I went to Cold Steel to get my nipple piercings stretched from 6ga to 4ga earlier this year. This was the 5th time I'd had them upsized (the first 4 by a reputable piercer in my home city over a 13 year period) however the first time in London. I chose Cold Steel on the back of what appeared to be good internet reviews. They didn't have any suitable barbells in 4ga so agreed to order some in for me and call me when they came in. I made sure to specify that I wanted internally threaded barbells. As I wasn't sure on the length of bar, I pulled up my shirt and Julie et al behind the counter took a 'guess' at the length. I thought this to be a little odd as my previous piercer had always used digital callipers when measuring jewellery size. When I came back for the stretch a week later, Julie explained that the new barbells were 'a little' shorter than my old ones and they would be ok after the swelling went down. I thought this was also a little odd as the old ones were a perfect fit but said nothing as I thought the piercer must know best. It wasn't until I got home that I held the old barbells up against the new ones that I realised that there was a 3-4mm difference in bar length and they were actually externally threaded?!? Still, naively, I thought the piercer must know best and continued with the daily salt soaks etc. After about 4 weeks, the initial swelling hadn't gone down and it was apparent that the balls had almost entirely been drawn into the piercing as there was no room for the usual healing discharge to go and no ammount of salt soaks was going to make this better.. Instead of going back to Cold Steel for advice and for them to order new jewellery, I went online and found the correct length internally threaded barbells which allowed the piercings to relax back to their normal size and heal quickly. I could be argued that I should have gone back to Cold Steel to discuss this with them before writing this review (as I'm conscious that the lively hood of multiple people probably rests on making the business a success) however why would I have gone back for advice from people that showed a blatant disregard for the longevity of my piercings/health. Trust your instincts. read more

We are from Manchester and whilst down in London for a Theatre visit on Feb 2nd 2013 we decided to search google for a reputable Piercing studio anywhere in London. Luckilly for us, we were directed to this site (http://www.qype.co.uk ) to read previous reviews. We found that this particular place had great reviews so we decided to take a punt. It is important to know that we REALLY NEEDED a top piercer because the piercing we were having was quite personal (Both of my Wifes N*pples). So, before I go on we did find the opening time of 11am very strange. WTF? Anyway, we rang Cold Steel at 11am on the Saturday morning and they told us that the Wife must go and Eat something (Blood Sugar Levels) and return at 12:15pm. This we did. On return at 12:15pm we were greeted by the bearded Guy who gave us a price of £30 for each piercing. However, he virtually told us he wasn't prepared to do both Breasts in one day because of the possible discomfort that my wife could suffer. He explained the procedure to us for about 5 10 minutes. He wasn't just after our money and you could see that he was uneasy in doing both piercing in the same day. We took his excellent advice and decided to go for just one Breast. He then introduced us to the female piercer who was fantastic too. I could go and on about this place but the rest of the reviews have done it for me. These guys are clearly very professional and genuinely care about their customers. The fact that he turned down the chance to double his money (2 x £30) speaks volumes for this outfit. It is not an understatement to say that when the time comes to have the second piercing done or indeed any further piercing or Tattoo work we will have no problems paying the extra money to Travel from Manchester to London to visit this shop. Well done Cold Steel! Ps One thing to note If you've never visited Camden before please keep half a day spare for your visit to Cold Steel because you will LOVE the surrounding shops, Markets, Bazaars etc. I've been to London over 100 times but have never been to such a great place as Camden. You'll see for yourself. read more

