As we prepare ourselves to step in 2022, we want to take a quick look back at 2021 and what we got up to this year.

Before we do, we would like to say a huge thank you for your continued support throughout this difficult year. 2021 has been another tough year for everyone, but we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead with the introduction of awesome new products and creation of more killer content!

From everyone at Killer Ink, we wish you a happy new year and hope to see you all soon!

This year was full of amazing additions to our line-up of tattoo supplies and equipment – perhaps none more so than in the realm of wireless tattooing.

The team behind FK Irons followed on from the popularity of its wireless Spektra Flux with the introduction of the EXO, a modular rotary tattoo machine that offers unstoppable power, whether wired or wireless.

The FK Irons EXO is fitted with the same 9-Watt brushless motor that features in the Flux. It’s ideal for colour packing and requires less passes to saturate ink, therefore reducing trauma to the skin.

FK Irons’ team also developed and released the DarkLab app which allows artists to connect their equipment via Bluetooth for firmware updates, voice control, utilising eGive, and more.

In the video above, we took a look at how the app works with DarkLab’s Hover power supply and Lightning Bolt battery pack, as well as the PowerBolt that features on the FK Irons EXO and Spektra Flux machines.

We also offer an in-depth look into the eGive feature, which allows tattoo artists to electronically control the amount of “give" on their machines – even those with a direct drive.

One piece of equipment that is compatible with the DarkLab app is the Lightning Bolt Uni, a wireless battery pack that clips onto your tattoo machine via its RCA connection and offers up to 10 hours of work with a single charge.

Thanks to its updated design, the DarkLab Lightning Bolt Uni from FK Irons is now compatible with all tattoo machines that feature an unobstructed RCA connection.

Our good friends at Stigma-Rotary® also joined the wireless revolution in 2021 with the launch of its pen-style Force machine, which features a unique, state-of-the-art dual drive system.

Stigma-Rotary®’s wireless Force pen uses a custom, German-made Faulhaber brushless motor with dual shafts to push cartridge needles with precision and power, creating a superior “force” during tattooing.

Powering this wireless tattoo pen is a high-end, removable Power Pack that features a built-in display and controls, as well as a USB-C port for charging and pass through operation. Via the Power Pack, you can customise and adjust parameters, such as voltage, motion control, and the new digital give & boost feature, which allows you to set your machine to hit softer or harder in 3 different levels.

Stigma® followed on from its first wireless tattoo machine with the Force XL, which features a forward-weighted, 40 mm grip. The addition of this XL grip makes the rotary machine easier to hold for long tattooing sessions and assists the artist with the needles' pressure on the skin.

Cartridges were the name of the game for Cheyenne between the tail-end of 2020 and 2021, with the introduction of not one, but two new types of needle cartridge to the market.

In late 2020, Cheyenne launched its Clear Craft Cartridges, which are the next evolution of its cost-effective Craft carts.

Cheyenne updated its Craft Cartridges to now feature a colourless, transparent housing for a clear view of the ink flow within. In addition, Cheyenne has slightly adapted the shape of the Clear Craft Cartridges with grooves and a sleeker shape to support handling when changing cartridges and during tattooing.

Although they may have launched at the end of 2020, we released our video review of the needle cartridges in January this year, so we think they deserve to make this blog!

Taking the cartridge game up yet another notch, Cheyenne introduced its advanced Capillary Cartridges to the world this year, offering tattoo artists a new and improved working experience.

Inside the tips of the cartridges are capillaries with ink reservoirs, which allow the cartridges to absorb and hold more tattoo ink than conventional offerings. The result is an ink flow that lasts up to 10 times longer than usual before needing to be dipped into your ink cap.

Cheyenne’s Capillary Cartridges ensure that tattoo ink is evenly distributed on all individual needles, even in large magnum configurations. This results in better tattooing results and less trauma to the skin, as surfaces are filled consistently, reliably and more quickly.

Critical Tattoo Supply had a busy year on the power supply front with some great additions to its range.

Released in late 2020 but video reviewed by Killer Ink in January this year (so sneaking on to the list), the Critical MNML is a single-button power supply that offer steady voltage in its most basic, reliable form. No frills, just power!

You can easily adjust the voltage from 1.5 to 17 Volts at the turn of a dial and the power supply has a dense, durable plastic housing that is easy to cover and travel-ready.

Like with the previously mentioned FK Irons and its Lightning Bolt Uni, Critical also jumped on the wireless battery pack train with the release of its Universal Battery.

