Knuckle tattoos

April 8, 2008 12:56 PM

Knuckle tattoos
posted by phoque (67 comments total)

Maybe I'm a sucker for this particular joke, but I love the knuckle tattoos that spell out "knuckles". Ha!
posted by mr_roboto at 1:02 PM on April 8, 2008

First off, the right hand “Punk” more or less describews part of the lifestyle that has come to influence who I am, and well my dress style… kind of cliche I guess but that’s how it goes. Left hand, “Byrd”, common term used in England and amongst skinheads to describe a female, and I’m damn proud to be one, as well as being a Skin byrd.

The lower knuckles, “Oi Oi” common greeting amoungst Punks and skins.

Now all together, it’s great for the simple fact that when i beat the crap out of someone, they’ve been punked by a byrd. Oi!

Delightful.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:03 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

I live in Austin, Texas and for whatever reason am at the Groovy Lube every time Nathan (the creator of that site) is also. He's a terrific conversationalist with the most interesting stories about knuckle tattoos. Although I'd be hard pressed to tattoo my own knuckles (perhaps for lack of creativity), knuckle tattoo culture is pretty fascinating.
posted by cachondeo45 at 1:03 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

Well fingers really but why quibble. I've got a couple peices of art on me, and I'll bet that really hurts getting them placed there. Kinda neat, but not particularly creative. 'Course, one is limited by surface area.
posted by elendil71 at 1:04 PM on April 8, 2008

I saw a dude with ROCK across the knuckles of his right hand. I hoped he'd have YIII across the knuckles of his left.
posted by dodgygeezer at 1:04 PM on April 8, 2008 [3 favorites]

Whenever anyone posts a photoblog that just collects examples of a specific body oddity, I feel compelled to post my personal favorite.
posted by Pastabagel at 1:05 PM on April 8, 2008

I'm kind of disappointed "Jake" and "Elwood" aren't on there.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 1:09 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

Is this tattoofilter permanent?
posted by googly at 1:13 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

Hello to all the new folk from BoingBoing and Fark!
posted by fixedgear at 1:15 PM on April 8, 2008 [4 favorites]

My favourite knuckle tattoo.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:20 PM on April 8, 2008

3 tattoo fpps in one day?
posted by bhnyc at 1:20 PM on April 8, 2008

Wot no ACAB?
posted by Abiezer at 1:22 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

You can't tell me this is real. I can practically smell the Magic Marker through my screen.
posted by padraigin at 1:22 PM on April 8, 2008

Amen to that GEM, the Elwo od bit never fails to bring a smile.
posted by quin at 1:23 PM on April 8, 2008

Holy crap. METAFILTER
posted by joelf at 1:25 PM on April 8, 2008 [21 favorites]

This one is hard core.
posted by Flem Snopes at 1:39 PM on April 8, 2008

Would you like me to tell you the little story of right hand left hand?
posted by sleepy pete at 1:44 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

right hand OMFG left hand LMAO.
posted by Sailormom at 1:48 PM on April 8, 2008

joelf : Holy crap. METAFILTER

Holy crap, creepy!
posted by quin at 1:54 PM on April 8, 2008

am I crazy? Aren't there one too many knuckles on the metafilter one? I know, counting thumbs we have ten, but it just doesn't look right.
posted by indiebass at 2:03 PM on April 8, 2008

am I crazy? Aren't there one too many knuckles on the metafilter one? I know, counting thumbs we have ten, but it just doesn't look right.

That one's not actually real. I guess joelf made it, seeing as it's hosted on his site.
posted by puke & cry at 2:05 PM on April 8, 2008

indiebass: yes, that man has six fingers on both hands. TWO people are looking for him.
posted by mkb at 2:06 PM on April 8, 2008 [10 favorites]

Ah, yeah the original said "metaller". I like joelf's better.
posted by puke & cry at 2:11 PM on April 8, 2008

I have always wanted: Book Worm
posted by suki at 2:12 PM on April 8, 2008

indiebass: yes, that man has six fingers on both hands. TWO people are looking for him.

I'll find him, one of these days...
posted by inigo2 at 2:20 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

Mine read "MATH OWIE."
posted by bunnytricks at 2:22 PM on April 8, 2008

"Ah, yeah the original said "metaller". I like joelf's better."

thanks!
posted by joelf at 2:25 PM on April 8, 2008

A math owie is what I get whenever I get too deeply into combinatorics.
posted by everichon at 2:30 PM on April 8, 2008

Pretty much sums it up for me.

