is that the cost of the tattoo is decided by how much work it will be for us to do, so things like size, location, detail, color, etc all factor into what we charge. The best way to get a quote is to visit one of our locations and one of our artists would be happy to consult with you. Piercings vary depending on the procedure, but feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to let you know.

DOES IT HURT?

Yes, but obviously if it were unbearable we would not be in business. Think about all the people you see around you with tattoos on a regular basis; it is annoying, but it only lasts a little while, and once your done you’ll have something that you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL?

Tattoos generally take about two weeks to heal, during which time its on you to care for it properly. Piercings vary depending on what youre having done, but just contact us and one of our piercers would be happy to let you know.

HOW DO I PAY FOR THIS?

We accept cash or credit (visa or mastercard). Additionally fees may apply to credit card usage.

HOW DO I PREPARE?

We recommend that you eat well and are well hydrated when you come in to get work done. Generally speaking, passing out or getting sick is a result of your sugar levels dropping, so keeping that up is key. Additionally, although a drink may be ok, its best not to have any alcohol beforehand, as this will not only cause you to bleed more, but will also make our jobs more difficult. The only other recommendation is to stay calm. Everyone gets the butterflies before having work done, but try and remember that we’ve been working on people every day for decades; you’ll make it through this just fine, and working yourself up will only make something that should be exciting for you a frightening experience.

UNMATCHED ARTISTRY AND QUALITY

Tattoo & Piercing Aftercare

Hardwire Tattoo Uses Vegan Ink!

You may also want to take along your own razor, however the ones we have in-house do not have a gel strip made from glycerin. And of course, you’ll want your tattoo-care products to be vegan as well. Try The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Tattoo Balm, Black Cat Vitamin Infusion Serum, Ohana Organics Tattoo Butter, or even jojoba oil, olive oil, or shea butter.

Hardwire Tattoo use razors with NO gel stripe.

Vegan inks

Kuro Sumi

SkinCandy / Bloodline

Crazyhorse

Southeast Tattoo Supplies

Eternal Ink

Electric Ink USA

Dermaglo

Silverback Ink

World Famous Tattoo

Dynamic

Waverly Color Co (Dark Black is also vegan)

Alla Prima Ink Feldman

Pelikan –black is vegan

Stable

Starbrite

Fusion Tattoo

Classic Color Systems

Good Color

Intenze Tattoo Ink Unique – Perma Pro

Max Tattoo Inks

Max brands includes: Makkuro Sumi Blacks, Makkuro Sumi Colors, Azayaka

Live Tattoo Colors

Universal Blacks

Cobra Inks

Flashing Colors

Glam Colors

Pure Colors

ORAL TATTOOS

Buy an alcohol free mouthwash such as Biotene or Alcohol Free Crest. Swish 2-3 times a day. It is best not to smoke, or try to at least cut back on your smoking. Avoid oral contact with anything irritating such as: alcohol, spicy, salty, sugary or highly acidic food and drink. Swish with distilled water every time you eat, drink, or smoke. Continue this process until healed, about two weeks.

GENERAL TATTOO AFTERCARE

Remove the bandage after about an hour and begin a regiment of washing 3-4 times a day with a good anti-bacterial soap, preferably one that is non-scented such as dial or lever-2000. Be sure to only use your hands when washing, no washrags, and when drying only pat, don’t scrub. After each washing apply a small amount of A&D ointment, just enough to make it shiny. The ointment is petroleum based and will clog your pours should you apply too heavily. Continue this process for the two weeks it will take your tattoo to heal.

• While your tattoo is healing, avoid direct sunlight, sand or soil, perfumes or any kinds of alcohol or peroxide based products, and soaking in water. Showers are obviously fine, but no swimming, baths, hot tubs, etc. Your tattoo will likely scab and itch; do not pick at it, scratch at it, or otherwise mess with it.

Additionally, for pet owners

A&D ointment is petroleum based, and will attract pet hair. Unfortunately pet hair has a lot of bacteria and should be avoided, so if they get into your bed you should change the sheets and keep them off for the duration of your healing process.

