On the second of July, 2004, people from around the world came to Toronto for BMEfest. One of those people was the infamous Sarge, owner and operator of the Metal Fatigue studio in Bournemouth, UK. I had been talking to Sarge for a couple years now, and had the chance to meet him back in January during his last visit. He has a reputation as one of the best in all England, so of course I knew eventually he'd have to pierce me.
At A Glance Author Dewey Finn Contact Dewey Finn@bme.anon IAM Dewey Finn When It just happened Artist Sarge of Bournemouth, UK Studio My living room Location Kitchener, ON One day in June I got a call from the man, with quite a story to tell. A girl in my hometown of Kitchener had contacted him, and wanted him to do some sort of crazy piercing on her. For a fee, Sarge was willing to drive down to Kitchener and pierce her, but he'd need a place to do it. Could he use mine? Of course he could, but not without piercing me, too. My right nipple was well overdue, my left having been done for six months. It was on!
On 5 July 2004, people started gathering at my apartment. The girl Sarge was piercing, and her friend. T-Bone from Scotland, and a couple of Klopeks (Mike and Josh). As they started talking it dawned on me why it was so important that this girl get Sarge to come here to do this piercing. He was piercing under her collarbone, and apparently she'd be the only person in all Canada with such a piercing. But this, dear friends is another story.
For myself, Sarge had brought an assortment of CBRs to choose from. He chose the one that most closely matched the one I already had in my left nipple. I approved, and he set up. He began by marking the nipple with a marker, carefully matching my left.
Sarge told me he could pierce me any way I liked...standing up, sitting in one of my kitchen chairs, or my even my favourite armchair. How could I resist that? I reclined it where both Sarge and I were comfortable. Sarge put on his gloves, and smeared some white gunk that looked like vaseline on my nipple. I'd forgotten what he called the stuff.
I tried to relax, Sarge put on the clamps, and he was ready. I was not. I tend to really freak out with nipple piercings, and this time I had quite an audience. However, I couldn't act like too much of a coward. After all, the girl before me had just gotten a piercing I didn't even know was possible, and she didn't freak out at all. So, gripping Josh's hand (yes, that's what I said), I asked Sarge to proceed.
Sarge instructed me to breath in deeply, and breath out. Again, breath in deeply, and breath out. The second time, the needle went in. Sarge was fast, so fast in fact that I have no idea when he even inserted the jewelry. All I know is that when I looked down, there was a ring in there, closed up with bead intact. I have no idea how he did it. We started calling him the Magical Voodoo Piercer, because the man works wonders. And it didn't hurt at all. The only thing that DID hurt was I clenched both my fists, and all my toes, when the needle went in, and I cramped up my left foot. I think everyone in the room laughed as the needle went in, and I shouted, "ARGH! My toes!" You can understand this, I am sure.
I barely even bled. I'm telling you right now, Sarge is the Jedi Master of all piercers. I have witnessed this with my own eyes.
Within a few minutes I couldn't even feel any sort of pain or throbbing in my right nipple. It had settled comfortably into a nice, happy pierced life. Of course it did throb a little bit as the night went on, but never very badly, and it wasn't hard to find several comfortable sleeping positions that night.
Sarge, and the rest of the boys and girls left soon after, as Sarge and T-Bone had to catch a flight home the next day. We said our goodbyes, and I thanked Sarge once again.
I can honestly say that this was my most pleasant piercing experience ever. To be pierced in one's own armchair by the best in all the south of England, that's quite an incredible experience. I had 100% trust in the man that everything he use did was sterile and safe, and I will definitely ask him to do something on me again, when he returns in another six months.
As far as aftercare goes, I am writing this quite soon afterwards, so I haven't done any cleanings yet. However, looking at the piercing there is no crusted blood, nothing. This should be quite an easy first cleaning when I do hit the shower! I'll just move the piercing in and out, and I'll use some Spectro-Gel instead of soap.
Thank you Sarge, and thanks to the boys and girls for a fun night.