Schlagwort-Archiv: Impact Play

The Beast

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The Beast from McHurt – an Extremely Vicious Impact Toy

Vendor: McHurt

Time flies quickly when you are having fun – or are just busy with daytime work. When I wrote in my Christmas greetings that posts would be infrequent, I did not anticipate a spontaneous two month break. Sorry for that! If you want to keep up with my busy (kink) life, follow me on Bluesky and Instagram as I don’t use the hell hole Twitter has become not anymore.

Since I left things before the break with a… colorful toy, I decided to kick things off again with an intense implement from one of my favorite kink stores.

Construction

The Beast is a very narrow and long impact toy, measuring 58x4cm. At the bottom there is a 18.5cm long section of four layers of bridle leather which taper towards the middle of the section, forming an ergonomic grip space. Due to the four layers, it has a nice thickness and rests easily in the hand. Towards the bottom is a hole through which a piece of soft leather is threaded, serving as a loop.

The long shaft is made out of two layers of bridle leather. It tapers slowly over 26cm to a 2.5cm wide neck and then extended again for a 13.5cm long and 4cm wide head. The last third of this section is split in two spike-shaped prongs, almost like devil horns. A piece of very flexible spring steel keeps the shaft in place. Once properly broken in, the head will probably flap more, develop momentum and become even more vicious than the toy already is.

Simple Loop for Securing the Toy to the Wrist or Storing It

Like all the leather impact toys I have bought from McHurt over the years (which are dozens…), the finish of this toy is top notch! The seam running around the edge is flawless. All edges (except the inside of the prongs) are deburred, rounded and burnished.

There are different leather and stitching color options in “traditional kink colors” like black, bordeaux and tan. Sometimes new colors are added, sometimes due to being a small store in Berlin with a limited stock room specific colors are out of stock. So best check out their website which colors are currently available.

Playing with the Beast

As written above, the Beast is a real beast, an impact toy for experienced masochists and somewhat patient sadist due to the handling of the toy.

The soft spring steel inside gives this paddle uncommon ergonomics by keeping the shaft straight yet making the momentum bouncy. One swing back and forth almost takes half a second. You have to synchronize the blows with the momentum of the spring. If you increase the frequency or want to hit when the spring is swinging back, the shaft starts to wobble, making it a bit hard to control. So you are stuck with about two hits per second.

If you can live with these constraints, the Beast is a vicious pack of nasty fun! It is probably the most intense leather impact toy in my entire collection.

Flawless Stichting, Rounded, Deburred and Burnished Edges all Around the Toy…

Like with all toys, you can tap lightly. But being made out of bridle leather, the sensation will still be some sting. But due to the low frequency and the small impact area, this toy cannot be used properly for warm-up. It simply takes too long to cover a large area like the ass. But to be frank, this is not what the toy was designed for.

Adding more kinetic energy will turn the light sting of hard leather hitting the skin into a flash light sharp pain. This toy is pure, intense sting! Adding a little more force with drastically increase the pain. The Beast is a punisher, almost a lazy top toy, which with little force creates big pain. Without warm-up, one strike can lead to tears. Because of that I consider it an end-of-scene toy. In order to enjoy it, endorphins must be flowing generously already.

The regular frequency of the hits has something almost meditative. Swinging the Beast feels a bit like a pain metronome. It is a unique experience both for the top and the sub. In my experience, this structure helps the sub get to where he wants to be if he is not quite there yet. On the other hand of the flow spectrum, if you are ambidextrous, you can use this against the sub. Let him sink into the abyss of regular, intense blows and switch to a different mean toy like a cane or a rubber threat and rip him out of his agony-made cocoon.

… Except for the Inside and Tips of the Prongs which ad a Scratching Sensation

The intensity can be varied about by adjusting the impact area. Naturally most sting will be dealt out when just hitting with the head. Since there is spring inside it and the prongs reducing the air resistance, it adjust to the surface it hits, delivering maximum pain. But since the spring steel is so flexible, you can even hit more voluminous areas like the ass or thighs with the toy wrapping around it. It actually is one of the few paddles I you have to worry about wrap-arounds once broken in.

