Safety Issues by
MastrGatekeeper@aol.com
These instructions are meant for informational purposes only and
we assume no liability for the use or misuse of this
information. There is always an inherent danger during a scene.
No matter how tame the scene may seem accidents can and do
occur!
The single tail is a tool that you either love or hate. There
doesn't seem to be a middle ground on it from the people I have
spoken with. Personally I love it and love to use it but in
doing so, there are some things that you need to know.
First single tails fall into three main categories:
Bullwhip: (I am also including Australian stock whips in this
category). These are the classic whips seen on TV like Zorro
used. They generally are around 6'-12' in length, with a rigid
handle usually made out of wood, bone (very old ones) or
nowadays plastic that is either left bare or covered with
leather. Some bullwhips have knuckles or hinges between the
handle and thong.
Snakes: These are non-rigid handled bullwhips. They run in a
variety of lengths from 6' on. The handle is flexible, often
filled with lead shot, and is continuous with the braiding on
the thong. The end of the whip does contain a fall and popper,
as does the bullwhip
Signal Whips: These are shorter than bullwhips, made in lengths
of 3'-4.' They were designed to signal dog sled teams. They are
different from bullwhips in that they do not have a ridged
handle but instead are formed with lead shot. The handle flows
smoothly and continuously to the thong and they do not have a
knuckle. They do not have a fall and the popper is braded
directly onto the thong.
The fall is made of braided string or nylon, ending with a knot
and frayed end like the popper on the bullwhip. When the popper
wears down, a new popper must be rebraided to the whip it self.
When picking a whip you must remember the confines of the areas
that you will be playing in. many times longer whips will be
prohibited in public play areas because of the amount of
spectators around. I like to use a four-foot snake and signals
but that is my personal choice for indoor use.
When you have decided on the size and type of whip buy a good
one don't skimp on quality you can expect to spend well over
$200.00 for a good starter whip but spend the money you and your
bottom will be glad you did. Stay away from those Mexican bull
whips that cost $20.00 or the ones you find at the local sex
shops. Those types of whips are inaccurate undependable and
pieces of crap!
You can find great whips online by typing bullwhip into the
search engine I have a whip maker in Texas that is top notch
email me and I will happily send you his email address.
Everyone loves to hear that "CRACK" the single tail makes. I am
not going to go into the physics of the whip but you will find
out that it doesn't take much effort to throw a whip and make it
crack. But stop and think what is going on when you hear that
Crack! That means the tip of that whip has just reached the
speed of sound, which isabout 1160 feet per second or 760 miles
an hour. (Which by the way is almost the same speed of a 45-cal
bullet at muzzle velocity). So they can easily break skin, and
can cause severe damage if not handled properly. They can also
cause internal damage from a misplaced strike. And that damage
can be to either the bottom or the Top. For these reasons, it is
important to learn how to throw a whip properly before using it
on your partner.
Practice and practice and practice some more before using it on
a person they can kiss like a butterfly and sting like a Hornet
from hell or they can cause permanent damage or even kill the
person on the receiving end.
I suggest you watch someone work with one, ask questions, ask a
person that you have observed work a single tail to give you
some pointers and Practice. I like to hang a towel on a clothes
hanger and practice on that. I can see how hard or soft I am
striking it by the way it responds. At first I would take chalk
dust and dust the popper with it and then I could see where the
popper popped (and it looked cool too) one little hint I learned
from experience is don't over extend your throw that will cause
the whip to curl around and bite the thrower (the bottom will
hear Snap - Ouch, Snap -Ouch, Snap-$&*#$) not good LOL.
Learn where to and where not to strike. Here are some places not
to strike. The spinal cord, the tail bone itself, the kidneys,
and there are more that you and your bottom need to discuss
between yourselves. Good places to strike are the rear, the
upper legs, the back, the breasts, the belly but again this is
what you and your bottom decide on ahead of time. Use your head;
add some common sense, and a single tail and you will have a
time to remember.
And as with all tools and in everything "Don't check your brains
at the door