I must admit that I used Yelp quite a lot in researching places where to fix up my tattoo. I also visited some places around the city, including this one. At my first visit, one of the artists showed me his portfolio, explained how covering up a tattoo works and gave me lots of useful advice. After seeing the portfolio, I had already made up my mind. Email communication was fantastic in getting an appointment precisely on the day I wanted. I was very impressed with the overall service at this place. On the day of the appointment I was late (studying for exams....) and when I called to say that I was desperately waiting for the MUNI, they were super nice about it and still welcomed me in when I arrived - even if it was one hour before closing time!
The artist who did my tattoo, Thaoe, was great. He made sure I was comfortable, chatted with me during the process, and was super clean in handling the utensils. He did all he could to make the tattoo perfect and just as I wanted it, and that is exactly how it turned out. What I appreciated the most were all the tips and suggestions during the designing period. It far exceeded my expectations and I am very satisfied with the result. So I would recommend this place a million times.
I had a fantastic experience at Cold Steel America! I was on a fun SF weekend get-away with my man, cruising around the Haight Street area when I decided I needed to get my existing tattoo touched up... I wanted crisper lines and more intense color. We were at a pizza place down the street & asked the girls there what place they recommended for great tattoo artists. She said Cold Steel, next door! Â I was like, OK THEN! The shop is so rad looking on the outside... I walked in and was greeted by a super friendly guy. I showed him my tat and said I wanted it re-done with better lines, shading & color. He was enthusiastic and really friendly and assured me that they could do an awesome job of improving my tattoo. Then I met Weston Weller who said he would do it. Weston made me feel comfortable right away and he was really nice. I loved the inside of the shop and got a good feeling right away. Â (I make decisions based on gut feelings :) Â I was led back to Weston's room and it was clean and tidy and had cool photos everywhere. Bonus that he was playing hip hop music that I love... Weston told me that he could make my tat look way better & it would take about a half hour. No problem! Â He was really good, very friendly and cool and he did a super job! He made sure I was comfortable even tho my tat is in a spot near my girly parts. He did an amazing job! It looks wicked cool and I am really happy with it. After the session, he guided me on aftercare and then we went to a bar down the street for a drink! Â Weston is awesome. I would recommend him and Cold Steel to anyone in SF looking to get Inked.
Review Source:An authority on the best quality in both tattoo's and piercings. I have gotten both tattoos and piercings done here, and I wouldn't go anywhere else for either.
All the staff are well trained, do great work, are friendly and helpful people.
Great selection of simple stainless steel, 14k gold nose studs, some really beautiful septum jewelry and other fanciful gauged jewelry as well.
My Two Favorites:
Mic Rawls is an amazing person and a wonderful Master piercer and manager at Cold Steel. Trained by the best of the best in the Gauntlet days. I place absolute trust in this man's steady hands.
I'm also very happy to have found the awesome Weston Weller, a tattoo artist at Cold Steel. The black and white shoulder/back/side piece i posted is his handy work towards the end of the picture board on this page.
Someone I can go to for all my tattoo needs and trust to do great work.
I rarely leave reviews but want to make sure Becky gets her proper respect. I have come in for two piercings with her now, and I don't think I'll go to anyone else again. She is incredibly knowledgable, yet is fully open for conversation, questions, or new information. She takes her time to be sure you are fully informed, that the piercing is right for your unique body, and that you are comfortable. She would rather say no to piercing you that do harm or have it come out wrong. I really respect her practice, how she treats people, and her skill/expertise. I feel so safe with her, she's amazing. Worth every penny I spend, and more. I highly recommend seeing her for a consultation, especially if you have ever been afraid of a certain piercing, she will help you to understand it fully and feel really comfortable before any needles are out of the package. Thank you Becky!
Review Source:I recently had my belly button pierced by Becky and she was amazing! I have had my body reject the piercing before but it has healed up perfectly this time! She was so knowledgeable, and extremely calming it didn't hurt at all and was a really awesome experience overall. Â Would definitely go back to her next time!
Review Source:Becky is my favorite at ear piercing. I have sent over a dozen clients to her and have not yet heard one negative comment. She is a great match for the full range from a conservative type to the more addicted to body piercing type. Â The level of professionalism is high with great attention to detail and the ability to communicate well. Sanitation is clearly well done.
Cold Steel America has standards like they won't use any body jewelry from outside their shop to do piercings. Standards work for me. They offer lower cost jewelry options to start with, or if the budget allows, they have a fine collection of high end for the more discriminate. The displays in this shop are a pleasure to browse. For those interested in the social aspects of body adornments, the shop is like a museum, so drop by and check out the pictures they have displayed if there is interest. People who work at Cold Steel are helpful and intelligent. I have enjoyed eavesdropping on quite a number of conversations in this place and am more impressed each visit.
My fav is Becky. If you desire a new hole in your body then my recommendation is the very talented Ms. Becky Dill.
I randomly wandered into Cold Steel America hoping I'd find a replacement for my recently lost helix ring. The staff was incredibly helpful without being pushy, which I really appreciated since I was looking for something specific and didn't want to just browse.
After selecting a new ring, I was asked if I'd need help putting it in. Since I had picked a captive bead ring, I gladly paid the additional $5 to have one of the piercers put it in for me. This gave me a chance to check out the tattoo and piercing area in the back of the store. There seemed to be about 4 or 5 dedicated rooms and, judging by the one I was in, very clean and tidy.
I usually always go here and have always recommended my friends to come here. But after today's experience, I don't think I'm ever going to come back.
I walked in today to get my septum pierced, filled out all the paperwork HONESTLY and proceeded to head into the room to get it done.
They always ask if you have been drinking and earlier that day I had a couple beers but it was 2 hours before the piercing even happened. On the paperwork I had stated that this had happened but when the piercer asked me for a second time and I replied truthfully he denied to pierce me.
On top of that all he put a stud in my nose to replace a previous piercing THAT I DIDN"T EVENT WANT and charged me $40... for nothing.
This place is a total scam, never come here.
As an "alternative" person who works at UCSF, on my walk home down Haight, Cold Steel is my first stop off/haven/place where I feel normal. The staff/piercers at Cold Steel have been incredibly kind, accommodating, and wonderful to me for the several years I've been frequenting it. I've never been tattooed at Cold Steel, so cannot speak to that, but I have bee pierced by both Mic and Becky. Both of them are extremely proficient, specifically as far as being immaculately hygienic and knowledgeable about their art and their craft. All the piercings Mic has done on me (nipples, tragus, clavicle dermal x2) have all healed perfectly. He is an extremely proficient piercer.
Now, as for Becky - I've only had one piercing done by her - a medusa. A medusa is an extremely sensitive piercing in every way: getting the middle of your face pierced, especially as a woman, requires extreme precision to execute well. Becky obsessive-compusively (in a GOOD way) spent maybe 15 minutes simply drawing the dot. It was like watching an artist work. She told me to make a kiss face, smile, frown, etc. several times, then after that, drew the dot in just the perfect place, and before she even did the piercing, told me that my medusa would move up to the left side of my face by several millimeters. In short, this woman knows how to get piercings perfectly placed. If you're someone who's concerned about having a perfectly placed piercing (or several piercings), go to Becky. She knows what time it is. So does everyone else there I've had the pleasure of working with.