When testing this toy, I started thinking whether the sharp edges of the prongs are actually a feature. They are not that sharp to break the skin but especially at the tips, you can feel a scratch and bite, enhancing the sensation repertoire of this toy. If you tap or sweep with just the tips, you can leave some light scratch marks. Considering that this is an intense impact toy for experienced players, I lean towards thinking of it as feature, not a bug.

Conclusion: Extremely intense impact toy with unusual ergonomics.
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Low energy delivers intense sensation Swing dictates hit frequency McHurt 56€
Comfortable to hold
Unique meditative quality
Very well made

Textured Silicone Paddle

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Texture Silicone Paddle from Amazon

Vendor: Amazon

A couple of years ago, this paddle was ubiquitous: It was sold in almost every sex shops (not so much in kink shops), both online and offline. Amazon sold it in over half a dozen colors. The price range was attractive between 9€ and 20€. Despite the omnipresence on some channels, I was never intrigued to buy one. In the midst of the COVID supply chain and shipping crisis this toy vanished, like many other toys from Asia. A couple of weeks ago while researching a very particular ball stretcher I saw it on Amazon in a bundle with a leather paddle and a blindfold for 7,99€. So I just ordered it to see if it is any good.

In the review I will focus on the silicone paddle only. The leather paddle is made out of cardboard leather without any supporting spring steel inside so you can count the strokes until it will break. And the blindfold is worse quality than the sleeping masks you get in budget airlines amenity kits.

Construction
The core of this 28.5cm long paddle is 5mm thick. At the top sits a 17cm long and 6cm wide head. In the center four standing quatrefoils perforate the head. Both sides of the paddle are textured. On the “smooth” side, there are sets of four vertically orientated oval bumps above and below each quatrefoil while next to each hole is a horizontal bump on each side. On the “spike” side sets of three 3mm tall pins replace the oval bumps.

The „smooth“ side with Rounded Bumps

There are recesses on the side of the impact area. On one side there are six oval studs textured with three pins studs on top, on the other side six slightly taller studs.

The head tapers into a grip section which is all over textured with the pins.

An oval perpendicular “base plate” is at the bottom of the handle to keep if from slipping out of the hand.

The paddle is made out of some kind of silicone. It is quite firm but due to being so thin is it still a very flexible toy. In this bundle, the paddle is red. But I have seen it also in black, white, lime green, yellow and pink.

There’s a seam running around the edge for the entire paddle indicating that is was cast in a foldable mould. It seems that the mould used for my toy was quite new because the seam almost unnoticeable in most areas (and quite noticeable, almost sharp) at the bottom of the base plate. If you get a toy with a sharp seam, you can carefull deburr it with acetone.

The Nasty side with Clusters of Pins

Play with the Textured Silicone Paddle

This paddle is what I call a “lazy top toy”. If you want a toy to make your sub cry quickly, go for it. Being light and made out of silicone, it is pure sting. (Light) tapping is possible but because it has so little mass, it is almost a digital paddle: You either feel nothing or you feel hard sting. So warming up with it is not possible. Being so light, it is hard to bruise with this paddle. Though hitting with the pinned side can lead to some nasty marks. Despite being rounded, when you hit hard and repeatedly, you can break the skin.

Since silicone is a very flexible material, you can easily develop momentum. With very little force, you can deal out intense blows. The flexibility also enables the paddle to wrap around the body if necessary so none of the kinetic energy is lost. The holes in the middle allow air to escape easily so there is no softening air cushion between the body and the paddle.

The textured paddle sides are a weird feature. Theoretically they can be used to target small body areas like the fold right below the ass cheeks. But since the paddle is so flexible, throwing it perpendicularly in a controlled way is almost impossible.

Being textured, it should be a nice toy for sensation play. While the bumps massage very lightly, the pins scratch. Though because the paddle is so flexible, it is a bit hard to control or to apply pressure for more intense stimulation.

The Handle all over textured with Pins

The silicone has one big advantage: It can be easily cleaned. So regardless if you are in a wet and messy situation, want to spank the messy nether regions of your little or are in a lube drenched area (careful, silicone lube will quickly disintegrate the toy!), you can play hit with this toy. Afterwards, soak it in hot soap water, rinse and you are done. Sadly, there is not hole or loop for storing the toy. But I just hang it on a hook through one of the upper holes.

All things considered, this is a fun novelty toy. It has its uses and applications but you really need to learn how and where to apply those. It is definitively not for novices since it can easily inflict intense pain or even small wounds.

