Florentine flogging is a two-handed style of flagellation used in BDSM which involves the rhythmic use of a pair of matching floggers, one in each hand of the person administering the flogging. The term Florentine originally designates the art of wielding two weapons at once, one in each hand. For instance, it can refer to fighting with one sword in each hand, or a sword and a dagger. It is a style developed by the Italians in the city of Florence, hence the name.
The florentine flogging strikes can follow two different patterns:
“Four-Count” is the basic florentine pattern where the arm that stays above the other one remains the same.
“Six-Count” is a more elaborate pattern that alternates the arm that is above the other. It is also called full Florentine.
The ‘count’ denotes points in the pattern where a strike lands on the target. For the four-count, there will be four hits before the pattern starts again. Four-count florentine flogging
This is a step by step description of the four-count florentine flogging pattern. Both hands will travel roughly through a horizontal figure 8, or ‘infinity sign’, following each other.
Starting position
This position is only useful to place the arms in the proper place to get started. The hands will no longer be in that position during the pattern.
Both hands start on the same side of the body (for instance on the left side in that description), positioned as if holding a small box between them, at waist height.
From this position the right hand will lift up to just above the left shoulder height
Count 1
The right hand extends outward and swings diagonally, down and across the body towards the opposite (right) hip. It strikes the target with a backhand motion when it is about midway through the swing.
The left hand raises towards the left shoulder height. The right hand continues to travel past the right hip. The left hand in position to begin a forehand swing.
Count 2
The left hand extends and swings down towards opposite (right) hip in a forehand motion It hits the target about half way through the swing, as it follows the path of the right hand.
The right hand raises towards the right shoulder height. This will help clear the way for the left hand as it swings through. The left hand reaches the position near the right hip.
Count 3
The right hand extends as it swings down towards the opposite (left) hip, striking the target in a forehand motion. The left hand continues in its figure 8 path and the two arms are now crossed.This step when the arms cross can be tricky as they restrict each other’s motion. Twisting the body a bit to the right as the left hand moves helps keeping the arms free of each other. Lifting the right shoulder as it swings in this step is also helpful. Dropping the left shoulder a bit as the left hand raises to shoulder height will help to move through this position.
The right hand is moving up towards shoulder height, with a bent lifted elbow to make room for the left arm to swing.
Count 4
The left hand extends outward and down, diagonally towards the left hip, following the right hand path, striking the target in a backhand motion. The right hand is moving up to position to start its next swing, and clear the area for the left hand to swing through.
If the torso was twisted earlier to ease the crossing of the arms, the body now twists back comfortably to a neutral position. The pattern begins again. The next position is count 1 for the right hand to start its next swing.
So, you’ve gone out and gotten a flogger, you know which end is the handle, and you know where it’s okay to whack… you’re ready for a human target, right? Wrong!
At this point you’re missing one vital element: control. And the only way to get that is to practice.
Table of Contents
Practice, Practice, Practice!
It would definitely be more fun to practice on a real live person… as long as things went right. But even though a flogger is one of the safer impact toys, it’s possible to hurt someone if things go wrong. Swing too low on the back shot, and you could hit the kidneys. Wrap on a hip shot and the tips of the tails will pound on sensitive nerves. And take it from me, those tresses sometimes have a mind of their own. First rule of Femdom…practice makes perfect
Probably the best practice target is a pillow. Pick a soft one; a foam pillow won’t “remember” where you hit, but a down or feather one will: you’ll be left with a “dent” that reveals exactly where your flogger landed. Better yet, if you can find one with a velour covering – or any significant nap – smooth it out evenly first, and your strokes will be very obvious.
Lay the pillow on a bed if you want to practice for a reclined submissive, or propped in a chair or on a sofa for standing. Move an easy arm’s length away. Pick a spot on the pillow where you’re going to land your first blow. Swing the flogger behind you and over. Bet you miss.
This is where the practice (part) comes in. You need to learn how far to stand from your target so you just “kiss” it with the tips, or land the full force of the tails as you choose. You have to discover how to guide the tails through a gentle arc so they won’t fly off where you don’t intend. And you’ll want to get the hang of swinging smoothly so the tails all group together instead of spreading out. It’s really not as difficult as it sounds. If it is, you’re trying too hard.
