More: continued here

All I did was whisper,

“Hello darling!” in her ear, getting a whiff of her bath oils and her exquisite perfume as I did so and slapped that superb arse of hers.

And my wife, because it WAS my wife, when she’s out of her normal, every day, kit is quite something, believe me. Twenty years of marriage and she still looks like a teenager – in a good light of course.

So here she was, naked, arms in a pillory, legs in stocks, looking like something out of the middle ages. For a few moments I found myself wishing there was a cabbage or two, or maybe even a rotten tomato around!

This was all pretty High Tech though, all polished steel and spanking new locks.

Did I just say spanking?

Couldn’t help it really. See that gorgeous plump, rounded, backside just staring back at you and what else can you do?

I only gave her six – six on each cheek that is and she got the hang of it after a while. Knowing that I wouldn’t stop unless she was a good girl and started to count, as best she could, through the inflatable cock that was already in her mouth when I got there.

You need to see the scene in your mind’s eye, I guess, to appreciate it fully. Imagine a bare room with a polished wood floor and a large mirror on one wall. This room has been decorated recently but it also remains locked the whole time. The walls are not quite white, they’re one of these white with a hint of’s that you get these days. I think it was a hint of strawberry because it looked vaguely pink just like my gorgeous wife’s arse when I’d finished spanking it.

Then imagine a stunning woman, fresh from the bath, naked and shiny, fingers and toenails newly polished a bright, fire – engine red, bent over in the middle of the room. Her legs spread wide in steel stocks, her arms and head trapped in a steel pillory and her mouth filled with an inflatable rubber cock, the pump end sticking out of her mouth and swinging in line with her amazing tits, just as you walk in!

I didn’t even know the room existed. I stumbled on it by chance after I found that my devoted spouse of many years seemed to be pulling disappearing acts every now and again.

Friends of hers would call unexpectedly and she wouldn’t be there or they’d ring and get voice mail. My wife and I are pretty close, believe it or not. We have our own friends but by and large they know each other and that’s how I found out and got curious.

That Friday I didn’t have to be in the office but she didn’t know that. She’s a good looking woman is my wife. You might say she was a wee bit kinky if you saw her out in the street. Very short dark hair, well built, around about 5 foot 6. She wears those BIG hooped earrings and lots of, mostly, silver jewelry. Even wears it on her toes. She loves a toe ring does my wife, Sandy and she likes a lot of other things as well.

She’s got a gorgeous body too, maybe a little overweight but I like her like that. I like her a little bit chunky with those firm, tight, tits and that beautiful arse.

So, what would you do if you found someone like that totally helpless in the stocks in the little room that she’d built for herself in the attic, all because she was afraid to admit to her hubby that she was kinkier than even he thought?

Perhaps you do what I did and pump that cock gag up so hard that both her cheeks AND her eyes bulged in surprise. Perhaps you’d then, relieved that she wasn’t actually fucking someone else, start stroking that gorgeous body of hers. Perhaps you’d caress those lovely plump tits and slowly, very, very slowly slide your hands down her soft tummy until they were inches away from her little love hole.

The little love hole that she shaved a few weeks ago and that was really the cause of my suspicions.

She wasn’t squealing any more by then, she was cooing. Cooing into that cock gag like a little Dove of Peace but the only Piece this Dove was going to get was currently throbbing away inside my trousers.

She was so wet when I eased the first finger into her always inviting little pussy that the second just had to follow and the more she began to groan through her gag so the more I wanted her. The more I wanted to screw her, to fuck her, to poke and fill her full of my rock, hard, cock!

I began to build up a rhythm, fucking her harder and faster with my fingers until her face was red and she was whimpering with pleasure. It would have been so nice right then, to slow down or even stop completely and hear her moan with frustration. For a moment I had visions of me finger fucking her slowly and never allowing her to come at all and just drinking in her irritation.

I wanted to hear her moan and cry with frustration but as it turned out, not as much as I wanted to fuck her!

She was in the perfect position for it and I only had to drop my trousers. Cock so hard that I thought it would burst, it was a like a hot knife going through butter. It certainly went through her all right but I did it slowly and easily letting her savor my cock just as I was savoring her soaking wet, eager, welcoming, pussy.

