DIY BDSM gear
Chelsea Gamble
Issue date: 11/8/05 Section: Opinion
Chelsea Gamble
Nothing hurts more than being whipped with a studded riding crop. Except, of course, the painful sting of its $50 price tag.
And that's the sort of pain we'd all like to avoid (if anybody out there does get off on paying high prices, drop me a line). So how do we suffer at home without suffering at the bank? The solution is clear: Make your own toys.
Why Do it Yourself (DIY)? Even if you're a Dom with enough OSAP to buy a dungeon's worth of torture toys, there's nothing like homemade nipple clamps to show your submissive that you care.
For Submissives, there's a certain perverse joy in making the implements of your own torture. They also make lovely Christmas gifts.
Vegan enthusiasts will find they can make a much wider range of animal safe toys than would normally be available in stores.
Making your own gear also allows first timers to explore without breaking the bank.
DIY bondage gear is cheap, fun, and allows you to feel as crafty as Martha Stewart, even as you tighten your grip on your handcrafted cat-o-nine-tails (note: this article in no way advocates thinking about Martha Stewart before, during, or after any sexual activity. Not even if you're fucking Martha herself. Especially if you're fucking Martha herself).
For the beginner DIYer, I have one indispensable piece of advice: ping-pong paddles. They're cheap, easy to customize, and a great first project. Here are just a few possibilities:
Use a hot-glue gun to cover one side of the paddle with faux-fur, and the other with rough grain ultra suede. Or, if you're slightly more adventurous, use fine-grain sandpaper.
Once the glue dries, you're free to be as soft or as rough as you'd please.
Drilling three or four holes in the face of the paddle cuts down on wind resistance and creates a satisfyingly loud cracking sound whenever you make a good connection.
For those that are a little more craftily advanced, trace your hand onto a quarter inch thick piece of rubber (available at most hardware stores).
Nothing hurts more than being whipped with a studded riding crop. Except, of course, the painful sting of its $50 price tag.
And that's the sort of pain we'd all like to avoid (if anybody out there does get off on paying high prices, drop me a line). So how do we suffer at home without suffering at the bank? The solution is clear: Make your own toys.
Why Do it Yourself (DIY)? Even if you're a Dom with enough OSAP to buy a dungeon's worth of torture toys, there's nothing like homemade nipple clamps to show your submissive that you care.
For Submissives, there's a certain perverse joy in making the implements of your own torture. They also make lovely Christmas gifts.
Vegan enthusiasts will find they can make a much wider range of animal safe toys than would normally be available in stores.
Making your own gear also allows first timers to explore without breaking the bank.
DIY bondage gear is cheap, fun, and allows you to feel as crafty as Martha Stewart, even as you tighten your grip on your handcrafted cat-o-nine-tails (note: this article in no way advocates thinking about Martha Stewart before, during, or after any sexual activity. Not even if you're fucking Martha herself. Especially if you're fucking Martha herself).
For the beginner DIYer, I have one indispensable piece of advice: ping-pong paddles. They're cheap, easy to customize, and a great first project. Here are just a few possibilities:
Use a hot-glue gun to cover one side of the paddle with faux-fur, and the other with rough grain ultra suede. Or, if you're slightly more adventurous, use fine-grain sandpaper.
Once the glue dries, you're free to be as soft or as rough as you'd please.
Drilling three or four holes in the face of the paddle cuts down on wind resistance and creates a satisfyingly loud cracking sound whenever you make a good connection.
For those that are a little more craftily advanced, trace your hand onto a quarter inch thick piece of rubber (available at most hardware stores).
