March 26, 2013

BDSM 101 -- Impact Play

by Zandrock

The art of hitting a person with an instrument can create a large array of pleasant, erotic, and unique sensations. Today we will talk about the different types of toys, and how they vary in each category, and what effect that has on the experience they create.

Impact Toys Continued

So next we move on to canes. Canes are, well... a cane. They are like an old person cane, only thinner and more flexible. Canes are very stingy. They are the most intense toy and I would compare them to being hit with a ruler, or whipped with a piece of string. Canes are often made out of fibrerglass or rattan (which is wood). Caning hits a small area, so this is why you get the stingy sensation. It also causes welts if you hit hard enough. Most of the other impact toys cause more bruising then welts. And caning can even break the skin if enough force is applied. Caning is typically done on the buttocks, hands, soles of the feet, breasts/chest, pubic bone, or thighs. You do want to be extra careful with hands and feet because you do not want to cause any nerve damage. Caning is definitely a more intense form of impact play and I would say is likely only fun for masochists (those who enjoy pain). Otherwise the sensation is just too intense to be erotic and sensual. Caning fantasies are often similar to paddling fantasies. The teacher bending a student over a desk to cane their bare bottom is one that comes to mind. Canes are very flexible, but they are also very strong. No matter how hard you hit (within reason) you are not going to break a rattan or a fibreglass cane.

Here is a photo of a cane:



The next impact toy is slappers. Slappers are really just a strap of material. You could think of folding a belt in half. These are kind of like the crop and a mix of stingy and thuddy. A lot of that depends on how wide the material is. These can be made of leather or plastic and as I am sure you have caught on by now the plastic is more stingy then the leather. You can get a pretty good sting from this toy because they are flexible and can wrap around tissue. These toys are less commonly seen, but you do see them. These do tend to be a bit shorter so they are good when you are in close proximity to a person or have a small play space. Sometimes slappers have modifications. For example a tawsee is a slapper but its head is split into two. Thing allows the strands to whip more and makes for a stingier toy.

Here is a photo of a slapper:


The next impact toy is ticklers and teasers. These are very light toys that I think would be great even for someone who is not interested in BDSM. So these tend to be toys made of something soft. They are made to create sensations, not to hurt. They tickle, they tease, they provoke. There are ones that are feathers on the end of a stick. These are run over a person’s body to create pleasurable sensations, or if your partner is ticklish they can be used to tickle your partner. There are also metal ones. These often have some metal beads connected together that are used to run over your partners body. You could use this to whip someone with, but that would be a very intense and very stingy sensation. Metal is also nice because you can use it for temperature play. You can heat or cool the metal balls and they will retain that heat or cold and transfer it to your partner's skin. These are very light toys most often made for foreplay and no for an actual scene. These would be something good to try out if you are just starting out and unsure if impact play is good for you.

Here is a photo of a tickler:


The final toy is a whip. These are real whips that you see in movies like Indiana Jones. These are not a beginner toy, because you could serious harm or even kill a person with a whip. These provide extremely stingy and sharp and intense sensations and are only for experienced users. Certain people enjoy the pain of a whip. Whips are typically made out of rope or leather. The leather would be slightly less stingy, but still would be far more stingy than all the other toys. As you increase the length of the whip you do allow for a more intense sensation to be created. You need to be careful though, because wrapping a whip around someone’s body can cause it to strike their chest area. This is where internal organs are found and causing them damage is very bad. This is why most people suggest you practice on a pillow or stuffed animal or target until you can hit it with accuracy all the time. Whips, like floggers, also do tend to be quite expensive. Whips are most often used on a person’s back, their thighs, or on their breasts. Like I said though, you have to be very careful not to hit anything you were not aiming for. Whips do come in a variety of colors, and braiding styles. I am not very familiar with whips, because I have never played with them but there are names for all the styles. Names also tend to indicate a specific length and material. If you are whipping a person, the purpose is to hit them with just the very tip. Whips do cause welts and can break the skin.

Here is a photo of a whip:



So that is all of the impact toys that are common. Just a final note. Be safe when using these toys. Hitting a person can cause damage to them, so read up on technique and how to safely use your toy before you use it. Most impact toys are porous and you cannot properly sterilize them. The one exception I know of is the silicone paddles that EF sells.
Thanks for reading and keep checking back for more articles on BDSM related toys and activities.