Custom Tattoos · Fine Art · Since 2006
"Your secrets, etched in skin since 2006"
The Team
Family-owned, community-rooted. Every piece is a collaboration between artist and client — no flash, no rush, no compromise.
Founder & Owner
Traditional · Black & Grey · Illustrative
✦ Inking since 1997Knox has been putting ink on skin since 1997, bringing over two decades of mastery to every piece. Co-founder of Cipher Ink in 2006, he's the beating heart of this shop — and the reason half of Bozeman has his linework on their arm.
Tattoo Artist
Custom Design · Fine Line · Realism
✦ Custom SpecialistRaven brings the concepts clients can't find anywhere else to life. If you've been sitting on an idea that you think can't be tattooed — bring it to Raven. His custom design process starts from scratch every single time.
Reception & Studio Manager
Client Experience · Booking · Studio Flow
✦ The Heart of the ShopSage keeps Cipher Ink running with grace and warmth. From your first inquiry to post-session aftercare, she makes sure every client feels seen and taken care of. First timers: Sage's your person.
Our Story
In 2006, Knox Wilder — already a nine-year veteran of the needle — co-founded Cipher Ink on W Mendenhall St in downtown Bozeman. What started as a vision for a shop with real artistic integrity became one of Montana's most trusted tattoo studios.
We're not a walk-in mill. We're a craft shop. Every tattoo starts with a conversation, every design is built for the person wearing it, and every session ends with work that was meant to last a lifetime.
Sage keeps the family in "family shop" — handling everything from your first email to making sure you know exactly how to care for your new piece. Walk in off Mendenhall and you'll know immediately: this place is different.
Portfolio
A taste of what leaves this shop. Every style, every scale — built for the body wearing it.
Get Inked
Tell us your idea. We'll make it real.
We'll reach out within 24 hours to confirm and discuss your design.
Testimonials
Knox has done three of my tattoos now and every single one has been better than the last. He actually listened to what I wanted instead of just pushing his own style on me. The shop is clean, the vibe is chill, and the work is exceptional. Cipher Ink is the only place I'm going in Bozeman.
First tattoo ever — I was terrified. Sage was so warm and calming when I walked in, and Raven was incredible with explaining the whole process before we started. The final piece blew me away. I went in wanting something small and came out with exactly what I didn't know I needed. Already planning the next one.
I drove from Billings specifically to get tattooed by Knox and it was 100% worth the drive. He covered up an old piece I've hated for years — it's now my favorite tattoo I own. The man is a surgeon with a needle. If you're in Montana and serious about your ink, there's no better choice than Cipher Ink.