In every aspect, Derek Jefferson is an old-school, badass tattooer.

He doesn't care much for all of the ways the craft has changed since he started in the early 90s, and he's not shy about letting you know that.

That doesn't mean he's an old, bitter, angry man out there scoffing at the young kids as they play with their battery-powered pens and neat little cartridges; quite the contrary. He understands why things have progressed the way they have.

But to his core, he's a machine builder and artist who has dedicated most of his life to perfecting his trade. He did it the old way back then and still does today: scrub tubes, build needles and machines, mix your pigment, and repeat.

When he started, you couldn't call up a Good Guy Supply and place an order for whatever you needed. You had to learn to do it yourself or have another tattooer do it for you, or you wouldn't be working. 

His early experiences in the tattooing world, where the 'old-school' methods were the norm, have shaped his views on the modernization of tattooing.

He questions the need for pens and cartridges when coil machines and on-bar needles, which he believes still produce great tattoos, are readily available.

"I build custom, high-end, the best machines I can possibly build, and people look at that as an outdated tool," he said on a phone call from Amarillo, Texas, where he was born and raised. "When in reality, it's not. The coil machine has over 100 years of proven results. How can you write that off because you don't understand it?"

Derek's reverence for the traditional approach to tattooing is palpable. Looking back on his journey, it's easy to see why he feels many aspects should remain sacred and untouched. 

Art, skateboarding, and punk rock have been integral parts of Derek's life since he was young. The counterculture of skateboarding, the raw energy of punk rock, and the allure of tattoos resonated with him early, shaping his artistic sensibilities and paving the way for his future in tattooing. 

When he was 16, he got his first tattoo. Derek likens the first time he was in a shop to an almost religious experience.

"When I walked in I was like 'OK, this is like the Vatican, I've found the church,'" he said. "I was hooked from the first day I got a tattoo." 

He'll tell you his fate was sealed after that. He'll also tell you he didn't necessarily take the traditional approach but instead has been incredibly lucky.

"Where I'm from is not a tattoo destination," he said. "It's not known for great tattooing. It was shady, seedy, and rough." 

After high school, Derek planned on becoming a paramedic, but life had other plans. Hanging around a shop and continuing to get tattooed led Derek to meet Tim Lehi in 1993. 

"I was one semester away from becoming a paramedic," Derek explained. "I met him and got tattooed. He was amazing. He was the best dude, the standout. It was mind-blowing at the time." 

Tim noticed Derek's interest in tattooing. He then offered to sell him his old tattoo equipment, which Derek jumped at.

"When I look back at it, that is when the tattooing and machine building started for me," Derek said. "We were just buddies, and he helped a friend out. It wasn't anything formal." 

Tim taught Derek how to make needles and machines. After that, it was on. 

"I had a lot of friends that were skateboarders and punk rockers," he said. "There was no shortage of people letting me practice on them. I was just in the right place at the right time." 

Derek constantly reiterates how lucky he is—how lucky he was to meet Tim, how lucky he was to have friends to practice on, and how lucky he is to have been able to hone his skills over the last three decades.

"I wasn't naturally talented as far as art goes," Derek explained. "Even still, after 30 years, I'm working on drawing, and I do the homework." 

When you look at Derek's work, both his tattoos and the machines he builds, the attention to detail and technique stand out at first glance. 

Now, Derek isn't a sponsored artist. He's not the kind of guy who really cares about those things. 

Our worlds connected because he got sick of getting calls regarding his machines needing repair when the only issue was the quality of the tubes tattooers were using with the machines. 

Derek tried our Tuff Tubes and realized that our metal stem option is the way to go if people use disposables. Coming from a guy who doesn't care for anything modern in tattooing, it's a huge compliment.

"Anything I say about equipment or tattooing, it's all from my experience. People can take it or leave it," he said. "Striving for the best quality, you have to source the best products. Either make those products yourself or find people making the best and support them if their hearts are in the right place."

Derek isn't bitter, rude, or mean when discussing modern-day tattooing. He doesn't like how you can't tell who does what anymore. 

For him, that is one of the defining staples of what it means to tattoo. Seeing someone's body and saying, "Oh yeah, Derek did this," was and still is a huge compliment.  He feels some of that has been lost with the progression of tattooing. 

"When I look at the work, it's all great, super readable, and perfect tattooing, but I can't tell who did that. With that work, you lose something. I find it hard to find inspiration in what is going on." 

He may have an old-school mentality toward tattooing, but that doesn't define him. What defines him is doing the best work possible, whether tattooing or building machines. 

Now, the business has become a family affair. His two boys, 18 and 26 years old, were raised in tattoo shops. He has since involved them in the business, where they help build his machines. 

"I had it in my head: 'I'm not going to sell anyone a tattoo machine that I wouldn't use every day,'" he said. "I'm super picky about machines and equipment—probably more picky than anybody you've ever met. My setup has to be on point every time. That has been my mission: Deliver and build a machine that I would personally use. I think that motto and having that mindset has served me very well." 

Derek added that even after all this time in tattooing, he's not done. 

"I'm striving for something I'm never going to achieve, but I'll keep pushing," he said. "I think that's the greatest thing about tattooing. I don't think anyone can ever truly master, which is what keeps people driven if they are honest about their work." 

"As long as that machine is buzzing, I'm happy."

If you want to keep updated with what Derek has going on, check out and follow his Instagram accounts.