The Critical Universal Battery is compatible with most rotary tattoo machines and offers an ergonomic, balanced and intuitive user interface that provides true freedom while working.

This battery pack features a Critical Core, which provides a consistent and stable voltage output. Depending on the voltage and machine used, the Critical Universal Battery will offer up to 10+ hours of running time.

2021 also saw the launch of the Critical Atom X-R, a small, user-friendly power supply that has been designed to include all of the same great features of the original AtomX, plus a few extra additions!

Critical has modernised the overlay design of the Atom X-R to enhance the user interface experience. It also has the unique colour changing voltage indicator as featured on both Critical's Atom and AtomX power supplies, as well as a traditional display to show the exact voltage.

The Critical Atom X-R has dual outputs to connect multiple tattoo machines, whether you're using rotaries or coils. Critical has also added the capability to sync the power supply wirelessly with the CXP19 foot pedal - so less wires for a cleaner set-up!

There were also notable additions to our tattoo machine range from KWADRON’s sister brand, Equaliser. With the release of the Equaliser Neutron, KWADRON took its wireless tattoo machines another step further thanks to an updated Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the revised shape of the grips.

This wireless pen-style machine comes with 2 removable batteries, so you can charge one while working with the other. It also features a 4.5 W motor, 3 mm stroke, direct drive, adjustable needle depth, built-in Jump Start, and three grips: one aluminium with a 32 mm diameter and two additional non-slip silicone ones (32 and 35 mm).

We also took stock of two Equaliser Fox rotary machines, the Mini V3 and Big V2, which are very popular with tattoo artists worldwide.

After the great success of the first- and second-generation Equaliser Fox Mini tattoo machines, KWADRON has set about to further modernise the V3 version with a new, refreshed design.

Compared to the previous versions, the Fox Mini V3 offers an interchangeable stroke length, making it more versatile than ever before. While there may be new changes, one thing that remains unchanged is the strong, durable and trouble-free 4.5 W motor - it works brilliantly in both previous models and the updated V3 machine!

Over to the Equaliser Fox Big V2 and the second-generation machine has received a huge makeover from KWADRON, both inside and out.

Unlike the previous model, the Fox Big V2 now offers adjustable stroke length from 1 to 5 mm, making the rotary more versatile than ever before. Artists can now also use both traditional tattoo needles and Cheyenne-type cartridges with the Fox Big V2, as well as disposable and reusable grips, with or without a cap.

To ensure that the Equaliser Fox Big V2 is suitable for all styles, KWADRON has fitted the rotary machine with a durable 10 W motor - a newer version of the one featured in the Fox Big V1.

One particularly exciting addition to our line-up of rotary tattoo machines this year was the Bishop Wand, which has proven to be a huge hit with tattooists everywhere.

We stock three versions of this cartridge-dedicated, pen-style tattoo machine: Shader, Packer, and Liner, with stroke lengths of 3.5, 4.2 and 5 mm, respectively. Each comes with a smooth matte black finish for both the machine and grip, as well as a hand-polished band. The ergonomically-designed grip is comfortable to hold and use during longer tattooing sessions and is also fully-autoclavable.

It was all quiet on the convention front this year due to the on-going Coronavirus pandemic, so we took the time to look back at past editions of both the Milano Tattoo Convention and London Tattoo Convention in previous blogs and recapped our highlights of each.

We also penned a love letter to the London Tattoo Convention after receiving the incredibly sad news that the iconic show had come to an end in January 2021.

In lighter news, we featured more of our amazing sponsored artists in blogs this year, so make sure to click each of the following names to read all about the work of Brad Wallis, Kalie Art, Nick Limpens, Kenji Diederen, Caterina Molin, Alex Garcia, Matt Daniels/Stickypop, Tom Falgayras/MF Creativink, Kirsten Pettitt, Dylan Sutton/Suttoos, Mihails Neverovs, and Hattie Cox.

Before we leave you to welcome in the new year, we wanted to remind any permanent make-up, scalp micro-pigmentation or microblade artists to follow our sister brand, Killer Beauty.

Killer Beauty is the go-to supplier for pigments, machines, microblades, and whatever else you could ever need to create stunning PMU and SMP work.

Check out Killer Beauty’s Instagram page and other social media feeds for brow and lip inspiration, new product launches and reviews, and interviews with top PMU and SMP artists.

See you all in 2022!