Branding myself with a soldering iron?
Dav
I'm just considering my options at the moment. I've decided that I
want a brand at some point in the future (no idea exactly what design
just yet, I'm still thinking about that one - it'll probably be words
or some kind of slogan across my chest).
I was talking to the bloke at my local tattoo emporium the other week
and he was explaining the process to me. He uses a cautery pen which,
from what I have read appears to simply be a medical version of a
high-powered soldering iron.
I figured that if I was to do it myself, I could get it looking
exactly how I envisioned it (okay, and save money too). How difficult
is it to brand oneself anyway - anyone have any experience with this?
I'm not particularly squeamish and I have a fairly high pain
tolerance.
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The Queen of Cans and Jars
DoetNietComputeren
> Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't do this?
Depends on whether you want the outcome to look like a mess.
>
> I was talking to the bloke at my local tattoo emporium the other week
> and he was explaining the process to me. He uses a cautery pen which,
> from what I have read appears to simply be a medical version of a
> high-powered soldering iron.
Not really. Similar, but different enough.
> I figured that if I was to do it myself, I could get it looking
> exactly how I envisioned it (okay, and save money too). How difficult
> is it to brand oneself anyway - anyone have any experience with this?
> I'm not particularly squeamish and I have a fairly high pain
> tolerance.
Do you have any idea on the scale of difference between, say, a Tattoo
and 500 degrees C of constant burning.
I cannot honestly vouch for your "get it looking exactly how you
envisioned it" comment. I think what with the pain and having to do it
in a mirror, you're more likely to fuck it up.
YMMV/
--
Dnc
B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ A6 2.5TDi V6 Quattro Sport
MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003
Dav
Cans and Jars) wrote:
>i can't believe you even need to be told why this is a bad idea.
Seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me.
This is what BMEzine's Scarification FAQ has to say on the matter:
>Can I use a soldering iron to do cautery branding?
>
> The problem with soldering irons, wood burners, and similar devices
> (including small handheld medical cautery tools generally used to
> control small bleeders) is that they don't retain enough heat to be
> used with any degree of reliability. In order to use them effectively,
> one must brand with so many "re-heat" pauses that undue pain is given
> to the client.
>
> If a tool such as these is to be used, it should be as powerful as
> possible to make the branding experience (and product) a positive one.
Most of the stories of soldering iron branding on that site don't
sound particularly negative either, in terms of the end result.
The person I spoke to at the tattoo parlour (the only place for miles
that performs branding) told me that his cautery pen doesn't retain
heat, that he'd have to stop and wait for the tip to heat up again
several times - and does hurt. I'm pretty much expecting that as part
of the deal.
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Dav
<doesnotcompu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Dav wrote:
>> Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't do this?
>
>Depends on whether you want the outcome to look like a mess.
>>
>> I was talking to the bloke at my local tattoo emporium the other week
>> and he was explaining the process to me. He uses a cautery pen which,
>> from what I have read appears to simply be a medical version of a
>> high-powered soldering iron.
>
>Not really. Similar, but different enough.
>
>> I figured that if I was to do it myself, I could get it looking
>> exactly how I envisioned it (okay, and save money too). How difficult
>> is it to brand oneself anyway - anyone have any experience with this?
>> I'm not particularly squeamish and I have a fairly high pain
>> tolerance.
>
>Do you have any idea on the scale of difference between, say, a Tattoo
>and 500 degrees C of constant burning.
"It doesn't hurt as much as it looks/sounds like it should" seems to
be the general consensus amongst brandees when I was doing some
reading around on the web about the subject. Something to do with
burning away the nerve endings if the branding tool is hot enough -
which granted, with a soldering iron may be difficult to gauge.
>I cannot honestly vouch for your "get it looking exactly how you
>envisioned it" comment. I think what with the pain and having to do it
>in a mirror, you're more likely to fuck it up.
Fair enough. Thanks for that.
Just throwing a few ideas around at the moment really. :)
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Curt James
I'm not surprised at all that you offered no information.
Still, WHY do you consider this an obvious bad idea, mica?
All things being equal with the tools (no clue there on my part), my
question would be about actually keeping a steady hand while
performing the work.
Best of luck getting some accurate information.
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
The Queen of Cans and Jars
> On Wed, 03 May 2006 02:16:43 GMT, dhr...@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of
> Cans and Jars) wrote:
>
> >i can't believe you even need to be told why this is a bad idea.
>
> Seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me.
go on ahead & do it, then. post pics of the hot crusty mess. i can't
wait to see them.