In addition to all that, they have a beautiful, well stocked array of jewelry, and are extremely knowledgeable about all of it. One of my faves. Thank you so much all of you guys!
Walked in to get  piercings and delighted to be met with such professionalism and kindness.  The young lady who did my piercings is Becky.  She was very knowledgeable and educated me of proper care of my piercings.  She was gentle and EXTREMELY clean.  As she prepped me for my piercings, she changed her gloevs several times which made me feel very confident.  I have actually had piercings at other places in which I have had to ask them to change their gloves.  Anyway, Becky is a great piercer and I am sure that I will be seeing her again in the future.
Review Source:Great for piercings! I just moved to SF and had been wanting a tongue piercing for two years, and finally made the decision  to get it. I walked around Haight St. for 45 mins and went into different shops, when I finally walked into Cold Steel. The lady at the front was super helpful, and introduced me to Becky. She was really sweet, calmed my nerves, and very knowledgable  about all piercings. The actual piercing took maybe five minutes and Becky was so gentle I didn't feel a thing, from the clamp or the needle. It's been 5 days and it's healing great, with her after care directions! I love it! Would totally go back!
Review Source:My cartilage earring fell out of my ear when I was at work so I rushed to Cold Steel that evening since I could not figure out how to put it back in. They were SUPER helpful in helping me pick a new earring (since the one I had was cheap and irritating my ear) and put it in for me for a small fee. The guy who put it in was very gentle so I barely felt anything. Everyone here is super nice and happy to give you as much info as possible which is helpful for people like me who are not well-versed in this area. I will definitely come here again!
Review Source:Cold Steel America is THE ONLY place I go for body piercing. I've been going to Cold Steel for about four years now, first when living close by in Marin, now traveling two hours just to work with my favorite piercer on earth, Becky Dill. The whole staff is friendly and knowledgable. The shop is warm and inviting (unlike some cold and impersonal establishments). And the jewelry selection is fantastic.
But what is truly special is the piercing experience. Becky Dill has done lobes, helix, septum, nipple and guiche piercings for me and all have been wonderful experiences. These piercings have ranged from initial 12 gauge, to a rather more sizeable 6 gauge and everything in between. She has also assisted in stretching some piercings. She takes the time to discuss what I'm interested in, location of the piercing, and initial sizing and jewelry options --- and that is before we even begin.
Once we head into the piercing room, Becky examins and cleans the area to be pierced. She marks the location, sometimes many times, and reviews this with me to make absolutely sure that the hole she is about to put in me is in just the right place.
And then the piercing itself. People get pierced for lots of reasons. For some its just a cosmetic style choice. For others it may be part of a spiritual process, practice, or quest. For still others it may have psychological or emotional significance. Becky works to honor each of her clients goals for their piercing. She gives me time to get mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared --- piercings do hurt afterall. She reminds me of good breathing practice. She talks to me in a calm, gentle, soothing voice about everything she is doing so that there are no surprises. And then, with a deep breath and full exhale it's DONE! A little more time for recovery, a check in to make sure I'm ok, a look at the finished product and we head back out to the lobby.
And that's it. Seems simple, right? Well, in practiced and caring hands it is. And that is the piercing experience I get with Becky at Cold Steel, a great piercing from practiced and caring hands.
I know I've gone on and on, and you may be wondering what background I have that allows me to gush so much about Becky. Well, I've had myself pierced beginning when I was sixteen, and that's a LONG time back. I've been pierced by jewelry store guns (don't ever do that), and be three other professional piercers. One was bad, and my body ultimately did not heal properly from the experience. Two were good, but missing that certain something that makes the process special. And one, Becky, has been truly wonderful. That's why I will continue to see her for all my piercing needs and why I wholeheartedly and unabashedly gush my recommendation of Becky and Cold Steel America to you.
I've lived in Upper Haight for over a year and wanted a tattoo for over a decade. Â I'm 30yo and just received my first tattoo at this Cold Steel America tattoo shop just a couple wks ago. Â I walked up and down Haight st talking to over 20 tattoo artists, but when I walked into this shop, there was a different vibe. Â Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and laid back. Â It didn't feel like a business, it felt like they were friends wanting to help me out. Â I looked around and a tattooed (good-lookin) man came up to answer all of my questions and concerns about this intense decision I was about to make.
This tattooed, laid back, friendly, chill guy took me through an extraordinary experience that of course I'll never forget since the beautiful art he created is branded on my thigh. Â Every other tattoo artist I gave my pics to twisted my idea into a cartoon that looked like a joke. Â The only guy who told me he could do it exactly how I wanted it done was Thaoe from Cold Steel. Â
It's gorgeous and I'm incredibly happy now that it's done. Â Thaoe was great to talk with during the 7.5hrs of intense painful pleasure, everything was clean, no infection or heavy scabbing, all questions answered.
My dream has been fulfilled!
I am greatly satisfied with choosing Cold Steel America for having a creative and talented artist, Thaoe, that gave me exactly what I was looking for.
I came here randomly on a Tuesday afternoon looking to get a tattoo while I was visiting San Francisco. I'm from Chicago, and am pretty tatted up, but I had my reservations getting tattooed in another city. A barista at a coffee shop down the street referred me to Cold Steel.
Well- I had an amazing experience here. The staff was extremely helpful, and welcoming (especially for walking in ten minutes after it had opened). Ended up getting tattooed an hour later and am in love with my new piece. Â Never once did I feel uncomfortable. He opened all the equipment in front of me, was VERY clean, and made sure to inform me of aftercare... I highly recommend this place!
This shop is great!!!
The staff was very helpful and very knowledgeable jewelry choices.
 I was a little nervous but it quickly went away after I met Mic.  He came out to the waiting area to greet me and let me know he was just finishing up and would be out to get me shortly.
When we got into the room he went over everything he would be doing and got started. Â The piercing lasted about 5 minutes and the other 10 minutes was spent on any questions I had about aftercare.
My piercing including jewelry was under $100!
Great experience and Mic was awesome (and cute!) I would definitely come back.
Thanks !!!
I got my first piercing here (earlobes) and the staff was friendly and welcoming. The piercer was very professional, explained to me how everything worked, kept my nerves at ease and even provided some liquid soap gentle enough for cleaning the piercing. I've gone back a couple of times to have them stretched and the staff is always willing to help me out with getting my plugs in and those little rubberbands on to the ends of the plugs so they don't fall off. I've purchased my jewelry from them too. They have a great selection and if they don't have what you want you can ask them and they can generally order whatever you would like.
Review Source:Rude guy who pierced my lip. It was my first time, and he provided little to none info & laughed & scoffed when I asked questions, like seriously man, this isn't basic knowledge if I ask a question out of concern, answer the Damnn question! Gees this guy was a prick. The piercing came out nice but I'll never go back. Paid 90 for a lip piercing also. Kind of expensive considering my belly was 60.
Review Source:DO NOT GO HERE FOR A TATTOO!! I'd recommend getting a piercing here but definitely not for a tattoo. I told the guy what I wanted, showed him pictures and it came out nothing like what I showed. Shading was horrible or if I could even call it shading. I felt rushed and felt like my concerns and wants were not heard.
