Stroke length controls how your machine hits, how fast your needles move, and how deep they go. Ignore it, and your tattoos suffer. Nail it, and you’ll shift between styles with precision.
This blog is your go-to guide for tattoo machine stroke, explained, so you can take control of any session, master any technique, and refine your skills.
What Is the Stroke on a Tattoo Machine?
Stroke length (a.k.a. “throw”) is how far the needle actually travels in and out of the skin each time the machine fires.
- For coil machines: stroke = distance the armature bar travels before hitting the needle.
- For rotary machines: stroke = distance the cam wheel spins in one rotation.
What the cam does: The cam’s shape and travel control how the needle moves up and down. It directly determines your stroke. Change the cam or use an adjustable stroke tattoo machine, and you change the machine’s behavior.
Tattoo Needle Depth vs. Stroke: What’s the Difference?
Stroke = your needle's travel distance
Needle depth = how far the needle sticks out of the tube or cartridge tip.
The deal: Stroke sets the max travel distance, while needle depth sets how far/deeply you're penetrating the skin. They work together.
They've gotta work together correctly if you want clean lines, proper ink saturation, and minimal trauma. Think of stroke as the engine, and needle depth as the wheel hitting the road. If they're misaligned, your sessions won't run smoothly.
- Too short a stroke for a long needle depth? The needle won’t retract enough to grab ink → patchy tattoos.
- Too long a stroke for a short needle depth? You’ll overpenetrate, traumatizing skin → poor healing.
Bottom line: Stroke and needle depth must match. Get it right, your tattoos hit clean and consistent. Get it wrong, you’re scraping and patching.
How Stroke Length Impacts Your Tattoo Results
Stroke length isn’t just numbers—it changes everything: speed, momentum, and how your ink sits.
- Short strokes: fast, soft hits; ideal for shading and blending.
- Medium strokes: versatile; works for most tasks, including color packing.
- Long strokes: slow, heavy hits. Perfect for bold lines and packing ink fast, but only if you know what you’re doing (more on this below).
Short vs. Long Stroke: Which Is Better?
Here’s the breakdown: the most common short, medium, and long strokes and how to use them. None is “better,” but each has its own purpose.
Short Stroke (1.8–2.5mm)
- Fast, soft hits
- Perfect for soft shading, blending, and hyperrealism
- Low skin trauma = safe for multiple passes
- Remember: use a short needle depth when using a short stroke
Medium Stroke (~3.5mm)
- The all-rounder: color packing, shading, general tattooing
- Hits harder than short stroke but won’t pull the boldest single-pass lines
- Best for small needle groupings. Heavy liners and mags are not ideal for medium strokes.
Long Stroke (4mm+)
- Slow, heavy-hitting, high momentum
- Pulls bold lines, packs ink fast — ideal for American Traditional & Neotraditional
- Warning: High stroke lengths can stress the skin. Only recommended for pros who've had plenty of practice. If you're not used to longer strokes, get the hang of them by using practice skins.Opens a new window
Best Stroke Lengths for Lining, Shading, and Color Packing
- Lining: shorter to medium strokes for control and clean edges
- Shading: medium strokes for smooth gradients
- Color packing: medium to long strokes to push ink evenly
Pro tip: Knowing the best stroke for lining your tattoos will save you patchy lines and overworked skin.
Adjustable Stroke Tattoo Machines Explained
Coil machines: turn the contact screw to change how far the armature bar travels.
Rotary machines: choose between fixed strokes or an adjustable stroke tattoo machine. There are also machines, like the FK Irons Spektra Xion,Opens a new window that have swappable cams.
- Top pick: FK One AdjustOpens a new window lets you switch between 7 stroke lengths on the fly without powering down.
- Fixed setups: Bishop Rotary,Opens a new window InkJectaOpens a new window — separate machines for liner, shader, packer. Some rotaries allow interchangeable cam wheels.
Tip: Give matters. Coil machines have natural give but most rotaries don’t. Too much stroke on a stiff rotary = more skin trauma. FK Irons “eGive” tech fixes this with wireless setups and the Darklab app.
Choosing the Right Stroke for Your Tattooing Style
Stroke length is personal. Your style, technique, and machine preference determine what works. Experiment, take notes, and get to know your setup. Once you master stroke and depth, you’ll hit get cleaner, better results, no matter what style you're tackling.
