i've bottomed to canes quite a bit. Even the lightest canes are NOT beginner toys. It is quite possible to do serious, unintended injury with a cane. i think the important thing is to work with a Top who knows how to handle them, knows where on the body it's safe to hit, and knows that they can be used harshly or lightly and that the tip will make the most impact. Even if you initially hit with the middle of the cane, the tip will whip down and make the most painful and strongest impact. It's the tips of the canes that leave the pretty marks. Make sure you do TONS of warm up, either with light taps with the cane or canes or with hand spanking or lighter toys. You WILL have marks after a caning, you may even bleed, and it WILL hurt the next day, unless it's a very light caning, so make sure you expect and are prepared for that. Canes are very, very intense impact toys! They hurt, but it's a good hurt, at least to me. One of the things i love about canes is that the impact of the cane isn't the most painful part, it's a few seconds after when the pain blossoms. To me, it's very sensual and a very pleasurable type of pain, but i'm a masochist, so there's that! Plus, i love marks that linger to look at and to feel to remind me of the session. Most Tops will ask their bottom to count strokes, giving them a set number to expect which helps process the pain and intensity. Thicker canes will feel thuddier, leave deeper bruising, but have the higher potential of injuries if wielded incorrectly. Thinner canes will be whippier (depending on the material) since usually they will be less rigid than a thicker one. Thinner canes will leave less deep bruising but be a lot stingier and the tips will be more vicious, and more likely to whip around and hit undesired targets if the user isn't skilled and conscious of them. The more flexible the cane is, the more the tip will whip down. Shorter canes can be difficult to control and manipulate, but longer canes are, again, whippier and the tips will snap more. Which cane to use depends greatly on the skill of your Top and the sensation desired. Do your homework and don't play with canes with an inexperienced Top without seeking out some instruction, hands-on instruction. Also, be extremely conscious if blood is drawn during caning. Many canes are porous and not able to be sanitized. A lot of natural materials like rattan make the best canes. If blood is drawn with a porous cane, or if the cane comes into contact with other bodily fluids, that cane can never be used on another person. (It's fine to reuse on the same person, though.) If you are playing with someone who owns a collection of canes, make sure they are either non-porous and sanitized or that the cane or canes they will use on you have never drawn blood before. A conscientious, safe Top will give a cane that draws blood to the person that it drew blood of. If you need to find a caning expert, seek out your local kink community, or connect with local groups on fetlife.com and ask around for someone who will help you with canes. Most people are more than happy to share their expertise. Good luck!