Everyone that I've shown has agreed.
Fortunately I found another place that was able to fix it.
This shop provides friendly and helpful service,  I went  here to get my helix pierced and my piercer Mic was helpful.  He showed me my options for nickel-free, titanium jewelry.
After he set up and invited me inside, he was very open to my questions and made me feel comfortable while I had a few holes poked inside of me.
This is definitely a great spot to go to for piercings, and even tattoos. Highly reccomend.
Every time that I cruise up to SF and am galavanting in the Haight, I stop by and contemplate getting a tattoo. The staff is alway, always, always friendly and I know that one of these days, that tattoo is gonna happen.
The facilities are incredibly clean and they offer a beautiful assortment of body jewelry. They gave me a sweet deal on a BVLA gold nose ring that I'd been pining after forevaaa. $40 cheaper than at any other shop!
This review is for Becky @ Cold Steel: She did my VCH piercing and it was an excellent experience!
I came across her name as a recommended piercer for this type of piercing and I'm definitely glad I made the trek down from Sac. From the moment I first talked to her on the phone up to the actual piercing she was confident, professional, knowledgable and friendly. I came into the shop and we set up a time later in the day to do the piercing. I felt comfortable talking to her about the procedure, and she made sure all questions were answered before we started. During the the prep and the actual piercing she was extremely calm and professional, and helped me relax and gave thorough descriptions of what she was doing and why. I think as the piercing happened, I did scream... but the discomfort was very brief and there was pretty much no pain afterwards. I highly recommend her to anyone thinking of getting pierced!
I also want to note that the shop is impeccably clean, and has a nice set-up with a wide selection of body jewelry. I talked to just about everyone there and everyone was friendly and open. My honey talked to one the the tattoo artists and actually set an appointment to get his first tattoo next week. :O So, we'll be back soon!
Cold steel is one of those places that I love spending money in. I got a dermal anchor piercing (which was painful as s**t) But it was done so perfectly that it was worth the pain.
CS has a plethora of body jewelry for dermal anchors that are one of a kind & that I haven't seen anywhere else (flowers, stars, marble-looking pieces).
The staff is trendy and super friendly & I can't wait until I go back and get more piercings in the future.
Piercing : VCH by Becky ( A+ Awesome piercer)
Called and the person on the phone was able to answer all my questions and was sweet. Two days later, I walked in and was greeted by friendly faces. I told them what I wanted and they were great in explaining and going over options. I was by myself so I needed extra patience and support. Becky was my piercer and she was the reason I chose this place in SF opposed to a local place in San Jose. She was recommended by elayne angel, app and yelp. She had a lengthy consultation with me in the room. The room resembled a doctor's exam room and looked and smelled clean. I train doctors and staff on medical equipment for a living, so I know hospital clean. She let me know about aftercare and what to expect. She made me feel very comfortable despite my vagina being out. Becky even told me that the jewelry may sit tilted due to my asymmetrical goods. The piercing hurt and bled. It felt similar to getting an IV. After a minute the pain stopped. I bled for a few hours but that was normal and to be expected. After 2 hours, I was playing soccer in my front yard with my kids. The day after I am a little sore, like how u would feel after rough sex. Totally tolerable though. I am excited to have it heal so I can see if it enhances sex. It sure does look cute. I will be back in a few months to get my nipples done.
Ears 14G
Industrial 14G
VCH 12G
Tongue 14G- Swallowed jewelry in sleep, never got it redone.
I'm in the middle of having my lower left arm "sleeved" by Rian. Â I've sort of taken the fun, punk rock, spontaneous nature of getting a tattoo and thrown it out for a more OCD approach, lol. Â I did YEARS of research on designs and tattoo artists before I settled on Rian. Â I got a tattoo from another artist in this shop (Rickett?) several years ago and ended up having Rian cover it with my new design because I just wasn't happy with it.
I went to Rian because of his brilliant color work. Â He has been very patient with me and answered all of my emails and changed the design several times to fit my liking. Â I have gone in twice now for about 3 hours each time and probably will need to go in two more times to get it all finished. Â I get endless compliments on the line work alone. Â He's amazing.
People leave the lamest reviews for the stupidest stuff, so here are some tips:
Please remember, choose your artist carefully. Â They all have their own style, so if you get a spur of the moment tattoo from a guy whose style you don't like, then chances are, you're not going to be happy. Â Same thing with a shop atmosphere. Â I have gone into shops and talked to several artists, and then never returned just because I didn't like the "vibe". Â
Print EXAMPLES of what you're looking for! Â The artist can modify it to your liking and will appreciate the guidance!
For heaven's sake, bring FOOD and WATER if you plan to sit for more than an hour! Â Your body slowly goes into shock when you expose it to intense pain for an extended amount of time, so stay hydrated and keep your blood sugar up...don't pass out 'cause your artist might freak, m'kay? Â ;-)
This is the only place my wife will come to for her piercings or for our jewelry. Mic, and Becky are great piercers who know their ish. Ive known Becky for quite a few years from another shop and she always does a great job.
i had a horrible incident where one of my piercings came out and was starting close rather fast. On panic mode and spur of the moment Mic came to the rescue and successfully saved my piercing. they'd get an extra star if it wasn't for how expensive their jewelry was, but its good stuff so it is what it is. We always anticipate paying quite a bit more when we go, plus the great service, so i tell myself its worth it. great shop with a chill atmosphere. ive always had positive experiences with the rest of the staff there as well.
Never mess with a good thing.
I've had all my piercings done at Body Manipulations in the Mission, and every single one of them have been accurately placed, healed beautifully, and not caused me any problems. But I had heard rave reviews about Cold Steel from friends, so one afternoon, while strolling in the Haight, I decided to check them out.
I wandered into the shop, and browsed the display cases full of jewelry until one of the girls at the counter wandered over to me. I had been thinking about the snug piercing for quite a while, and spontaneously decided on the spot, that I wanted to get one. After filling out all the necessary legal information, I was lead to the back room where my piercer Mic was waiting.
After several trial markings, I finally decided on the placement of the piercing, and Mic marked me and selected an appropriate curved barbell for the two rhinestones end gems I had chosen.
A few minutes later, I had finished screaming silently and my new piercing was done :)
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fs3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com%2Fbphoto%2Frl9IncrJey8Y3rmRgwe9Dg%2Fl.jpg&s=9313a2b0013e386452049f60f208dc9cdb93d48a14f7c887c4bfd300892f0ee3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s3-media4.ak.yelp…</a> (please ignore the ugly blue dots)
I was fairly pleased with my new piercing, until this morning, about a month after I had initially been pierced. I noticed that the external end of my piercing was no where in sight, and was actually embedded in my ear, as the rim of cartilage had swollen past the width of the barbell. (The sight is too disgusting and scary to post a picture)
I dashed to Cold Steel America, and fortunately, Mic was working that day. I asked him to inspect my ear, and he stated that the original barbell wasn't big enough and I needed to purchase another one.
"Huh?" I asked. "Didn't you select the barbell for me before, with consideration for swelling as the wound healed?"
"Yes, but the barbell wasn't big enough, and now you need to buy another one", he replies.
"I have to buy another one, because you chose one that was too small before? Even though you knew it'd swell?, I asked, with disbelief.
