F is for Floggers

There are so many good F words to choose from when it comes to sex toys – and not the one you’re thinking of, either! – that today was a difficult choice. But I’ve finally decided to go with F is for Floggers, because these toys definitely require more explanation than some of the other items I was pondering.

So, floggers. What are they? The easiest answer is that they’re for BDSM punishment and dabbling with the lines between pleasure and pain. They look something like this:

You don’t have to necessarily be involved in a hardcore BDSM relationship – or even be truly into BDSM – to try out a flogger, as they can also be used for creating surface sensations ranging from tickling and teasing to light slapping. Depending on the type of flogger you choose, you can elicit a stinging sensation or a “thud.” DeTails Toys, a flogger specialist, notes that the more “tails” you have on your flogger (the strands that are being whipped about), the bigger the “thud,” whereas the “sting” comes from the type of material from which your flogger is made. Low-intensity floggers can use suede, rabbit fur or deer skin, whereas high-intensity floggers are made of bull or buffalo hide, rubber, leather bootlaces, chains or even braided materials.

Although you need not be an expert to play with floggers, these are certainly sex toys that require a decent level of trust and intimacy with your partner before introducing them into the bedroom. As with all BDSM toys, an agreed-upon safe word should be decided before any action takes place, for the safety of both participants, and you should always set some ground rules about your expectations when using toys that can be physically hurtful to your partner. Assuming you haven’t already discussed them, any existing medical conditions or physical issues should also be addressed in order to avoid further injury.

Sexperts Em and Lo, authors of 150 Shades of Play, recommend practicing your flogging skills on inanimate objects first (pillows and such) in order to hone your aim. Similar to using a whip, floggers should hit a specific target, and this requires a bit of skill. Practice makes perfect. When playing with real live people, Em and Lo advise floggers to aim for the body’s “safe zones” of the lower buttocks, thighs and upper back. Never EVER go for the spine, neck or head as these can cause serious injury.

For more information on flogger safety and best practices, I highly recommend Keith L. Kendrick’s post, “The Basics of Flogging.”

Finally, if you’re interested in DIY projects, I also found this video by Mistress Katherine from Bondage on a Buck that will teach you how to make your own leather flogger. What a great idea for a naughty arts and crafts project! Have your lady friends over for wine-and-flogger night.

And now for a little flogger flash fiction. This one will even fit into a tweet:

Filly finds flogger. Flabbergasted, funnels funds frenetically for financial freedom. Flounders fishily, fires Fünke, fucks Flanders. Fin.

Related PostsA to Z Blogging Challenge begins tomorrowA to Z time-out for erotica blog hoppingC is for Cock RingsZemanta