BDSM Basics: Whips

One of the best known and most popular pieces of bondage gear is the flogger.  Floggers have been used throughout history as a top-notch torture device, however it has taken a bit of a softer turn and become an incredibly erotic tool for use in BDSM.  Used alone or with other bondage gear such as nipple clamps, this tool should not be underestimated and should always be respected.

Flogging isn't easy and requires a lot of time and practice.  If you are new to BDSM and are looking to experience it you can find groups and flogging workshops to help you along.  Through time and patience you will learn proper control to allow you to better please your submissive and more enjoy the experience yourself.  A truly experienced flogger will make it look easy and graceful.  Always start slowly as a poorly landed strike can cause bodily damage if given enough force behind it.  As will all forms of bondage and BDSM you should always know your sub's limits and respect all boundaries.

Each flogger consists of two main sections, the handle and the tails.  The tails, being the 'business end' of the flogger, come in a variety of styles.  Factors that influence the over-all feel of the flogger include the material, the width of the tails, the tail length and the number of tails.

To start off I will discuss some of the various materials that are used when making floggers.

Leather:  Leather is also used for many other types of bondage gear, and for the most part the leather used comes from cows however there are other hides that provide quality leather that is used in floggers.  Some of these are Deerhide, Elk, Moose and Buffalo.  Although each type of leather brings a different feel to the tails the biggest factor in how the leather will feel comes from the manner in which it was tanned and the way it's cut.

Rubber:  Rubber is also commonly used in bondage gear used in many forms of BDSM, but as far as floggers are concerned it is generally accepted as being more severe than leather.  But, as with leather, the density, type and cut of the rubber is the ultimate determining factor in the actual severity of any rubber flogger.

Chain:  Chain is also sometimes used in making floggers, however it is much, much less common than leather or rubber not only because it's more difficult to make but but due to the fact that it makes a much more extreme flogger and shouldn't be used by the inexperienced.

Once you've decided on the material that you would like your flogger to be made of you then need to decide if it will create a sharp bite or a deep thud when striking.

Here are the four main factors in determining how a flogger will feel:

Width:  The wider the tails, the more a thud sensation will be produced, the thinner the tails the more sting.

Tails:  The number of tails attached has a large influence over it's feel, typically the more tails there are the less of a sting is produced.  Most floggers have around 15-25 tails attached.

Tips of the tails:  Rounded or square-cut tips are more of a gentle tip where as pointed tips cause much more sting, and forked tips double that.

Tail length:  Although the type of sensation that is created by a flogger is less dependant on the tail length than the other factors, the length has a very direct influence over the speed of the tip.  The longer the tail the faster the tip will be moving upon contact.  When using a very long-tailed flogger you should pay extra attention to your contact point, it's easy to over extend and create a wrapping of the tails which can mean more pain than is desired and damage to the skin or underlying tissue.  The average length for the tails out there is 16-24 inches.

There is an incredibly wide variety of bondage gear out there and flagellation devices are no exception.  Take your time when picking a product but you should also try out a variety of styles and keep them all within easy reach for when the need arises.