"These things happen", he shrugged.
So I had no choice but to purchase a wider barbell that would accommodate the swelling of my piercing, though I wasn't the person to have initially chosen the smaller one. It didn't make sense why I needed to pay to fix a problem that was caused by an inexperienced piercer, but I was just happy to have the embedded end visible again after switching to a larger barbell.
I should have known better than to stray from Body Manipulations in the Mission. My one time of trying somewhere new, and I end up with an irritated and embedded piercing.
I was suggested to come here by a worker at One Shot Tattoo on Irving because this place has a wide selection of jewelry, and yes they really do.
First of all, the front entrance DOES look sketchier than most places on Haight. It's a tiny little door with a gate around it and you step down to get into the shoppe. When you do walk in, though, you're instantly greeted by many cases of jewelry that you won't know where to start (literally).
The best you can do is ask the worker what you're looking for. I knew exactly what I wanted. I just needed to change out the jewelry of my conch piercing to a seamless ring that fit snugly. The woman helping me assessed the piercing, the gauge size, and the diameter. And instantly pulled out two seamless rings that would most suit me. I just had to pick whether I wanted a tighter ring or one a little more loose.
What I was disappointed about was that the woman told me that it would take 5-10 minutes to wait until she can help me out to put the jewelry on after I had purchased it. It ended up being 20-25 minutes. And as I was waiting, I constantly heard loud banging, clanking, and dropping sounds coming from the back (definitely not comforting for those that are about to get pierced or inked). Also, it costs $5 for the assist fee if you want someone to change out a piercing for you, EVEN if you bought the jewelry there. I thought that was pretty insane, because I thought the fee was only for outside jewelry.
When it finally came down to her putting on the piercing, I never actually saw any disinfecting going on, but they do definitely wear gloves. So it IS questionable, but by all means, if you're getting pierced, you definitely SHOULD ask them to disinfect before your eyes. She's extremely detailed when she's doing her work and will literally tell you every step she's doing, like taking out the old piercing, putting in the new one, closing the ring, might be some pressure, adjusting the ring to look perfect, etc. She was also extremely gentle that I didn't feel any of it. And just as they should, they ask to take a look in the mirror to make sure I like it, which I did.
Overall, the service was just ok. And the place does seem slightly sketch. But I'd definitely recommend to stop by if you want to purchase some jewelry even if you're going to put it in yourself.
Another thing, you will lose phone signal and any trace of wifi as soon as you step foot into the store.
UPDATE!!
Yes folks...I went back and YES...I got my tattoo and YES....it was amazing.
Weston was amazing, super easy to work with and very personable. I could not have asked for a better experience. Not only did he understand my idea and really worked to make the colors I wanted work within the tattoo. He had ideas for my future tattoos as well. He really gets the ideas of the people he works with and knows what he is good at and what he can do to really make a tattoo rock.
There was some waiting while the art was being created and I spent that time chatting with customers and other employees. The piercing girl (Becky) was amazing as well. She was the one that put in my earring the last time I was there.
There was another man in black and red...so fashionable and very sweet. Warm and welcoming to all customers. Turns out he knew one of the customers kids from way back and I spent some time chatting with her too.
So it turns out that my happy accident ....walking into Cold Steel when another shop was closed ...turned out to be the best thing I could have ever done.
If you are at all considering your first tattoo or your 30th, you should at least meet with the employees at Cold Steel....it will be worth your while.
Many many many THANKS to Cat5 for funding this little adventure in body art. Could not have done it without her. Literally!!
Psst...I am adding a picture too!
Service was great. I got a cartilage piercing there and before I started, the girl at the front desk was patient and informative about how to care for the piercing and handed me a legit brochure.
As I was waiting to get the piercing, they joked around with me. The wait wasn't too long. Maybe ten minutes though I'm sure that this varies depending on time and day. I went on a gloomy Wednesday afternoon.
When I was finally getting the piercing, the worker who helped me (Becky) was very kind and made sure I was comfortable and gave me some more advice on how to care for my piercing. After everything was done, Becky gave me a card for 10% off on stainless steel jewelry, my size, and her name for future reference.
This was only the 2nd piercing/tattoo place I've gone to which is why I'll put 4 stars instead of 5 (for my lack of experience in these places) but compared to the first shop I went to, Cold Steel America was by far the best. I will definitely be going back.
Oh and sidenote: they have a wide selection of gauges (made me consider getting em) and other piercing selections. I adored the feather earrings they had on display too.
After returning from an MRI for which I had to remove all my piercings this am, I was unable to get one of the more *delicate* rings back in. Â Following 1/2 hour of pain with my roommate trying to help, I gave in and called Cold Steel. Â
The girl who answered the phone was amazingly chipper, considering the weather outside and past experiences I've had at OTHER studios (attitude, condescension, *too cool for school* vibe). Â I received NONE of that here. Â She told me happily that they charge $5 to re thread my piercing (SO cheap!!), so I got in my car and drove over.
Upon entering the studio, there were 3 staff members standing @ the front counter, and EACH of them greeted me warmly and instantaneously, asking how they could help.
I was like *I'm the piercing replacer*, and a guy came from behind the counter and took me back to a room that was neat, clean and nicely decorated and, proceeded to set up the room.
We chatted about the sink unit (very nice mini-farmhouse sink) and how difficult it had been to install, he directed me to lie back on the table, I lay back, mentioned that my roommate had tried to replace my ring for 1/2 hour, he said *A bit of a pinch here* and then he was snapping the captive bead in place. Â
I was like *REALLY--that's ALL?* and he was like *Yep!*.
I walked towards the front and when I got to the counter, he said *$5 please* and our transaction was complete. Â There was NO pain, NO wait, NO attitude and virtually no charge!!
Granted I didn't get any major procedure done, but if their professionalism and generally cheerful demeanor and TOTAL lack of attitude is any indication of their overall quality of work, I would return in a heartbeat, as well as recommend that everyone else patronize them, too! Â
I truly was treated respectfully and enthusiastically, and it's not often you get that kind of service @ all: RARELY on Haight and almost NEVER at a piercing or Tattoo studio!!
:)
On February 25th, 3 days after my daughter got her belly pierced, I went back to Cold Steel to get my tongue pierced. Becky is my piercer and she is a wonderful girl. She made me feel comfortable and relaxed during the procedure which by the way was like a few seconds. The prep time took up more time than the actual piercing. I've had the piercing for 22 days now. on the 21st day (3 weeks) I returned back to Cold Steel to get a shorter bar. This was painless.
And to backtrack to Saturday March 12th, a friend of mine wanted a tattoo and asked me if I knew of a place, I suggested Cold Steel, so I went with her to get her tattoo, a Kanji symbol, and then I actually got a tattoo as well, which is the Om symbol within a circle which I quickly looked up on the stores computer meant Zen. Kevin did my friends Tattoo as well as mine. I have to say that for me, I was very comfortable with the whole tattoo experience there as I have been to a tattoo shop in DalyCity and got 2 tattoos from that place.
All in all though, my friend and I are very pleased with our tattoo and I would recommend any one to go there for piercings or a tattoo.
Thank you Cold Steel!