When I was finally all the way in, she screamed. She screamed so loud that she might as well not have been gagged at all and as I fucked her and fucked her and fucked her to one glorious climax after another so I looked down to the floor, at the keys that she’d dropped in frustration after not being able to open the locks on her new equipment and reminded myself to replace them as soon as I could with the ones that actually worked!

7 – Play Suggestions
Once you’ve got your partner figured out, how do you cater to their needs? Experienced players know the brain is the greatest sex organ of all and if a bottom’s head is in the right place, their body will follow. Bondage can go a long ways towards creating the right kind of headspace. It can be symbolic (a collar around the neck) or very real (total immobilization). It can create strong visuals for the bottom either literally or in their mind’s eye. It’s a powerful tool and you should know how to make the most of it given the person(s) you’re playing with.

Experienced players can usually draw from their past experience, but a novice cannot. They haven’t tried most things and may not even know many of the possibilities. So what to do as top? If you’re a bottom and like surprises, you may want to skip this section. If you’re a top and looking for ideas, here are some things to explore either verbally beforehand, or to actually try during a scene with each of the types defined earlier:

Submissive Slave - Remember bondage is usually secondary to this bottom but symbolic bondage can be very welcome. For example, you might try locking a collar on them from the beginning. They’re mainly into being told what to do and knowing they’re pleasing the top . The verbal aspect of the scene is usually important. Some are into humiliation, being treated like an animal, etc. Most are into being used sexually in one way or another. Others want to be tested and pushed-proud of having pleased you and living up to your expectations. Bondage can be useful when pushing their limits (consensually). It may help them psychologically give into what’s happening. It can also be used for punishment or enforcement.

Loss of Control Lover – This person wants to feel as helpless as possible. It’s best for the top to take control physically, mentally and verbally from the start of the scene. Sex may or may not be involved. Consider taking the bottom into the scene blindfolded (or hooded) so they cannot see their surroundings and are kept guessing as to what’s going to happen. Surprise them-try to guess what they’re expecting and do something different. The bondage should not only be inescapable but oriented toward making the bottom feel as helpless as possible. Consider mummification with saran wrap, restraining the head, binding fingers and toes together with duct tape, etc. Very effective gags such as inflatable ones or those that hold the jaw shut can be employed to prevent the bottom from communicating with words (never leave a bottom unattended even for a few seconds with a gag that can interfere with their breathing or cause choking). A safe word (or signal) to indicate a problem the top is unaware of is always a good idea (i.e. an arm going numb, etc.) but otherwise consider a “no-way-out” kind of scene. Consensual kidnappings are another option.

Bondage Enthusiast – Bondage is the main theme here. Bondage Enthusiasts may be more interested in bondage than sex and some don’t want any sexual contact. Especially with a novice, consider using classic kinds of bondage such as spread eagle, hog-tying, chair bondage, etc. The position can mean a lot and perhaps try several in one session. Some are into challenging positions like being forced up onto their toes as a test of endurance. The act of being put into bondage itself can be a big turn-on so have everything ready to help the scene flow smoothly. Bondage Enthusiasts may like to see themselves and having one or more mirrors in the play area can be useful. Others may get off if they know they’re being video taped and get to watch it later. The look and feel of the bondage can be important as well. Keep in mind even if they can’t see themselves, they’ll likely be imagining what they look like so aesthetics and symmetry can be important. They often like to struggle hard against their bonds so take that into consideration. Can they hurt themselves or break anything? Some like to be (safely) left alone or kept in captivity. Reading Bound and Gagged magazine provides a lot of insight into their mindset

Gear Fetishist - You have to find this person’s “hot buttons” and play them. They may have fairly wide interests in many things or very specific interests in primarily one area — i.e., being covered head to toe in rubber. In general, they all like trying new things within their area of interest. They love new gear and experiencing new things. It’s best not to tell them about everything in your collection in advance and only introduce new things once they’re already in bondage (or even save some for future scenes). The visual and sexual aspects are very important to some and less so to others. Ask lots of questions in advance.

