Input:
  Describe a variety of BDSM toys, including blindfolds, clips and clamps, collars, gags, dildos, male chastity belts, Sportsheets, spreader bars, vibrators, and more. Discuss their uses, safety precautions, and creative ways to incorporate them into scenes.

Mention the psychological impact of toys, and how they can add excitement and intensity to the experience.

Highlight the importance of proper usage, safety, and communication during scenes, especially when using potentially dangerous or risky toys.

Encourage readers to look for creative and unexpected toys outside of traditional BDSM shops, and to use their imagination when incorporating them into their play.

Mention the importance of consent and communication during any BDSM scene.

Response:
Opening the Toybox

Toys add so much fun to the scene. Not only do they have a physical effect, their psychological impact is impossible to overestimate. Toys like whips, ropes and suspension cuffs are covered in their appropriate section of the "Fun and Games" chapter. Here, we are going to look at more free-style toys.

Blindfolds and hoods

The best kinds of blindfolds completely block out the submissive's vision without putting any pressure on the eyeballs. While the sleeping-aid-type blindfold is useful, it usually doesn't fit tightly enough to keep the submissive from peeking out next to the nose.

My favorite is a set with separate eye patches on a leather headband. Each eye patch is lined with rabbit fur. When these are on, nothing can be seen. Instructions on how to make these are in the chapter on leatherwork.

Because contact lenses can come detached under a blindfold, you should have the submissive remove the lenses before putting on the blindfold. Of course, with some submissives, removing the contact lenses is the equivalent of putting on a blindfold.

Another approach to blindfolding is hooding. This can be as simple as a bag over the submissive's head or as complex as a custom leather arrangement with removable eyepads, earpads and a gag. However, because a hood conceals more of the submissive's face than a blindfold and hides familiar facial clues indicating distress, you must carefully monitor his or her condition. Hoods can also trigger claustrophobia and restrict breathing.

A trick for covert public scenes is to get the eye pads sold in drug stores. Put them over the submissive's eyes with flesh colored bandages and cover the lot with a pair of large, dark sunglasses. The feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming for the submissive, but bystanders see only a kind person assisting a blind one.

Clips and clamps

Nipple clips are almost a cliché in bondage films and photography, but clips and clamps are popular tools. These can be used on almost any portion of the body, but breasts, labia, cocks and balls are natural and obvious targets. You should always remember that when these are taken off the process is more painful for the submissive than was the initial application.

You should test every clip on the skin between your thumb and forefinger. This does not tell you how it feels on a nipple, but it does give you a gauge for comparison. If one clip felt much stronger than another on your hand, it is reasonable to assume that it would also be more painful on a nipple or elsewhere. Although it would be unusual to do any kind of permanent damage with a clip, one should not be left on longer than fifteen minutes because it does cut off blood circulation to the skin underneath. The triangular paper clips available at stationery stores should be treated with considerable respect.

Complex-looking adjustable clips are available at leather stores. However, many dominants swear by the simple wooden clothespin. Not only are they cheap and easy to obtain, but you can vary their severity in several ways. The simplest is to buy several brands. Different companies have varying degrees of clamp in their pins. Test them on yourself, and color-code each pin with a drop of model airplane paint. I use red for the strongest down to blue for the weakest.

You can also weaken individual pins by putting elastic bands around the part where your finger grips the pin. This is particularly useful when the pins are going to be used on sensitive sections of the body.

Some people even disassemble the clothespins and readjust the spring tension. This is done by heating the spring with a blow torch, altering its alignment with a pair of pliers while it is still red hot, and then quenching it in a container of oil.

Before using clothespins on submissives, you should cut or sand off the tips so the pins end in a flat surface. This will allow them to get a firmer grip on the skin and prevent unintentional pain.

Initially, you should place a substantial fold of skin between the tips. The larger the amount of skin which is gripped, the weaker is the stimulation felt by the submissive. As you become familiar with both the strength of the pins and the tolerance of the submissive, you learn just how large the fold should be to produce a given amount of stimulation. Avoid putting the clip where pieces of bone or cartilage would be caught inside. These bruise more easily than soft tissue.

Alligator clips are not generally used in stimulation because their serrated teeth can easily break the skin. However, you can cover the teeth by taking a piece of shrinkwrap tubing, putting it over the jaw of the clip and then heating the tubing. It may take several layers of tubing before you have a thick enough covering on the teeth.

Mouse and rat traps are fun to play with. They look infinitely more painful than they are because the spring's clamping action is distributed along a relatively wide striking wire. However, before you use them, I recommend that you take off the release arm and the trigger. Not only are these unaesthetic, but the gripper for the cheese can tear the submissive's skin.

To use them to maximum effect, hold the trap about a foot in front of the submissive's shocked eyes and let the striking wire snap on to the wood then take it and insert the breast or cock and lower the striking wire on to the skin.

There are many different types of adjustable clips and clamps. The simplest one is the basic bodkin that was created to pull elastics through waistbands and consists of two narrow fingers with rubberized ends and a ring that can be slid back and forth to open or close the fingers. Because there is quite a bit of friction when sliding the ring while the fingers are held apart by a bit of flesh, I recommend holding the ends of the fingers in one hand, squeezing them until you've got the pressure you want and then, with the other hand, sliding the ring into place.

One of the most expensive and precise clamps I've encountered is The Rolls Royce Clamp. While I haven't mucked about myself in the engine compartment of a Rolls, I am told it's the battery clip from that venerable marque. It consists of a pair of hinged grippers between which base is a cone with a screw through it. The grippers are opened and closed by turning the cone either up between the bases (tightening the gripping end) or down, allowing the bases to come together and loosen the grippers. Because of the gradual movement very precise adjustments can be made.

Simpler adjustable clamps are padded alligator clamps with a screw through the upper jaw. Turning the screw either pushes the jaws apart or allows them to come together.

Tit or ball presses are larger items with two boards or bars that are attached by threaded connections at each end. The appropriate "organ" is inserted between the two elements and the threaded sections are turned to bring them together.

The degree of stimulation from a clip can be increased by several orders of magnitude by attaching weights to the clip. To hang things from clothespins, run a cord through the spring coil. Alligator clips come with a handy screw that is convenient for attaching cords or small chains. Some versions of adjustable clips in leather stores are designed to clamp harder when weights are suspended from them. Always add weight slowly.

Another approach is to pull on the string or, an even more erotic approach, put the string in your submissive's mouth and have him or her pull on it for you. This can also be done when you have two clips attached by a string or chain, a common technique when clamping nipples.

A variation of these dangling weights can be obtained by attaching the weights to heavy elastics or light springs. Any movement will set the weights bobbling, and it will take a while even when the submissive is standing stock still for the weights to stop bobbing.

Japanese or Clover Clamps were originally created to stretch silk without tearing it. They have a lever arrangement built in so as the pull at the base increases the jaws clamp tighter. This means, as you add weights, not only does the clamp pull down harder, the squeeze increases.

One particularly evil trick is "the zipper." To make one, you can tie several clips (clothespins are most often used in this) to a single line so they look like beads along a cord. You may attach them to the submissive at various points and, when the time is right, pull hard on the line so they pop off one at a time like shots from a machine gun. For an even more intense variation of "the zipper," drape the submissive with a light fishing net and attach the clothespins so they grip both the skin and the cord of the net. This allows them also to be pulled off with a single tug. Think of it as a twodimensional zipper.

If a clamp causes a minor cut, you should treat it with antiseptic. However, torn skin requires a doctor's care to prevent permanent disfigurement.

**Suggested Reading**

_Toybag Guide to Clips and Clamps_ , Jack Rinella, Greenery Press

Collars

A symbol of submission is the collar. It can be as simple as a dog collar or as complex as the kind of collar worn by 0 in The Story of 0, which was made of many layers of thin leather with an attached ring. Rings provide convenient attachment points for leashes or wrist cuffs.

The most common error in buying a collar is to buy one that is too wide. Unless it is only for short-term wear, one inch is the best width. Anything wider will have a tendency to abrade the neck over a period of hours.

Neither collars nor other around-the-neck devices should be used to attach a standing submissive to anything solid. Think what might happen if he or she stumbled or fell. If a person is attached in this manner, use cotton thread. This will provide the feeling of capture, but in the event of an accident, it will break without causing further harm.