Cold Steel America was doing this $5 piercings as well as 20% tattoos sale at the end of the year, so my friend and I decided to stop by. I was planning on getting a septum piercing AND a tattoo, but the wait for a tattoo artist was long and I didn't want to spend the whole night waiting there.
The staff at this place is ridiculously nice! The lady at the front helped me pick out my jewelry and was super informative about basically EVERYTHING - the process, the after-care, etc. She kind of reminded me of an elementary school teacher I had, which probably made me a little less nervous. My friend went to get his second lip piercing and we both hadn't eaten. They wanted to make sure our blood levels were okay, so they let us eat. About half an hour later, we walked in after dinner and they took us right away - no additional waiting (yay)!!!
Becky did our piercings. She is soooo incredibly sweet and calming, she definitely put my mind at ease. She told me exactly what she was doing as she was doing it so I could anticipate the pain, which wasn't that bad! For my friend's 2nd lip piercing, she took her time to align it with his 1st piercing so it wasn't crooked, which my friend definitely appreciated.
Another example of how awesome the staff is here:
10 minutes after we left, I called to check if it was okay for me to smoke a cigarette (I wasn't sure if it was gonna affect the healing process or whatever). The guy who answered said, "Yeah, you can... But... smoking's bad for you, hun." Some smokers hate it when people say things like this, but I thought this was sweet! See, they care about their customers THAT much! Haha.
If I ever wanted any other piercings done, I will go back here - no hesitations!
I came here when they had the $5 piercing deal going on... and I did NOT regret coming here at all!
All three staff I met, whether it was my piercer or not, were all REALLY friendly, nice, and informative. They showed sincere interest in all their customers from what I witnessed.
I came in to re-pierce my navel, since the place I got it done had done a poor job causing my body to reject it, resulting in a scar :( but no fear!! Becky (my piercer) analyzed the area and quickly was able to tell me if I was able to re-pierce it or not. And yes, I was able to! :)
She was veryy sweet, informative, responsive, and relaxing. She took the time and steps to walk me through it even though i've been through the process before. She also mentioned she knows most of the piercers in the bay area since she is the head of the piercing association around the bay area.
Overall: professional, clean, friendly, & WILL DEFINITELY come for my next!
Well atleast they have great reviews for the most part...................I had a TERRIBLE experience which only lasted 10 seconds.
Came here when I first got my monroe piercing (I was in high school) my lip was so swollen it looked like I had enough money to get a good lip injection done.....but the issue was that I didn't have a long enough bar, so it looked like my lip was eating my jewelry! I came in looking for a longer bar, the ASSHOLE, yeah I said it ...........ASSHOLE at the front was like "let me see the back" I lifted my lip and he yells at me "DON'T TOUCH IT" WELL HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSE TO SHOW U THE BACK U MORON?!?!?!?! So I asked nicely, how it would be possible without me touching it, the douche bag gives me some sanitizer (shoudl've just mentioned that before) Â I got some of that sanitizer and didn't even bother......thanks for the free sanitizer u shit head and that's why I gave them 1 star, I'd give them a negative for that retarded dude at the front.
As with all my piercing reviews with a happy ending, I went to Body Manipulations and they replaced it with a SMILE.
I'm sure they have nicer people now (I would hope so) as no one should have to go through some BS nonsense like that. Although I'm sure they aren't as bad, I'm just not willing to risk having to deal with the stupidity again.
I've gotten pierced here twice (tongue & conch) and both times I was amazed at how professional and knowledgeable everyone was. Â
Though expensive, it is definitely worth it to get pierced here. Â The piercers are smart, funny and truly experienced in what they are doing. Â Everything is sanitized to the point you feel like you're in a doctors' office. Â I had one piercer spend 10+ minutes just placing the prospective piercing in a way so that it would hang through my gauges. Â
Yeah, I definitely have no problem putting down money if the piercings are worth it!
I came in with a friend who knew the manager. I mentioned how frustrated I was trying to get a lip-ring that fit snugly. And that I needed a captive ring in a smaller size then what I had at home, but I wasn't sure what the exact measurements were. Well, Mic was really nice about it and said If I brought it home and found it was the wrong size that I could bring it back to get the right size. Their store policy is that you can't return jewelry, but I'm assuming he ok-ed it cause I said I wasn't going to put it on unless it was the size I was looking for. I asked him several times if it was ok to return it and he said yes.
I go home and turns out it was the same size as what I had at home, so I go back to return it. After standing there like a dum-dum waiting for someone to acknowledge my presence, Danny, the counter girl finally attends to me.  After I tell her I was returning the ring, she explains in a curt and condescending tone that they don't accept returns. Then it continues like this, me "But I was told...". She interrupts me mid sentence with a loud "NO ONE TOLD YOU ANYTHING". I was stunned at how I was being treated! I insisted that I was told I could  (by now, I'm red from anxiety and trying very hard to keep it polite). She goes on to berate me with,"Who told you that" (no pause) "Nobody here would tell you that cause it's against store policy". Seeing that I was getting nowhere, I left shaking, I was so enraged.
That seriously made me feel like absolute SH!T, cause the manager wasn't there to back me up and it was reeeaallly hard to swallow that kind of treatment in the name of maturity. So, lets review how I was treated. in the span of several minutes,
she:
interrupted me
raised her voice at me
condescended and berated me
and basically called me a lair.
The manager may be a nice guy, but the staff here seriously need an attitude adjustment. I've been here off and on for the past decade and have NEVER felt welcome (save to that night Mic was there). Most of the time people don't even acknowledge you even if you stand at the counter waiting. If it wasn't for the jewelry selection, I would've never come here. I called my friend (from earlier) and she confirms that there have been several times when she didn't feel welcome either. It's like totally random whether you'll be treated nice or not!
I would not even consider a higher rating unless that "girl" was FIRED. If this place cared anything for it's customers she would have been gone long ago. But considering the consistently bad attitude over the years, looks like they don't give a FLYING FUK. Just go read all the complaints. It's the same old complaints. And what a surprise the same girl keeps rubbing people the wrong way and running people out of there.
Clean, comfortable, professional shop. Clean work at a reasonable price. My husband and I had the pleasure of working with one of the newer artist there, Weston who did an awesome job. We both have been thinking on getting some ink done for awhile and it can be a little scary trying to find someone who can translate what you want. We will probably come back here the next time.
Weston took into consideration the aging process of the tats and the designs we wanted so that after they settled they would still be spot on and not some mushy blurred out mess. I really appreciated that factor. he was funny and sweet and was nice answering our questions.
I won a gift certificate to Cold Steel last year and it's been sitting in my desk drawer ever since. Â Why? Â I don't really have a good answer, but I decided to stop being a big puss and just go in already and get a tattoo I had been thinking about for a while.
The shop is very clean, bright, and well-lit. Â Everyone that works there is really friendly and courteous. Â It's obvious that they realize potential customers are possibly a bit nervous about whatever they're going to get, so they are very good about putting people at ease.
My gift certificate was with Kevin, who is awesome. Â He's very professional, patient, and friendly; oh, he's also a very good artist. Â I walked out of there in about an hour with a great-looking tattoo and the entire experience was excellent. Â I still don't know why I waited so long.