Conclusion: Novelty toy for experienced connoisseurs of intense pain
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Inexpensive Almost no intensity ramp Amazon 7,99€
Different textures
Difficult to control
Easy to clean No hanging hole/ loop

Short Kantschu

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The Short Kantschu from Peitschenhandel

Vendor: Peitschenhandel

Construction
Originally the Kantschu was a braided single tail whip popular in the Slavic regions of Europe. Through the conquest of the Osmanic Empire this punishment tool mades it way to Turkey too. What sets it apart from other whips is the elongated two piece slapper which creates the characteristic “plop” when it hits the skin,

The Short Kantschu turns the whip into a paddle like toy. Like on a traditional Kantschu two pieces of leather have been braided in Chevron pattern around – in this paddle instance – a rigid yet flexible spring. At the top sits at 3x16cm large slapper. The two pieces of thin cover leather have been sown onto a double layer of “core” leather. The edges are not beburred, burnished or beveled which would have been nice. But considering the price and the manual labor which already went into making this toy, I can understand why this corner was cut. The core leather is a bit stiff and firm but I did not encounter chaffing or had a sub complain about an unintended sensation. So it should be ok,

Like on a whip, the shaft ends in a braided pommel which makes a good grip. It also helps create excellent balance. The tipping point is exactly one palm width above the pommel. The woven leather covering the pommel also holds a braided leather loop in place.

The Red and Black Chevron Braiding

There are two lengths available. A really short one with the overall length of 36cm and the one which I have at 47cm. The slapper has the same size on both models. Both lengths come in five color options: black, black & red, black & white, black & yellow and black & blue.

Play with the Short Kantschu

Many people are a bit afraid of single tails. They are hard to master and the two piece slapper of the traditional Kantschu makes that particular whip even more difficult to control. The Short Kantschu is an easy to handle alternative. To easy, off the rack usability contributes the single-piece slapper. Yes, you lose the double clap sensation and sounds of the ususal Kantschu slapper. But in this configuration you can easily target hits. And the iconic impact sound is still somewhat here.

The Multilayer Single Piece Slapper

With a bit of practice you can very precisely target specific body areas. The nimbleness of the short shaft in combination with the narrow slapper allows you to hit small areas to target like nipples, where the thigh meets the ass cheeks or the soles of the feet.

Practice is also necessary to unleash the full range of sensation contained inside this toy. Despite the firm leather inside the slapper, the Short Kantschu is not awfully stingy. In light to medium intensity it has a nice, gentle bite. But to really make it HURT you have to put some energy in and hit the same spot repeatedly. Through the spring inside, it can develop a nice momentum when (lightly) tapping. With some constrains, it can even be used for warmup – and without restrains it can bring someone to tears. But it takes practice to fully explore this toy and uncover the nuances inside.

The Pommel with Braided Loop

For me personally, this short Kantschu has replaced riding crops in most of my scenes. Being as short as most paddles, it can easily be used in closed quarters where a whip could never work. But the large slapper makes it easier to target even under difficult light scenarios. The wide range of sensations from a friendly smack up to bringing FOCUS into a scene makes a light carry for a wide range of different scenarios. Being so “soft” and focussed, I sometimes use this impact implement to hit the cheeks of a sub. This is a very strong and intense and culturally loaded practice so make sure to get explicit consent for it. But doing it is a very powerful act I would not dare to do with a whip or paddle.

Conclusion: Targeted and easy to handel whip-turned-paddle
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Wide range of sensation … in others corners are being cut Peitschenhandel Kurzer (kurzer) Kantschu: 53.95€

Kurzer Kantschu: 59.95€
Easy to handle and well balanced
In some parts great craftsmanship…

Latigo Slapper

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Vendor: Bare Leatherworks

The Bare Leatherworks Fullsize Latigo Slapper


This toy came second in last week’s which-toy-to-review poll on Bluesky and Insta. So let’s see if it is any good.
Construction
Being the slapper, the impact part of this toy is a long loop of stiff 6mm thick latigo leather. The edges are deburred so there are not accidental chafes. The toy comes in three length: The full size which I have bought with 42cm slapper length, the midsize with 25cm and the handy size with 15cm. At different summer camp I had the chance to play with all three length.