Another common error is to attach the collar too tightly. If you cannot slip two fingers under the collar, it is too tight.

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about "official collars." People have held forth about "training collars," "consideration collars," "ownership collars" and god knows what else. If it resonates with your needs and fantasies go with it, but don't feel there is any way you must do it or any symbol or collar you must adopt. Your scene is yours.

Gags

I don't use gags much. They cut down on the complex verbal interaction between the submissive and the dominant, i. e. I like screaming and begging. They also can be risky.

However, in a semi-public environment, like an apartment with thin walls or motel rooms, gags can avoid premature termination of the scene through external influence, such as someone calling the cops. Some submissives also enjoy gags. The mild ache from the stretched jaw muscles is a reminder of their status. The ball gives them something to bite down on while you are stimulating them, and for those who enjoy humiliation, the uncontrollable drooling provides the dominant endless opportunities for comment.

Before you use a gag, establish a safe signal that will work when the gag is in place. Like a safeword, it should be something that would not take place as part of a scene. This eliminates random grunting, but using a rhythm is acceptable. Don't get too complex. It may be easy for your submissive to hum The Stars and Stripes Forever when the only thing you are doing is watching. It is entirely a different matter to do it when you are playing connect the dots on his or her skin with a needle.

Simple physical signals are effective too. Some submissives use opening and closing both hands to signal unacceptable discomfort when gagged. Others use slow and purposeful eye blinks.

Before playing with any submissive, you should ask about breathing problems, asthma and allergies. If you are going to use a gag, ask again and listen carefully. A blocked up nose can kill someone who has a gag in his or her mouth.

There are a multitude of commercially available gags and an even greater variety that you can improvise. At one point during a session in an expensive hotel, the phone rang. I just grabbed my companion's panties and put them in her mouth. She later told me that the mere casualness of this action made it extremely arousing.

Most important, the gag must be comfortable. If it isn't, that is a signal that it doesn't fit and can cause harm. With an inflatable gag, have the submissive inflate it. Dominants invariably overestimate how big it has to be. I have seen some face masks that cover both the face and the nose. I neither like them nor do I trust them. If either the nose or the mouth is blocked, the other should be completely free.

Ball gags that do not go completely into the mouth are particularly good if a person has a bit of trouble breathing. If the ball is attached with a single elastic, it can be easily pushed out of the mouth in an emergency by the submissive's tongue.

A submissive friend lists three benefits that go with gags. It is fun to bite down on a gag during intense stimulation. It gives the submissive a feeling of being controlled, and finally, it causes drooling which, in turn, gives the dominant an opportunity for a bit of verbal humiliation if both enjoy this type of activity.

Dildos

For whatever reason you are using a dildo, it is always a good idea to cover it with a condom before use. At the very least, it makes cleanup quick and easy and assures that you and/or your submissive will have a sterile surface in contact with all that sensitive flesh. If you will be doing a scene where the dildo will be moving back and forth between people (yourself and the submissive or between two submissives) or will be used in both the anus and vagina, one or more condoms are mandatory.

If I am planning a complex scene, I may put four or five condoms on a single dildo. As soon as I am ready to shift from one area to another, I just take off the top condom and the next is already on. A neat trick I borrowed from my motorcycle racing days when I would wear five or six face shields, one under the other. When one got muddy, I'd just pull it off. This also has the added advantage that, if one condom tears, the others are intact.

In my opinion, the best dildos are made of silicone rubber. They have a more lifelike texture, are exceptionally smooth and retain body heat or cold, see the section on guided fantasies in the making the scene sing chapter, best. However, they are expensive.

Latex dildos are less aesthetic but are also less expensive. Dildos made of harder material must be used with care, but they are often useful in the scene to make a psychological point. One mistress has a custom-machined, eight-inch, stainless-steel dildo with brass balls which is enough to drain the color from the cheeks (both sets) of the hardiest submissive.

Obviously, when using a dildo in the anus, copious lubrication and care are the order of the day. You must always keep a good grip on the dildo and allow no more than two-thirds of it to enter the anus if there is nothing at the base to prevent it from going all the way in. For safe anal play, butt plugs are more sensible, or you should use a dildo with a flange or set of balls at the base.

Some dildos are made with a clitoral stimulator at the base. While some find this fun, my opinion is that it limits the range for movement of the dildo if you want to use the stimulator at the same time. A well-lubricated thumb is infinitely more versatile.

Squirting dildos which simulate ejaculation should be cleaned very carefully. The artificial urethra provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth. However, squirting a bit of bleach-water mixture or alcohol through it should be enough to clean it out.

Male chastity belts

Male chastity belts are popular items in leather stores. Some are made of leather, some of metal, and I've seen a few that were made of clear plastic.

Evidently, these toys predate the current interest in BDSM. In doing research for this book, I encountered the McCormick Male Chastity Belt, patent number 587,994, patented in 1896 – yes, 1896. According to the application, the purpose was to protect a man from himself. However, it seems ideal for any lady seeking to make sure her submissive remains pure and sweet when he is not under her supervision.

The appliance had a plate, "having an aperture through which the proper member is passed." The plate was attached to the body by a belt and had a series of what the inventor termed "pricking points." (Could this be the source of the slang word for the member in question?) "When, from any cause, expansion in the organ begins, it will come in contact with the pricking points." This, in turn, was considered enough to turn the wearer's mind to purer thoughts.

Although the inventor wrote that he intended this device to be worn voluntarily, he did note that arrangements could be made to be permanently attached to certain "irresponsible wearers."

While I've never encountered Mr. McCormick's gadget in any store, a similar device can be made using leather through which the prongs of snaps have been forced. Normally, these prongs are bent over to hold the snaps in place. However, if they are left extended, they can provided a "pointed reminder" for the wearer. Another product is a nonskid run mat designed to protect carpets from rolling chairs. The bottom of these is covered with sharp plastic prongs. A small piece snipped off and placed in a jock strap provides most interesting sensations.

**Sportsheets™**

Sportsheets are an interesting little product that uses a Velcro loop sheet to provide points of attachment for a set of Velcro hook wrist and ankle cuffs. Because the sheet fits tightly over a conventional mattress, you can convert any bed into a versatile bondage surface. It takes a bit of practice to attach the cuffs so that a strong person cannot break the attachment to the sheets, but it can be done. An added bonus is that the sheets are comfortable enough to sleep on.

Of course, with enough strength, enthusiasm and incentive, one can get loose from Sportsheets. Libby and I were introduced to Sportsheets early in the '90s at a party given by Mistress Sia, a dear friend and a delightfully creative sadistic dominant. Both Sia and I were playing with Libby when we were amazed to see her rip apart the chain connecting one of the leg cuffs to a pad. Libby at that time was an enthusiastic swimmer and walker so she had really strong leg muscles, and what we were doing was just plain "mean," but when I mentioned the incident to Tom Stewart, the president of Sportsheets, he let me in on a business decision they'd made in designing the product.

"When we were developing the Sportsheet we experimented with a lot of different hardware that connected the cuff with the anchor pad. As a result of our customer feedback, we used a metal key ring and snap link for the connection. The reason for this choice of hardware was for a last ditch, fail safe means of getting free from the Sportsheet. The question many people asked us was, 'What if I can't grip the anchor pad and I panic?' or, 'What if the bed catches fire and I'm tied up, how do I get out?' If we had used stronger hardware, say, a welded D-ring versus a key-chain key ring, and a stronger snap link, our answer to these types of 'what if' questions would have been something like, 'Well, then I guess you're screwed.' The key ring was selected because it will fail under circumstances where a person pulls very hard and the key ring will open up and the person gets out. If we had made it escape proof that would have defeated the 'you can get out anytime' feature of the Sportsheet. For some heavier players we have suggested adding an additional key ring and/or another snap link to make the connection stronger."

Spreader bars

Spreader bars are simple wooden or metal bars with loops at the ends or at points along their length which attach to wrist and ankle cuffs. When properly in place, they prevent the submissive from bringing together the limbs to which they are attached. Some of the commercially produced models are adjustable, but many dominants simply make their own from lengths of one-inch dowel.

