Trend Topics: CBT and Crackstuffer

Each week I get dozens of reader questions. Usually they are quite diverse ranging from dating tips over advice on how to produce a certain sensation with a toy to recommendations which toy to buy. But sometimes there seems to be a pattern. For example in December and early January I have gotten asked a lot if I knew any small, light and travel friendly CBT toys. And in the last two weeks I have gotten over 25 messages asking my opinion on Crackstuffers toys and their new material.
As a marketer I wonder how these concentrations occur because for as far as I can tell they come from all over the world. As a toy tester I try to answer them as good as possible. Because I already intended to feature some cock bondage devices in the upcoming heavy bondage special, I decided to start out with these toys and reached out to Uberkinky to get some additional handy CBT toys. Sadly I don’t own any Crackstuffers toys and currently other toys are higher on my priority list. So it will probably take some time or some review samples until I can give an educated opinion on their toys.
Until than enjoy some insight into the painful world of CBT and restricting world of heavy bondage.

Bondage Hardware Special

Welcome to 2016! As already announced in the Season’s Greeting post I will start this year of with a special on Bondage Hardware. The series with have six parts.

  1. Rope: All you need to know when purchasing rope in a nutshell.
  2. Rope Substitutes: Not good with ropes yet want to create elaborate forms of bondage? This part is all the things you can use for bondage which are not rope.
  3. Connection Hardware: The hardware you need when you want to connect bondage hardware without knots.
  4. Accessories: All the items you need to be prepared for an extensive bondage scene – but the security items.
  5. Safety Hardware: The things you should keep in reach when doing bondage.
  6. Emergency Kit: The things you should keep in reach when something went wrong.

I hope you find this special informative and as much fun to read as I had researching and writing it. If you have any comments and suggestions e-mail or tweet me.

Christmas Gift Tip V – Leather Chastity Harness

Christmas is over and after being stuffed with good food and (some more, some less) having enjoyed the company of our relatives most of us are heading home today. Some back to the gym in order to prepare for Full Fetish in London or to look good for the New Year’s Eve (Play) Party. Some might even already be thinking about New Year Resolutions for 2016.

Maybe because of that the time around Christmas is the period of the year where I get asked most about chastity device. I guess some of you want to become better boys next year in order to escape Santa’s naughty list in 2016. The question which chastity belt is right for whom is a quite complex one yet important because the devices are quite expensive investments.

The HML Leather Chastity Harness

The HML Leather Chastity Harness

When I went to HML in early December to try out some toys for the upcoming Heavy Bondage Special the guys handed me their new leather chastity harness. Being made out of leather it is soft and doesn’t leave a too big print even through thin cloth dress pants. It is also flexible thus comfortable to wear. Due to the stressful pre-Christmas period I haven’t had a chance to try it out extensively but I somehow fear that my new boy friend has already some evil thoughts. You will be able to read an extensive review in the Heavy Bondage Special sometime in March. But for only 79.95€ it is on the less expensive side of chastity devices and thus a great way to get used to have “something” permanently around your dick.

Season’s Greetings

Season's Greetings 2015I am wishing you my dear readers and perverts, your family and friends a peaceful and quiet and maybe also filled with a bit kinky fun holiday season.

It was an interesting and successful year for ToyTorture.com: I made an appearance at the NoSafeword Show one of the most successful gay kink podcast, the E-Stim Special was the most successful special to date, the Twitter account is now close to 1.000 follower and only about 2 month after launching a Tumblr blog to publish all the porn pics I have taken over the years while testing toys it is already a great success.

So what to expect next year? The first half will be all about bondage starting out with a six piece Playroom Essential series about bondage equipment where I will talk about rope, carabineers and safety equipment. After having covered the basics there will be a quite extensive special on heavy bondage gear. I am still working on getting some great new partners to feature even more suppliers of high quality bondage gear that will range from “simple” heavy duty restraints over suspension bondage up to isolation hoods.