Let’s rewind a bit. If you’ve tried a couple of swings you know about where you want to be standing. For practice’s sake, try to have the tips just barely caress the pillow. Now, relax. Stand with your weight balanced between both feet, facing your target squarely. (Some folks prefer to “lead” with one shoulder or the other; I’m one of them. If this feels more comfortable to you, go for it.) It’s really impressive to “lean into” a flogging stroke with all your might and body weight. But there’s no need if you have the right tools. I find a certain perverted pleasure in being able to loaf my wrist over and elicit a yelp from a submissive with my “stinger” made of hard rubber. And you’re practicing now, remember? Let’s stick to good form and save the fancy stuff for later. Keep your shoulders squared, and don’t lean into the swing.
Different strokes, for different folks
The Basic Forehand Stroke
Now, hold the flogger with a loose, comfortable grip near the balance point, and let your arm hang naturally at your side; your palm will be turned towards your thigh. As you swing your arm back, your hand should turn; by the time your hand is behind you, your palm should be facing up. It will remain facing “forward” until the flogger makes contact.
The circle you describe should be smooth and even; don’t snap or jerk the flogger. You should be able to “pinwheel” your arm in a gentle circle and hit the pillow each time. Focus on the pillow – not the flogger – and “will” the flogger to always hit the same spot. It may be difficult at first, but keep trying and you’ll get the hang of it.
If you’re serious about flogging and practicing, your arm is going to get sore. Unless you’re a baseball pitcher, you’re probably using your muscles in a new way. Don’t overdo it; each day you’ll find your practice gets easier and your aim will get better.
Working On Your Backhand
Once you’ve gotten the hang of hitting one spot consistently with a forehand stroke, try a backhand. This will be easier if you turn your body a bit so the shoulder you’re not swinging with is closer to the target. Cross the arc across your body at about a 45 degree angle instead of straight-on. As you swing the flogger up in back, continue turning your palm instead of letting it face forward. By the time you reach your target, your palm should be facing up.
I’ve not seen many people do a backhand for a backhand’s sake. But practice this stroke until you can reliably hit the same spot with the same intensity, and then you can graduate to…
The Figure Eight
This is a combination of a forehand and backhand on each pass. You’ll find it works your muscles more evenly and is a bit easier for longer flogging sessions… plus it has a certain flair.
Start with a normal forehand as you’ve already practiced. As you come down towards your target, however, don’t go straight down; instead, cross in front of yourself. Rather than bringing your flogger down along your right side, bring it down to your left. Now swing up on the left and cross back; you’ll find your palm naturally turns for a backhand shot. Swing down and back to the right, then repeat the eight. This one will probably feel awkward at first. One key is not to travel back as far as you do for a forehand or backhand swing alone. Just let the flogger follow a gentle figure eight in front of you. With practice you’ll find you can hit the same spot with the same intensity on both the forehand and backhand strokes.
As you’re practicing the various strokes, keep an eye on the pillow and what’s happening to it. Are you seeing marks in the nap that extend from the center around the pillow, a clear sign of wrapped tails? Learn how to avoid wrapping with a pillow, before you ever lay your flogger’s tresses on a real person.
“figure eight” pattern that was simply beautiful. I am told that his style derived from Nito, a style of Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) which uses twin swords
Spinning
Spinning or pinwheeling a flogger can provide a gentle breeze, a fast caressing touch, or a barrage of stings. The technique is simple: hold the flogger’s handle firmly, and whirl the tails around in a tight circle. At first you might find it easier to get the tails spinning, then move them into contact with your target.
You may find you have lots of problems with spinning; don’t blame yourself until you try a different flogger. Some just don’t seem to want to cooperate, tangling their tresses around the handle or twisting amongst each other. Thicker, softer tails seem to exhibit this problem the most.
Wrist Action
Most references and teachers will tell you to swing from the shoulder. But when I attended Sarah Lashes’ flogging workshop at BR10, she also demonstrated another technique. Instead of grasping the flogger at the balance point, she held onto the “button” – the knob at the rear of the handle – and proceeded to spin the flogger, mostly using her wrist. It was a nice fluid motion, and she seemed to have a lot of control and flexibility without waving her arm all over the place. I’ve been told that the wrist was never meant to be worked that hard, and I’ve noticed my wrist gets sore very quickly when I experiment with this technique. Perhaps Sarah has a special twist that eluded me, or maybe this really is bad for the wrist. But it certainly looked nice, and I still play with it from time to time… you might want to do the same.
Let the Flogging Begin!
In the next installment we’ll take a look at working with a human target… and how to make flogging an enjoyable experience for both of you. Until then, practice, practice, practice!