While there is rarely a problem using a spreader bar between wrist cuffs, care should be taken not to use one that is too long between either ankle or knee cuffs. If a submissive is forced to spread his or her legs too widely, the hips could be injured. This is particularly likely if weight is placed on the hip region while the legs are spread. As the appropriate angle varies among individuals, you should demand feedback from the submissive the first few times you use a leg spreader.

For an interesting effect, a second bar can be attached at right angles to a leg spreader. This bar can hold either a vibrator or a dildo, which the submissive can move in his or her anus or cunt by straightening or bending knees.

However, because submissives have been known to desire too much of a good thing when they become excited, I recommend attaching the two bars together with a rubber band rather than cord or tape. This way, if the submissive tries to agitate the device too violently or tries to drive it home too firmly, the elastic will stretch and moderate the action or break entirely, hopefully, before injury is done.

Vibrators

Just hearing the hum of a vibrator is enough to bring joy to most submissives' hearts. I like to use a vibrator for teasing and contrast during the scene, pushing the submissive over the pleasure-pain-pleasure edge and during cool down after the scene ends.

There are basically two ways to produce vibrations. The first type to appear was the coil-driven vibrator. These usually have a vibrating head. They usually have only two speeds, low (sixty beats per second) and high (thirty beats per second). (That isn't a misprint. The body interprets the slower speed as faster than the faster speed, and the manufacturers went with perception rather than reality.)

Motor-driven vibrators, on the other hand, use a rotating, off-center weight. This allows them a broad range of vibrating speeds. There are two types of these. The wand vibrators that look like an old-fashioned hand-held microphone, and Swedish vibrators which strap on the back of the hand and turn the entire hand into a living vibrator. Most wand vibrators are exceptionally large, but this spreads out the vibrations and makes it a more effective massage tool. I tend to like the heft of a large vibrator.

Swedish vibrators are sensual and versatile tools. Their drawbacks are that the softness of the hand mutes the impact of the vibration a bit, the constant vibration can make your hand go numb fairly quickly, and the straps that hold the vibrator on your hand can catch pubic and body hair.

Vibrators are also classified by their power source. In the early days, I shunned vibrators powered by replaceable batteries. They were generally shaped like dildos, but produced the worst of two possible worlds as they were ineffective dildos and underpowered as vibrators. Generally, if I wanted to use vibration inside a vagina or anus, I didn't use a plastic vibrator, but instead, inserted a dildo or butt plug and then held an AC-powered vibrator against it.

Because of these drawbacks, the only setting where I found the battery-powered plastic dildos useful were in wet scenes in baths, showers and hot tubs. Because they were battery powered, there was no chance of a dangerous shock, and their size let me waterproof them by slipping them in a condom and knotting the end. However, improved design and more powerful batteries have changed my mind. Many battery-powered vibrators are wonderfully effective these days.

Many battery-powered vibrators have the speed- controller/battery-pack connected to the vibrating unit by a cord. These offer an opportunity for the dominant because these can be worn under the clothing, they allow you to take your submissive for a walk or to a restaurant while covertly stimulating him or her. The speed control/battery box can be draped over the waist band, and you can discreetly play with the controls throughout the public session. If you use an vibrator in the anus, you should put it in an unrolled condom first. This will allow you to withdraw it safely if the cord breaks.

Even better for this are the radio-controlled vibrators. Sadly, at the time I'm writing this, the RC vibrators I've used have a range measured in tens of feet, but I have high hopes for the future. Even with the limited range, these offer interesting opportunities for the control and simulation of your submissive.

Several years ago, Libby broke her arm in a fall. At that time, she had Rio, a personal slave. It was her idea to insert an RC vibrator in Rio's pussy so Libby could summon Rio with just a touch of a button. Normally attentive, Rio became a paragon of vigilance while she awaited Libby's summons.

As cell phones have decreased in size, their kinky potential has expanded. No great sewing skill is required to create a small pocket near the crotch of a pair of panties where a cell phone can be secreted. I leave the potential applications to your imagination.

For those with a bit of skill with a soldering iron, it is possible to build a do-it-yourself version of an RC vibrator. Sartan of Treve, a kinky entrepreneur, has the plans of this on his website _(www.saroftreve.com/workshop/vibe.shtml)._

Thanks to micro-chips, vibrators are no longer limited to slow-fast. For example, The Pulsetron by Lady Calston has the conventional slow-medium-fast range, but it also has pulses of vibration interspersed with pauses and a buffet of patterns as the vibration becomes stronger and stronger and then softer and softer.

The Lady Calston people have carried this idea over into a wonderful device for those who are trying to make a longdistance BDSM relationship work. The Televibe is a pulsetron that connects to either a telephone or a computer. The unit is plugged in, and the recipient inserts the vibrating probe into the appropriate bodily aperture. Then, even thousands of miles away, the dominant can take control of his or her pleasure while listening and talking on the telephone or in a chat room screen.

AC-powered vibrators are more powerful and have a greater range than those powered by replaceable batteries. Their only major drawback is the need for an electrical outlet. However, when you are playing in an unfamiliar area, that can be a major inconvenience. For example, in many public dungeons, major play areas are in the center of the rooms. Using a vibrator, generally means running an extension cord through the shifting, milling crowd. This is hardly a satisfactory state of affairs.

Rechargeable vibrators are usually built along the same lines as a wand vibrator, and their batteries are generally good for 15 to forty minutes of stimulation. This may not seem like a lot, but you should remember that AC-powered vibrators overheat. Most manufacturers recommend sessions of no longer than thirty minutes without a cool-down period. Therefore, you may not get significantly longer sessions with AC- than with replaceable-battery-powered vibrators.

Like dildos, many vibrators can be covered with condoms for safety and ease of cleaning. You will be surprised how big you can stretch those suckers, and it is unnecessary to cover the body of the vibrator. For example, only the foot of a coil vibrator actually touches the skin, and this is relatively easy to cover. However, a few of the wand vibrators are just too big. Use a rubber glove to cover their heads.

Once, what I had expected to be a single-submissive scene became a two-submissive scene, and I didn't have any condoms or gloves. However, I had two riding crops. Rather than stop using what I find is a very effective tool, I mentally designated one crop for each submissive and, holding the shaft of the crop against the head of the vibrator, used the tip of the crop to touch the submissive. Since each crop only touched one submissive, there was no chance of cross infection. An added bonus was that the submissives found the intense, localized stimulation of the vibrating crop so arousing that I made the technique a standard part of my repertoire.

Finding toys in the vanilla world

One thing that consistently amuses me is the recurrent drives by single-minded do-gooders to, as one of them puts it, "close down the places where people buy devices of pain and agony." I won't quibble about the "pain and agony" part, but what is so amusing is that there is more kinky stuff in the average K-Mart than in any leather store.

This last section isn't about specific toys or how they are used. I want it to be more of a consciousness-raising exercise. Let's take a walk through our local discount store and see how many things we can do kinky things with. I'm not going to try for a complete list. I'm just trying to give you some inspiration for your future shopping trips.

You've already read about the wonderful things that can be done with clips and clothespins. The "Secret Dungeon" chapter has other cute ideas, but let's start our stroll and see what we can find.

**Gardenware shop.** Not even inside the door yet, and there is this lovely display of canes. I suppose they expect us to use them to train tomato vines. Any other ideas as to what to train?

**Kitchenwares.** We may have discovered the mother lode, with wooden and plastic spoons, mixers and spatulas. What wonderful spanking devices. Cheese boards come with the convenient hand grip. Wouldn't it make a nice splat on some rear end? Hanging on the wall, we have clips and clamps galore. How about an egg opener? It looks like a pair of scissors with a loop on one end. Notice how the loop is just big enough for a man's cock.

**Toys.** What interesting stuff. The makers call it Slime™, and it really looks sickening. Might it have potential for a humiliation scene? This Nerf paddle may not do any harm, but it certainly stings. What about jacks? Wouldn't it be interesting to see how someone would walk while she was holding them between her legs? My goodness, a treasure trove of little girls' play makeup. Wouldn't this be handy for a reluctant TV? It has an added bonus in that it comes off easily.

