The Road to Self Understanding

There are many different toys and techniques used in BDSM, each providing different sensations, both physical and mental. It can vary from the soft caress of the tails of a flogger being dragged over skin, to the sharp sting of a cane. It can be the mental submission of suspension bondage; it can be kneeling at the feet of your Dominant and worshiping his or her feet.

In this page, I want to take a quick look at impact toys and how they feel to me.

Floggers:
Floggers are often referred to as “thuddy” meaning that their impact is heavier and more of a thud against the skin. This is especially true when the swing force of the tails is relatively low. In this case, each tail strikes the skin in quick succession, providing a drum-roll like impact. When using a rope flogger with a knot tied in the end of the tails, this feeling is amplified, since each tail has some weight to it. However, as the speed of the impact is increased, the feeling becomes more “stingy.” This versatility makes floggers a great toy to have in your bag.

Floggers can be made of many different materials, each providing different sensations. Rope is great for very ‘thuddy” floggers, and is easy and cheep to construct by the average person. Leather, a very popular material is often more “stingy” since the weight of each tail is less, and so tends to be swung at a faster pace. Leather also brings smell into the scene, and many people find the smell and feel of leather to be very erotic. Vinyl or pleather can also be used, but care must be taken when using as the edges can cut skin if a heavy vinyl is used and swung with force.

Canes:
The quintessential “stingy” toy, canes can provide very intense sensations. I particularly notice the double feeling of canes. First the sting of the initial impact, followed by a warm glow which radiates out from the impact point. I find that canes get me to subspace faster than a flogger since the impact is more concentrated and generally more intense than a flogger. Also, since the impact is more precise, a single spot can be targeted with each strike becoming more intense. I find that this will very quickly release adrenaline and endorphins and help push me into subspace.

Canes can me made out of any stiff material. I have seen hardwood dowels, bamboo wrapped with vine, and even food grade plastic.

Paddles:
If you want the sharp impact of a cane, but muted a little by spreading out the impact over a larger area, then the paddle is your toy of choice. I find this to be a middle ground between a flogger and a cane in terms of stinginess. Your choices of tools is also quite large here, anything from a wooden paddle with or without holes drilled it, to the backside of a hairbrush. We have a large beer-brewing stirring paddle that is great, since it is long like a cane, with a small slotted paddle at the end. When used lightly, it gives a little smack, but can be used with more force and feels similar to a muted cane.

Whips & Single Tails:
I do not yet have any experience with these, so I can’t write anything yet. This is something that E and I look forward to tasting in the near future.

Wax & Fire:
We have started to experiment with wax, and we will soon do a fire tasting.  So far, I think I like wax more than most of the impact toys, due to its consentrated sensations.  It can be warm and sensual, to little little drops and rivers of fire running down your skin.  Of all of our toys, wax puts me in subspace the fastest.

Final Thoughts:
This is only a small sampling of what you can use. You are only limited by your imagination. As we try different things, I will edit this page, and create pages on how to make your own toys at home for those of you who are on a budget, or who just like custom toys.

Happy playing!