Ed Hardy's tattoo - clip from "Stoney Knows How"

Stoney Knows How - DVD at http://www.docfilm.com - is a visit with a master of the Oldest Art In The World - Tattooing. Disabled by arthritis since the age of four, confined to a wheelchair, his growth stunted, Stoney St. Clair joined the circus at 15 as a sword-swallower. A year later, he took up tattooing, and traveled with circuses and carnivals for 50 years. As we watch him at work, we see the determination which led Stoney to use his crippled hands in an art where mistakes are permanent, and we realize Stoney has overcome his handicap to heal himself and others with the magic of symbols. The film ends with a visit by New Age tattoo master Don Ed Hardy to Stoney, who gives him a souvenir tattoo.

Stoney Knows How is an extended interview with 'Stoney' St. Clair, an ebullient little man with the gift of gab of a circus tout and a fund of bizarre stories about tattooing and other matters. One of these is the tale of a Florida snake handler and tattoo artist who was squeezed to death by his own python. His widow made a fortune touring the South with the guilty snake. "After all," says Stoney, "how often do you get a chance to see a snake that's squeezed a man to death?" Not often, nor does one often have the opportunity to meet a man like Stoney. The film makers treat him with respect, fondness and appreciation, and he responds in kind.

—Vincent Canby, The New York Times

Ethnoscope Film & Video

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• tattoo
• tattooing
• Hardy
• Stoney
• Ed Hardy

[svcreeper]

i hate how that clothing line pimps out ed hardy's name. this is old school tattooing. not trendy flashy shit.

[seanzeek]

What a brilliant clip, that takes me back. Proper old school tattooing!

[CropCircle76]

Alot of tattooers have forgotten there roots, and where the industry came from, it's pioneers such as Stoney that helped.

[33nicolette]

very good, i like this

[OthewolfislooseO]

Freehand?! Holy shit - that is old school skill.

[damnsam8931]

wow...

[mcampbell8572]

It was the 70's dude. That was the style. You have to realize how much things have progressed in this field in the last 30 years.

[INSIDERINK]

that shit was fuckin player

[ke058]

freggin genius. Gotta love Stoney!

[xmaxipaxix]

dude, that was back then. what were you , born yesterday, preaching about that stuff in THIS clip? jeeesh.