A tube for a tattoo machine has a tube portion and a grip portion. The tube portion has a first ink storage cavity, and the grip portion extends about the tube portion so that the proximal end, the distal end, and the sidewall of the grip portion cooperate with the tube portion to define a second ink storage cavity. The second ink storage cavity is in fluid communication with a needle receiving passage of the tube portion and at least a portion of the sidewall is flexible so that upon application of a compressive force on the flexible portion of the grip portion, a volume of ink is transferable from the second ink storage cavity, into the needle receiving passage, and into the first ink storage cavity.