If you want to stay up to date with the latest info and smut from me and my website follow me on twitter.com/ToyTorture or ToyTorture.tumblr.com. If you have any suggestions, just mail me at info@ToyTorture.com or hit me up on Recon or PlanetRomeo.

I am looking forward to another great year with all you perverted kinky fellas.

Christmas Gift Tip IV – Books

Only 4 days until Christmas Eve. Time is growing short to get gifts for your loved ones. So it is too late for a custom piece of gear or that play furniture you always wanted but would never fit under the Christmas tree.

One great way in order to not only benefit your and the ones close to you but the entire community is to make a donation to a worthy cause. This was last year’s last minute gift recommendation so please refer to this blog post if you are looking for a place to donate.

51DeuFibcvLThe first book is a kinky coffee table book called “Porn – From Andy Warhol to X-Tube” written by Kevin Clarke. It is a history of gay porn from the early beginning to the self-promotion of X-Tube stars. It sheds light into the change of the different genre and interviews important characters which acted before and behind the camera. While this books is about gay porn in general there is some insight into studios like Falcon and Cazzo (which by the way has its own book called the “Cazzo Story” which I think is currently only available in German) which shaped the aesthetics and way we play in our scene.

81BFZBhXQCLAnother mixture of porn and popular culture is the book “Forever Butt”. It is the second collection of pictures, interviews and articles from the (in)famous Dutch alternative gay magazine. Printed on pink paper it give insight into parts of the gay (kinky) community that isn’t as visible as other scenes. I have gotten their first compilation and strolling through the pages has always let to surprising and insightful new aspects of (gay) live.

51r95-431sLIf you are more looking for a trip back on memory lane that is easy to read like a novel take a look at Jim Stewart’s “Folsom Street Blues”. It is an autobiographical episodic novel of the life of Jim Steward. He is a photographer who came to San Francisco’s Castro district in the early 1970s just when it started to turn into the leather mecca it is now famous for. His point of view and acquaintances with many famous people from this area makes an interesting and fun read for everybody interested in that part of our scene’s history.

51758A6GwJLFor a more theoretical and thematic broader insight into this period of the leather scene I recommend Jack Fritscher’s “Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness Drummer”. I have to admit the read is sometimes hard but he covers so many different topics that like the Butt book there is always something interesting to discover between the covers.

Christmas Gift Tip III – Cards & Calendars

11390053_7273890-stscrd01_lIt is only 11 days until Christmas. So it is high time to think about which fellow kinkster is going to get a Christmas card. And why not write this card in style? California based punk-kinky artist Drubskin offers some of his more modest motives on Society6 on a variety of products. These include stationary cards in sets of 3 for $12, 5 for $15 or 10 for $20 all including envelopes. I you want one of his more explicite motives get in touch with him. He can print them individually for $20 for 5 cards where you can mix and match the motives.

84115Also Uberkinky has given the Holiday Seasons some thought and made three rather kinky stationary cards. They retail for £2.99 a card or £6.99 for the set of three. Besides giving the receiver a slight hint what you want to do to them (or have done to you) next year they might also serve you as an inspiration for the last Christmas cookie baking session.

One of the most popular gifts at Christmas are calendars. Having a nice picture to look at when trying to remember which date it is it at least brightening my day on a regular basis. For two years two two from Mister B and one from the Czech Leathermen Association stayed with me. But not it is time for a change. And this year you can combine a nice playroom ornament or kinky object to look at in your office and do something good along the way.

_DSC0639-2The Quälgeist is a non-profit BDSM play location in Berlin. Each year they produce a calendar with fetish and BDSM motives benefitting their venue. It is a limited run always introduced at Folsom Europe so if you are interested in getting one you better be quick. It is sold for 8€ at their club location but I am positive that you will be able to get one sent to you when you get in touch with them.