Caning is the SM technique of consensually striking someone (most commonly on the buttocks) with a cane for mutual erotic pleasure. Canes are often used in Femdom play. Care should be taken to observe all appropriate safety precautions. Canes have a deserved reputation as The Victorian Terror Weapon. To most submissives, they mean severe punishment; to sensation-seeking S/M bottoms, overload. If we have care and patience, however, canes can be used in a loving and sensuous way. The very stiffness of a good cane, that makes a hard stroke so intense, allows the lightest taps to be given with perfect control. And a light cane stroke is easy to aim, unlike a flexible whip that sags and flops at low power. In the kind of sensuous play I’m describing here, light strokes are far more prevalent and important than heavy ones.
CARE
To keep canes healthy, once a year one should sand the tip, stand the cane in a vase of water overnight, and then revarnish the tip.
·One should be able to bring the cane down in a straight line.
·The cane should have three or more coats of varnish.
·Small diameter = sharp pain. Large diameter = thud.
CANING HINTS
·The bottom experiences two sensations with every stroke (nerves being compressed and then expanding). Thus, the strokes shouldn’t go too fast.
·Be sure the room isn’t too cold.
·Bottom should relax muscles in butt to avoid later lactic acid buildup causing a deep ache.
·It is difficult if not impossible to kill any Hepatitis pathogens on canes.
·Extra Zinc helps bruises heal.
·Avoid striking the tail bone and the back of the knee.
·Front of thighs can be caned.
·The fold between the buttocks and thighs is termed the “sulcus,” and can be quite painful when struck.
·A circular “fluffing” motion can be effective for rapid “warm-up” strokes.
·Backhanded strokes often land harder.
·Hitting and holding delays the second stage of pain.
The cane is one of the most important-and most intrinsically severe-of all instruments of punishment for punishments.
Canes are made from a variety of materials, with rattan being the most popular, due to its unique combination of light weight and extreme flexibility. They can also be made from malacca and bamboo-both unsuitable materials in my opinion, since malacca is too “knobbly” and bamboo is liable to splinter-and also from whalebone, a very severe form indeed of this instrument. And of course, ad hoc punishment ferrules can be shaped very easily from switches cut from any hedgerow-hazel, willow and young ash-plants all being suitable, though only the last-named will last for more than one punishment.
The standard cane is universally manufactured from rattan, and is typically supplied with one end already curled into the traditional handle. Lengths vary from about two feet (these are intended to be used across the knee on but I do not think this “punishment” can ever be effective) to about four feet. Canes longer than this will be difficult to control and aim properly and should be rejected (unless the caning is of the judicial type).
The weight of a cane is the important thing and here appearances may be deceptive. Rattan is a very light material and inexperienced governesses not appreciating this are liable to choose their canes on the slender side, reasoning that this will make the strokes more merciful. In fact the reverse is true: a slim, wand-like cane is crueler and more liable to cut. Thicker canes better combine the qualities of penetration and “spread”, and are less liable to break the skin. (I speak in this context of canings inflicted “on the bare”-if a boy retains his trousers you may use what cane you like.)
CANE USE
It is, as I have said, a severe instrument, and though versatile-it can be used to punish the hands and the clothed or unclothed bottom-the cane should be used with respect for its considerable powers of penetration. Wrongly used, it can be a vicious implement.
Applying the cane across the bare bottom is one way of observing the progress and effect of the punishment, and of checking one’s aim. Some males have tougher hides than others, but even a light caning of a few strokes will leave, in addition to the usual blush across the nether regions, intermittent evidence of the rod in the form of visible weals. If the strokes are administered at a slow pace-say, one every ten seconds-the caner has time to observe these marks begin to develop, and like a rifleman can correct her aim accordingly. All strokes should be delivered into as narrow a band as possible, and that area should correspond with the plumpest and best-padded part of the posterior.
Administering any sort of caning is a matter of some precision, the attainment of which is generally a matter of practice. In order to be effective at all, it must be administered with a minimum of real force.