Except for Coil, whose song "Further Back and Faster" always comes to mind for posts like these:
See his hands
Look at the fingers
Those of the right hand spell "HATE"
Those of the left hand "LOVE"
posted by boo_radley at 2:36 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

There can be no better knuckle tattoo than Sideshow Bob's "LUV" and "HĀT" ...
posted by benzo8 at 2:42 PM on April 8, 2008

mikoroshi: "Welcome to the new Metafilter aesthetic.
Ten minutes on StumbleUpon.
Two minutes to post.
Voila! FPP!"

We really need a flag that says "disparages merit of post". Posts should stand on their own merit, and if they're okay, they stay; if they're deleted, that means they were not okay. Meta-discussion goes into Metatalk.

I'm not being ironic, I really feel we should be harder on people being lazily dismissive of posts in their threads: it lowers the level of discourse and only serves to harsh the buzz of those who do like the post.

And then there's the old thing of the armchair critics being those, with rare exceptions, with only a handful of posts under their belt, or none at all.

*gets META TALK knuckle tattoos*

Carry on.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 2:46 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

Why is all mainly the same crappy font?
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:52 PM on April 8, 2008

Metafilter: lowering the level of discourse and serving to harsh the buzz of those who like its posts since 1999.
posted by Flem Snopes at 3:14 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

I have always wanted: Book Worm

Like this?
posted by hjo3 at 3:37 PM on April 8, 2008

These make me a little sad, as in "OMG most people that know that guy thinks he's a dumbass". Although face/neck tattoos are demonstrably more trashy and sad.
posted by norm at 3:59 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

So does anyone know the story of the Pogues' "Peace & Love" cover? I guess it's just faked photo, but I can always hope.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 4:02 PM on April 8, 2008

the Pogues cover: Looks like the tattoos are written on tape, wrapped around his fingers.
posted by joelf at 4:20 PM on April 8, 2008

"My favourite knuckle tattoo"
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:28 PM on April 8, 2008 [3 favorites]

Wow. I mean, I assume that all of these mean something to the person who got them, a couple kind of throw me off. KENTUCKY, cool, you're from kentucky, you want to represent. I get that. THUG LIFE, yeah, cool. LIVE HARD, yeah, I can see you there.

The one there that left me totally confuzzled? LEMONADE.

manwhat.
posted by Stunt at 4:36 PM on April 8, 2008

Yeah, this is a fun website. I saw this on Boing Boing some days ago, and wrote a short blog entry about it.
posted by Tube at 4:37 PM on April 8, 2008

That one typeface that everyone has tattooed on them looks like shit.

(In my opinion.)
posted by Sys Rq at 4:56 PM on April 8, 2008

There aren't many fpp's that will instantly set me to opening the link without pause, and this is one of them.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:01 PM on April 8, 2008

Girl beside me on last plane trip had "MILK" on her knuckles. Never found out what the other hand said. :(
posted by zengargoyle at 5:01 PM on April 8, 2008

DUDS?
posted by Sys Rq at 5:07 PM on April 8, 2008

Maybe it was "milk" and "maid"?

The standardized knuckle font bores me, so it made me happy to see the teletypesque font used for "kentucky".
posted by squasha at 5:23 PM on April 8, 2008

MILK BONE
posted by fixedgear at 5:34 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

These make me a little sad, as in "OMG most people that know that guy thinks he's a dumbass".

Yeah, people who don't conform to norm's aesthetic are so lame.
posted by jonmc at 5:38 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

Oh, for fucks sake.

Explanation

Today I was treated to two intriguing tattoo posts. One by the ever marvelous jonson and an another by our sometimes rambunctious but loveable Blazecock Pileon.

I was looking for poetry / dictionary definition tattoos, that I thought I had see on Bookslut a couple years ago, to perhaps include a link in Mr.Pileon's thread, I found this list and followed the link.

Perusing my find I thought; hey, this is pretty damn neat but doesn't really fit in either thread and since we're having a sort of tattoo day here, others might find this as interesting as I, so made the post.

It did indeed take mere minutes to create as there was little to flesh out ... it is what it says it is, so kept as concise as possible.

Now a point that does bring me some pause ... I'm sorry that the site has a story that is clear bigotry, rightly noted by the always astute Astro Zombie. It was not my intention to cause anyone angst or to denigrate. I didn't read every explanation behind the tattoos and it reflects in no way my view of Jewish people for whom I work frequently and have always been treated well.

Sometimes people get tattoos with less than reasoned though bouncing around their heads. Makes me think of the recent Winter Soldier hearings where former Marine John Turner explained how he got a tattoo on the wrist of his "choking hand". Fuck you, spelled out phonetically with Arabic characters. He came to regret his actions but carries the reminder. I can only hope the oi dude gets his head screwed on properly. Hate isn't a good way to live.

I also wonder if I would have posted this had I discovered a similar sentiment expressed about French people, as I always notice ignorant remarks that fall in that vein and know well the irksome feelings they provoke.

Okay, I'm done thinking.

