Open a pack of tattoo needles for the first time and you’ll see a string of letters and numbers that looks more like a parts catalog than anything you’d stick in your skin. 1RL. 5RS. 7M1. It’s a lot. But once you know what the letters mean, picking the right tattoo needle type for your stick and poke tattoo gets a lot less intimidating.
Every needle number tells you two things: how many tips are grouped together, and how those tips are arranged. The arrangement decides the job. Tight little bundles draw lines. Spread-out clusters shade. Flat rows fill space evenly. That’s really it. Here’s the breakdown, needle by needle.
Round Liner Needles: 1RL, 3RL, 5RL, 7RL
Round liners are your line needles. The tips are bundled close together in a tight circle, so ink goes down in a clean, continuous line instead of a cloud of dots.
- 1RL is a single needle. One tip, one line, as fine as it gets. This is what you reach for on delicate outlines, tiny lettering, or any detail where you want total control. It’s slow going, but the payoff is precision.
- 3RL is the needle most people start with. Three tips bundled tight give you a thin-to-medium line that’s forgiving for a beginner hand and still sharp enough for real detail work. If you’re picking your first needle for a stick and poke tattoo, start here.
- 5RL steps up to a medium line. It covers more skin per poke than the 3RL, which speeds things up on bigger outlines without losing much crispness.
- 7RL is a large-group liner for bold, thick lines. Great for big outline work or traditional-style pieces where the line itself is part of the design. Less useful when you need fine control.
Round Shader Needles: 3RS, 5RS, 7RS
Round shaders look similar to round liner needles but the tips sit in a looser, rounder cluster instead of a tight point. That spread is what turns a line needle into a shading needle. Instead of one solid stroke, you get soft, blendable coverage.
Use these for gradients, soft shadow work, and filling in small to medium areas where you want the ink to fade smoothly rather than sit flat. 3RS handles tighter spaces and detail shading, while 5RS and 7RS cover more ground for bigger shaded sections.
Flat Magnum Shader Needles: 5M1, 7M1
Magnum shaders arrange their tips in two staggered rows instead of a cluster. That flat, wide footprint is built for packing ink into larger areas fast.
If you’re shading a big section of a piece, filling in solid color, or doing blackwork that needs even, heavy coverage, this is the needle. 7M1 covers more surface area per pass than 5M1, so it’s the better call on bigger fills where you don’t want to be there all day.
Flat Needles: 5F
Flat needles line their tips up in a single straight row. That gives you a clean, even edge, which makes them the right pick for geometric work: straight edges, sharp angles, blackwork panels where you need the border to actually look straight.
What tattoo needle should a beginner use for stick and poke?
If you’re new to hand poking, a 3RL and a 3RS will cover most of what a beginner design needs: clean lines and basic shading. From there, add a 5RL once you’re comfortable, since it speeds up bigger outlines without much of a learning curve. Save the 7-series and magnum needles for once you’ve got some pokes under your belt and you’re working on larger pieces.
Every artist eventually lands on a few favorites and mostly ignores the rest. That’s normal. The needle chart looks overwhelming on day one, but in practice you’ll find the two or three that fit your style and reach for those most of the time.
Our stick and poke tattoo kits come with various sizes covered above. You can also purchase a bundle of needles separately as well.
#POKE SAFELY!