DM_leatherbg_gearedup_promocalendarAnother non-profit organization that deserves your support is the Leather Archive & Museum in Chicago. They preserve and research our community’s history, organize events and educate by having an exhibition, inviting speakers and an extensive library. This year they teamed up with Daddy’s Media, a Chicago based company specializing in marketing for all things kink, to make the great “Geared Up Calendar” benefitting the LA&M. It features a modern interpretation of classic leather motives and intriguing BDSM pictures. It ships internationally and costs $17 + shipping.

Christmas Gift Tip II – Steel Bondage

With 8.5kg their heaviest Collar with added Bondage Points closed with a padlock

With 8.5kg their heaviest Collar with added Bondage Points closed with a padlock

One of the four Christmas gift tips every year is dedicated to the extremes of BDSM: Oversized ass toys, extreme pain or almost inhuman bondage. This year the latter is the case with recommending the Parus steel bondage toys and especially the Plug Steel Bondage system.

Parus Extra Heavy Steel Wrist & Ankle Restraints

Parus Extra Heavy Steel Wrist & Ankle Restraints

Parus is quite small store in Munich that has a well-earned reputation of making very high quality leather gear. They only use European hide which has been tanned using highest standard to keep you from getting allergies. I own a harness from them which I love and I soon hope to be getting restraints and a hood from them. But leather isn’t their only field of expertise. They are not quite as famous for it as their leather works but they excel at making steel bondage.

Overview of the Plug System with Leather Covered Restraints and Connection Chains

Overview of the Plug System with Leather Covered Restraints and Connection Chains

Even though they also sell relatively light steel bondage you can get in most places most of their gear is on the heavier side really making you fell the weight of the restraints. Some of my really bondage obsessed friends own steel restraints from Parus and they say that almost nothing makes them feel more bound DOWN than the thick and heavy steel from Parus. Another nice feature it the integrated barrel lock so that you don’t have to deal with padlocks dangling around. Into locking posts of the barrel lock you can put metal plates onto which you can mount chains or use as bondage points. If you can deal with a heavy duty padlock they offer especially heavy collars with welded on bondage points.

The Stainless Steel Bondage Belt with welded Bondage Points

The Stainless Steel Bondage Belt with welded Bondage Points

The restraints are made is painstakingly accurate so there are no sharp burrs, all edges are round that despite the weight they can be worn for a long period of time without causing unintended bruises. The majority of the toys are made out of stainless steel so allergies are not an issue. If you are still concerned they offer some pieces wrapped in their high quality leather.
To be honest the restraints don’t come cheap starting at 349€ for a belt and ending at 650€ with leather covered wrist cuffs. But if you take into consideration the amount of metal and time it takes to create this master pieces and the feeling of being bound and dragged down by metal (a full restraint set from collar to ankles weights over 20kg and it isn’t the heaviest set…) they are worth the money!

Christmas Gift Tip I – Kinky Ornaments

Mr S Reindeer Muzzle & Leather Santa Hat

Mr S Reindeer Muzzle & Leather Santa Hat

It is only four Sundays until Christmas so the annual tradition of Christmas gift ideas for the discriminating kinkster who has everything starts again. Today will be all about kinky ornaments to put onto or use with a sub.

The perverts at Mr S really put some thought into this year’s Christmas season. They took their popular leather Woof! Muzzle and turned it into a reindeer muzzle. I could imagine that at the next pup mosh some pups might be interested into a reindeer. And they also thought about the handlers who want to get into the Christmas spirit with creating a leather Santa hat.

Oxballs Jingle Balls Cockring

Oxballs Jingle Balls Cockring

If you fear you might loose the sub at a the Christmas gangbang the new Jingle Balls Aluminum Cockring from Oxballs might be the right thing to get him. It comes in three classic holiday colors: green, red and silver. What sets this cockring apart is a sleigh bell mounted at the bottom so you can hear where the sub is moving. This might be especially interesting when you put the microphone of an e-stim box next to the bell…

Mr S Leather & Neoprene Stockings

Mr S Leather & Neoprene Stockings

If the pup, sub or even the top has been nice all year long they might be in for a treat on Dec 6th. And what more stylish and appropriate way than to exchange the old knitted socks with either neoprene or leather stockings from Mr S. Depending on your preference you can get them either in black or red which might be a good way to subtly tell your dom whether you want an XXL plug or rather a single tail for Christmas.