I had been hemming and hawing about whether or not piercing my tongue again and if I'm writing this review about Cold Steel, obviously I got it done. I called to set up an appointment and the lady who picked up the phone was so super friendly and just told me to walk right in-apparently they don't need to take appointment 'cause it's just that chill.
They seriously have some impressive jewelry for all types of body parts which will definitely get me to come back. I already made a checklist in my head for my various piercings (but I forgot the gauges so I have to come back later.) Mateo took care of me and informed me that all he'd probably have to do is thread the barbell and it would be quick. I appreciate how they did right by their customer instead of just taking my money.
Mateo had the best bedside manner and he walked me through everything step by step and made sure I was comfortable. I appreciate how clean the room was, how clean the entire procedure was and most of all, how quick it was. I think I was in and out of their in less than 10 minutes. I much prefer this place to Body Manipulations and the parking is much better here!
I will never and I mean NEVER get a tattoo. Â I am a little crying sissy girl when it comes to needles with ink getting close to my skin although I have no problem getting my blood drawn.
I will say however that piercing doesn't seem as bad since I went down that road before (just a lobe and cartilage piercing on one ear). Â Guess I could try something new but I will have to build up a bit of courage.
The staff was fun and friendly, their product is top notch, and they only think safety and sanitary when doin' the pokin'.
Definitely will be back, not sure about actually going forward with something being pierced though.
Yeahhhh piercing. After a weird day my friend and I decide that we should get pierced and after the piercer at the first place didn't show up we ended up here.
They were really informative and attentive and went through the guidelines and care before sending us out to go eat. It took us forever to get back thanks to the place we chose to eat so we arrived just before they closed. They took us in, started up the paperwork again and then did the piercings. I got my lip done and my friend got her tragus redone and it was a great experience for the both of us.
I have had a Lotus on my back neck more than 4 years now, it's done by a guy names Rain.
I was thinking to get it so long but i can't decided what i really liked until i thought i like Lotus and i wanted to represent about my religion. I came to this place with some examples which i found on the Internet, Rain helped me  decided the image and asked me to come back for my  next tattoo appointment. It took an hour something to get it done. My first time experience had a tattoo on my back neck. Even though i only have just one tattoo on me but i would love to give a good review to Rain and this place. You guys are ROCK! I should have done this review long time ago but, it is not too late right?
If you are looking for a COOL, AWESOME and CLEAN tattoo place. this is it!
Yes, it was really hurt by getting tattoo( for me) but i would like to say Thank you to Rain, and everyone in this place.
I have had three piercigs done by these guys.
Mic did my nipple and hood. Cyrus did my septum. Both guys are awesome! They are true professionals and my piercings went seamlessly and are healed.
The one beef I have with this shop is the big girl who works the counter. She's been there on all my visits. She is unfailingly rude and snotty. She tried to tell Cyrus what gauge to pierce my septum with. I had also requested a barbel for my tongue...She was rude about that, too. When I expressed disappointment over Mic not working that day, she said in a loud shifty voice, "Mic isn't our only employee, you know!!!"
So this review would've been 5 stars if it hadn't been for Ms. Poopy Pants. Oh yeah, and she ignored me to vivaciously and rather happily chat up two girls at the counter. Bad karma.
If there was a 3.5 star option, I'd use that instead. Â Very cool looking storefront. Â I went there with a friend to get our noses pierced. Â My friend went first & the woman dropped the tube/needle onto the floor about half way through and had to start again. Â My piercing was fine. Â The having to restart was more an issue for my friend. Â Stuff happens, and it wasn't a big deal -- just don't really like pain & wanted as little of it as possible.
I am now looking at going back there to get a tattoo.
booooooooooooooo, came here one time to get my tragus pierced but i didnt want a hoop earring and they said its impossible. Â First time MUST be with hoop they said.
So i walked down the street to soul patch and they happily pierced me and i had a crystal stud. Â HAH! Â and its beautiful until this day.
you guys get one more star for nice gauge selection.
Cool piercing shop.  Cyrus re-pierced my belly button following a recent laproscopic surgery to remove my appendix.  The first re-pierce did not take well, so I had to let it heal up for a little bit.  I came by the shop today to discuss it with Cyrus, and we opted to re-pierce my navel since everything was now fully healed.  This one feels good.  I love the shop and have been a  fan for years.  Maybe it has something to do with my last name, Steele, but they are always friendly and the place is really nice inside.
One thing, the jewelry is expensive, so bring your own, they will allow that.
No, I didn't get a tattoo or a crazy piercing at Cold Steel. However, I feel that I am entitled to write this review on the mere fact that my arm underwent quite the squeezing when I accompanied some friends to get their first tattoos. There were white knuckles, folks! Apparently they used to provide stress balls in the past, but a customer had thrown 'em, and they were nowhere to be found. At some point, I think my arm was losing circulation...
Kevin, the man behind the art that fine evening, was a personable guy who knew what he was doing. He quickly sketched up what my friends wanted, and only began the stenciling when they approved of the art to be permanently placed on their bodies - one on the inside of the wrist, the other right above the side of the ankle. They didn't want anything too complicated, just some words, so I can't really judge based on anything complex.
The room that we were in was small, but filled with some very interesting conversation-starting pieces - photos of Kevin's dogs, Elvira with and without make-up, a poster of malformed babies, pieces of art from his friends, behind-the-ear tattoos that one could get, etc. Cozy, but still sanitary. I made sure to observe how everything was kept clean, and I don't really have any complaints about it.
While the place closes at 8, we were there until 9 to get both tattoos done. Afterwards, Kevin closed up shop, and we all went down the street to grab some drinks. All in all, a good experience. Tattoos hurt, and I'll never get one, but I will gladly tag along as moral support.
I went in here last year with a friend who wanted a tattoo on her middle back/in the middle of her shoulder blades, which I've noticed is an "in" spot to put tats these days. Personally, I'd never put one there -- too visible. But I digress....
Their lobby was very clean. They have a bunch of jewelry for piercings in a glass case near the register. They took us in the back. The tattoo rooms seemed a little cluttered. Rob, the artist, seemed a little cold, but his artwork was spot on. I kept my friend distracted as she felt the excruciating pain that ensued. I was trying not to laugh! Yeah...laughing at other people's pain is a sick past time of mine. Schadenfreude, right?
Overall, this place is cool. Warmness of the people who worked there was lacking, but other than that, a perfectly fine place. I know other friends who have gotten tats here and are completely satisfied with the end product.
Side note: Bring cash. They don't do card swipes here for piercings or tats. And bring coins for parking or expect to circle the neighborhoods. Parking in Haight is a biatch at all times of day.
Got my first tattoo here. 3 small snowflakes done by Rob. Unfortunately he's no longer there.
It was great since he took the time to make sure I was getting something I actually wanted. Probably 45 mins later and 50 camera takes later I settled on the final arrangement.
It was quite pricey especially since mine is sans color. Totally gray scale.
It is definitely a job well done though.
If it weren't for (some of) the people at the counters, I would totally give this place 5 stars.. I came in here and wanted to get my ears stretched, then somehow got reminded of my idea from over a year ago to pierce both tragus. Â the first guy I asked for help didn't look/sound too enthusiastic, and I felt like a nuisance standing there looking at the jewelry and asking questions. Â
I almost left. but then I kept looking at the jewelry, mulling over what to do. then another guy, Cyrus came and offered assistance. I asked him about piercing the tragus, stretching, the process, the pain, aftercare.. and he was so nice, outgoing and patient with explaining everything to my n00bie ass. Â I thought about it more, asked for his opinion, and he said it was my choice and not their job to convince me of anything -which I thought was nice.
