Today, I’m sitting down with Rue from Ruethless Irons for a conversation that gets right to the heart of things.

Rue has been in the game since the late 90s, coming up in San Francisco and Amsterdam before finding his true calling in machine building.

But we aren't just talking history. This episode is a wake-up call about the current state of tattooing. We get into the quiet corporate takeover happening right under our noses, as private equity firms buy up our supply chains to strip and consolidate them.

We talk about the absolute necessity of voting with our dollars, ditching the convenience of corporate monopolies, and throwing our support behind independent, tattooer-owned brands. We also touch on the real why behind machine building and how smaller, tattoo-focused conventions are keeping the real community alive.

Tattooing has given us everything, and this conversation is all about how we protect it.

Follow Rue on Instagram

ruethless-irons.com

stefbastian.com

In this episode of Tattoo Tales, I sit down with a man who has spent over three decades navigating the deep waters of our craft with utmost dedication: Pino Cafaro.

This talk felt very inspiring as Pino brings both tradition and a progressive mindset into his work, as he says “Balance beats perfection”.

His insights, matured over a long and successful career, can be very helpful to all the committed artists and tattooers that share the struggles of draftsmanship and the quest to grasp the bigger picture of a culturally and visually rich style such as the Japanese.

Find Pino on Instagram

White Fox Gallery

Find out more about Stef’s courses, seminars and projects

Curious about how to make woodblock prints?

In this episode of Tattoo Tales, I’m joined by Australian artist Terry McKenna, known by his artist name Toraku ("Fun Knife"), who traded oil paints for the traditional Japanese art of Mokuhanga over twenty years ago.

From his school in the mountains of Karuizawa, Terry breaks down the intricate world of woodblock printing—from the discipline of his apprenticeship in Kyoto to the specialized tools like the baren and cherry wood blocks.

We dive into the striking parallels between the heritage of Japanese printmaking and the tattooing world, exploring how the craft has evolved from the rigid assembly lines of the Edo period to a contemporary "Golden Age" where artists handle every step of the process.

It’s a deep dive into a tactile, timeless and versatile medium that rewards patience and honors the rule of "making it from yourself."

Artists mentioned in the episode:

Hiroshi Yoshida (shin hanga)

Munakata Shiko (sosaku hanga)

Suppliers:

Gwasendo (art supply store in Kyoto)

Michihamono (tool maker)

Sekaido (Tokyo)

Mokuhankan (Tokyo)

Mentioned tattoo-friendly onsen:

agri-yu

Learn more about Terry’s courses and residencies

Terry’s school on IG

Stef’s mentorship and projects

Stef’s IG