Intensity Freak – Here you want to use bondage as one of your tools to push their limits and take them to new places. It’s hard to make suggestions because it all depends on what the bottom’s into. They often crave going a little bit further each time and setting new “personal bests”. Variety and creativity are very important. Controlled breathing, being “milked” for multiple orgasms or being kept on the edge but denied orgasm for an extended period are all examples of intense kinds of play that usually require bondage to accomplish. Likewise, immobilization and/or sensory deprivation can also be very intense but may not be what your particular bottom is after. They usually expect at least one mind-blowing orgasm.

Endorphin Pig – It takes special skill to safely play with most of these bottoms. They’re after a chemical high that can require administering fairly heavy pain to induce. Some get off on many different kinds of pain, while others are into more specific things–whipping and flogging being some of the most popular. The bondage should generally allow for some freedom of movement, as the bottom will often use body language (knowingly or otherwise) to communicate with the top. A heavy endorphin scene can go far enough to where the bottom is largely incapable of intelligent speech. It’s beyond the scope of this article to get into the details of really heavy pain scenes. They’re best left for experienced players. Sex is usually not part of a heavy endorphin scene.

The above are just some ideas for each type of player. Obviously, the possibilities are almost unlimited. Variety is the spice of life and creativity will usually be rewarded. There are many resources on the net and in print regarding play ideas, specific techniques, etc. Try to put yourself in the bottom’s place, envision what they might be thinking and act accordingly. If you also have experience as bottom, and they share your interests, you can often simply do what you’d enjoy most as the scene progresses. Pay attention to their feedback during the scene (verbal and otherwise) and discuss the scene with them afterwards (even if you don’t think you’ll play again). There’s something to be learned from every scene. This is as much an art as a science.

8 – Have Fun!

Hopefully this article has given you some new insight into the various kinds of players. Sometimes it’s the subtle things that matter most. Consensual bondage is all about you and your partner(s) enjoying what’s happening. Talk about it, ask questions, look at pictures, share past experiences, try new things, check out other resources and above all have fun!

Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

6- Figuring Out Your Bottom
So let’s say you’ve just met a prospective bottom online or in a bar. Can you figure out which type they are? It might seem obvious to some, but in my experience a lot of players seem to gloss right over many important clues (or they’re horny enough not to care). Without even asking any questions, you can often spot a couple of the types:

1. Does the bottom seem to be mostly interested in you more than the specific play? Did he (or she) address you formally (i.e. as “Sir”)? If their world seems to revolve around you, they’re likely a Submissive Slave.
2. Does this person seem to have any obvious fetish with specific things? Did you meet him or her on Rubber Night at the bar? Do they keep mentioning a particular kind of gear or fetish? If so, they’re likely a Gear Fetishist and you’d best have what they want or keep moving.
3. Does he or she seem to like things on the intense side? Do they ride a fast motorcycle, go sky diving or otherwise live on the edge? If so, you may have an Intensity Freak on your hands.

If none of the above are obvious (and even if they are), you should start asking some easy-to-answer questions:

1. What started their interest in the scene? Look for clues in their answer. For example, if a bottom started out playing mutual bondage games as an adolescent they’re likely a Bondage Enthusiast. People change, however, so this question is just a start.
2. What attracted them to you? If it was that single-tail whip you wear on your left side, you may have an Endorphin Pig on your hands.
3. What do they think about when they masturbate? This is an especially good question for novices or those with little bondage experience. The answer should hold some strong clues. If they fantasize about being mummified and unable to even wiggle their fingers, they’re probably a Loss of Control Lover.
4. Do they read any bondage magazines or watch bondage videos? Their interest in porn can be revealing. For example, if they love Bound and Gagged or Zeus videos, they’re likely a Bondage Enthusiast.
5. What’s the one thing they crave most in a scene? This can be the hardest of these questions to answer but if you push hard enough, the answer will usually point you directly towards their main interest.

The above five questions can go a long way. All of them are easier to answer than, “Why are you into this scene?” Use these, or similar questions, to start a comfortable dialog and find out where a bottom’s coming from.
Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

5 – Matchmaking
So how do you know if someone is compatible with your interests? Many tops have a fair amount of flexibility but it only goes so far. If a top meets a Gear Fetishist and doesn’t have the sort of gear they’re into, things are not likely to turn out well no matter how hard the top tries. Likewise, some tops may not be willing or sufficiently experienced to inflict the kind of pain an Endorphin Pig craves. Compatibility is clearly important.