I think I'll take a pass on these toy handcuffs though. The plastic has hard edges and they could hurt someone who struggles.

**Hardware.** What a treasure trove with all the hooks, pulleys, rope and clamps. Anyone who can't imagine uses for vise-grips should be sent back to BDSM 101. The trick is to close the handle before putting it on and use the little screw to adjust the tension. In a given aisle there are five locks that open with the same key. That is a handy safety precaution.

**Automotive.** Ratcheting tie-downs are designed for pickup trucks, but they would be handy for firmly attaching a submissive to a frame. Key rings come with a nice feature. It has two rings attached by a mechanism that needs to be pushed together to separate them. Wouldn't it make a handy emergency release for light bondage?

**Sporting goods.** Sir Spencer was once going to a birthday party for some scene people. He knew the crowd would include a sprinkling of vanilla people, who knew nothing of the birthday girl's interests. His lovely and brilliant wife recommended that he buy a game that featured a pair of charming Lucite paddles. As she pointed out, the vanilla guests would take the gift at face value, and the scene people would realize that the real value of the gift was somewhat lower than the face and on the other side.

Weightlifter's kidney belts can be useful. The same kind of belt, to protect a submissive's kidneys during a whipping, cost five times as much in a leather shop. Sinkers are heavy, and I bet they would be a lot of fun hanging from nipple clamps.

**Hobby supplies.** This place is full of perfect materials for making cuffs and bondage toys, maybe even paddles and floggers.

**Jewelry.** Nylon replacement watch-straps with Velcro fasteners can be backed up with a felt pad (to keep them from cutting into the skin) from the hobby department to make a fine cuff. One warning: jewelry for pierced ears shouldn't be used in body piercings. It can cut and cause damage.

**Pet supplies.** The pet store is just full of leashes, collars and humiliating squeaky toys that you can run a cord through and make into a great gag. Giant corkscrews, that screw into the ground, might be intended to hold Fido's chain, but when used in pairs or fours, they are wonderful for spreadeagle outdoor bondage. Nylon leashes can be tied to bed legs and then clipped to cuffs.

**Miscellaneous.** A mysterious scissor-shaped wooden clamp is, in the vanilla world, a glove stretcher. We have other uses for it. A baby's pacifier makes a nice symbolic gag.

**Tack shop.** The places where the "horsy set" goes to shop is packed solid with riding crops and whips as well as all kinds of leather straps and such. Even better, they are less than half the price you'd pay in a leather shop. What could an imaginative person do with a bridle? Stirrups are useful for supported suspension. One gentleman at The Vault modified a standard saddle and delighted in giving ladies rides about the place.

Look around. If you keep a kinky thought in your head, the world becomes a kinky place. You may never look at a cucumber the same way again.


Input:
 Describe various forms of BDSM play, including spanking, bondage, and whole-body bondage, and provide information on safety considerations, recommended materials and tools, and potential risks associated with each activity.

Emphasize the importance of prioritizing safety and obtaining informed consent from all parties involved in any BDSM activity, as well as the need for a clear understanding of the submissive's limits and preferences.

Provide guidance on restraining methods, knots, positions, and scenarios that enhance the experience for both the dominant and the submissive.

Discuss the use of different materials such as rope, clothing, and plastic wrap for bondage and the importance of using the right type of material for the right purpose to ensure safety and comfort.

Address the issue of self-bondage and the potential risks involved, and advise on safer alternatives such as partial immobilization or using a trusted dominant partner.

Response:
Fun and Games

Spanking

It is so classic. The stern schoolmistress, strict nun or angry father orders the miscreant to bend over, and the pleasure begins. Hey, Wait. Isn't that "punishment?"

Well, to each his or her own. To some people, being in one role or the other of this little scenario would be but one step away from heaven. Spanking is perhaps the most common BDSM activity. Drop by your vanilla video store's classics collection, and you can spend hours watching mainstream stars warming each other's celebrity fanny.

It also has served for the entry point to BDSM by more than one couple. Spanking seems like so much fun. It seems so wholesome, so American. Besides, could anything that John Wayne did be so awful? In a very practical sense, it is probably one of the safest of the BDSM activities. The buttocks, while abundantly supplied with nerve endings, are well padded, and the physics of the event guarantee that the hand partakes of much of what it gives.

Only when straps, paddles and strapples make their appearance is it necessary to consider a modicum of safety, and that is only to avoid the portion of the upper buttocks where the bone is close to the skin. There are nerve junctions in that area which do not take kindly to being pounded. However, the rest of that delightful protrusion is fair game. The area between the top of the leg and the point where the arse begins to turn in again should be a particular target; as one masochistic lady put it, "It is the sweet spot with a direct line to the pussy."

Comments from two submissive gentlemen indicate that the same effect is present in their anatomy with a slightly different destination.

**Suggested Reading**

_The Compleat Spanker,_ Lady Green, Greenery Press

Bondage

Who can look at the bound and helpless submissive and not feel a stirring of excitement and pride? In a very substantial way, this is the scene made real. While not all submissives long for rope, leather and chain, all long for the spiritual essence of these things, confinement, restriction, being controlled and held.

A man in a French maid's costume kneeling quietly at his mistress's feet can be more tightly restrained than one in a cocoon of rope and leather. Freedom through constraint is the quintessential nature of BDSM.

Sadly, however, few things are done more poorly than bondage. Like Olympic-level gymnastics, to do it well is to make it look easy. It is far more than simply grabbing a length of old clothesline, wrapping it around your partner and tying a granny knot at the end.

Before we go any further, remember bondage, unlike diamonds, is not forever. You should always have the means to quickly and efficiently release your submissive. No one should ever do any bondage without a set of EMT scissors, also called paramedic scissors. They have extremely sharp, serrated blades that can cut rope or even heavy leather. Also the bottom blade has a spoon-shaped end so that they can be used next to a struggling person's skin without doing any damage. Of course, they won't cut heavy chain. If you are doing chain bondage, keep a bolt cutter handy.

**What should not be used for bondage.** Let's look at the actual tools for bondage. First, what should not be used? If a submissive is going to lie quietly, without any movement, almost any long, flexible material, including barbed wire, could be used. However, short of posing for a cover shot for Hogtied Quarterly, submissives do not lie there quietly. Many enjoy struggling for the confirmation of constraint it gives them. Others are stimulated to movement by the dominant's activities.

Therefore, it is best to assume a certain degree of struggle. This eliminates many of the favorites of the bondage artist or photographer. Handcuffs, for example, are notorious for causing abrasions and can even cause nerve damage and broken bones. While this quality may be considered a plus by policemen seeking a docile prisoner, it is definitely not a plus in the scene. This is particularly true when we recognize that "struggle" is not always intentional, not only do people trip and fall, but orgasms can bring on a more spectacular "struggle" than most whippings.

If you insist on using them for anything more than an attractive ornament on your belt, you should be aware of two schools of thought concerning handcuffs for bondage. The first recommends you buy good-quality handcuffs. These are available to the general public in many states through police supply stores. This school of thought mandates that you avoid the cheap handcuffs sold in novelty and leather shops. The differences are twofold. First, the quality of the professional handcuffs is much better, and there is less likelihood of burrs or rough edges which can tear the skin.

The second reason is even more important. Professional handcuffs have a lock that prevents them from continuing to tighten after they have been applied. This lock is either missing or ineffective in the cheaper models.

The other school holds that in spending a substantial sum of money for the handcuffs will tempt the buyers to use them more often than they would have otherwise. This group, with whom I'm finding myself in more and more agreement, holds that since handcuffs should be limited to psychological or light play scenes where there is no possibility of struggle, cheap handcuffs are preferred so there will be no temptation to use them for inappropriate scenes. Regardless of the quality of the handcuffs, they should never be used for suspension or, even for holding the hands above the head for a substantial period.

There are also some precautions which can reduce the risk of injury. Since nerve injury most often happens when the submissive tries to pull his or her hands out of the cuffs, either intentionally or unintentionally, causing pressure against the base of the thumb. This can be minimized by tying the elbows so the submissive cannot spread them. They need not be tied so they are touching. Indeed, this position can injure some people's shoulders. Just a few loops of rope should be enough to keep from getting too far apart and putting pressure on the cuffs.