CANING TECHNIQUES
I have spoken much already about this excellent implement so here I shall confine myself to observations concerning its use. The cane is a highly penetrating instrument of great potential severity, and care must be taken when administering it-so much is obvious. It is also lighter than it looks. But the important point is its extreme flexibility. During the quarter-second or so of flight, the instrument achieves a near semi circularity in shape. Although it may appears straight and even stiff (till it is moved), in practice it is more whip like. The arm and wrist motion is therefore a complex one. At the beginning of the stroke, the hand leads the tip of the cane; it continues to lead throughout the descent; only at the last moment, after the shortest of follow-throughs, does the wrist halt and reverse direction slightly so that the business end of the cane “catches up” at exactly the right angle to the posterior. The achievement of a good caning action is therefore a matter of some diligence and constant practice
Another precaution is to take one’s stance slightly to the left of the target-perhaps as much as a half-pace. This ensures that the tip of the cane, which travels faster than the rest of the instrument during the latter part of the flight, strikes the far buttock at precisely the same instant, and with the same force, as the rest of the cane makes contact with the near buttock. The result should be a perfect stripe across the broadest part of the bottom. This mark will immediately appear in white as you finish the stroke; then it will fade; to reappear (if it has been a severe stroke) within less than a minute as a thin welt.
I have spoken earlier about limits on the use of the cane. Feeble strokes merely tap the skin. Savage blows can cut it. Both are to be deplored. The result of a sound caning should be a welted bottom, certainly-if the behind is not vividly marked the punishment has been too mild and will be too rapidly forgotten-but not a scarified one. That is simple brutality.
The cane should hum or whistle in the stroke and fall across the target with a sharp snap, like a toy pistol. There should be a pause between strokes-say, a minimum of ten seconds.
Beware of canes that are too long. While a long cane whips-in satisfactorily, it is harder to control, and the stray six inches at the end may cause the further buttock to be punished more severely than the nearer. Standing well to the left of the target is one cure, but on the whole it is best to use a slightly shorter weapon, and to strike slightly harder.
When a culprit is bending over in the conventional position, do not make the mistake of shaping your stroke with too great a downwards component. The chances are you may hit the base of the spine, or the cane will fall at an awkward, grazing angle, or you may punish the upper half of the buttocks and leave the lower, more sensitive portion, unscathed. Take a horizontal or even slightly upwards aim, draw the cane back slowly within the same are, then whip the forearm and wrist smartly through from one side to the other, keeping your eyes on the exact spot you are aiming for. Do not look up from this spot until you have completed the stroke. If the buttocks have been bared beforehand, observe the mark and compare it to your point of aim; adjust the next stroke accordingly.
A traditional way of limiting the amount of force that may be applied is to tuck a large book-say, the Bible-under your punishing arm and retain it there throughout the caning. A little experimentation will shew that it is impossible to use the shoulder and upper arm muscles without letting the book fall. You are constrained to wrist and forearm, which is exactly as it should be. An even greater error is to be over-harsh. The difference between the lightest cut that may reasonably be given, and the severest, is not large; and if greater severity is required it is safer to increase the number of strokes, or to apply some additional measure, such as baring the bottom.
A single cane can deliver an entire symphony of sensation. A snappy blow that is pulled back a bit just before impact will emphasize surface sting. The same sort of blow carried past the moment of impact, with follow-through, will have much more thud and penetration.
The greatest intensity is delivered by the outer third or so of the cane’s length. This is the portion that leaves marks, in a hard blow. In a light blow, this part of the cane will have a relatively stingy feel. Closer to the top’s hand, the cane moves much more slowly, and the sensation will be more thuddy or even massage-like. This allows a good way of maintaining rhythm and atmosphere while giving some relief to a bottom who is showing signs of overload.
The very tip of a cane can be used on many targets that a full-length blow might harm, or be unable to even reach. Tip shots can work the inside of the sweet spot, the bottoms of the feet, the muscles between the spine and the shoulder blades. A traditional cane stroke in any of these areas would cross bony areas, causing bone bruises and pain that is not at all erotic; a hard one might chip bones or crush nerves, and cause truly harmful damage. DON’T try for these with any force until you are utterly sure of your aim! Lighter tip shots are much safer, and feel much like percussion massage.
SETUP
I prefer to have the bottom lying flat. When a person goes as deeply into bottom space as I hope to send them, the mere act of keeping their balance will be a distraction. Having them lie on a table is easiest on the top’s back in these long scenes; massage tables are ideal, and cafeteria-type tables are sturdy and about the right height. Arrange padding if the table doesn’t already have it; I usually bring a single-bed sheet and a roll of foam to parties and demos.
