PROFESSIONALS ONLY, It is that simple.

Hope this can straighten things out and make it clear that I do not do this (supply) for myself, but ONLY to better a industry in South Africa that has been exploited, putting better product / information and knowledge available so you can make better tattoos and be a better tattooer.

Take for example "Mr. Public" walks into a scratchers kitchen/shop, "Mr Public" decides to get a butterfly off some flash on the wall, the kitchen wizard proceeds to tattoo this butterfly on "Mr Public" and it ends up looking like this. "Mr Public's" whole ideal and concept of tattoos and getting tattooed is fucked, forever. "Mr Public" will never get tattooed again and will probably have to get a skin graft.

No if "Mr. Public" got tattooed at a legitimate shop, that could have been your shop, he would have come back and gotten tattooed again, and again and again.

Where did this kitchen wizard get hes claws on supplies, there is something for you to think about...

The following actually happens, at least twice a week.

Some one applies on the website to obtain access to buy supplies to actually tattoo someone else... I ask standard questions and good supplier asks.

Lets call this person "Miss Awesome" (this is a real conversation)

Miss Awesome: applies on the website

Lighthouse: Could you please supply me with more info? Where do you work, shop address etc, link to portfolio!?Thank you

Miss Awesome: Thanks. But I found a supplier who is eager to do business with me without all this hassle.

Lighthouse: If you have any idea you would know why I am doing what I'm doing, the
supplier that is supplying you without any "hassles" is the single biggest problem in our industry.

Miss Awesome: And I am simply trying to protect my designs. I have a right to privacy. The work I do is not common street ink. I don't feel comfortable sharing my designs with just anyone. People like you are pushing artists to seek suppliers elsewhere. You cannot own the supply industry.

I fully understand what you are talking about. There are alot of street hacks chopping away in back streets. I am not one of them.
It's easier to buy my supplies from medical companies then it is from you.
Think about the fact that you are actually creating an industry out there from your 'control' attitude. Try this in America and you'd lose alot more business then you are currently.

Lighthouse: I don't understand the hostility, I'm protecting a industry and upholding a standard that benefits tattooers not me as a supplier. I'm not trying to push business away, you need to understand that what I'm doing it for the benefit of you and your career.

I don't really sell medical supplies, I do sell the odds and ends but that doesn't really make my business. I sell machines, needles and pigments. If you want a medical supplier i have loads on record that sell amazing product for HALF the price any tattoo supplier sells it for.
And this control attitude as you call it is just to protect the industry and the ignorant public form retracting some disease and a bad image. You are fighting with the wrong person.
If you want the best possible products non mass produced junk, for tattooers by tattooers, you know where to find me.
Best of luck to you.

Miss Awesome: I appreciate all your concerns, but this is all still unnecessary. I have just placed an order worth R1500 ($214) which could have gone to your company. And I really don't think the supplier I ordered from would appreciate you calling him a threat to the industry, as he is very reputable and respects my design privacy issue.

The work I do is very specialized and I cannot take the chance of exposing ignorant individuals to this kind of work. I also need to protect it's origin's.

Lighthouse: Not once did I not “respect” your privacy “issues”, I just asked you a standard question, any good supplier should, and to think I didn’t even ask you for a health certificate yet or your waste management procedures, i was just getting started, you could have just explained to me that you are breaking ground and that your work is so good that you cannot expose it.

Are you going to be at the convention? You must defiantly come around to my booth and introduce yourself if you are.

Interesting huh?

So first off, shut the fuck up, secondly, if I tried this in America I would lose allot more business? you are joking right? Of course I would, but its not a bad thing, its business I don't want. And guess what, I am selling American machines and Colors, on standard industry regulations. also, TIA, this is Africa, we lack the health standards of the first world and it is my obligation as a GOOD supplier to make sure what I sell doesn't land in the wrong hands.

I HAVE A CONSCIOUS... and having people hacked up and walking with shit tattoos is the last thing I want on my conscious.

If you know you know, if you don't educate yourself.

Don't buy knock off products, don't support a Chinese machine market and don't support suppliers supporting the end of your future. it is that simple.