The palm-sized Handpoker is fueled by Cavanaugh’s background in architecture and industrial design, and his apparent interest in applying new technologies to historic artistry. The tool is my entry into this activity.” And that’s where I come into tattoo culture: being a maker. I thought I would try out the idea of making a tool for this. There’s been a resurgence of hand-poked tattoos in shops, with few artists traveling around the world, doing it by hand. Sporting tattoos himself, Cavanaugh tells CH, “I was trying to find a place where I can contribute to tattoo culture, not being a tattoo artist myself. Death at Sea designer Matt Cavanaugh created the one-piece construction in stainless steel so it can be fully functional. Brooklyn studio Death at Sea turns to a time-honored craft for its latest 3D-printed offering, with the Handpoker-a tool for stick-and-poke tattoos.
