Intro to BDSM: Flogging

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.

An experienced dominant makes flogging look graceful, smooth and even easy, but don't be fooled, it takes a lot of practice to be able to wield a flogger with a true sense of accuracy and power.  Anybody new to BDSM or inexperienced with a flogger and easily cause sensations that the submissive doesn't want or even do bodily damage if not careful.  BDSM safety should be thoroughly researched and learned before engaging in any of its forms or using any type of bondage gear, especially floggers.  However I won't be discussing that here, this article is specifically for floggers, their varieties and how to choose one.

The whip itself is split into two distinct sections, the tails, or the 'business end', and the handle.  The handle can be set up however you choose but the tails must be chosen with care as there are many different factors that will affect the outcome of each strike.

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

Leather:  Probably the most used of all the various materials, leather is found in all types of bondage gear, not just floggers.  Although cowhide is the most widely used type of leather, you can also find Deerskin, Moose, Elk and Buffalo leather.  Each type of leather does have it's own unique characteristics but the manner in which it was tanned and it's cut are much greater factors in determining the type of whip that is created.

Rubber:   Many floggers will say that rubber creates a much more severe style of flogger.  As a general rule this is true, but in the end it all depends on how it is made, it's style and how it's used.

Chain:  Not very common, and with good reason, floggers made of metal can easily cause serious damage, should be used with great caution and only by those truly experienced in BDSM.

After you choose the type of material you want your flogger to be made out of you then need to decide on its style.

There are four main factors contribute to the sensations that the flogger produces on impact:

Width of the tails:  If your submissive prefers a sharper 'bite' when being struck then you'll want a thinner tail, however if a deeper thud is desired then a thicker tail should be sought.

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.

The tips: Pointed tips cause sting, forked tips cause double the sting, where as rounded and square tips are more gentle.

The tail length:  Tail length tends to be the least important factor in the sensations that the flogger will create but it's important none-the-less.  The big thing to consider is that when using long whips the tip will be moving at a much greater speed with less effort, plus you need to pay more attention that you don't cause 'wrapping'.  Wrapping happens when the tips of the flogger 'wrap' around the shoulder or leg and snap the skin on the other side, when this happens the tips are moving at a very high speed and cause not only extra pain but can easily damage the skin.  The average length for the tails on a flogger 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.