After some more thinking, I decided to get both tragus pierced and earlobe stretch done @ a 12. Â I was taken to a secluded room that was very clean (and resembled a doctor's office!) it was much more quiet and away from all the noise and people outside. Â Cyrus was my piercer and he was wonderful. Â I thought it was going to take a lot longer and be more painful, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd thought. the tools they used were all very sterile and the decor/colour were pleasant and calming.
The piercings did fine when I went home that night, but a few days later, one earlobe started to swell like crazy and was very painful, and the back piece "disappeared". Â I went back in the store and thank god Cyrus was there. Â He immediately took me into the room and we found out the backings were too tight and that my ear had pretty much swallowed that piece of the earring. Â I was horrified, but he popped it out quickly and loosened the back and now its been doing fine ever since!
I can't wait 'til these heal better to get more done here! :D it is kinda expensive, but you really don't wanna be cheap when it comes to these things and risk anything.. and p.s. they take credit/debit cards.
I don't know how I talked myself into coming here but it wasn't bad at all. I had my tongue pierced years ago here. The staff was really friendly and explained everything to me. The guy who actually pierced me had way too many piercings on him so that freaked me out!
He said "breathe out" when I pierce your tongue..... I asked, "do you have any numbing cream?" =T He said, "no".....I told him fine, let's do this! "Breathe out"..... pinch...... done! It didn't even hurt! They gave me some instructions, mouthwash and I was on my way. I was still able to talk that entire day but the next day was a different story.
It was a good experience in my opinion. A nice clean shop on Haight street and very informative staff kept me from freaking out. =)
I wanted new sparkly jewelry for my nipple piercing, figured I'd find something I like on Haight and wandered in here. I felt pretty ditsy asking for "the sparkly ones" but the guy behind the count was totally cool and helpful. I also had to go up a couple gauges to accommodate new bar. Without an appointment I had to wait about 5 minutes until someone showed up and took me to switch the jewelry out.
I guess I didn't really get anything "done" here but I still had a very pleasant experience and will know to come back when I want something pierced.
I gave Cold Steel 4 stars, because the charming fellow that pierced me was not only patient, but also managed to calm my overly dramatic self down when he gave me my second cartilage piercing. Â I am EXTREMELEY afraid of needles, and sometimes I feel like I have a 2 year old's threshold for pain. Â So before this guy pierced me, I had my thizz face on (no not to be hyphy, but I was wincing in anticipation of the pain I was about to feel). Â I then asked him what his most painful piercing was, because I noticed that he was covered in tattoos and piercings. Â He responded to my quesiton by turning around and pointing to the nape/back of his neck...at the freakin THREE STUDS going into his neck. Â
Obviously after he showed me his piercings, I was not going to whine about a wimpy cartilage piercing. Â The end. 4 stars.
I wish I could say I had a better experience here, but I didn't.
I got my first tattoo here when I was 18. Â I didn't get the best service at the counter. Â Whoever the grumpy chick was that was working really didn't make me want to give them my business. Â But since I was a noob, I didn't know I could've walked down the street to find somewhere better. Â I made the appointment for about a week later. Â I brought in my design and got it done. Â The guy that did my tattoo was awesome, he walked me through everything and stopped when I needed a breather.
If I haddn't found somewhere else to go, maybe I'd come back, but I never felt so unwelcome.
Lose the 'tude and maybe I'd actually buy something.
I was referred here for jewelry by any employee from Soul Patch that said that they had more of a selection and might have a better price for what i was looking for.
Their jewelry was actually more expensive and the guy at the front counter was horrible! He was incredibly rude and completely talked down to me....and when I had questions about jewelry, he just pulled it out and set the plastic bags in front of me...and still didn't answer my questions.
I wish I coulda said that I had a better experience. What a disappointment! I can't imagine getting anything done here if I can't even feel comfortable at the front counter.
I realized yesterday that I can't stand the upper Haight. I hate the Haight... There, I said it. If you're willing to endure the seemingly able-bodied young rejects who believe for some magical reason that you should work for your money and give it to them while they remain street rats, and you want a tattoo/piercing, the people at Cold Steel are awesome.
I should clarify that I did not get anything pierced or tattooed here. I had to get some earrings removed and then put back in (MRI research study). Mic was so sweet and helpful and didn't charge me anything (other places usually charge $5). Everything was clean and sterile. It was busy when I got there but they got me right in to switch out the earrings. Thanks guys!
My nosescrew had been bugging the shit out of me for weeks. Â See, I have this flat nose, and when my nose screw turned itself in such a way, you could see the end of it weirdly sticking out. Â Further, if I wanted to rectify that occurrence, it basically looked like I was digging for gold. Â Either way, less than charming...
So I wandered into this joint during/after drunken Bay to Breaker  mayhem, explained my dilemma, and a dude deftly, expertly, and effortlessly fixed my screw in seconds (sounds so much cheekier than it really was).  He also didn't charge me.  So I gave him a $20 tip.  Well spent!!
I've had a couple experiences here and they've both been really great.
I had my vertical labret downsized by someone, whose name I forget, who was the nicest, gentlest, most accommodating piercer I've ever dealt with. Â I know, I'm helpful, right?
The bar we were putting in my lip was pretty tight fit, so he was super concerned about my well-being and I thought he was really comforting. Â He was also easy to talk to and interested in me and making small talk.
Now I decided to start stretching my lobes again, but correctly this time, and have been heading here. Â It's sooo convenient and I'm always in and out in about 10 minutes. Â Mic's been helping me out and he's just as nice as everyone else...
I think they've got a great standard at Cold Steel and I really look forward to being a patron here for a while.
I haven't been here for body jewelry for a long time, but I remember that they had a high quality collection, probably the best in the city of body jewelry. Â I've been in the room in the back and it's clean. Â They've always been helpful and professional. Many former Gauntlet piercers now work at Cold Steel and the Gauntlet set the standard when it came to body piercing (they're no longer around). Â Being trained by the Gauntlet meant something and commanded respect.
Piercing can be intense and painful and they don't use anesthesia, but it happens so quickly that it's over before you can pass out or scream. It's probably up to 100 times more painful than getting a tattoo depending on where you get your tattoo and what you get pierced.
Cold Steel isn't the cheapest but when it comes to body piercing, do you really want to look for a bargain? Â Quality should be the most important consideration. Â I'm also very impressed that they attract customers who look like vampires.
I've been here twice with my friends who were getting their cartilages pierced and once getting mine pierced, and the service was very friendly. One of my friends was nervous before her piercing, and the guy tried his best to calm her down and made sure she was comfortable before doing the piercing. I like that they have separate rooms, unlike Claire's or something, where you're getting pierced in like a corner of the store with everyone watching.
I like the fact that they do a loop for the first piercing because it's MUCH easier to clean, since there won't be a backing in the way. Also, if you're getting a cartilage pierced, I highly recommend going to a place like this because they don't use a gun, which apparently shatters your cartilage or something. The thing is with getting this loop is that if you want to change it, you're going to have to go back to a piercing parlor to get the loop out -it doesn't have an opening for you to just do it yourself, so that can be a hassle.