DoetNietComputeren
>>Do you have any idea on the scale of difference between, say, a Tattoo
>>and 500 degrees C of constant burning.
>
>
> "It doesn't hurt as much as it looks/sounds like it should" seems to
> be the general consensus amongst brandees when I was doing some
> reading around on the web about the subject.
Sure. There is a difference between expectation, anticipation and
reality. I can tell you however that is does hurt, considerably. Or at
least it did for me. My pain threshold is enough that I misdiagnosed
both my broken wrists (at the same time) for some 12 hours as "just a
sprain".
> Something to do with
> burning away the nerve endings if the branding tool is hot enough -
> which granted, with a soldering iron may be difficult to gauge.
This alone tells you that you have a lot more research to do. Yes, the
tool should be hot enough to demolish the nerve endings. Have you
considered the surrounding nerve endings that don't get demolished?
Consider whether you have to have contact with something hot for it to
hurt you.
Also consider, whether being branded by someone else, might allow you to
submit to endorhpins etc and allow you to focus and breath and zone out
- could you do this if you were having to concentrate on the inflicting
side of the process at the same time? I know I could not.
> Just throwing a few ideas around at the moment really. :)
Have you done any research into things like heat spread/dissipation,
depth required to brand (hint, it's deeper than you probably suspect) etc?
--
Dnc
Hans van Eynsbergen
life, the Universe and everything else, posted this tasty tidbit :
> Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't do this?
>
> I'm just considering my options at the moment. I've decided that I
> want a brand at some point in the future (no idea exactly what design
> just yet, I'm still thinking about that one - it'll probably be words
> or some kind of slogan across my chest).
Tell me, Dav, are you SERIOUSLY expecting me to believe that you are
able to do a "slogan" all by yourself ?
Working upside down and mirrored ?
Right.....
>
> I was talking to the bloke at my local tattoo emporium
Please, divulge your adventures when it comes to tattoos.
What kind do you have ?
How many ?
Large pieces ?
Maybe post a few pics /
http://tinypic.com/
> the other week
> and he was explaining the process to me. He uses a cautery pen which,
> from what I have read appears to simply be a medical version of a
> high-powered soldering iron.
>
> I figured that if I was to do it myself, I could get it looking
> exactly how I envisioned it (okay, and save money too).>
> How difficult is it to brand oneself anyway
I Imagine that to be extremely difficult and very painful.
Don't gimme any crap about a superb tolerance for pain, cause we all
have a high tolerance for pain when it comes to tattoos, piercing and
laser treatment.
Branding might even be far worse.
And you are going to "write" this slogan on your chest ?
Mind you, I don't care what you do, it's your body after all.
But don't ask me to believe you.
For all I know you are just another 12-year old summer troll wannabe.
<snip>
--
Hans van Eynsbergen
There is an art to flying, or rather a knack...
This knack lies in learning to throw yourself
at the ground and miss...
www.cotse.com
Hans van Eynsbergen
wondering about life, the Universe and everything else, posted this
tasty tidbit :
>>>Do you have any idea on the scale of difference between, say, a Tattoo
>>>and 500 degrees C of constant burning.
>>
>> "It doesn't hurt as much as it looks/sounds like it should" seems to
>> be the general consensus amongst brandees when I was doing some
>> reading around on the web about the subject.
>
> Sure. There is a difference between expectation, anticipation and
> reality. I can tell you however that is does hurt, considerably. Or at
> least it did for me. My pain threshold is enough that I misdiagnosed
> both my broken wrists (at the same time) for some 12 hours as "just a
> sprain".
>
>> Something to do with
>> burning away the nerve endings if the branding tool is hot enough -
>> which granted, with a soldering iron may be difficult to gauge.
>
> This alone tells you that you have a lot more research to do. Yes, the
> tool should be hot enough to demolish the nerve endings. Have you
> considered the surrounding nerve endings that don't get demolished?
> Consider whether you have to have contact with something hot for it to
> hurt you.
>
> Also consider, whether being branded by someone else, might allow you to
> submit to endorhpins etc and allow you to focus and breath and zone out
> - could you do this if you were having to concentrate on the inflicting
> side of the process at the same time? I know I could not.
I agree totally. No way someone is able to self- inflict VERY serious
pain for a prolonged period of time.
My tattoo artist did a little skull on one of his own kneecaps.
Normally the job would have taken no more then 40 minutes.
It took him 2 hours to complete and he screamed like a stuck pig !
( I was there and saw him do it)
He is covered from his neck to his feet in tattoos, so he knows what a
"little pain" is.
No way someone burns a slogan on his chest working upside down and
mirrored while experiencing excruciating pain and keeping up the courage
and concentration to complete such a job.