Too often, bottoms select a top based mainly on trust, appearances and personality with little regard for exactly what the top’s into. For the Submissive Slave, that’s probably OK. For some of the other types, however, it may result in both being disappointed. Matchmaking is obviously important in finding compatible play partners yet it’s amazing how casually it’s often done. You can trust your instincts for some things but that’s only half the battle in finding a bondage partner.

Tops usually know what turns them on. They often started as bottoms and even if they didn’t, have a good idea of what they’re after. Many are still bottoms at heart who, for whatever reason, are mostly in the top role. For these tops, in particular, it’s usually important the bottom be into their kind of scene. The closer the bottom’s interests are to what they’d enjoy as bottom, the better the scene.

Some tops are genuinely versatile. They’re unselfish and enjoy pleasing the other person. They can often accommodate most types of bottoms, but the more they know about the bottom the better the scene’s likely to be. Many tops don’t ask the right questions. I’ve often been asked something like, “So tell me about your interest in all this?” Such an open-ended question usually leaves a nervous bottom at a loss for words. A few tops hit the other extreme and give the bottom a detailed questionnaire in advance. While a questionnaire usually helps define specific kinds of play I’ve yet to see one that covers why the bottom is into the scene in the first place. It’s a question that’s best asked in person (or perhaps over the phone) but often is never asked at all.
Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

4 – Types of Bondage Bottoms
If people are into bondage for different reasons, what are they? Why does a particular bottom want to get tied up? It’s a very fundamental and important question but one that’s rarely asked and often difficult for the bottom to answer. I’ve indirectly asked the question of nearly every bottom I’ve played with over the years. Most of the answers point towards a half dozen specific desires or kinds of players. I’ve put my own labels on each of these “types” as follows:

Submissive Slave - This person is mainly interested in submitting to the top. The act of submission is their main turn-on and the top is their main focus. They enjoy being “used” for someone else’s pleasure (although most also expect to also receive pleasure themselves). For a serious submissive, physical bondage isn’t all that important for most scenes, as the “bondage” can just as easily be psychological (i.e. the top orders them not to move from a given position).

Loss of Control Lover - This person is very different from the Submissive Slave. They don’t so much submit to the top, as submit to the bondage. They want to feel as out-of-control as possible. They view bondage as the primary means for the top to make them feel as helpless as possible, rather than as an end in itself. They often love severe bondage like sensory deprivation and mummification. They might judge a hood or gag by its effectiveness not what it looks like or what it’s made out of. They like the bondage inescapable and may play without a safe word to end the scene.

Bondage Enthusiast - This person enjoys being restrained above all else and often as an end in itself. They voluntarily allow themselves to be put into bondage and usually prefer to have some amount of control over what’s happening. The type of bondage, position and aesthetics are often important to this person as they also enjoy the visual aspects of the scene. Many Bondage Enthusiasts are happy to be bound and left alone. The top is usually seen as more of an equal and they differ from the Loss of Control Lover in that it’s often a more interactive and sometimes theatrical scene. They may struggle against their bonds but know they can easily gain their freedom. It’s more of a game and one they sometimes play with themselves (solo bondage).

Gear Fetishist - This person has a fetish for specific gear. It might be boots, leather, rubber, rope, athletic gear, diving suits, uniforms, hoods, gags, sleep sacks, straightjackets, etc. They’ll often get turned on at the mere sight of the equipment or clothing. For them, the interest is more in the gear than the bondage itself or submitting to the top. It’s usually about how the gear looks, feels and/or smells that gets them going. Some enjoy solo scenes with their own gear.

Intensity Freak - This person craves sexual intensity. They’re after the Holy Grail of sex. For them, bondage is a way to make sex more intense. Perhaps they into tickling and bondage allows them to be tickled far more severely than if they were free to stop it. Bondage is typically one of many things this person enjoys to enhance their sex lives.

Endorphin Pig - This person is subtly different from the Intensity Freak. They crave a very specific kind of intensity most of us call pain. They’re unique enough to deserve their own category. For them, bondage opens the door for various pain scenes. For example, bondage may be required to hold an Endorphin Pig in place for a heavy whipping which in turn creates the endorphin rush they desire. The endorphins are what drive them while the bondage is often necessary to get there.