Mister B Seagrass Flogger

Mister B Seagrass Flogger

In northern Germany we have a little own tradition when it comes to Saint Nicholas day which is Dec 6th. Instead of hanging stockings onto the mantel piece we put out polished boots in front of our doors. The people who have been nice all year get their boot filled by Saint Nicholas with candy and small presents (remember: the larger the boot, the more space for stuffing). But the people who have been bad just get bundle of twigs from Knecht Ruprecht. I haven’t found a bundle of twigs I would recommend for impact play but I once saw a guy playing with this seagrass flogger from Mister B which comes fairly close to a bundle of twigs. The good thing is that it is a really good toy which leaves a lasting impression so hopefully the bad boy will remember to be better next year.

Mr S Boot Black Kit

Mr S Boot Black Kit

So if your boots are dirty and dull and you fear the whip quickly grab yourself a boot black kit from Mr S. When you care for your boots don’t forget your master ones’. He might have a treat for you if you do it well.

Oxballs Jolt & Volt

The Oxballs Jolt

The Oxballs Jolt

Earlier this week I reviewed the Oxballs Zap and liked it a lot for its smooth sensation and versatility. However at its original purpose – an e-stim ball stretcher – it had a bit of a problem getting full score because it was difficult to put on. Luckily the perverts at Oxballs came up with something.
A couple of month ago Oxballs introduced a new electrifiable ball stretcher: The Jolt. While it is still made out if the medical grade platinum silicone it is not as high yet a bit larger than the Zap so it is probably easier to put on as a ball stretcher. The Jolt uses the same electrodes so the stimulation will be as smooth as with the Zap.

The Oxballs Volt

The Oxballs Volt

If you are still concerned that the stretcher might be too tight for your big balls or want to apply electrodes to other areas of the body take a look at the Oxballs Volt. It is basically an electrode that can be put onto your favorite Oxballs toy to turn it into an e-stim toy.
The Jolt costs $49 as a monopole with one electrode and $59 as a bi-pole with two electrodes so you don’t need another electrode to create a sensation.
The Volt is sold as individual electrodes together with a Sprocket cockring for $30.

58. New Logo and… We are on Tumblr!

ToyTorture is now over three years old. For some reason I always tend to forget the birthday in Mid October. Thank you for your time, input, questions and critic! They show me that the little website I am filling with content here is appreciated.

The website design has aged fairly well in the past three years. I still haven’t found out how to do some stuff in WordPress and my toy collection pictures are hopelessly out of date but besides that the feedback on navigation I get is very good! Yet for the last few month I was unsatisfied with the logo: It look a bit cluttered, old fashioned and had problems performing on dark backgrounds. I also wanted on design that fits all three purposes: Watermarking pictures for the website, pictures I take as a photographer and private pictures showing me. So after some nightshifts and a lot of bad ideas I came up with a new simple, sleek and somewhat timeless logo which will hopefully stay with me the next couple of years. Along with the logo change I did some tweaks on the website which are not finally but are good in the meantime.

One of the reasons I wanted a new logo was that one of the most frequently asked questions I am getting is the one why there are no play pics on the website where the toys are used. The reason for that are German child protection laws. After much considerations and looking at different options I decided to finally open a Tumblr blog which you can see and follow unter ToyTorture.tumblr.com. The Tumblr just like my Twitter account will be a mixture of “official” website stuff and private posts. So you can expect some reblogs but mostly genuine BDSM and gear pics of me or that I have taken during scenes. While there probably will be some redundancy not every picture I post on Twitter will make it to Tumblr and vice versa. So it is worth following me on both platforms. I hope you have fun following me on that new social media channel.

As always if you want to complain, comment or have a suggestion send me an e-mail.