DoetNietComputeren
> I agree totally. No way someone is able to self- inflict VERY serious
> pain for a prolonged period of time.
You're wrong. People can do this and do exactly that.
> No way someone burns a slogan on his chest working upside down and
> mirrored
I would suggest it would be upside down OR mirrored, but I stand to be
corrected.
> while experiencing excruciating pain and keeping up the courage
> and concentration to complete such a job.
Depends on how good the outcome is expected to be.
DarkAdaptedEye
I actually know someone who tried to brand his own chest and who ended
up with prolonged treatment for a badly infected burn and a 3" diameter
raised scar - not big and not clever.
Hans van Eynsbergen
wondering about life, the Universe and everything else, posted this
tasty tidbit :
>
>> I agree totally. No way someone is able to self- inflict VERY serious
>> pain for a prolonged period of time.
>
> You're wrong. People can do this and do exactly that.
No doubt there are exceptions to the rule, but in general I think that
my idea is not totally wrong.
I simply don't see myself doing anything like the OP suggests.
And yes, quite a large part of my body has been tattooed, I have serious
experience with laser removal and started out with piercing a few
months ago.
I don't think the OP has reached the level of expertise you are
suggesting.
N00bs and all that....
Dav
<doesnotcompu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Dav wrote:
>>>Do you have any idea on the scale of difference between, say, a Tattoo
>>>and 500 degrees C of constant burning.
>>
>>
>> "It doesn't hurt as much as it looks/sounds like it should" seems to
>> be the general consensus amongst brandees when I was doing some
>> reading around on the web about the subject.
>
>Sure. There is a difference between expectation, anticipation and
>reality. I can tell you however that is does hurt, considerably. Or at
>least it did for me. My pain threshold is enough that I misdiagnosed
>both my broken wrists (at the same time) for some 12 hours as "just a
>sprain".
Heh. I did that with a cracked metatarsal a couple of years ago - I
was hobbling around for two days after it started hurting (there
hadn't been an obvious injury to cause it) thinking that I'd just
strained something...
I'm fully expecting being branded to hurt, though I'm pretty sure that
I'll be able to get through it.
>> Something to do with
>> burning away the nerve endings if the branding tool is hot enough -
>> which granted, with a soldering iron may be difficult to gauge.
>
>This alone tells you that you have a lot more research to do. Yes, the
>tool should be hot enough to demolish the nerve endings. Have you
>considered the surrounding nerve endings that don't get demolished?
>Consider whether you have to have contact with something hot for it to
>hurt you.
>
>Also consider, whether being branded by someone else, might allow you to
>submit to endorhpins etc and allow you to focus and breath and zone out
>- could you do this if you were having to concentrate on the inflicting
>side of the process at the same time? I know I could not.
Those are both fair points - ones I hadn't really thought about.
>> Just throwing a few ideas around at the moment really. :)
>
>
>
>Have you done any research into things like heat spread/dissipation,
>depth required to brand (hint, it's deeper than you probably suspect) etc?
Nope. There's a lot more I need to find out before I'd even seriously
consider doing it/having it done. I was only really making preliminary
enquiries here and I was kinda expecting that someone here might be
able to help me with this sort of thing, or at least point me in the
right direction. I didn't realize that I was going to be opening such
a big can of worms.
I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't bothered now, tbh.
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Dav
<Ha...@NOSPAMALLOWEDhvane.cotse.net> wrote:
>On Wed, 03 May 2006 02:23:05 +0100, Dav, while still wondering about
>life, the Universe and everything else, posted this tasty tidbit :
>> Is there any particular reason why I shouldn't do this?
>>
>> I'm just considering my options at the moment. I've decided that I
>> want a brand at some point in the future (no idea exactly what design
>> just yet, I'm still thinking about that one - it'll probably be words
>> or some kind of slogan across my chest).
>
>Tell me, Dav, are you SERIOUSLY expecting me to believe that you are
>able to do a "slogan" all by yourself ?
>Working upside down and mirrored ?
>Right.....
I don't know. That's why I asked if anyone had any experiences with
this. I'm not planning to just go out, buy a soldering iron, get
drunk, sit down in front of the bathroom mirror and draw all over
myself, yaknow? I'd need to know *exactly* what I was doing and what I
was getting myself into.
'Writing' a few words *would* seem to me to be much easier than trying
to 'draw' an image. The sort of thing I'm imagining would be mostly
comprised of straightish lines anyway...
>>
>> I was talking to the bloke at my local tattoo emporium
>
>Please, divulge your adventures when it comes to tattoos.