Few things are black and white and while you can categorize most bottoms into one of the above descriptions, they may fit one or more others. For example, a Gear Fetishist may also be a Bondage Enthusiast. Recognize that very different things often drive these players. Section 7 contains more details on each of these types.
Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

3 – Basic Psychology of Bondage
You could probably write a book on why people are into bondage but I just want to touch on a few of the highlights. If you look up “bondage” in the dictionary, you might find definitions like “slavery” or “servitude” and indeed that’s what the word means to some people. To others, it means simply being restrained in some way. I like to think of it as “giving up some amount of control”.
So why are people drawn to bondage? Some might oversimplify and suggest those into bondage want to submit and give up control. For many, however, bondage is just a bridge to take them someplace else they want to go. It might be an occasional dash of spice in an otherwise vanilla sex life or a person’s erotic world might revolve around it. In general, bondage is liberating in some way. It allows things to happen that couldn’t otherwise happen. It’s best viewed as a tool used to enhance sexual or other forms of pleasure. There are many subtle flavors.
Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

2 – The Roles & Definitions
In the fetish world, people often use different words to describe the same thing. Just to be clear, here are some of my definitions as they’re used here:

• Bondage – The act of physically or psychologically restraining one or more people
• Players – Those engaging in bondage
• Scene – A specific play session (but many comments apply to an ongoing relationship or lifestyle as well)
• Top – The one doing the restraining (Master, Mistress, Daddy, Domina/nt, etc.)
• Bottom - The one being restrained (submissive, slave, boy, etc.)
• Consensual – Everyone involved in the scene consents to what’s happening and derives pleasure from it

This article isn’t about why one person is top and another is bottom. Quite a bit has been written on that controversial subject. If you want more information, you can find some excellent references on the web and in books. I’m going to assume you’re already comfortable in one or both roles (even if you’re a novice).
If you’re mostly or exclusively top, reading further will hopefully shed some light on selecting and understanding bottoms. If you’re mostly or exclusively bottom, especially a novice one, you should be able to better understand your own interests and communicate them to a top. In either case, the point is to enhance communications making for a better scene.
Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

1 – Introduction

• Why do people want to be tied up?
• How do their preferences for bondage differ?
• How do you recognize and accommodate their needs?
• Why do bondage scenes sometimes “go wrong” and not work out?
• How do you match up bondage partners?

These are some of the questions answered in this article. There are many resources with advice on basic bondage techniques, safety, knots, etc. There are also some good books devoting a few pages to the psychology of the scene. I haven’t seen much practical information, however, that acknowledges the many different kinds of bondage players, how to recognize them and how to best meet their unique needs. While common sense and communication may work with experienced players, what about when one or more are new to the scene? What questions should be asked? In my experience, there are several different “types” of players. The very best scenes happen when everyone involved is well matched or at least understand each other’s needs.

Copyright ©1997 Michael Nelson.

There are two basic reasons that one uses a gag, to keep the mouth open or to keep the mouth closed, other than that their function is quite limited…

The most common definition of gagging is:

• to restrict use of the mouth of by inserting a gag
• to prevent from exercising freedom of speech or expression
• to pry or hold open with a gag

Courtesy of the Merriam – Webster Dictionary Most people assume that by gagging someone you are referring to putting something in the mouth in order to keep an individual from speaking. This is however a limited definition, and not necessarily accurate.

There are three general categories in which most gags may be placed.

The first category consists of Intrusive gags, these are gags in which an object is place in the mouth and secured by some means, commonly a strap of some form. The second category consists of Barrier gags, in which some form of barricade is being placed over the mouth completely, such as tape, leather or a metal barrier. The third type is a Spreader gag: this type of gag is normally put into use in an effort to maintain the mouth in an open position, this type of gag if frequently used in medical procedures where the mouth must be open and available.

Intrusive gags are undoubtedly the most common, and generally what everyone thinks about when gags are mentioned. This category has several different types of gags included in it. The ball gag is one of the most basic forms of gags, it may consist of a rubber, leather, or plastic ball that is placed within the mouth and secured, most commonly, by leather straps.