Second choice is ground level; on a mattress or futon, or the foam pad. Here the bottom will be laying prone and the top will sit or kneel beside them. On table or floor, it’s nice to have three or four feet clear on either side of the bottom, so that you can switch sides. Since the tip of the cane always hits the hardest, switching sides will help to keep the caning symmetrical. Also, it allows the top’s other hand to rove over a different part of the bottom’s body. From one side, you can stroke, massage, caress, and collect feedback from feet, legs, and buttocks, and play with their crotch if it’s that kind of scene. From the other, you caress their face, massage their back, grab hair or the back of their neck, play trust games with your finger between their teeth as you cane them…
A caning can be an awkward thing to deliver when the bottom is standing, especially if the top is taller. There is a strong tendency for strokes to land too high, on the bony upper half of the butt, when the bottom is standing up. Also, the sweet spot is hard to reach from this position. Going to one knee may help. Occasionally a play space may have a stage or platform of some kind, with bondage facilities near the edge of it. If you have the gear and knowhow to do it safely, suspension may also offer a way to get the bottom a foot or two higher.
I try to avoid the traditional bent positions for caning, where the recipient crouches or bends over a chair. For one thing, this stretched skin is much more sensitive. Victorian punishers wanted overload; for a sensuous caning we want to avoid it. For another, the tailbone comes up into harm’s way when one bends over, and a hard canestroke is quite capable of chipping it and inflicting a painful lifetime disability. Damaged tailbones don’t heal! There is a lot of perfectly good buttock area that is hard to work safely from these positions; when the bottom’s body is straight, much more of the tailbone is protected.
When in doubt, run your finger down the spine, all the way into the crack of their ass; you can feel how far the tailbone goes. Check this each time; the length varies surprisingly among different people.
WARMUP TECHNIQUE
The best precondition for a trip to Endorphin Heaven is for the bottom to be deeply relaxed, trusting, not anticipating the next stroke but rather accepting. Going too hard or too fast will drop them out of their bottom space (that warm, accepting state of trust) at just the time when you should be building it up. Their hindbrain will take charge, and its ancient survival reflexes will start screaming “We’re taking damage! Get us the hell out of here!” A good bottom wants the scene to go well, and will be working to control panic and nervousness. For this particular style of scene, the top must build the intensity so smoothly that the bottom is supported rather than challenged in their efforts to stay centered and accepting.
Of course, some people warm up much faster than others. “Smooth” is one thing; boring is quite another. In initial negotiations, I mention this, and if we are using the “traffic light” safewords I point out that “green” is also a color, and that they can always call for a speedup if they want one.
As we begin, I like to promise that I will escalate the intensity very gradually – something like “no stroke will be more than a third harder than I’ve already given you”. This helps them relax. You need to keep this promise, too; surprises will tense them up for a long while afterwards. Resist the temptation to tease them or fake them out, for the same reason.
I often begin with an ordinary massage. I explore the muscles of the back, buttocks, and legs, checking for tense spots and taking whatever time is needed to relax them and establish an expectation of pleasure from my touch. Massage is itself an endorphin releaser, and very non-threatening. When a bottom is new to this technique, their delighted surprise can relax them, build a lot of trust early on, and give them confidence that there are rewards to be had in exploring with you.
After achieving relaxation of any tense spots, do a little fingertip percussion on the muscled areas of the bottom’s body. (Fingertip percussion is what a pianist does to strike several close keys all at once.) The fingers of one or both hands are crooked, and struck down in to the target area. Work the upper back, to either side of the spine, this way for a while. Do the same to the lower part of the buttocks, and down the backs of the legs. This sort of sensation is a perfect bridge between massage and flagellation; it’s especially good for introducing beginners.
Now begin with the cane, tapping very lightly over the areas that had the percussion warmup. Don’t tap any bony areas; this is a good time to develop the habit of avoiding them. Use the cane tip to reach areas that have bone close alongside. The blows should have less force than your fingertips did; the cane is hard and stingy, and the idea is to introduce the cane without breaking the relaxed and trusting glow of your warmup. Along with ordinary light taps, mix in a few that are feather-light; with practice you can deliver a flutter as light as the landing of a flock of butterflies. This is a wonderful contrast to harder strokes; as endorphins build up such a light flutter will often bring on a fit of giggles.
As you work, do single taps, double taps, quick flutters of various intensities. Your goal here is twofold. You are trying to teach the bottom that they cannot predict your strokes, but that it doesn’t matter because they won’t be harmed. It is a non-verbal trust-building exercise.. Done with care, you can give the bottom that wonderful open acceptance of whatever happens, the key to the very best bottom space.
Another key to good bottom space is breathing. Deep, careful breathing controls panic, and this is vital as intensity builds. Panic is really the unpleasant portion of pain; take panic away and what’s left is just strong sensations. All kinds of wonderful things can be done with strong sensations…
If your bottom has ever done yoga, meditation, natural childbirth training, or anything like that, remind them that deep, slow breathing is important here, too. If they have never had such training, coach them as you go. If their breathing becomes short and choppy, ease up and remind them to relax and breathe deeply (unless they’re coming, of course; that’s to be encouraged, not interrupted with good advice!)