>What kind do you have ?
>How many ?
>Large pieces ?
>Maybe post a few pics /
>http://tinypic.com/
I have a large tat on my back (considering building it into a full
backpiece when I have the money) and a medium-sized tattoo on my left
bicep. I'd get someone to take pictures but my digital camera is
knackered. I'm not exactly a complete newbie.
>> the other week
>> and he was explaining the process to me. He uses a cautery pen which,
>> from what I have read appears to simply be a medical version of a
>> high-powered soldering iron.
>>
>> I figured that if I was to do it myself, I could get it looking
>> exactly how I envisioned it (okay, and save money too).>
>
>> How difficult is it to brand oneself anyway
>
>I Imagine that to be extremely difficult and very painful.
>Don't gimme any crap about a superb tolerance for pain, cause we all
>have a high tolerance for pain when it comes to tattoos, piercing and
>laser treatment.
>Branding might even be far worse.
I'm not trying to come across as some sort of 'internet tough guy'
here. I *do* consider myself to have a pretty high pain threshold -
I've had my teeth drilled without anesthetic in the past and my
tattoos hardly even registered for the majority of the time when I was
having them.
>And you are going to "write" this slogan on your chest ?
>Mind you, I don't care what you do, it's your body after all.
>But don't ask me to believe you.
>For all I know you are just another 12-year old summer troll wannabe.
>
><snip>
It wasn't intended as a troll at all and I'm sorry if you took it that
way. I'm genuinely interested in branding and I really didn't expect
to get such hostile responses.
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Dav
Cans and Jars) wrote:
>Dav <davth...@hotmale.com> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 03 May 2006 02:16:43 GMT, dhr...@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of
>> Cans and Jars) wrote:
>>
>> >i can't believe you even need to be told why this is a bad idea.
>>
>> Seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me.
>
>go on ahead & do it, then. post pics of the hot crusty mess. i can't
>wait to see them.
Isn't it *supposed* to be a hot, crusty mess afterwards - and for some
weeks following? ;)
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Dav
What did he use, as a matter of interest?
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Dav
Thanks for that, Curt.
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N Jill Marsh
>Nope. There's a lot more I need to find out before I'd even seriously
>consider doing it/having it done. I was only really making preliminary
>enquiries here and I was kinda expecting that someone here might be
>able to help me with this sort of thing, or at least point me in the
>right direction. I didn't realize that I was going to be opening such
>a big can of worms.
>
>I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't bothered now, tbh.
Why? This is a nice sized can that may even hold some juicy and
interesting worms.
I'd be very cautious about proceeding, mostly due to the likelihood of
poor control over the depth of the burn when one's doing it oneself.
It would be very dependent upon the design and the equipment, I would
think. Unless you have a very special reason to do it oneself,I
suspect it's better left to steadier hands and a more objective
attitude.
nj"good luck"m
--
"Aha, Mr. Bond! You have arrived just in time to
witness the triumph of the trilobites, and the end
of the human race."
Curt James
Brittle and Beeyotch) wrote:
>go on ahead & do it, then.
Zat what they said when you asked about that earlobe tattoo?
>post pics of the hot crusty mess.
Iirc, you posted pics of THAT hot crusty mess.
>i can't wait to see them.
And, hey, was it one or both of your earlobes. Meh. I don't really
care. And, afaik, at least you didn't do it to yourself. Nah. You just
paid someone ELSE to make you dissatisfied with your head.
HAW!
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
Curt James
[...]
>I was only really making preliminary enquiries here and
>I was kinda expecting that someone here might be
>able to help me with this sort of thing, or at least point
>me in the right direction.
Which is, what some would think, the purpose of newsgroups. Obviously,
this is very often not the case.
>I didn't realize that I was going to be opening such
>a big can of worms.
Aw, the world is filled with big-can-of-worms people. Typically, those
types have nothing to offer but condescending jabs.
>I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't bothered now, tbh.
Well, fwiw, I'm glad you did, if only to underline my opinion of,
yeah, some of those bcow peeps. But also you raised an interesting
topic and you received some good responses despite the seeming
jerkheadedness of some.
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
Curt James
[...]
>It wasn't intended as a troll at all and I'm sorry if you took it that
>way. I'm genuinely interested in branding and I really didn't expect
>to get such hostile responses.
replies as especially hostile. Hmm, which is kindasorta on the topic
of pain threshold, isn't it?
With that in mind, here's a rather dusty (but I found interesting)
piece:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2784869.stm
Anywho, welcome to RAB. :o)
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
Dav
>Dav <davth...@hotmale.com> wrote:
> [...]