ORAL PIERCINGS

Buy an alcohol free mouthwash such as Biotene or Alcohol Free Crest. Swish 2-3 times a day. Do not over-use your mouthwash, as otherwise the piercing may become irritated. It is best not to smoke, however, we know that not every smoker will listen.Try to at least cut back on your smoking.

Avoid oral contact with anything irritating such as: alcohol, spicy, salty, sugary or highly acidic food and drink. Swish with distilled water every time you eat, drink, or smoke. No drinking water from straws for 2 weeks. Drink plenty of cold liquids or let ice melt in your mouth. Most jewelry for oral piercings is purposefully longer to allow for swelling.

After approximately 3 weeks you may want to purchase a shorter piece of jewelry after the swelling is gone to prevent serious tooth damage. A closer fit will reduce wear on teeth and gums. Make sure to keep your longer jewelry, as it may be useful in the future if you experience swelling again for any reason.

GENERAL PIERCING AFTERCARE

Clean your piercing 2-3 times a day with either a mild anti-bacterial fragrance & lotion free soap like Dial or a mild liquid antimicrobial/germicidal medicated soap like Satin. It is highly recommended to also use a sea salt solution such as NeilMed. Sea salts contain trace elements and minerals that occur naturally in your body to promote healing.

Do not over clean your piercing or it may become irritated. Any cream or white colored secretions are normal. This is lymph, which is dead skin cells pushing out. Any bright yellow or green secretions are infection and you should see your piercer and/or doctor. If you do have an infection, the jewelry should be left in the piercing to allow for draining of pus. If the jewelry is removed, the holes can close up, resulting in an abscess.

It is not necessary to move your jewelry back and forth unless you wish to do so while your hands are freshly washed and you are cleaning the piercing. It is a common misconception that your jewelry will “stick” if you don’t constantly move it. This bad advice causes people to touch their piercings with their dirty hands all day long, which can easily cause an infection. Avoid swimming for 2 weeks after you get your piercing.

Good nutrition and rest are also important for the success of your healing process. Each body is unique, and healing times can vary considerably. If your piercing is tender or secreting lymph, you should continue the care regimen even if it is past the stated average healing time range.

Make sure to check the jewelry regularly and keep the ends tight at their connections. Wash your hands thoroughly, and then use medical gloves, gauze, or folded tissue to grip without direct contact.

NEVER USE ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS ON ANY PIERCING

Alcohol, peroxide, betadine, and hibiclens will all severely dry out your healing piercing. Antiseptics and antibiotics, such as neosporin and bacitracin prevent oxygen from reaching the wound and form a sticky residue which can cause complications. They may also slow a clean wound’s immune response instead of promoting healthy growth. Resistant germs can form when antiseptics are used repeatedly. There is no topical solution or drug that can heal your body. If irritation is kept to a minimum, and the piercing is properly taken care of, your body will heal itself.

Join the Hardwire Tattoo Family

EAT. SLEEP. Ink. REPEAT.

"The best tattoo parlor in North Carolina!"

Here's What People Say About Hardwire

Very clean and professional. I will not get work done anywhere else. Experienced tattoo artists · Amazing results · Incredible artists

Nate did my Jurassic Tattoo today and the result was incredible. Excellent Master tattooist. Surprised he’s not booked a year in advance! I’d give him 10 stars ⭐️ !! Custom tattoos · Beautiful results

Got a great tattoo here. Rocky does an awesome job. Very laid back and friendly. But professional all the same. Recommend 100% Beautiful results

I’ve been getting tattooed here for the past four years by Scott and I doubt I’d let another shop touch me with a needle. Not because I wouldn’t trust them but because I’ve built such a comfortable relationship with this shop. Scott, Nate, Oscar and Rocky have been so good to me and I trust their judgement and their skill!

loved my experience here!!! Nate did an amazing job on my tattoo... he is wonderful... I can't wait to go back!

HARDWIRE TATTOO

Hardwire Tattoo Shop of Jacksonville, NC

(910) 353-7246

Tattoo's & Piercings

Schedule An Appointment

Years Of Experience

Customer Reviews

Professional Tattoos & Piercings in North Carolina