I went to Cold Steel this past weekend for my first body piercing, and all I can say is that they were the nicest, most professional place I have ever been! I've been into a lot of tattoo, piercing and body modification studios and this really was the best. As you go in, down a side entrance between two shops and up a flight of stairs, you're met immediately with metal decor and a nice selection of rings, studs, bars, stretcherseverything you could want, really. I was met by a lovely lady, who booked me in, took my deposit and sent me off to go get a drink and calm down a little. I'd booked an appointment over the phone, but she pulled it forwards by half an hour, so I wasn't waiting long. Back half an hour later, I was given a form to fill in and taken upstairs to a nice clean room with a sofa and what looked like an examination bench, complete with paper towel covering! Everything was very clean and hygenic, and I watched as the lady (sorry, forgot your name!) opened each piece of equipment. She talked me through the procedure and put me completely at ease, before marking the positioning of the ring on me in pen. Have to say, it did hurt more than expected, but it was over in less than a second. I sat and chatted to the piercer until I felt ready to move again, she didn't rush me at all. Looking at the piercing, she had managed to position it perfectly, and it looks amazing! The whole place felt very laid back, friendly and professional. I was also told before I left to give them a call if I had ANY problems at all, or wanted any help with changing the ring once it had healed. Overall, I really cannot recommend this place highly enough! They were a bit more expensive than other places I've looked at, but it's so totally worth it for the experience and the after-care service. I don't think I'll ever go anywhere else now that I've tried Cold Steel! read more

I'm too am not quite sure why someone is judging the quality of a piercing studio based on the gift shop that rents below. If you were ever going through with the needle, and embarking upon life with pieces of metal looped through some part of your body, and I think you wouldn't anyway but if you were then your quest in this particular part of Camden would be the best spot. So what if there's is a particularly funny shop downstairs as you stated but your not getting pierced there now are you. As for 'The Horror, The Horror... ' coment... Please I have heard of many but none from Cold Steel. I have been to Cold Steel 3 times now and going back there for my 4th visit soon. I have recommended friends and taken friends there because they are simply the best I know. The staff are great, the clinical areas are very sterile and they know what there doing... trust me they are not just there for the money. I can say that because, I wanted an enlargement and because she felt my piercings not totally healed she refussed to do so till it had healed. Yea that may have been upsetting for me at the time but by God I totally respected the fact that she was ensuring I was ok and that I was not putting myself at risk of an infection. Well done Cold Steel and Thank You. So when someone comments about a shop that's underneath the business (yes, I agree its good to check things out) but to comment as they did, yet they never even got pierced I would have to say,' never judge a book by its cover '. How on earth can you judge something if you haven't tried it. I wish to say thanks to the Julie for all her help and support, it's really appricated. read more

I had decided to get a vch piercing and went to a local place who declined to do it as my anatomy wasn't suited. I contacted Elayne Angel who informed me that actually it is and recommended Julie at Cold Steel. I arrived at the studio which is very pleasant and professional in appearance, Julie was at the desk she was welcoming and approachable. I completed the required paper work and paid my money, I had decided to get my nipples repierced too whilst I was there and Julie advised me just to do one as getting both at the same time can cause healing problems as you don't have a side to lay on. We went upstairs to the room, it was clean, tidy and professional. Julie made me feel at ease, she marked the position for the vch and showed me in a mirror, Julie said that they do rings or bars I said I would prefer a bar, when she had checked me she determined that this was possible. Julie also explained why she had chosen to off set the piercing, this was because of my design and it would look correct when positioned, she was right it looks great. I found it quite painful but that may just be me. Julie talked me through the whole process. We then proceed to pierce my right nipple. Julie marked it first and talked me through this process it was not as painful as the vch and I have a bar which looks good. The after care advice was verbal as well as written, Julie stated that I could ring any time if I had any concerns and requested that I come back when I feel healed enough on my right side to have piercing check and get my left nipple done. In conclusion a very professional and knowledgable establishment, I can't recommend them enough. read more

I came here to get a Tragus piercing a little under a week ago and I have to say the service was incredible. I stopped by a few days in advance as I'd been on a search for the best parlor possible and talked to the owner and a piercer. I had actually been referred to them by a tattoo parlor near by as the "best piercing in London." Both the owner and piercer were extremely helpful and did not treat me strangely for having so many questions about the procedure, after care, etc. Made me feel VERY comfortable, even though I was extremely nervous. This was my 7th piercing and I was still a bit of a mess. I went back two days later to actually have it done after having researched more online and finding only positive reviews. My procedure was quick and relatively painless and Julie (I believe that was her name) walked me through every step. After the procedure, I was not rushed out in the least, and she let me sit and wait as I regained myself and marveled over my new piercing. It is now a week later and I LOVE the piercing. I was happy to learn that they have a sister city in San Francisco where I'm from, so I can keep going back to Cold Steel for all of my piercing needs. Hands down the best piercing place I've gone to (and like I said, this is my seventh piercing and 5th piercing parlor so I've had my share of experiences). If you are looking for a place in London to get pierced, go to Cold Steel and you won't regret it! read more

