Cheyenne is the company that revolutionised the tattoo landscape with the invention of pen-style tattoo machines and backflow-preventing needle cartridges, which are now an industry standard.

We spoke to Head of Product Management and Customer Relations, Richard Weiss, about the history of Cheyenne, how the team develop new products, and what the company has in store for the tattoo community next!

How did Cheyenne get started?

Cheyenne was born in 2006. MT.DERM, the company behind the brand Cheyenne, was already a pioneer in the field of cosmetic and medical insertion of substances into the skin.

It was obvious we could apply our knowledge and skills in other areas as well, and it didn't take long until it was clear what advantages our concepts would have for tattoo artists. However, we had neither planned nor guessed at the time that we would change the tattoo world in such a way!

Can you tell us about the team at Cheyenne?

In the Cheyenne team, as in other companies, there is research and development, product management, sales and marketing, purchasing, and whatever else is necessary to develop, produce and sell our products.

However, we believe that this is not what defines us. We are first and foremost an international, diverse team, with a lot of passion for tattoos, art, craft and innovation. We want to make the lives of tattoo artists easier, more comfortable and safer, and have fun challenging the status quo to make great tattoo products.

Who designed the Cheyenne HAWK, and what was it made for?

The HAWK was developed in 2006-2007 by one of our engineers at the time. It was based on our experience with the Condor, which never went into serial production. In 2007, we launched it on the market to give tattoo artists a more manageable machine that’s comfortable to use with different needle groupings.

How did you upgrade the Cheyenne HAWK for its 10th anniversary?

The 10th anniversary edition of the HAWK is heavily based on the original in terms of design and technology. Both models have a stroke length of 2.5 mm and are therefore gentle shaders. In honour of the first rotary machine with cartridge needles, we gave the 10 year edition a modern look in two colour variants: matte black and matte anthracite.

Do you plan on releasing anniversary editions of all your machines?

Currently we have no plans to introduce more anniversary models.

What are the main differences between the HAWK Spirit and Thunder?

The HAWK Spirit has a stroke length of 2.5 mm, which is fantastic for shading in black and grey tattoos. The HAWK Thunder comes with a stroke of 4.0 mm, which shows its advantages when lining and colour packing.

How was the idea of a pen-style tattoo machine developed for the HAWK Pen?

This answer is unspectacularly simple: while there are other options today, it used to be essential that a tattoo artist could draw. We wanted to blur the boundaries between drawing and tattooing.

What’s the difference between HAWK and SOL products?

Our HAWK series are solid machines without many bells and whistles. Here the focus is on simple and reliable operation without many extra features. With the HAWK Pen Unio, which combines the capabilities of HAWK Spirit, Thunder and Pen, we have deviated somewhat - but we feel it is important to offer today's tattoo artists our three classics in one machine, and  now you can also adjust the stroke in addition to the basic functions.

The HAWKs also all come with classic DC motors. The SOL series is the advanced product series. Here you will find the latest features, and also more adjustment options. In addition, all SOLs come with modern brushless DC motors.

How does the SOL Luna & Terra mode switch function help tattoo artists?

With the mode switch of the SOL Luna and Terra you can switch between two operating modes: Steady and Responsive Mode. In Responsive Mode, the machine reacts to the skin texture. If the load on the motor increases, the stitch frequency decreases in response. This supports the artists when it comes to delicate shading or fine line work, for example.

In Steady Mode, the controller detects any increase in load and always supplies the motor with just enough power to keep the stitch frequency constant, no matter the skin texture. This supports artists when lining and colour packing.

Do artists find it helpful to be able to adjust the frequency of the SOL Nova Unlimited through motion control?

That is a matter of taste. The majority of users were thrilled about this new type of operation, which admittedly takes some getting used to. Of course, there are artists who don't like it, but the vast majority have quickly adopted this type of operation into their workflow and can adjust the frequency faster with one hand than would be possible with separate buttons.

Will there be any other SOL products coming?

Of course!

What’s the biggest selling point for the HAWK Pen Unio?

You no longer have to commit to one stroke length or use several machines, as the stroke is continuously adjustable from 2.5 mm to 4.0 mm. The machine can therefore always be set to the exact strength required at that moment. Other important points are the extremely powerful motor with strong torque, and the removable grip mount for easy cleaning.

Can you tell us about the Steady Mode offered by the Unio?

Due to the fact that the torque of the motor is so high, it can easily cope with any load increase. In contrast to the Steady Mode in the SOL machines, where a controller detects the load change and immediately compensates for it, there is no realistically occurring load that would be so high that the HAWK Pen Unio motor could not handle it.

What tattooing styles does the HAWK Pen Unio excel at?

That's the great thing about the HAWK Pen Unio - we don't even have to recommend it for a range of styles, because the adjustable stroke length makes this machine just awesome for everything!

Will you continue to make pen-shaped tattoo machines?

Of course! We invented the pen-shaped tattoo machine and it was and is a complete success. There will always be pen-shaped machines in the Cheyenne range.

What makes Cheyenne machines different from other rotaries on the market?

With everything we do at Cheyenne, we make tattoo artists' lives easier, more comfortable and safer. We put this at the heart of our research and development, and it is reflected in all our products, which are considered the best and most reliable on the market.

To do this, for example, we invest a lot of money in our research to better understand the interactions between skin, needles and ink. Basically, you don't have to think twice; you know you're doing everything right with Cheyenne.

Which is your most popular grip style?

This is difficult to answer because the grips for angled and pen-shaped machines are not compatible. However, it’s noticeable that thicker grips are clearly preferred over thinner ones.

Can you tell us about the patented Cheyenne Safety Membrane?