I occasionally take someone for a walk in cuffs, with the handcuffs hidden under a long jacket. Since if she were to fall, she might injure herself, one of the links of the handcuffs is replaced with thread. The feeling of being "handcuffed" is perfect, but if needs to she can get her hands free. I needn't even tell her of the substitution since the brace-me movement is instinctive should she find herself falling.

Police have begun to use long plastic strips with selflocking tabs as disposable handcuffs or plasticuffs. Because they were developed by electronics companies for bundling cables, these are available through places like Radio Shack. While they should not be used when the submissive may struggle, they are nice props for psychological scenes. Once the tab has been inserted through the lock, the plasticuffs are sealed permanently and must be cut off.

Another bondage item that should not be used in connection with any potential struggle is the hose clamp. These are long strips of metal with a screw-locking mechanism designed to tighten over hoses until they are sealed to a nipple. They come in sizes big enough to hold a pair of legs. However, they have several important drawbacks. They are metal and can do damage if they are overtightened or if the submissive struggles. They take a while to take off because the tab must be slowly unscrewed. Because paramedic scissors may not be able to cut them, if you are going to use these, you should have a pair of bolt cutters handy in case something goes wrong.

Articles of clothing, like scarves and pantyhose, figure commonly in bondage fantasy. However, in the real scene, they should be used with care. Both can clump until they are very narrow and cut deeply into the skin. A silk scarf is soft, but if you pull it tightly between your hands, it forms sharply defined folds. Imagine those folds cutting into your submissive's wrists, and you can see what I am warning about.

Knots in scarves and panty hose are also notorious for jamming. Eventually, you are going to untie your submissive. It is definitely anti-erotic to break fingernails while struggling unsuccessfully with a balky knot. You are the dominant; you are supposed to be in control. Being bettered by an inanimate hunk of silk is not the image you are trying to project. Even more importantly, it interrupts the flow of the scene and destroys the mood for both of you.

Plastic clothesline rope is a definite no-no. Not only can its wire core cut deeply into the submissive's flesh, but it has an uncanny ability to jam almost any knot put in it.

Leather laces are definitely another no-no for immobilization. First, they are so narrow it is almost certain to cut into the skin and stop circulation. Second, leather shrinks when it gets wet. Even if you're not into watersports and don't plan to dunk your submissive into a bathtub, he or she is going to sweat. Just a bit of sweat is enough to turn a tight, but safe, tie into a tourniquet. Worse, this same contraction will turn a relatively safe knot into a solid mass of dense leather.

Thin cord or line can be used for a decorative binding to produce interesting patterns on the submissive's body or for controlled compression of body parts, like the breasts or cock, but it should never be used for immobilization. For example, these should never be used for securing the wrists to each other or to a solid object. Keep thin cord for decoration or for secondary tying where a lot of strain will not be brought against the binding.

**What** **_can_** **be used for bondage.** What to use, then? The best bondage tools are well-made leather restraints. Although they are expensive, and may be daunting to the novice, they are actually the safest way to render a submissive helpless. Their width and the nature of the material make it harder, although not impossible, to do something wrong, like cutting off the blood supply.

Of course, leather binders do cut into the dominant's creative flexibility. Wrist cuffs go on wrists. They won't go around waists or upper legs. When using them, at least part of the choreography is already laid out.

Rope is cheaper and inherently more versatile. Sisal or manila rope is rough and stiff. Some submissives like the harsh touch of these materials, and some dominants enjoy manila's ability to hold knots without jamming. Both, however, have to be handled carefully because they can cause severe rope burns. Polyethylene rope, the yellow stuff that floats, is stiff and hard to handle, as is mountain- climbing rope which consists of a core of nylon lines inside a jacket of woven nylon.

Before the ghost of my father, a Merchant Marine Officer, descends to crack me alongside the head and yell, "You're talking about _line,_ son!" I'll admit that what seafarers call "rope" is more suitable for fastening the QE2 to a dock than a submissive to a table. However, rope is what most people call it. Sorry, Dad.

Perhaps the best all-around material for bondage is plaited cotton rope. Cotton rope used to be used primarily to hold sash weights in windows and for clothes lines. With the passing of sash weights and the use of non-rotting nylon for clothes line, cotton rope largely disappeared. The modern version has a plastic stiffener inside which renders it inappropriate for use in bondage. However, some pure cotton rope is still available, and those who have been able to obtain it swear by the material and guard their supply with care. A number of these lucky individuals report buying theirs at a magicians' supply store.

If you are lucky enough to find some without the plastic stiffener, wash it first to get rid of the starch that manufacturers use to make it look pretty in the store. Follow the directions in scrubbing up in the appendixes for washing unless you want to spend the next few hours untangling a Gordian knot.

The best generally available material, in my opinion, is nylon rope. It is smooth and flexible and takes knots well without jamming. I prefer 5/16-inch and 3/8-inch rope for immobilization bindings, while 1/4-inch and the so-called parachute cord are best for decorative bindings. Ropes of a half-inch diameter or larger are relatively difficult to work with, but can be worked into the scene as psychological props.

Nylon rope usually comes in two surfaces, three strand twisted and plaited. Plaited rope slides more evenly over skin while the three strand can leave "interesting" patterns when it is removed and lends itself to splices. Three strand twisted should be cut by wrapping it with electrician's tape and cutting through the tape. This also provides a nice temporary whipping.

The ends of both kinds should be sealed with a flame so that they will not unravel. When you are melting the ends, keep away from the smoke, it is not healthy to breathe it. Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated room. The melted ends are also very hot. Use a stick or pencil end to tamp them down. Don't even consider using your finger. If you are cutting a lot of nylon rope, you might consider getting an attachment that goes on a soldering gun and turns it into an electrically heated knife.

For a really kinky look, dye the rope black or red. Cotton rope dyes easily with any commercial dye. However, nylon rope requires something more "enthusiastic." I use a dye manufactured in Germany called Deka L. A ten-gram package is enough to easily dye fifty feet or so of 5/16 inch nylon rope.

Another interesting bondage medium is mountain climbing webbing. Available in a number of colors, this nylon webbing is fairly thick and comes in widths from one to three inches. Because it is so broad, there is less chance of cutting off circulation, and it can be tied as easily as rope and does not jam. You can cut and seal it in the same way as nylon rope.

The most common mistakes beginners make with rope is, first, to buy too little of it and, second, to cut it into lengths that are too short. The shortest useful length is generally five to six feet. Anything shorter tempts the dominant to tie the submissive incompletely and too tightly.

You should have several lengths available. My kit usually contains five five-foot lengths, five ten-foot lengths and a twenty-footer. If I am planning a webbing (see further along in this chapter), I bring two fifty-foot lengths. Of course, specific plans may call for a different mix, but this combination is good for, say, a visit to Paddles or to a private party.

It is a good idea to code your ropes according to their lengths so you can quickly and easily select the proper one for the job. I use plastic tapes on each end of the rope. As a mnemonic aid, they are coded by the spectrum. Blue (blue has the shortest wavelength of the visible colors) is for the six-foot length, yellow is for tens, green is for twentys and red for the fiftys.

Colored tapes are also useful for establishing ownership at the ends of group scenes. All of my ropes have a black piece of tape at one end in addition to the color code.

Of course, rope isn't the only material to use for bondage. Fiberglass-reinforced packing tape is impossible to break. I like to run a few turns of gauze bandage over the area before putting the tape in place so that the adhesive does not bond to the submissive's skin. That isn't necessary, but if you are going to use the tape against the submissive's skin, experiment by putting a small piece on his or her skin in an earlier session and checking later for any redness or other signs of an allergic reaction. In later scenes, keep checking because a single exposure may not be enough to trigger a reaction. Also, pulling fine hairs out as the tape is being removed may not be what your submissive would call positive pain.

I've seen photographs of submissives bound in 12- or 14-gauge heavy-duty electrical extension cords. It looked attractive, and the thick plastic coating would provide more than adequate protection against cutting into the skin.

Velcro provides impressive opportunities for creative bondage. One couple I know has glued strips of hook and loop Velcro together to make a versatile tool. To tie it, all she does is give the strip a half turn and presses it against the opposite side. I've seen Velcro replacement wrist-watch bands that look like they would be quite effective as cuffs if they were attached to wide pads so they wouldn't cut into the skin.