Had a piercing done here about 2 years ago, was really happy with how they went through the procedure with me and gave me all the information etc. The lady who pierced me was super nice and let me take 5-10mins to calm down before she pierced me. I never felt rushed or like a baby because I was quite nervous. I was told to come back in a few months to check up on the piercing to see how it was going. I expeiernced a lot of issues with my piercing 'leaking, pus, quite a bit of blood and LOTS of discomfort' . I went in and the guy with the beard took his time to look at it but basically told me I was overreacting and that the bump on my piercing was a granuloma, he told me to just increase salt soaks which I did. I returned again 3 months later with the 'granuloma' still there and a lot of blood coming out of the piercing. A different guy was there and was very rude to me and dismissed what I was saying. After a year of it still bleeding and leaking (healing period was meant to be 6-9months) I went to my dermatologist who told me the granuloma was actually a keloid (they don't go away). All in all my actual piercing experience was great the lady was lovely BUT Both guys who work there are very unsympathetic and make you feel like an idiot for being concerned about your body. The only reason my rating is so high is for the lady. If it was down to the two guys it would be a 1. read more

Cold steel's reputation goes a long way, all the way round the world actually, is is known as the best place in London for piercing even as far as in Sydney Australia. they do not disappoint . Always forth coming with advice for not only piercing after care but living with different types of piercings also and were more than happy discussing different options and piercings I was interested in. They are far more concerned with quality than just getting money out of you. They simply will NOT pierce you if you are under the influence of substances or are under age, and quite frankly I wouldn't trust anyone who would. I have had a vertical labret, Tragus and VCH pierced with them and the experience has been fantastic. The guys at the desk are helpful, friendly and the place has an all round great atmosphere. The piercing itself? There is a lovely relaxed, professional and friendly atmosphere, a brilliant bedside manner with an obvious pride in the work she does and care taken. Every step of the way is explained and any question you have will be answered with you and your piercings best interest in mind. And you are always able to check back with them if you have any worries or problems Weather it is a simple ear piercing or a more adventurous body piercing you are after, your first or fifteenth piercing, cold steel is the place you are after. read more

Quick Review I can honestly say these guys know what they're doing and they know what they're talking about! Excellent customer service, clean piercing room. My lip piercing is fine a week later after having followed excellent advice. I wouldn't go anywhere else in London for my piercings! And it helped that the guy who did the piercing was really good looking :) Longer Review So I decided to re pierce my tongue and ear cartilage. I also wanted to do my lip again The last time I did my lip it was off centre, and I think it got slightly infected. I was a little nervy because I'd done my tongue and ear piercings 10yrs ago outside of London! My lip piercing was done 7yrs ago in London and it went horribly wrong! I called cold steel for advice and the guy was really nice he advised a fitting for my ear and tongue as opposed to a re-pierce he could have easily tried to charge extra! When I got there hours later there were only 2 guys working and they were both amazingly friendly and helpful. The piercing room was clean, everything was sterilized and the chap advised I should watch what I eat, use mouthwash and salt water as well as some extra advice. I also get to go back in 6 weeks for a free short bar! A week later my lip piercing is healing well alhamdullilah! read more

One of my most favourite piercing places everrr. Unlike the majority of places which make you feel very unwelcome and are full of staff that are arrogant and think they are better than you because they supposedly know more about piercings and have more piercings than you (when in reality these people know very little as they always pierce you wrong, wrong bar, pierce at the wrong angle, give you the wrong advice about cleaning)....cold steel is nothing like this. The staff are very knowledgeable, very very nice and obsessed with cleanliness. They do not look down on you and they make you feel very comfortable. Having left pretty much every other piercing place after ever other piercing ever feeling almost a little let down and shaken...It was nice to leave Cold Steel feeling happy and have since gone back there for every piercing. The piercings always heal well and always look good and I know I can always go back for more help and advice if needed! The lady, Julie i believe, has always done my piercings there and she takes the time to chat and make sure you are relaxed, she then lets you take as long as you need afterwards to relax again before you leave. First class service, every single time. read more