The leather belt is attached to a comfortable handle. On the handy size, the handle is 18cm long in total; on the full and midsize 23.5cm. The handle follows a classic flogger design. At the top, three sets of three screws attach the leather strap to the central rod, thus forming a bit of a top “knot”. The slapper is eqipped with what Bare Leatherworks calls a “ProGrip”. Other than on the smooth default handle style on the ProGrip a thick wire runs around the central core to texture it for better grip. The lining received an upgrade: Previously the grip was covered in rubber (like on their massage flogger). Over time it became a bit slippery due to sweat, especially on long and intense scenes. On my slapper, it has been replaced with rubberized fabric tape which is a bit coarser. This leads to a significant better grip. The bottom of the handle is again thicker and weighted to for a counter-balance “pummel”. Because of this the slapper is impressively well balanced! The toy is finished with an eyelet a the bottom with a nice leather loop threaded through it for securing it to the wrist and easy storage.

Top: The Latigo Slapper with the Fabric Tape Lining
Bottom: Massage Flogger with Rubber Lining

This toy is a labor of love from two kinksters’ side hustle in the Pacific north west. You can tell that this toy was designed and made by sadists for sadists. The build is heavy duty for long, intense scenes. This slapper will not fail you. But, this is not a mass produced toy by crafts people who do nothing else but a bit of a hobby. So you can find some charming imperfections like not all screws being in line or sitting perfectly inside the grommets. I don’t mind at all as it does not impact the impact sensation of this impact toy. But if you have OCD or look for perfect execution, this might annoy you.

Example of Slightly Off Screws

Play with the Latigo Slapper

This toy is a one trick pony: It is a mid- to end scene stingy toy (for punishing). A friend of mine called my full size “like a short and narrow prison strap” which I find an accurate description. The blows can be targeted well and if you put power into them really HIT. While with the handy size you can do some tapping or light hitting, the larger ones are to flappy for that. You really need acceleration (= kinetic energy) to straighten them out which of course increases the impact intensity. Because of this they cannot be used for warming up.

When you buy this toy, you have to be patient because it really takes time to break it in properly. Off the shelf the thick latigo is very stiff. The handy sized one almost performs like a paddle, the full size is almost difficult to throw because it flaps around a bit. I wish Bare Leatherworks would have used softer latigo like Mr S does for their restrain belts. In order to break mine in, I am hitting roof poles since bottoms are hard to come by here.

6mm Thick Latigo Leather

Until properly broken in, the larger slappers have a bit of thud to them. After all, the leather is a lot of accelerated mass hitting the ass. But the material cannot hide its heritage. Being made out of stiff latigo leather, this toy is a stinger! Hitting hard delivers a sharp blow. Once broken in, the thud takes a backseat and there is almost only sting left. The sting is most intense at the tip where the loop connects the two sides of the slapper.

The Braided Leather Loop at the bottom

Broken in, the midsize is the easiest to target and control because it roughly has the size of a pair of buttocks. My full size needs bit of practice; it almost handles like a flogger. When targeting, you need to consider that the tip might wrap around, delivering a sharp pain to a not warmed up body area.

Being just 5cm shorter than most standard sized floggers, I sometime incorporate my slapper into flogging or whipping scenes when the bottom wants and needs it hard. Hitting the already bruised and irritated shoulders with the tip of the slapper will make almost every bottom jump.

Conclusion: Nasty and intense stinger which needs some time to master

Pro

Cons

Where to get

Price

Well balanced

Needs time to break in

Bare Leatherworks

Handy: $77.95

Mid: $97.95

Full: $109.95

Comfortable to hold over extended periods of time

Execution not as precise as on other toys

Fetters Leather Studded Paddle

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The Fetters Leather Studded Paddle

Vendor: Regulation

Construction
Like last week, this paddle has a very traditional design. The head with its slightly rounded corners is 20cm long and tapes almost shovel like from 10cm above the handle to 10.8cm at the top. At the bottom it flows into a 14cm long handle which taper slightly for a secure grip. Two layers of 4mm thick bridle leather with a metal spring in the middle are the basis of this paddle. They are glued and sown together for a compact and solid feel. The edges are deburred and burnished so there is now unintentional chafing.