Hook Velcro will also stick to nylon rope although the bonding is not as strong as against the proper loop material. Velcro does have the tremendous advantage in that the dominant can free the submissive quickly and easily from most bonds using this material. SportSheets, mentioned in the toybox chapter, use Velcro in an interesting fashion to turn any bed into a bondage device.

As you have read, I'm a fan of nylon rope. However, to be fair, there are a large number of bondage enthusiasts who prefer natural fiber rope. Because I'm not an expert in this area, I asked Tatu, a nationally recognized Japanese or Asian styled bondage expert to write the following section. You can read more of his work on his website (www.Ds-Arts.com) or write him at Tatu@Ds-Arts.com.

Natural Fiber Rope for Bondage By Tatu

**Terminology.** There is confusion in terminology in the retail marketplace concerning natural or vegetable fibers. The word "hemp" in the retail bondage marketplace erroneously refers to rope made from cannabis sativa as "hemp." However, the word "hemp" in the industrial marketplace refers to any natural fiber rope that is made from the bast fiber of a plant, which would include jute, sisal and manila.

Bast fiber is material from the skin, or bast, surrounding the stem of a plant. These fibers are selected because they have a much higher tensile strength than other portions of the plant. Tensile strength is the breaking point of any fiber or rope. They are used in the industrial marketplace to make rope, as well as paper, burlap and yarn.

So the term hemp can be applied to any natural fiber rope, and it is used in that way by those who make natural fiber ropes.

Sisal is a hard, vegetable fiber used in gardening, shipping, petroleum, mining, fishing, lumbering, architecture, and communications industries. There is also a large market for sisal in the pet industry in making scratching posts as well as in the arts & crafts market. It is what you buy at the U-Haul store for moving purposes, and it is not well suited for bondage.

Manila is a hard, vegetable fiber used a lot in the public utilities, as it will not burn easily when in contact with electricity.

Both sisal and manila are both very scratchy and can cause some nasty abrasions for bondage, which actually might be a plus for some. These ropes can also contain some very nasty chemicals that can cause other problems when in contact with roughed up skin. Be sure and read the packaging, before you use in contact with human skin. In general, sisal and manila are not the best choices for bondage and probably should be avoided.

Jute is a soft, natural fiber rope in the hemp family, and, contrary to popular belief in the west, it is the rope of choice by traditional rope artists known as "Kinbakushi" or "Nawashi" in Japan. It is however harder to find in the west on the retail market. If you can get it, it is a lovely rope to use. Jute is mainly used commercially for wrapping bales of cotton, sacks, and a course cloth. In North America we generally refer to it as burlap. Its strength is similar to hemp.

Hemp is a hard, fiber rope, which comes from the cannabis plant, specifically the cannabis sativa variety, which is the non-psychoactive variety in contrast to the cannabis indica variety, which has poor fiber quality and is used for recreational drug use. Cannabis indica has high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp (sativa) is what our bondage ropes are made from, so you won't get a chemically induced high from your bondage rope. You may however get a natural high caused by the energy of your scene.

It has historically been used mainly on sailing ships. Its fibers in an unfinished state are somewhat softer than sisal and manila.

**Finishing or conditioning hemp rope.** You can buy finished hemp from several retailers on the Internet. If you choose to buy unfinished hemp, which comes in a scratchy and rough state, you will need to know how to end up with very nice finished form with a wonderful feel for bondage. I highly recommend a seven-step process pioneered by Angelene Black from the now closed "Helios Rope," a process which is now used by Erotic Hemp of Chicago _(www.erotichemp.com)._

  * **Washing**
  * Drying
  * Scorching the irritants off the outside of the rope
  * Oiling the rope
  * Hand rubbing the oil into the rope
  * Pressure cooking the rope for softness
  * Drying

This process is completed a total of 3 times.

After Helios Rope went out of business, I was able to obtain special permission to post at my website their process for finishing hemp. _Seeds-arts.com/RopeArt/hempropefinishing_ange/ene.pdf._

**Why hemp?** The choice of bondage rope for many is often based simply on feel and cost so many will automatically gravitate to synthetic fiber ropes. Hemp and other natural fiber ropes, however, challenge the senses in other ways. Natural fibers have a feel to the skin which is desired by many. Some say they can feel the rope becoming one with their skin as opposed to the slippery feel of synthetics. The natural hemp color, which will vary from a light to dark brown, can look very natural and visually pleasing against the skin. Its look is appealing in an artistic sense to many, especially photographers. The earthy natural smell appeals to many rope bottoms and tops as well, as it challenges their senses in a very erotic way that synthetics do not. Many report that these natural fiber ropes gives a special energy to the rope scene.

Hemp ropes also are superior at holding knots and stretch minimally, which makes it more appealing for those "get out" scenes centering on escape.

**Hemp rope care.** Rope inspections should be done regularly. Get into the habit each time you bring out a rope of pulling it through your fingers to feel for abnormal broken or twisted fibers, excessive wear, cuts, nicks, signs of abrasions, reduction in diameter, or anything unnatural to the feel.

Hemp rope can be washed. You should wash it in cold water with an unscented natural laundry detergent. Do not use any kind of fabric softener. Be sure and use a hosiery bag or you will end up with a tangled mess. Stretch your ropes out under some weight to dry.

Natural fiber ropes will tend to dry out over time and will need to be re-oiled. Mink oil is my choice. Simply place light amounts in a heavy cloth and pull along the rope.

Allergies are another factor in all rope choices, but especially in natural fiber ropes. Some people will have sensitivity to hemp and can have experience a breakout on the skin or cause excessive itch and dryness in the eyes. Hemp can be dyed in various color choices. It is the choice of many in the west who do Japanese styled bondage.

**Whipping the ends of your natural fiber rope.** If you choose natural fiber rope, you normally will be able to buy it with the ends of the rope already whipped or perhaps it will come with a wall or crown knot in the ends.

To whip the ends:

  1. Select a thin piece of a strong twine about ten inches long
  2. Begin by making a loop in the twine and laying it lengthwise near the end of the rope
  3. Hold the loop in place as you wind the twine around the rope 10-15 times starting about ½ inch from the end of the loop
  4. Once you reach the loop end, pull the twine through the loop
  5. Tighten by pulling both ends
  6. Trim off the ends and do the same at the other end of the rope

**Size and strength.** Natural fiber ropes will come labeled in global measurements (millimeters) rather than western inches. So when you buy hemp you should know that 6mm is about 1/4 inch and 8mm about 3/8 inch. These will be the ideal choices for bondage use.

One final consideration of natural fiber ropes is strength. Natural fiber ropes are not as strong as synthetic ropes. The recommended load is ten times the actual weight of your subject. So a 200-pound person should be held by a minimum 2,000 pounds of rope strength. Generally their breaking point for natural fiber rope is about 800 pounds so, if you use them for any sort of load bearing with a human, you need to use three or four strands to meet acceptable safety standards for safe support of your rope bottom.

Knots: knot so mysterious

There is nothing mysterious about knots, and a dominant need not become an apprentice to a pipe-smoking old tar to learn how to join two ropes together or how to fasten a submissive down securely. However, a thorough knowledge of a few knots should be part of your repertoire.

resquare knot

**Square or reef knot** — This is one of the most common knots. It works best with two ends of the same rope or with ropes of the same size and material. It is simply two overhand knots, one in each direction. Millions of ex-Boy Scouts tie it every day, muttering under their breaths, "Right over left; left over right."

**Slipped reef or safety knot** — This is a modification of the square knot in which one end has been doubled back like a half bow under the other rope. In an emergency, the dominant can give a good yank on the doubled back end and the knot will just come apart.