The second type of gag in this category is the bit gag: this gag consists of a bar that fits into the mouth and is held in place by a metal or leather apparatus or strap; this gag’s design is based on the common horse bit. The portion that is placed within the mouth can be constructed out of metal, rubber, or in some cases wood. This form of bit is also commonly seen to have straps adjoining either side of the head as a method of directional instruction, just as an authentic horse bit would have.

The third type of gag that is found within this category is the inflatable gag. This gag is normally based on a representation of a penis that may be inflated to fill the mouth, this gag may be held in place by a strap or by what appears to be a barrier gag of sorts, normally a flat leather or rubber surface that the inflatable gag is secured to.

The fourth type of gag in this category is what I label as the handyman’s gag. This is any object that just happens to be handy and is utilized for the purpose of restriction of speech. Several things fit into this category, worn underwear, nylons, silk scarves, an ace bandage, a pacifier, doggy toy or even a pony whip, the list is limited only by the individuals imagination.

There is one additional type of intrusive gag that I would like to add to this list, it is what I call the drool gag. This type of gag is specifically designed to humiliate. The most common drool gag consists of a whiffle ball (practice golf ball), that is secured in place by a leather or rubber strap. The holes in the whiffle ball will guarantee freedom of breathing, which is especially good for mouth breathers or individuals that have sinus problems. However, these same holes do not allow for the seal around the ball to prevent saliva from escaping, hence the slave/sub is forced to drool all over themselves. Messy yes… but so interesting.

Barrier gags are normally external only and do not place anything within the mouth itself, although as described above the inflatable gag does have a barrier of sorts that is associated with it. The most common barrier gag is tape, duct tape to be specific. This barrier is easy to use and no messy clean up. The one problem with this type of barrier gag is that some individuals have an allergic reaction to the adhesive used in tape, therefore make yourself a mental note to ask about allergies before you grab that role. Also keep in mind that with tape over the mouth, breathing is available only through the nose, keep a close eye on your slave/sub and monitor breathing at all times, gags are good… the ER is not.

As you get a little more unique there are metal barrier gags, these are normally used for the sheer theatrical effect of the harsh metal. A metal plate contoured to the victims face is formed to fit over the mouth with as much comfort as metal will allow, this gag is normally held in place by leather straps. Although I have seen this gag artistically made entirely from metal, molded to the victims head for a tight fit and contoured to allow no leniency, the beauty of these pieces is wondrous although they are a little on the pricey side. At one BDSM fashion show that I attended a young man was wearing such a gag, made out of exquisite steel, his did have one interesting addition… spikes. Across the plate region of the gag was a menagerie of spikes in a variety of sized, ranging from ½ inch to 1½ inches in length, the effect was dramatic and very definitely the rage of the event. Selling for only $1800.00 this gorgeous little stocking stuffer was a gem, with its matching body harness and gauntlets.

For more of a realistic barrier gag, leather or rubber is normally the material utilized for this useful little tool. Both rubber and leather can be molded to fit the victim’s contours quite easily, and the comfort level for these materials is far greater than for the metal barrier, if the slave/sub’s comfort is an issue in any manner.

The practicality of these gags far outweighs the theatrical effects of the metal gag in my opinion, but then again that is merely my opinion. These gags normally can be purchased from $50.00 for the more basic models to $200.00 for the ornate or personalized forms.

These gags can be created with a message across the mouthpiece, “BRAT”, “QUIET”, and “SLAVE” are just a few that I have seen. I have also seen a beautiful barrier gag that had the BDSM symbol tooled into the leather with a beautiful black rose behind it. The price for this gag was only $285.00 and to this day I wish that I would have gotten it, or at least gotten the artists name, unfortunately I have yet to find another or even one that could match the artistic nature of the exquisite craftsmanship.

The next barrier gag is sometimes considered to be a more of a hood; this type of barrier is similar to the Hannibal Lector mask that was seen in “The Silence of The Lambs” this type of gag is meant to restrict jaw movement without actually restricting speech. This type of gag is good if you are wishing to enforce the slave mentality on someone, in which they are forced to ask to eat, ask to drink, to smoke, to do anything that would include their mouth. It also does have a theatrical flare to it and can be an interesting addition in role-play as well. This type of gag consists of a jaw piece that will cover from the base of the nose, over the mouth and under the chin. Normally the mouth area has some form of opening, such as a zipper, a section of holes, or an opening that is barred by metal bars worked into the leather.