I will never get a piercing anywhere else! From the moment I walked in I felt as though I was in the hands of professionals. I wanted to get my tragus pierced and found Cold Steel by searching for 'Best Piercing place in Camden' and Google had not let me down. I had recently got my helix pierced in another piercing place and as soon as Coz saw it he told me to take it out. The piercing had not been done properly and was not healing properly at the back. I was taken upstairs to one of the piercing rooms, (which was spotless!) and the procedure was over within a minute, the rest of the time Coz and I were just talking. The best thing about this place is they are not just doing it to take your money. I want to get three piercings on my forward helix, and Coz said to me that I wouldn't be able to fit three piercing on my ear but we could line it up with my tragus and it would look good. You can tell that all the people who work here are passionate about what they do and that makes all the difference. I will be going back in three weeks for my check up and also to get my helix redone and forward helix done and I cannot wait! Thanks for the heads up on the Deep Fried Oreos as well! read more

I hate to regurgitate what everyone else is saying, but it's the honest truth! These guys are absolutely lovely, from Julie (the piercer) to the receptionist (forgot his name, sorry!). It's quite an easy find in my opinion, just look at the photos of the store outside and you'll be fine. As far as hygiene goes, the staff don't mess around. I wanted to high-five Julie and she instead used her elbow, just so the gloves wouldn't be contaminated. They take it very seriously, as they should. Lots of laughs, genuine people, and I was only there for 30 mins. When Julie told me to come in for a check up in a month, it sort of feels like I was at the doctor's or something. Again, just goes to show how much they care about their customers. Pricing is quite good as well, I got my nipples pierced in one sitting (I know, crazy). The pricing also include jewellery. I got bars instead of rings. I didn't enquire about rings because I like barbells. The staff are very helpful and will do as much as they can to make you comfortable, and well-informed about the entire process of getting a piercing and after-care. If I ever get any more piercings, I'm coming straight back here! read more

Getting pierced with a gun is bad news. Don't do it. I did, and it was foolish of me. Go to Cold Steel instead, if there is any way you can reasonably get to Camden; they are mildly famous for being gloriously professional, and they deserve whatever renown comes their way. I would not suggest however that you rush in with only twenty minutes before another engagement. It is probably a better idea to get an appointment than to wander in off the street. It is not a cheap place. It cost me more for one cartilage piercing than for the two previous ones put together. But it is worth the price as they'll be about as clean and careful as one can be; in my experience they'll also put a lot of effort into lining a new piercing up with any you already have, as opposed to the places which just stab you and hope it looks okay. The guys who run it are also extremely friendly and knowledgeable, quite happy to offer advice, and instead of trying to push you to buy expensive cleaning / aftercare liquid, they will explain how to fix up some with simple house-hold ingredients. It is also worth mentioning that there is an astoundingly cool sheet-metal bench in the shop. read more

I walked in to get a quote for snakebites, got to the top of the stairs and the guy says "Can I help you" "Yea can I get a quote for snakebites please" "£60" "Alright cheers mate" I walk out on the way out I hear "Arsewipes" (I'm with a friend) So I pop my head around the stairs again and say "I heard that" "you was meant to" "whats wrong with you I came in here nice and polite and you insult me" "Yea get out of my shop you cunts" then I say "F**k off" as I walk out This wasn't even the guy I asked for the quote that got rude to me. He then says "Oi come back here right now" He comes running down the stairs (I'm outside the door by now) and physically threatens me saying never to go in his shop again (haha so he says come back then says never come back? LOL IDIOT) Basically NEVER GO TO COLD STEEL. AVOID. Other's have said the same thing, look here. (from 2006 too!) http://www.bodyjewelleryshop.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-5549.html Quotes from other's "Enter Cold Steel at your peril" "DONT GO TO COLD STEEL." "They're exceptionally rude, talk down to you a lot and are probably the most miserable bunch of bastards I've ever seen." read more

