Whip it good.

I love the whip. I recently acquired a 4 foot black leather whip made by Axel of Whips by Axel. I just loooove it. I bought it right from the whipmaker's hand at a demo on whips. I was interested when I went to the demo but fell in love once I got my hands on one.

What is it about the whip that is so alluring? It looks so simple by itself, but once you start using one, you realize how the power of pain can be harnessed in a change of pressure behind each throw.

There are different kinds of whips like the bull whip (like Indiana Jones used), the quirt (a type of whip with a forked "dragon tongue" on the end), and everything in between.

Generally for indoor BDSM play, the single tail whip is a popular choice. It is suggested the length be controllable at about 4 feet. I have seen 3 foot single tails, but it takes more experience to throw properly. Control is key.

The basic throw is really quite controlled and depending on the pressure, it can range from a light tap to a very painful sting. Imagine casting a fishing line out into a lake. If you want to go further, you throw harder, closer is gentle. Same thing.

Note the picture of the single tail whip. The whip is made of leather plaited tightly by a master craftsman. The end is made of plaited nylon. The nylon is the portion which comes in contact with the skin. No, not the leather part, the nylon. Never drag the whip on the ground and then use on someone's skin! The nylon can be cleaned with some alcohol to keep sanitary, especially if used on more than one partner. And a whip shouldn't be passed between people for use. A whip is like the individual. If you loan it to a friend and get it back, you may end up feeling a change in the way it throws. It is suggested by Axel to never loan out the whip. It gets used to the owner's hold and style.

Yes, there are masochists who want to be whipped. They like the pain. They welcome it. Good thing when there are sadists like me who enjoy watching a fine muscled back squirm under a whip. I admit, I giggle when a red mark shows up or the sound of fear and anticipation are expressed with a moan or whimper. Do they ask for it to stop? Never. A good dominant not only can control the whip but also measure when the sub has had enough. If they are in subspace, they can't know. They are too gone from reality to make that decision. So, be careful.

At Romanticon this year in Akron, Ohio I will be one of the presenters in a workshop "BDSM Top to Bottom".  I believe I will be doing a whip demo as the thrower. (Sascha Illyvich has asked me to bottom for his whip demo at this year's Dragoncon. I told him shoulders and back only...but he wanted ass. LOL) I am anxious for Dragoncon as I hear whipmaker Victor Tella will be there selling his whips. I heard so much about them, I want to see if one is right for me. Hopefully something purple and black...

I am working on my 1-800-DOM-help book presently, and yes, the Domme heroine in the story has a whip as her preferred toy. ;-)

To see a hot whipping and flogging video, check out this one on XHamster.  My absolute favorite. I love her attitude. (She's gorgeous too.) Although she focuses on his ass, if it was me, I'd include back and shoulders (careful of the kidney areas of course). ***Note this video is on a free adult video site. I'm not responsible for content. I've never had a problem with viruses in visiting this site.***

Marianne LaCroix
http://mariannelacroix.blogspot.com

Clamps: A Primer

Clamps are an old BDSM standby; one of the most commonly used play toys after whips. And so of course they appear in many BDSM erotic romance stories. They are low effort on a Dom(me)'s part once they are placed on a submissive's body. They can be as inexpensive as the ordinary spring clothespins most commonly used, though many other items can be hijacked for the same purpose: paper clips, mousetraps, tubing clamps, small vise grip pliers. Ouch! I know I always feature a selection of clamps in my stories. Many clamps have a somewhat flat surface to prevent damage. Alligator clamps (saw-tooth) are more likely to do damage as they cut into skin.

It's wonderful to be able to adjust the tightness of a clamp if you can purchase or rig ones with this ability. Different submissives vary in the amount of tightness they find erotic. Although if yours are not adjustable, you can always stock a variety that have different degrees of tightness. In addition, if you are using them on male nipples you will have an added challenge if the man has particularly small nubs. Smaller clothespins will be a must, although they also sell nipple clamps that take this problem into consideration.

Popular spots to try your clamps? Nipples, genitals, ear lobes, lips, folds of skin on your neck, belly button, and your perineum. Trying them out on yourself is always a good idea to gain understanding of what a sub will be experiencing. Don't forget that clamps hurt continuously. Most folks, according to Jay Wiseman's classic SM101: A Realistic Introduction, can take about four clamps for up to a half-hour. Since they hurt non-stop, a good dominant with NEVER forget that they are on their submissive and let too much time pass. Clamps cut off circulation to the pinched area. The very longest to leave on a clamp in one area is an hour, although I am sure this point can be debated.

Another important point--only apply clamps if a submissive is feeling aroused. The more turned on someone is, the more pain they can take. This is also important to remember when you are removing the clamps. Don't let too much time pass after orgasm, or simply remove them before orgasm, to ensure sexual excitement is still balancing out the pain. Clamps hurt like a son of a bitch coming off because the blood is rushing back to the tissue and re-expanding it. This is particularly true of clamped nipples. They should be removed gradually and since clamped tissue is sensitive to movement, you should keep the area still during removal. And don't rub freshly unclamped skin. It hurts more.

So why clamps? If you provide a lot of sexual stimulation after you have pinched on those lovelies, then you are providing a delightful contrast between sexual pleasure and erotic pain. Mixing that pain with prolonged sexual pleasure makes a deep impression in a submissive's mind.

Want some other tidbits on clamp types, placement, and safety? Check out that Jay Wiseman text I mentioned. SM 101: A Realistic Introduction. It's a classic.

Safe, sane and consensual,
Michelle