If your other hand keeps up a steady contact with caresses and massage, not only will it relax and comfort the bottom but you will be able to detect twitches, tension, or relaxation. Especially with bottoms who aren’t very verbal or vocal, this is the best feedback you can have.
If they are vocalizing, watch out for a sharp edge to their tone. It warns of gradually building tension – if you continue to hear it, something isn’t working, the bottom space is eroding. The muscles under your other hand should be more and more relaxed as the caning proceeds; if not, it’s also a sign that your buildup is not succeeding. This sign is apparent even in a silent bottom.
As you gradually build the intensity, one useful trick is to follow a harder blow with a quick light rain of flutter strokes, right into the same area. These will distract the bottom from any overload (within reason) and take them back to the bottom space that has just been successfully processing light stuff. However, the harder blow will have done its work of moving the whole scene to a slightly higher level.
FURTHER CANING TECHNIQUE
If your warm up has opened the way for more powerful strokes, care must be taken. Canes may seem stiff, but a hard stroke can bend them ninety degrees and more, and a wraparound with a cane can be downright dangerous. Wraps are most common when a top goes to full power, after a well-aimed series of warmup or measuring strokes. The problem is in the top’s body dynamics: the momentum of the arm goes up exponentially with increased speed, so the whole body is pulled forward as a heavier stroke is delivered. The full-power stroke automatically reaches several inches further than the lighter stroke that was supposed to “gauge the distance”. It’s physics; you can’t keep it from happening, any more than you can walk on the ceiling. What you can do is allow for it, and train yourself to compensate. You can ease your feet back a bit, or pull your elbow or shoulder back as part of the swing. Or you can do as Mistress Nan Burrows recommends, and take your aiming stroke so that the cane tip lands in the middle of the far cheek, no further. This aiming point will land a full-power stroke that safely spans the full width of the buttocks and no furtherf you do wish to play with harder strokes, practice! Learn to pay close attention to where your cane is landing; this is how you learn to correct your aim. Mistress Nan advises a lot of practice on a cushion. There is a certain kind of upholstery that shows the stroke, but each blow shakes the surface and erases the trace of the preceding blow. Perfect feedback! The upholstery looks to be a kind of heavy-duty velvet; check thrift stores.
When you are ready to try powerful strokes on a human partner, try putting a cushion or blanket roll on the far side of them. This will catch a wraparound harmlessly. Be sure to confine hard strokes to the buttocks below the tailbone and the upper half of the thighs.
CANING AND OTHER PLEASURES
Sexual connections: perhaps a quarter of women, and a very few men, can actually get orgasms from the cane. I think this is incredibly hot, and it makes me very jealous! There will be others who may not actually climax, but get extremely turned on, which can offer a pleasant answer to the question of “what do we do next?”
The shock waves made by a cane are directional – they tend to continue through the target in the general direction the cane was moving when it hit. In fact, if you slide a hand under your partner’s thigh or belly, you can feel the shock of a medium cane stroke go right through them. The “sweet spot” in the lower butt, to either side of the crack, is sweet for this reason; blows here can send waves up into a whole complex of muscles, nerves, and engorged tissue that is directly involved with sexual excitement. Many bottoms will enjoy a steady rhythm of light or medium blows on the sweet spot – especially if they are angled to send their shock waves up and forward. At least one lady I know has called the effect a “rattan vibrator”.
One good sign of this sexual connection is a face-down bottom whose hips begin to rise and fall in a steady rhythm. You might try matching that rhythm, with light or medium strokes. Or use your other hand to massage the nerve points around the pelvic dimples and to either side of the last few inches of the spine.
POWER AND ROLEPLAY
Often when I do this, the scene is “pure S/M”, sensation for sensation’s sake. No roleplay, and no more power exchange than a massage. The concern for smoothness, the bottom’s comfort and welfare, and cooperation is difficult to reconcile with many of the traditional roles and scenarios, where the top and bottom play as adversaries. However, there are a few roles possible wherein the person who hits you is not an enemy!