I kind of had a "bleh" experience there though because for some reason, the guy who did my piercing didn't ask me to choose the size of the loop or the color of the ball (my two other friends got to choose!), and the guy also got the wrong loop the first time, so it was kind of weird... but it turned out okay.
Kind of pricey - I got a single 3rd upper lobe for $24 with no solution (although you don't really need solution; just use salt & water OR rubbing alcohol). It was $10 for the service and $14 for the loop. I wanted to get a stud, but it would've been $22 for the stud, and I'm a broke college student so opted for the loop instead. All in all, I recommend Cold Steel :]
Pretty much the best place I've ever been as far as piercing staff goes, at least on the day I was there! Mike was the guy who was there to help me on the day I went, and can I just say what a trouper he was! He put up with all my chicken-shit questions. Why I was so nervous, I don't remember. He made me feel very comfortable and did a great job. I've had my piercing for about a month now, and there's been no trouble with it at all.
This would be my #1 recommendation to get a piercing done.
I will preface this review by saying I was no the one who got the tattoo here, but was the "moral support" brought along. Â I have been a customer here in the past, picking up a new gaged earing for myself during the Haight St Fair, but on with the review...
We walk into the place, and it meets all of our tattoo/piercing place requirements. Â Hip looking staff, cool tattoo artwork and earrings, and it was clean. Â My friend put down her deposit and she was ready to go. Â A simple outline of a star in white was what she planned on getting on her forearm.
Her artist was Rian, who was super nice, made her feel really comfortable, and laughed at our jokes, so we liked him immediately. Â The process was relatively painless, and she came away with a sweet tattoo, hooray!
All in all, it was a great experience. Â If I ever man up and decide to finally go through with getting a tattoo, I'll come here, and hopefully get Rian.
Titanium. 14 gauge.
So far this is the only place that I continue to wear piercings from. I don't wear a lot of jewelry. I don't like to change it up very often. I just like to stick to one thing every few months, weeks or years. I have never not loved anything I bought from here.
Yes, the customer service has never been great, but I don't walk in here as though it's a suck up to me and I'll make a purchase from you because I'm a bad-ass-yuppie-get-your-freak-on shopping in the Haight district because I think it makes me look cool. I don't ask for much, just lemme see the earrings and I give you money if I like them.
I've been going here a couple times a year for 5 or more years.
Rock the fuck on! I love Cold Steel! They are the only piercing shop in the city recommended by the American Association of Piercers-- meaning, they are leaps and bounds above other piercing shops in terms of sanitation.
Mods that I got at Cold Steel:
Nipples
Clit Hood
2 Industrials
Septum
Nostril
Conch
6 lobe stretches
2 Tattoos
Eventually I took out everything in order to look normal for work's dress code (except the industrial, nipple and clit piercings...seriously, who would take those out?)
I highly recommend Tam. She is the best piercer at either Cold Steel location. Very friendly, professional, a solid pierce every time. I'd say stay away from Mick or the other guy (I think this name is Rob?) both times i've had a nose and industrial piercing by them, the piercings turned out crooked (thank God I picked Tam to do the personal regions, eh? Would really have sucked if anyone would have messed up a clit piercing!)
Erin (at the Castro location) is also a really REALLY good piercer.
There's a southern guy at the Castro location (I think his name is Joe? It's been so long that I can't remember) who's a great tattoo artist. Stay away from Zack at Haight Ashbury. One of my tattoos has a gun in it, and he asked me if I wanted gunsmoke coming out of it. I said no, and it also was not on the sample picture that I gave him. After the tattoo was done, TA-DAAA! Gunsmoke! Gunsmoke I didn't request, which will be on my back for the rest of my life! It could have been worse, but I was really upset that my tattoo was modified in a way I never intended.
Overall: excellent sanitation and delightfully clean environment. Friendly, knowledgable staff. (Haight Ashbury has a better jewelry selection than Castro.)
Anyway-- get your ass over there and put some bling on that body of yours. :)
I was very pleased with the service at the shop! Â I found the lady at the counter to very helpful and answered all my questions. Â She was very pleasant and gave me informative answers when I asked for her opinion. Â She hooked me up with a good artist and I was pleased with the Tattoo that Rian did for me. Â It came out exactly how I had envisioned it! Â I can't wait to get more work done here! Â
Also, as soon as I walked in the shop, I felt like this was the place I wanted to get my Tattoo done at. Â It was clean and it just felt like I was in the hands of true artists. Â Something very spiritual!
7 or 8 of my piercing I've had them done here. Overall my experience here was great. Nice atmosphere, friendly people, fun piercing. I could just spend hours looking at the tattoo designs on the wall.
But the last time I was there, I told myself I will never go back there again. I wanted to get another pinna done, and everything was going fine until right before the needle actually went through.
For some reason that day there were two piercers inside the room, and right before the guy with the needle poked my ear, he asked to the other: "How do I do this again?"
!!!!!!
but before I can say anything, the other guy told him to just push it in straight, and my piercing was complete. I was too much of a pussy to say anything, and I haven't been back there since.
Super easy to get in, get what you want, and get out. The artists here are experts. I've only gotten piercings here, and all have turned out good. No complications. It's safe and clean. But some of the people working here aren't very friendly, which is something I want when I'm trusting them to put holes in my body.
Overall: I'd go back.
Well, I've been here twice...once to get pierced and once to get a replacement part. When I got pierced, my piercer was totally cool. When I went back, I was met with a load of attitude. I especially liked how the girl at the counter informed me that my piercing looked inflamed... of course it looks inflamed, you idiot! I've had to hold the damn thing in place all the way over here since it fell apart while I was doing yoga!
Bottom line - if you manage to aviod the counter bitches you're in for a good time. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and slap them.
(review for piercing)
I'm surprised to read so many people complaining about the attitude of Cold Steel's staff. I found them to be really friendly, knowledgeable and attentive - they answered all of my inane scaredy-cat questions before I was pierced (I walked in off the street 2hr before closing on a weeknight) and ushered me into the room as soon as I returned from eating. Bright, pristine and professional, and the woman who pierced me was friendly, chatty and was kind enough to keep the equipment hidden from me until it was over (pierced at 8-gauge and immediately stretched to 6gauge - oof!)
It's healing very nicely, btw, no problems because it was pierced well and the after-care instructions were very clear. I had an all-around great experience at Cold Steel on Haight street.
This is a hard review to write because ive had such diametrically opposed experiences there everytime ive used their services.
The first time I went , I got my right nipple pierced and a tattoo . The piercing staff is excellent, which hello when your mammary gland is in their hands is very important. they were helpful about aftercare and very professional. The tattoo i got is beautiful and the artist was an all around cool guy.
Fast forward a year, i decided I wanted to gt a koi fish tattoo on my leg. Go in, meet with a new tattoo artist, pay my deposit. I had to change my appointment due to moving so i gave him a few days notice and asked to be rescheduled. That NEVER happened...and i never got a deposit back. I am grossed out by this since thats $60 bucks of my own hard earned money. Thats shady biz if you ask me
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