>
>>It wasn't intended as a troll at all and I'm sorry if you took it that
>>way. I'm genuinely interested in branding and I really didn't expect
>>to get such hostile responses.
>
>I didn't see your post as trolling, but I also didn't perceive the
>replies as especially hostile. Hmm, which is kindasorta on the topic
>of pain threshold, isn't it?
I kinda got a 'you must be fucking stupid for even thinking of this'
vibe from some of the replies I got. Maybe I've got the wrong end of
the stick (text comments and the lack of tone of voice/facial
expression to ascertain the nature in which said comments were made,
etc.)...
>With that in mind, here's a rather dusty (but I found interesting)
>piece:
>
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2784869.stm
>
>Anywho, welcome to RAB. :o)
Cheers. I've been a semi-regular lurker and occasional poster here on
and off for a couple of years now.
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Dav
Yeah - I know a little more now than I did at this time last night. At
least I know on which lines I should be thinking before I go any
further with this. The system works (I guess)! :)
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Kavin...@gmail.com
Dav wrote:
> I kinda got a 'you must be fucking stupid for even thinking of this'
> vibe from some of the replies I got. Maybe I've got the wrong end of
> the stick (text comments and the lack of tone of voice/facial
> expression to ascertain the nature in which said comments were made,
And I think that is what some people intended. Jesus, just because it
is an idea that you think (you think) is original, doesn't mean it is
original or even a good idea.
Capt. Google believes that any argument is the "devil's advocate"
argument. It isn't. And just because someone someone doesn't call you
sweetheart when they are declaring your idea stupid doesn't mean your
idea isn't stupid.
Please note that we all get to judge. To say otherwise is naive. No
one has brought up cross-contamination, etc. Listen to Curt. Let him
suck your dick. All you will end up with is a bad scar and a lot of
back-pedalling.
And since no one has asked -- who are you anyway?
K
Curt James
> Dav wrote:
> > I kinda got a 'you must be fucking stupid for even thinking of this'
> > vibe from some of the replies I got. Maybe I've got the wrong end of
> > the stick (text comments and the lack of tone of voice/facial
> > expression to ascertain the nature in which said comments were made,
> > etc.)....
Hard to tell.
> And I think that is what some people intended. Jesus, just b<snip>
Overwrought much, Kav?
[...]
> Listen to Curt.
*Finally* you say something that makes sense! ;o)
> Let him suck your dick.
Or let *you* bust his balls. Wait, that's not you, Kav. That'd be "a
nice, little, middle-school girl," right? I mean according to you. See:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.bodyart/msg/5f9aeb6514a4cf14
In that case, at least imo, fact is more humorous if not stranger than
fiction. And, yeah, I do believe it also makes a strong argument for
the idea that karma exists.
> All you will end up with is a bad scar
Define bad scar. I have scars from glass and a butcher knife. I've seen
scars from branding. I'm sure there are people out there who've branded
their own body. That's in no way a recommendation for the OP to brand
himself. And wishing him luck on finding accurate information? That's a
bad thing in your book? Rhetorical.
> and a lot of back-pedalling.
Right. Speaking of backpedaling, you might want to "retreat or
withdraw" from your attitude. The one you have now is pure stank.
Hth.
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
The Queen of Cans and Jars
> I'm genuinely interested in branding and I really didn't expect
> to get such hostile responses.
you didn't get any hostile responses; you got people telling you it's
really not a good idea. don't be such a whiner.
DarkAdaptedEye
until it was white-hot and then pressed in place. The resulting blister
got infected and he didn't get treatment straight away 'cos he was
embarrassed to tell his story to the doc.
eldritch
example leads to horribly angry brands most of which get nastily
infected. May even have been due to a lack of considerate hygienic care
afterwards.
Curt James
Ohhhhh, she's right, Dav. No hostile responses, nooooo. Of course,
she's not unfamiliar with posts like this one:
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.fitness.weights/msg/e7215274cf081409
Better to whine than be brittle? ;o)
--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
Doesnotcompute
> I was kinda expecting that someone here might be
> able to help me with this sort of thing,
Some of us are.
> or at least point me in the
> right direction.
Some of us are pointing you in /a/ direction.
If the help you read and the direction you are suggested are not the
answers you wanted to hear, we can't help that. You are of course free
to ignore anything you read here and proceed as you choose.
> I didn't realize that I was going to be opening such
> a big can of worms.
Heh - new around here?
> I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't bothered now, tbh.
This is perhaps the most telling statement of all you have made.
--
Dnc