i'm currently reading stoney knows how

[Our Endless Days]

i just started reading this the other night. in the introduction, the author talks about cases of tattoo removal in the late 1800s and early 1900s. i had no clue that this was possible.

i have a question for you tattooer that may know the answer-how was this done? i'm assuming the that the tattoo had to be cut or scrapped off, but who the hell knows.

[hogg]

[Our Endless Days]

i figured that much. that's some crazy ass shit. i can't even imagine today tattoos being viewed so negatively and i had that shit cut off. that's nuts.

[Dan S]

Can't say for sure about hwat methods were used but I don't think they were usually just straight cut-off. I know that the salt-removal method goes way back, and lemon-juice, and I've read accounts of dilute muriatic acid being used to "crumble" the skin so it could be, basically, scraped off.

I did see an ex-member of a fairly large 1% Patch have his club tattoo-full forearm, removed with a wire brush in the parking lot of a bar. He did it willingly, I guess it beat the alternative!

[jayessebee]

ive heard that tattooing in peroxide is fairly effective

[Dan S]

Another thing to consider, "cosmetic" tattooing was fairly common even way back when, and hand-poked work is usually easier to fade. Given that, I'd hazard that it may have been possible to lighten the stuff a tad, then go over it with "complexion" coloring.

[slayer9019]

I've heard of sandpaper being used as well.

[Our Endless Days]

Can't say for sure about hwat methods were used but I don't think they were usually just straight cut-off. I know that the salt-removal method goes way back, and lemon-juice, and I've read accounts of dilute muriatic acid being used to "crumble" the skin so it could be, basically, scraped off.

I did see an ex-member of a fairly large 1% Patch have his club tattoo-full forearm, removed with a wire brush in the parking lot of a bar. He did it willingly, I guess it beat the alternative!

haha fuck

[Graeme]

I've heard of sandpaper being used as well.

I've heard of pavement.

[Dan S]

haha fuck

Yeah, he didn't look like he was enjoying it...

[Petri Aspvik]

Poke some cream inside the skin, it should get infected, scab and you can peel it off and hopefully some ink will come with it. I have heard that this is one of the old school things. Might not be from the early 1900's, but somewhat old.

[Gloomy Inks]

One method, which I read in a piece with Bowery Stan, was silver nitrate and Tannic acid. I have also heard of spirits of wine (?) and pigeon dung, which would be alcohol and a base.

Stoney's method, however ineffective, is very healthy. Good for your eyes too!