Spreader gags are made for the specific purpose of opening the mouth and allowing it to be made available and used at the Dominant’s whim. These gags are commonly made of surgical steel and available from a variety of medical supply shops, due to the fact that they are primarily used in medical procedures.

Within this category there is the common O-gag. This gag is constructed of an o-shaped device made out of rubber, or metal, and frequently covered in leather for added comfort; there are normally leather straps attached to either side of the O that may be fastened behind the head. The O is placed within the mouth, spreading the jaw wide and the straps will pull the lips back and out of the way. This gag can be purchases or made in a variety of sizes to allow for various levels of comfort.

The next types of spreader gags are the Whitehead and the Jennings gags. These are actually medical devices that are made specifically for medical practices. Normally they range in price from $40.00 to $125.00 depending on the quality. Both of these gags consist of a surgical steel frame that is placed within the mouth, the authentic medical devices do not come with straps but the can be altered to include them or you can purchase them pre-made at most medical fetish shops/sites. The general frame work on both the Whitehead and the Jennings gags are basically the same; however the Whitehead is normally adjustable with either a ratcheting system or a spreader bar that will lock in place. The Jennings gag is based on a very strong spring system, it is quite strong enough to keep the mouth open of even the most stubborn slave/sub.

The cost of a gag can range from a couple of dollars for a rubber ball and rope to make one yourself to hundreds of dollars, depending on your eccentricities. The material that they are made of range from, metal, leather, rubber, even plastic, silk and other cloth, the list is endless as is the imagination, and thankfully exploring the vast selections within these categories is so much fun.

There are a couple of safety issues that must be discussed before you explore the use of gags.

Some gags are meant to restrict the use of the mouth, and in such cases breathing may also be compromised so keep a close eye on the slave/sub at all times. Again speech may not be a necessity but breathing definitely is.

Gags are very personal items, for sanitary reasons I recommend not using the same gag on different individuals unless you are absolutely positive about your sanitation methods. Clean all metal, rubber or plastic parts with alcohol, steam or boiling may cause damage to the piece and is not an absolute method of sanitizing without a medical autoclave to guarantee the level of sanitization.

The leather portions of the gag may be cleaned using leather cleaner, but unfortunately you cannot guarantee the sanitation of leather even with a proper cleaning, therefore I do not recommend sharing any gag that is made of leather between individuals, unless of course you have multiple slaves/subs in which case you undoubtedly know where their mouth has been.

As I stated earlier when using tape or adhesive backed gags you must make sure that the slave/sub has no medical issues with the adhesive prior to use. An allergic reaction may be as harmless as redness in the exposed areas to as dangerous and swelling of the bronchial and obstruction of the air passageway or anaphylactic shock. The use of tape is a quick and easy solution but it may lead to a long night in the ER and a lot of inventive explanations.

There is another medical reason behind the restricted use of gags, specifically gags that spread the jaw or are designed to keep the mouth in an open position for an extended period of time, this is called temporomandibular joint (jaw joint) disease/disorder, or TMJ for short. It is estimated that 10 million Americans suffer from TMJ disorder, a condition in which the temporomandibular joint does not function properly. This is the joint that connects the temporal bone (the bone that forms the sides of the scull) with the mandible (the jaw bone). We use this joint more frequently than most of the other joints in our bodies. Every time we talk, chew, bite down, or swallow we put the TMJ to work. This condition produces pain in the muscles and joints of the jaw that can radiate to the face, neck, ears, and head and even the shoulders. There also may be difficulty opening the mouth all the way, or maintaining an open mouth for any period of time. This is a progressive disorder and so the longer it goes untreated the worse it gets. Individuals that have this disorder can use a gag but they are restricted to the use of a bit or barrier gag, which does not force the jaw to remain open or stretch the muscles of the TMJ.

When using a gag the mouth frequently will become dry and this will induce coughing or chocking, therefore keep a glass of liquid handy with a straw just in case.

Gags can be an interesting addition to any scene and used in such inventive ways during role-play, however do keep in mine safety, and use them wisely.

As with any article this is just my opinion, take what you will and leave the rest. If you wish to contact me, my email address is Norisch1@mchsi.com

Norische

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