Mentor/Ritualist: The top is a trainer, preparing and coaching the bottom for some ritual ordeal. Or passing on the secrets of mind control, wherein pain becomes ecstasy. Or trying to send the bottom on an astral observation of whatever, or a spirit journey, etc. Comrade: Who is preparing an agent, or coaching a fellow prisoner, to resist/survive an interrogation. (Of course, the interrogation can follow later, with the top moving into a new role, or new tops coming in for that part.) Science Fiction: The aliens whose ship crashed think they can recharge the damaged drive crystals, but only by tapping the energy mobilized in what turns out to be this scene. Some of these may sound hokey, but roleplay always sounds hokey to anyone who is not motivated toward that particular scenario. Find a script that works for you, and suspension of disbelief will come much more easily. Also, endorphins can lead many bottoms into a profound submissive space. If you enjoy serious D/S or role play, you may find this endorphin-oriented warmup offers a startlingly good beginning to a more psychological sort of scene.
Pick the right bullwhip for your Femdom play. Don’t buy an 18-plait, 14-foot kangaroo whip if you want something to play with in an apartment. Don’t expect people to happily jump in front of your 10-foot bullwhip so you can learn how to play with someone.
You do not need an expensive bullwhip; you do need a well-made one. Many beautifully braided bullwhips are mere costume pieces better left hanging on the wall, just because they do not function the way bullwhips are supposed to. The braiding should be tight enough to communicate the energy of the throw undissipated all the way from the handle to the cracker . While kangaroo is twice as strong and lighter than leather, it is twice as expensive. Which way you go is your choice. The price of a bullwhip is no indication of its quality.
Like all leather, keep your bullwhips dry. Condition it with tallow, a lanolin-beeswax based mixture.
Pick the right bullwhip for your purpose. A shorter bullwhip will force you into a stricter form, because it is faster than a longer bullwhip. Because it’s shorter, it’s also lighter, so you can practice longer with it before you tire yourself out. Working a long bullwhip is like doing bench presses with one arm. It’s easier to go from a shorter bullwhip to a longer one as your ability increases. A four-foot bullwhip can be used in a variety of situations, while a bullwhip up to 14 feet long will be accurate enough to play contact games with someone . Beyond that length, don’t try anything more elaborate than simple wraps around extended limbs.
PRACTICING
Once you’ve got your bullwhip, practice, practice, practice. Make sure the floor is clear of objects that might fly off like bullets if you strike them. Outside, rocks or pebbles can be launched like missiles if your bullwhip hits them. Since a bullwhip is a three-dimensional experience, make sure you have clearance in front, behind and above you.
Expect to smack yourself. Wear glasses, a hat, long sleeves. If you put your eye out, you won’t grow a new one, so protect what you have. Keep the bullwhip moving away from you; never crack it with a downward snap so the bullwhip flies toward your face. develop a repertoire of strokes: there are basically three: the overhead shot straight forward, the circus crack (an S-shape) and the helicopter spin over your head with a sudden reverse. Everything else is a variation on these strokes.
Concentrate on your form. It doesn’t take strength or power or speed to crack a whip: if your form is correct, the whip will crack. It wants to crack – it was made that way. Let it do its job.
Remember that using a bullwhip is a whole-body activity, not just a wrist-snap. Use a passive wrist, not an active wrist. Use your whole arm. Later, you can add a little wrist action to give an extra grace-note, but the foundation of the stroke will originate with your whole arm. Get that elbow away from your side, unless you like the idea of carpal tunnel surgery in your future.
Learn to weave your own crackers; it’s less expensive than buying them.
Play games to sharpen your skills: cut newspapers, crack between boxes on chairs without touching the boxes, wrap brooksticks and chair legs.
PLAYING
Never crack directly onto the skin at the point where the sound detonates, unless you want to risk cutting. When a Top wraps an arm, the bullwhip cracks above and behind the skin: once the bullwhip has cracked, the energy is expended and the momentum of the throw makes the bullwhip wrap like a snake around the arm. Good Tops can make the crack and wrap occur almost simultaneously. It’s scary, but it’s non-injurious.
You can play so the cracker hits the skin, if you use this same principle and make the crack occur before you hit flesh. The cracker brushes the skin on its way back – if you make the crack occur fairly close the the strike, the bottom believes it was simultaneous. Yes, you can use a whip to lay in a stroke for real, understanding that it will raise a welt or a blood blister. Use a thicker string for the cracker – a sharper one like silk is more likely to actually cut.
Even with bullwhip play, follow the precepts for other whip play: always warm the bottom up first, and stay away from kidneys and thin tissue areas, like joints. DON’T PLAY AROUND THE FACE. Understand that a bullwhip has a range of expressions available, not just a single speed and force. Make it a dance.