**Two half hitches** — Because this can tighten, you should never use this knot directly on a submissive's body. However, it is an effective knot to attach a rope to a ring or other inanimate object. Run the rope completely around the object and then back along the rope. Loop it around the rope with the end coming out under itself. Go down the rope a bit and then repeat this.

bowline

**Bowline** — The bowline lets you make a loop in a way that is less likely to slip than two half hitches. However, particularly with nylon rope, you have to be careful to tighten the knot after you tie it. The classic description of a bowline is, "The rabbit (the end of the rope) comes out of the hole (the loop you have made) goes around the tree (the part of the rope above the loop) and then goes back in the hole." It sounds cutesy, but it is an effective memory aid.

fisherman's bend

**Fisherman's bend** — This is a knot that allows you to use rope as a less effective substitute for bondage cuffs. First wrap three or four loops of rope loosely around the submissive's wrist or ankle leaving at least two feet of free end. Then wrap the end around the rope, loop it through the loose loops and then tie it off with a bowline. This makes the loops less likely to tighten independently and cut off circulation.

sheet bend

**Sheet bend** — This knot is used to connect two ropes of different size or to connect a rope to an eye. Make a loop in the larger rope. Then run the smaller rope through the loop, around both portions of the loop and then under itself.

That's it. There are many other useful knots, but these are the basics. If you want to learn about bottle knots, Spanish bowlines or rolling hitches, I direct you to any book on knots.

When tying and untying a submissive, you should always be aware of the rope ends. More than once, I have seen enthusiastic novices inadvertently smacking the subject of their attentions with the end of the rope while attempting to tie or untie a complex knot. When being pulled through a loop, a rope can move at substantial speed. As the end of the rope approaches the loop, it can easily be slingshotted to one side or the other. Three-eighth inch rope with a fused end can have a substantial impact under such conditions.

Trying to work too fast can also lead to rope burns. While such burns are less common with the recommended cotton and nylon ropes, they can happen. Work slowly and carefully. When you must drag a rope across the submissive's body, put your hand under the rope so you are aware of the potential for burning and are partially shielding the submissive from it. If your submissive is rope burned, clean the area with warm water and a mild soap. Then, disinfect the affected skin with alcohol or Betadine (povidone-iodine).

A precise, careful dominant is a lot more impressive and gives far more pleasure than one who works fast but seems to be on the edge of losing control or, worse, actually injures the submissive because of ill advised speed.

Bondage positions

Of course, the tying is only part of a gestalt, the whole of which goes together to excite both of you. While a wonderful feeling of helplessness can be created by simply tying a submissive's hands behind his or her back, there are positions that amplify that feeling by magnitudes.

They can be as simple as adding an additional tie at the elbows to bring the arms closer together. This is particularly exciting with a woman because the position forces the breasts into greater prominence. However, there are two dangers with this position. The elbows should never be forced to touch. While some people can bring their elbows together behind their body, doing that with others can result in permanent shoulder injury. Also, a person should never be placed so that the body is resting on the tied wrists for more than a very short time.

Another position that puts the submissive in a very erotic helpless position is with his or her hands up behind the neck. First, run a length of rope (climbing webbing is even better) behind the neck, bring it around in front of both shoulders and then back across the upper part of the back. With a female submissive, moderate tension on this rope will also make her bring her breasts into greater prominence. Then, with another length of rope, tie the hands together in front with about a foot of rope between them. Leave another foot of each end of the rope loose. Bring the hands up and over the neck and tie them to the rope across the back and neck.

This position leaves the submissive completely helpless, exposes the entire body line, back and front, and can be used either standing or lying down. This is the position I use when I am doing a knife-stripping as described in the fantasy rape section of the "Making a Scene Sing" chapter.

A very versatile position is to have the submissive sit on the floor, knees bent and leaning forward slightly. Tie the wrists to the ankles and the elbows to the knees. A spreader bar can be attached between the ankles, but in most cases, only the most flexible submissive will be able to bring the legs together in this position. Because the genitals are in forced exposure in this position, one of my submissives named it naked-making.

Another position that many submissives find naked- making is to be placed horizontal on the ground or on a bed with their legs vertical and spread widely. I used to have ring bolts in my ceiling beam for just such a situation. A spreader bar attached to a single line also works, but I've found the feeling of helplessness is greater when each ankle is attached to a separate point. You may want him or her to wear boots (and nothing else) during this both for erotic contrast and to protect the tendons. If the tendons are protected, the legs can be left up and spread for quite a long time.

A very secure position is "the fold." In this position, the sub-missive's hands are behind his or her back. The forearms should be horizontal and each wrist should be tied to the opposite elbow. This folds the arms behind the back. Next, have him or her sit cross legged in what the yoga people call the lotus position and tie each ankle to the opposite calf. Then you can take a ten-foot rope, fold it in half, loop the middle under the already-bound forearms and tie if off. This will leave you with two four-foot-long or so lengths of rope tied to the submissive's forearms by bringing one length over the shoulders on either side of the neck. Next you can lean the submissive forward until there is a bit of stretch, but no discomfort, then tie each length of rope to a calf or to the ropes connecting the wrists and the calves. He or she can be left in that position to "mediate upon sins" or tipped backward, an action that exposes the genitals for casual play. Because the arms are bound in the small of the back, there is less pressure on them than in the conventional wrist-wrist tie.

Hog-tying is a classic position, but it should be used with care. It can put a lot of strain on the back and knees. To start you can position the submissive on his or her stomach and tie the hands behind the back, wrists together, with enough rope so that you have a three-foot tail on either end after you have finished. Next, the dominant ties the elbows together with a number of coils of rope. You must take care not to put pressure on the shoulders doing this. As I wrote before, some people cannot touch elbows without severe injury. You want the submissive secure, not injured.

Then the dominant ties the ankles together, folding them up against the thighs. Run the rope tails from the wrists and tie them around the ankle rope. This positioning of the final knot makes it much harder for a SAM to reach it.

hog-tie

Hogtied submissives should not be placed on their backs nor should any portion of the tie go around the throat. This is a popular photographic subject, but is much, much too dangerous for real play.

There is no hard and fast rule for how long a person can be left in bondage. Some positions are extremely stressful and should be used only for a few minutes. Others are so comfortable that sleeping in them is possible. Submissives' tolerances also vary. It should go without saying that you should carefully watch anyone in bondage, and he or she should never be left alone.

Aside from asking them how they are, you should check that extremities do not become cold and that they can wiggle their fingers and toes on command. Blue skin is a good indication that circulation is not all that it could be, as is a complete loss of sensation.

This does not mean that a bit of circulation restriction can't be part of the bondage scene. Some submissives love the helpless feeling a numb limb gives them and glory in the pins-and-needles effect of returning circulation. However, this sort of scene must be monitored even more closely than conventional bondage.

For submissives who enjoy these feelings, I prefer to let gravity rather than ropes restrict the circulation. Anyone who has his or her hands held above the head can attest to how fast they go numb. After roughly a half an hour, most people begin to lose sensation in their elevated hands. Releasing them produces the sought-after tingling.

Decorative bondage

Many women enjoy having their breasts singled out for special bondage attention. Some report that the reduction of the circulation by the bondage increases the sensitivity, while others just like the way it looks. There are several ways to do this.

An approach that is often the choice of bondage photographers is to encase each breast in a coil of rope. A thin rope, like parachute cord (1/4"), is easier to use for this than the thicker rope we have been using for immobilizing ties.

You should have her lean forward, and begin with an anchoring loop over the shoulder and down under the arm. The rope then passes under the breast, up between the breasts and down the outside. Each successive coil should go outside the previous one. The rope should be tight enough to that it gets a good grip on the skin, but it shouldn't be so tight that it will cut off all blood circulation.

Repeat this for the other breast. Finally, tie the ends of each rope behind her neck for a very effective rope bra. As this will reduce blood circulation, it should not be left on for too long. Many women report that the breasts lose the extra sensitivity created by the rope bondage after about ten minutes.

Some breasts are simply too small and firm to offer the rope a good grip. As this can be a very hurtful point for some women, your failure to achieve a solid decorative bondage with rope can have more impact than you realize. You can avoid this problem by doing a full chest binding.

One way is to wrap several layers of plastic wrap around the chest. When the chest has been wrapped, take a pair of EMT or bandage scissors (do not use anything with a sharp point) and cut holes through which the breasts or just the nipples can protrude.

You can also use coils of rope around the upper chest to provide a similar experience, except that you can't simply cut holes in the coils. While you are wrapping, leave room between strands for the nipples to protrude.