Even though many have participated in stellar fashion, and the Metafilter hands are outstanding, I don't come here to piss people off ... I'll see about having this thing stricken.
posted by phoque at 5:39 PM on April 8, 2008

fer fucks sake indeed.
punk skin doesn't necessarily = racist.
i'm not seeing anything in her little story to indicate that, either.

(also, phoque, i came back here to flag my own snarky comment from before, that was lame, glad it was deleted. ironic that if goodnewsfortheinsane had followed his own advice there would be no trace of it)
posted by mikoroshi at 5:59 PM on April 8, 2008

I couldn't do it because the type is always so BAD. Anyone into typography would avoid this ugly shit like the plague. Ugh.
posted by reallymadcow at 6:00 PM on April 8, 2008

Girl beside me on last plane trip had "MILK" on her knuckles. Never found out what the other hand said. :(

GOT MILK?
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:14 PM on April 8, 2008

Two knuckle tattoos that amuse me are Andy Hurley's (Fall Out Boy drummer) FUCK CITY in reference to the television show Arrested Development, and the blogger at My Paper Crane, who has CAKE FACE.
posted by FunkyHelix at 6:41 PM on April 8, 2008

I just found the CAKE FACE post.
posted by FunkyHelix at 6:43 PM on April 8, 2008

Like my good hand I
tatooed E.V.I.L. across it's brother's fist
That filthy five! They did nothing to challenge or resist.
posted by Sailormom at 7:11 PM on April 8, 2008

ironic that if goodnewsfortheinsane had followed his own advice there would be no trace of it

Oh come on. You posted the comment in the first place. Either you don't hit post, or you take responsibility for it.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:25 PM on April 8, 2008

dude, i came back and admitted it was a dick move, said i was glad it was removed, that is taking responsibility. the fact that a comment you disliked (and i assume flagged for deletion) is still up because you had to reprint the comment in your comment on it being an unnecessary comment, that right there is honest to god irony. if you've never posted a comment without thinking it all the way through then kudos to you, man. i hope if you ever do some random person doesn't come around and ride your ass about it. take your derails to mail next time.
posted by mikoroshi at 7:45 PM on April 8, 2008

Fair enough. Despite your assumption, I did not flag it, I just wanted to state my feelings about this, so I did here. As for 'reprinting', well, I was just quoting you, which I believe is still legal around here - there's no need to blame me for somehow causing the comment to remain up.

I can happily inform you that I've made hundreds of comments here that were not fully thought through, and I've had my arse ridden about it numerous times. On more than one occasion, I even enjoyed the sensation. As for what constitutes irony, I feel compelled to refer you to the relevant works by the honorable Ms. Morrissette.

Lastly, I'll take your advice: if you want to continue this conversation, I'll be glad to take it to MefiMail.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 8:05 PM on April 8, 2008

Of course the guy with "DRUG FREE" is holding a brew.

My favorite will always be the one on the starcraft concept art for the marine:
PACI-FIST
posted by Citizen Premier at 8:52 PM on April 8, 2008

Just in case I ever forget what these fingers are for, I plan on getting 'fap, fap' tattooed on each hand.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:06 AM on April 9, 2008

Of course the guy with "DRUG FREE" is holding a brew.

Here's what the caption says, though:

Got these knuckles tattoos in from Justin E. this is what he has to say for himeself:

i got this when i was sixteen in a kitchen in kenosha, wisconsin…i sold out straight edge when i was eighteen. i’m always the hit of the party!

I got a laugh out of it. I know tons of guys who were straight edge or hardcore in their teens and have tons of embarrassing tattoos. I know a guy who has REAGAN YOUTH tattooed in German block lettering on his upper back, his attitude was, yeah... no one remembers the band, but it still kind of works.
posted by Flem Snopes at 2:03 AM on April 9, 2008

Too bad someone doesn't have "IMADU MBASS".
posted by dasheekeejones at 3:52 AM on April 9, 2008

Are you going to volunteer?
posted by Flem Snopes at 7:24 AM on April 9, 2008

I was drinking with some friends and this older drunk came over to our table and started talking to us. We noticed he had some obviously homemade knuckle tattoos, but they didn't seem to spell anything. When asked about them, he interlocked his fingers to display the words LETS FUCK.
posted by ODiV at 10:21 AM on April 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

META FLTR
posted by iviken at 12:26 PM on April 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

I work with a guy who has FREE FEET on his knuckles.
posted by atchafalaya at 5:31 PM on April 9, 2008

HOLD FAST
posted by zoinks at 9:46 PM on April 9, 2008

We were there and did that.

Nathan's a great guy, it's awesome to see that everyone's picked up on his site at once! I can't believe I didn't see this when it was first posted.
posted by fiercecupcake at 5:55 AM on April 11, 2008