A shorter whip will be more precise for edge play like this. Keep the area clean; even if skin is not broken, you are still driving dirt into the skin. Keep the whip off the floor. Clean your whips between sessions.
The same safety rules for yourself apply to your bottom. Keep the whip moving away from his face. NO NECK WRAPS (leave this for the movies). Stay away from the eyes. Play as though this is the time you will screw up royally – that way you’ll play with the thought in the back of your mind that you will try to minimize the damage that will happen.
There it is. This is not the final word, or perhaps the best one, on the topic of single-tail whips. But what is here is true. At least you’ve now been told.
Beyond weight, width, length, and point cut, the tail’s material matters most. There are a wide variety of leathers and other materials available, and each provides a different sensation.
I’ve ranked them here in roughly increasing order of severity. (Note: This is only a general guideline, based on what you’ll generally find under these names.
The fact is, the weight of leather and how it is tanned has a tremendous bearing on the “feel” of the leather. Whenever possible, touch for yourself rather than relying on descriptions… mine or anyone else’s.)
Table of Contents
TYPES
Chamois: The same thing you use to dry your car, chamois is buttery soft and very light. It’s rare to find a flogger made out of this stuff, and with good reason: chamois will provide almost no sensation at all! You’ll get some noise, a very light skin-level sensation, and not much else.
Plonge: A thin, lightweight, buttery soft cow hide, plonge has a shiny finish and a lush suede side. It is extremely gentle, although it can produce significant sting if used with force. Very few whipmakers work in plonge.
Deerskin: A light and velvety hide, deerkskin is great for caressing the body, and makes an excellent “warm-up” whip. Lots of noise, but very little impact. I find it makes loud thwack each time, yet most I use it on the recipients never flinch.
Light Cowhide: Slightly stiffer and heavier than deerskin, light cowhide is used by some whipmakers as an “in between” material. It generally has a light thuddy feel.
Elk: Heavier than deerskin, Elk is still fairly soft and compressible. It delivers almost pure thud, but gently so: you can put a lot of force behind a blow without risk of hurting someone.
Full Suede: A bit harder and stiffer than Elk. Mostly thuddy, but can sting a bit if the tips are flicked quickly. I find most prefer a full suede and find it to be the most versatile
Top-Grain Cowhide: These leathers are smooth on one side, creating less friction with the air and more sting on impact. Whipmakers seem to generally steer clear of these, perhaps because of the “mismatched” look of the tails.
Moose: A dense and supple leather with a nice surface texture. Mostly thuddy, with some sting. Very few whipmakers work in moose.
Buffalo or Bison: A thick, dense, yet soft leather with a very distinctive and defined grain. Very thuddy, but can sting if used correctly. Not many whipmakers work in this material.
Bullhide: Heavier and less stretchy than buffalo, bullhide produces a lot of thud and some sting.
Latigo: A very dense and tough cowhide, heavily tanned. Rarely used in floggers, latigo produces intense sting with very little effort.
Leather or Not…
Leather isn’t the only material available . Some very interesting floggers have been made from nontraditional materials. Rope: Unwind or unweave a rope, add a handle, and you have an interesting and versatile flogger. Widely frayed ends result in a very gentle toy; knotted ends can be more severe. Only a few whipmakers work with rope. ( found I have to make my own to get a decently balanced piece)
Horsehair: Like a hair shirt, a horsehair flogger delivers the sensation of being scratched. This is one of the few floggers that grows less powerful as you make the fall thicker; more hair slows down the swing and reduces the impact. Horsehair flogger have some thud and very little sting, and doesn’t feel “scratchy” unless you strike with the very tips. Another, lighter horsehair flogger I tried had a lot of sting and felt quite scratchy.
Rubber: Most people will caution you that rubber whips are very severe. I call these types “stingers“ that usually
Chain: Fine metal chain, or the ball chain used to turn on ceiling fans, is sometimes used to make floggers. Very intense, these should be used with great caution. Since they’re made of metal and hold temperature well, they’re more popular for dragging over the skin after being stored in a freezer than for actual floggings. thuddy feel. Chain floggers are fairly rare.
Floggers Versus Cats
Depending on who you ask, all floggers are cats, all cats are floggers, or they’re two distinctly different beasts. I tend to think of floggers as having flat tails and cats as anything with braided or round tails. In particular, nine braided tails with knotted or weighted ends is most definitely a cat.Cats tend to be quite severe, and go past sting into more of a “cutting” sensation.