Naturally, since both of these techniques have the potential to interfere with chest expansion and, therefore, breathing, you must monitor the submissive very carefully while the bondage is in place and be ready to cut it off if she becomes disoriented or dizzy. Also, when a woman is menstruating or is about to begin her period, her breasts may be extra sensitive and what would be pleasant at another time becomes very painful.

Men, of course, have cocks. For the female dominant, these can provide hours of delightful fun. In the scene, this is often known as cock and ball torture or CBT, and bondage is an important part of this specialty.

Since this is a binding rather than an immobilization, parachute cord or other relatively narrow twine can be used. One scenario that parallels the previously described breast binding is to anchor the cord around the base of the genitals and then circle the scrotum with successive coils.

The balls are forced further and further into the sack. The same approach can be used on the cock. However, its more uniform shape provides a surface for more artistic endeavors. At least one mistress performs macrame with a thick yarn over the cock and balls until they resemble a teapot in its cozy. Of course, eventually the cock will lose its erection and escape the bondage, providing an excuse for the mistress to punish her slave for this infraction.

Another approach is, after making the loop around the base of the genitals, you can bring the cord around and between the balls, separating them and pulling them upward. This process is repeated until the series of X's are in place.

If the submissive has a tight little sack that makes getting a good grip difficult (fear often makes the balls retract), let them rest in a pan of moderately hot water. The reproductive system's temperature control scheme will lower them right into your waiting hands.

Some leather shops and bondage magazine advertisements have clever little toys for binding, restricting and clamping cocks and balls. The best of these lace rather than snap so as to provide a snug fit, regardless of the size of the endowment.

As with any bondage that has the potential to interfere with circulation, you should undo or reposition cock and balls bondage every ten to 15 minutes.

**Suggested Reading**

_Family Jewels: A Guide to Male Genital Play and Torment, Hardy Haberman, Greenery Press_

Whole-body bondage and mummification

A subspecialization of bondage is whole-body bondage. The goal is to extend the experience of binding over much of the body surface.

Japanese bondage is one technique that combines the whole-body experience with an aesthetic exercise. Because it is, essentially, a binding, you can use almost any smooth, flexible material including twine, parachute cord or yarn. I tend to prefer my favorite 3/8" rope, and I will admit that sufficient rope to do a proper Japanese bondage can be rather bulky.

Because this is a lengthy tie, you must have a pair of sharp bandage or EMT scissors handy. In the event of an emergency, this type of bondage cannot be untied quickly and must be cut. Also, because it is usually done with the submissive standing up, you should make sure that at no time the little rascal locks his or her knees. Locking the knees makes it easier to stand still, but it also makes it likely that he or she will pass out on you.

One easy approach to Japanese bondage requires a minimum of fifty feet of rope or cord. Double up the rope. About a foot from the bend which marks the center, hold them together and tie a simple overhand knot (half a square knot). One end of the rope over should be placed over each of the submissive's shoulders. The knot should rest, not press, against the back of the submissive's neck.

Then you should tie another overhand knot just below the ribcage and above the navel. The third knot goes about eight inches below the clitoris or the cock. The fourth knot goes three to four inches below that.

Next the dominant passes both ends of the rope through the submissive's legs and brings them up along the submissive's back and tie another knot about half way up the back. Finally, the rope is passed through the loop made by the first knot (just behind his or her neck) All the rope is drawn all through this loop but don't pull it tight. It will get tight soon enough.

Passing each end of the rope around one side of the submissive's body, you can "trap" the arms at this time or pass the ends under the arms and secure the arms later. Both ends of the rope go through the loop between the first (behind the neck) and the second (below the ribcage) knot, and then each end goes back around the submissive on the same side that it came forward. Thus, the rope that came around the submissive's left side would go through the loop and then back around the left side toward the back. The whole point is that the rope is free to slide over itself.

Pulling the rope moderately tight, the third knot should move above until it is just forward of the arse. Above the knot in the middle of the back, the dominant passes both ends of the rope through the two ropes and brings the two ends back around the same side. This time, the rope goes through below the second knot and, then, go back around the submissive's body. This will bring the third knot on a woman right over her clitoris or on a man just under his cock. The other knot should be pressing on the arse.

By now, you see the pattern, an interlocking series of diamonds progressively tightening the entire pattern of ropes. At this point, you should have plenty of rope remaining, and from this basic design, you can extemporize, looping and tying, until the submissive is a lovely piece of macrame.

Because there is not enough constriction to impede blood flow, a submissive can remain in Japanese bondage for an extended period and can, with some designs, actually don street clothes and venture out in public while remaining in this exotic bondage. When the entire pattern is completed, any strain should be evenly distributed across the entire body so the submissive can be lifted off his or her feet by attaching a hoisting rope to the web.

If the submissive's hands are tied to the web, this should be treated as an immobilization tie, and appropriate precautions taken. For example, it is acceptable to web the entire arm to the body web with twine or narrow cord because the pressure will be distributed across several loops. However, if you are doing a wrist tie with a single strand, you should use a wider rope and knot the rope with a fisherman's bend or use cuffs to protect the wrist from damage.

Another whole-body bondage technique is mummification. Again, you should not try this unless you have a pair of sharp bandage or EMT scissors handy in the event the submissive needs to be released quickly. Because there can be a gradual build-up of heat during a mummification, you should regularly monitor the submissive's alertness. Any faintness or disorientation is a danger sign, and if it occurs you should give him or her a cool drink and consider moving on to another activity.

The simplest approach to mummification is to slightly dampen an ordinary sheet and roll the submissive in it. The moist sheet will adhere to itself and to the submissive. The submissive's head should always be outside the roll.

Another, similar technique is to use plastic wrap. The kind you get from the grocery store is acceptable, but many dominants like to buy industrial shrink wrap in 36- to forty- inch rolls. Simply wrap your submissive like a large leftover. You can then have the wrapped arms lowered and enclose them as you make turn after turn around the upper body. A hair dryer can speed up the shrinking action, but the submissive's own body temperature will activate the process in any case.

This material conducts heat, cold and impact very well. So you can whip or wax right over it with the well-wrapped submissive getting the full stimulation. However, you may enjoy using your EMT scissors to create openings through which all sorts of nice things can pop and be played with.

Many dominants keep a supply of regular or elastic bandages available for whole-body bondage. The usual procedure is to start with a few turns around the upper body and apply the wrappings in overlapping turns. As each bandage is put in place, it is secured with butterfly clips, usually supplied with elastic bandages, or with adhesive tape. A figure-eight pattern is used over the nipples to leave them exposed as you don't want to cut elastic bandages, and if regular bandages are cut, they tend to unravel at the most inopportune times.

There is some debate about whether it is better to wrap the arms at the same time as the body, either crossed over the chest in Egyptian style or along the sides, or bind them separately. Those who prefer the same-time wrapping argue that it is more aesthetic to have a single package. The armsseparate school holds that keeping them separate allows more options in the continuing bondage process.

The most important thing to remember with whole- body bondage is that it usually cannot be undone quickly. You must have some means by which you can cut the submissive free if something untoward happens.

Self-bondage

First, and foremost, self-bondage is dangerous. If you've read the sections on bondage carefully, you'll notice I stress how important it is for a dominant to be able to free a submissive on a moment's notice. In self bondage, this is generally difficult, if not impossible.

The best thing is to find a dominant and have him or her tie you up. I accept that it isn't all that easy, but please consider doing this.

The next best thing is to limit yourself to partial immobilization. Many submissives secure only their feet and one hand. The main incentive for this is that the free hand is used for masturbation, but it is also available for getting them out of bondage in the event of a fire, break in or other emergency. Others secure only their hands and, in an emergency, could escape from their homes or apartments.

However, I recognize that, for some, nothing but complete immobilization will do. In most cases, they use some locking device with a system to withhold the key for a certain interval. Many of these systems are extremely dangerous. One, which has appeared in more than one bondage film, is a burning candle that cuts a cord, dropping the key within reach. Unless you enjoy being helpless in a burning building, I do not recommend this approach.

Another, less dangerous approach uses keys suspended from a string which runs through a pulley and down to the minute hand on an old CrayLab timer. When the hand approaches the zero position, the cord slips off and the keys drop from where they have been hoisted.