I'd been wanting to get my ear rim pierced for literally years, but never managed to get round to it my tragic organisational skills meant I'd moved up to North London by the time I got my ship in order, and so I, happily, ended up booking in at Cold Steel best reviews, and just round the corner. The staff were brilliant utterly professional but relaxed and charming. We had to wait about 15 mins past my actual appointment time, but far from this being a pain, it was spent in lively, entertaining conversation. My piercing was then done by Julie; she was lovely and knew exactly what she was doing, both in terms of the piercing (as you'd expect!) and in terms of making me completely at ease. Given this was the first time I'd volunteered to have a hole made in my body, I couldn't have been more relaxed. It didn't hurt in the slightest, was made at exactly the right point on my ear, looks great, and is healing well! Excellent aftercare advice, and a follow-up appointment to check how it's getting on in a month's time as standard. Honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience! Thanks hugely! read more

Just for the record I'm not one to post reviews often but I was really happy with my piercing experience. I went into cold steel to get my nipple pierced today (21/02/13) This is my first piercing on my body and without a gun so I was really worried about the pain and was literally freaking myself out for no reason. I am guilty of watching one too many youtube clips lol DONT do it!! It really isn't painful like people make it out to be, with that said everyone's pain threshold is different but mine was over in a matter of seconds and it was fine. Julie - the lady that did my piercing is lovely and will give you all the relevant info needed. Pricing is good here too, I've seen other studios charging £50+ just for one!!! I really love my piercing!!! I would recommend going on a warm day though, walking to the station in cold weather was the worst part lol. I would 100% without a doubt go back for future piercings. Everyone there is down to earth and from seeing how they deal with other customers they really have your best interest at heart. Thanks Coldsteel :-) read more

There are so many piercing studios in Camden it's hard to know which one to pick. I'm just glad I ended up here. This is an extremely friendly place which is good at what it does. I had two initial piercings for a scaffold done a few months ago here. I've just come back from the follow up to have the bar put in and am an extremely happy bunny. The staff are helpful and warm the minute you walk through the door. I'm not particulary great at either pain or small chat, but the piercer still put me at ease over both. I've tried to have this type of piercing done before (at another Camden studio) with unsuccessful results. The lady here talked me through how to get it right this time - combination of better home aftercare and piercing it differently- and four months later all is well. Their aftercare was really good too, and they made it clear that I can come back if there are any problems. Prices seem reasonable- and pretty standard to other places nearby. I think the tourist tat shop underneath merely adds to it's authentic Camden charm! read more

I went in to get my tongue pierced after reading the good reviews of Cold Steel. It could not have gone better; the guy behind the counter made sure to check my ID and that I'd eaten in the last four hours, was all around lovely and fitted me in quickly to see Julie. They both clearly knew what they were doing; a quick look at my old rook piercing that rejected within a week and he knew straight away what had gone wrong and how to fix it. Julie was very careful and the piercing itself hurt less than biting your tongue. They told me to drop in or ring up if I had any questions, and I fully intend to come back if I want anything else done, even if it means travelling from Brighton. Their expertise is worth it. I would recommend Cold Steel to anyone, as they were far better than any other piercing studio I've ever been to. A few comments seem to have indicated that the guy behind the counter was 'rude' or 'mean.' I can't disagree with that more, he was purely professional and dedicated to doing his job. Thank you very much for a great experience! read more

I went in to Cold Steel to get my Rook pierced, having considered it for a long time, and read up on a few different places. Cold Steel always had the best reviews, not only for cleanliness, but also customer service. I took my boyfriend with me, and booked an appointment for half an hour later, but not after having discussed every single aspect of the piercing with them first. They were so helpful, friendly, and informative, that I can definitely say they eased my nerves. Julie was the one who pierced me, and when she did, she took her time in calming me down enough to get me comfortable and ready for the piercing. She is the fastest, most pain-free piercer I have ever met. She knows what she's doing, and is such an easy spirit to be around. She explained in perfect detail the necessary aftercare, and I am proud to say I have a wonderfully healed Rook now!! I will only return to Cold Steel, and recommend all my friends to them, I just took my best friend to get her industrial piercing in her ear! Amazing place, absolutely love it. read more