The membrane is the central component of our cartridges. This rubber seal not only pulls needles back into the cartridge, but has the far more critical function of a seal. Our safety membrane prevents ink, blood and other body fluids from entering the grip and machine, minimising cross-contamination.

This system is now copied by nearly all cartridge manufacturers worldwide. The tightness of the safety membrane in Cheyenne tattoo cartridges is guaranteed and meets the requirements of the European standard DIN EN 17169:2020 Tattooing - Safe and hygienic practice. The documented proof of this is available for download on our homepage.

How does it feel to know you’ve set the industry standard fit for cartridges?

It feels fantastic and makes us proud! Making needles interchangeable and thus usable with only one tattoo machine has already saved tattoo artists around the world countless hours of preparation and post-tattoo work, which they can use for other activities.

What makes the Cheyenne Capillary cartridges different from your other cartridges?

Capillary cartridges solve a problem that all cartridges share – that high precision and good ink flow are often mutually exclusive. For high precision, the needle grouping must be well guided. If you want to achieve that, especially with liner configurations in all directions, you need the cartridge tip opening to be so small that the gap between the tip wall and the needle grouping is almost zero. This ensures that the needle can’t "dance around" inside the tip, and that it would move up and down very precisely. However, if the gap were really that small, the cartridge would hardly release any ink and ink flow would be virtually non-existent.

For a high ink flow, therefore, you need a larger opening in the cartridge tip so that the ink can also flow. Such large openings in turn lead to a decrease in precision, since the needle grouping can no longer be guided smoothly and evenly.

We solve this conflict with capillary cartridges. A channel runs through our patented cartridge tip, which fills itself and an overlying reservoir with ink when the needle is dipped into the ink cap. Since the channel spirals around the needle grouping, uniform saturation is guaranteed at all times, which ensures excellent ink flow. You may have to dip the cartridges into the ink cap a little longer than usual until everything is filled, but you will be rewarded with an ink flow up to 10 times longer than with conventional needle cartridges.

This new cartridge design not only provides unparalleled ink flow, but also ensures tight needle guidance, resulting in a very high degree of precision. This combination has never been seen before.

Which kinds of artist like using the Clear Craft cartridges?

First and foremost, there are artists who like the look and feel of these cartridges, but also those who are satisfied with a smaller selection of configurations they can purchase at a lower price. For example Viviana Calvo, Sissy_Ink and Phil Haas from our team use the Craft Cartridges.

How important is it to use the right cables and accessories?

When you use Cheyenne's original cables or accessories, you can be sure that everything is checked, tested and safe. We can't give this guarantee for third party products.

What are the differences between your Power Units?

For years, the PU I and the PU II were the two power units that allowed artists to get the most out of Cheyenne machines.

They’re simple, reliable systems with a clear display in hertz. The machines could be operated from 60 to 160 Hz with the introduction of the SOL Nova, another PU was needed, as the brushless DC motor of the SOL Nova runs from 25 Hz/4.7 V.

Thus, the PU IV was introduced to the market. Over its development, this compact PU was equipped with various additional features, including magnets for attaching to work surfaces, different modes for the use of a foot switch, stopwatch for recording working time, the display in volts or as a bar graph, and a hidden game.

Why did you decide to make the PU III a limited edition power supply?

There are several reasons. First and foremost, we wanted to try something new. Usually, limited editions are just something like colour versions, signature models or co-branded products. We wanted to limit a feature for a change. Of course, we're already a few steps ahead with our ideas about what power units should be able to do. This limited concept edition is also there to see how the market reacts to gesture control, and whether we pursue the concept further. The SOL Nova Unlimited, for example, was largely well received. 

Can you tell us about the inclusion of the hidden game on the PU IV and how to access it?

After the 150th power-on, a classic game will start automatically. You can also start the game directly by pressing the left button of the power unit 3 times with the tattoo machine turned off, then pressing the right button 3 times and repeating the whole thing two more times. Everyone knows the start of Space Hawk and it is self-explanatory.

What made you choose the charity Sea Shepherd to support with part of the proceeds from the 20 cartridge boxes?

In fact, Sea Shepherd approached us with the idea of a joint project. As we all know, we work in an industry that produces a lot of waste and we thought it was appropriate to give something back to make the world a little cleaner again.

What do you think is the next big thing in tattooing?

We are working on it. Stay tuned!

What new products will you be treating us to next?

We always use our Factory Day to announce new products, and on our Factory Day in September we introduced a SOL Nova Unlimited with a 2.5 mm stroke. We also showed the further development of our legendary PU II. The new PU II is much smaller and is controlled completely intuitively via a touch screen display. The highlight of the presentation, however, was our all-encompassing care series.

The Cheyenne Prep & Care Series not only includes all products needed from the application of the stencil to the perfectly healed tattoo, but it was also completely developed with a doctor who is a specialist in the field of wound healing. All products are designed to perfectly prepare and treat the skin to achieve an incomparable tattoo result. In doing so, all five products contain substances that support healing, which have never been seen before in tattoo aftercare products.

Particularly noteworthy is the Cheyenne Care - Rapid Repair Oil, which is used when you take a break in the session, immediately after finishing the tattoo, and for the first few days after - it has an enormous impact on the healing result. You’ll get all the details shortly!

What does the future hold for Cheyenne?

We will go even more intensively into the exchange with tattoo artists to create solutions that make their lives easier, more comfortable and safer!

Huge thanks to Richard for chatting with us, and we hope you enjoyed finding out the secrets behind one of the industry’s most influential companies! Follow the brand on Instagram or Facebook, or head to the Killer Ink shop to find a huge range of tattoo machines, power supplies, needle cartridges and more!