Through the top layer six rows of three 4.5mm tall pointy, yet dull Ø7mm studs each are screwed. Below the rivets a third, at 3.5mm a bit thinner layer of bridle leather is attached to the top of the handle. Where it ends at the head five (!) rivets support the glue in keeping this layer in place. This monopiece construction with the reinforced handle gives the paddle a rigidity and thus most kinetic energy is transferred onto the sub.

The Embossed Fetters Logo with the Raising Studs

At the bottom a 18cm long leather string loop helps the securing the paddle to the wrist even in heavy scenes. And once you are done with play, it can be easily stored away.

Play with the Leather Studded Paddle

This review was a multiple reader request. I actually did not know about this toy. But since this paddle does not break the bank, I simply bought it, because I was curious how the studs would feel.

The Studded Paddle’s Smooth Side

The toys has a bit weird ergonomics. There are several categories of toys: Small and nimble for targeting small areas, long and narrow for hitting both cheeks at ones, about-palm-size for single cheek targeting or over the knee. The Leather Studded Paddle sits in between the latter two categories which require a bit adjusted hitting techniques. When hitting a single cheek target with the upper third of the head (the central stud of the second row from the top is a good focal point), not the center. Otherwise, the edge will hit the apex of the other cheek which usually has denser fat tissue, does not compress as well and thus diverts the blow. In actual play it is not as dramatic as it might sound. But when I dealt my first blows, I was a bit puzzled that they did not land where I wanted them to and it took a few minutes to adjust.

The Triple Layer Handle Design

Once you have gotten over this, you are going to hit HARD! Due to being so stiff and rigid, it is a very stingy paddle. With very light tapping, you can use the smooth side for warm-up. But as soon as you increase the intensity, it starts to sting quite severely quite firmly. Again, this is something you need to get use to. Since it is more rigid and has less flex than comparable paddles, lower levels of intensity will have a noticeable effect.

This is even more with the studded side. The metal peaks focus the impact energy in these 18 points until the full paddle hits. The stiff leather in combination with the metal spring already has little give, the metal is unforgiving. Then using the paddle on other, less well padded areas (for example the hands), keep that in mind. Hitting joints or bones with the studs can lead to serious injuries.

While the smooth side already colors quickly, the metal studs make the textured side a bruised.

The studs are each about 2cm apart from each others. So each and every one can be felt separately. For sensation play, you can drag them over the subs body. They are “rounded” enough to offer a nice bruised and tender tissue massage on already impacted body areas.

The Dull yet Spikey Studs

Sadly, on design choice makes the studs a little bit hard to use. The studs are only a millimeter taller than the additional leather layer to reinforce the handle. That makes using the full studded impact area difficult. During sensation play, you have to be careful not to unintentionally push the unburnished and thus slightly edge of the handle reinforcement against the skin. This is a minor point, especially considering that the toy was not intentionally designed for sensation play. But still, I would appreciate of the reinforcement was on the smooth side.

Due to the weight of the metal spikes, the paddle is a bit unbalanced. The pivot point is below the bottom row of studs. It is not terribly bad but definitively noticeable. You should now swing this paddle from the wrist or tab over extended periods of time.

Conclusion: Intense, well-made paddle with some ergonomic quirks

Pro

Cons

Where to get

Price

Heavy for intense sensations even with low impact energy

Weird ergonomics

Regulation

£38.99

Loop for securing and storing

A bit unbalanced

Very wellmade

Fetters The Claw

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Fetters the Claw CBT Paddle from Regulation

Vendor: Regulation

Over the past year, I have accumulated quite a few new impact toys, unintentionally almost all from Regulation. Since I haven’t done an impact special in quite a while, let’s kick off the new year with looking at tools helping you „reward“ your sub when he has been a bad boy.

Construction

The Claw has a traditional paddle design with a 71mm round head that flows into a 140mm long handle. It is made out of two layers of thick bridle leather with a metal spring in the middle for added stability for years to come. The two layers are sown and glued together; the edges are beveled, deburred and burnished. This gives the paddle a quality feel and it lies solidly in the hand. A nice touch is the embossed Fetters logo below the spiked pad.

While one side of the head is just the smooth bridle leather, on the other side there is a 59mm round firm foam pad covered in red leather. On top of the pad there is a circle of eight really pointy metal cones with an additional one in the center, giving the toy its name.

The Smooth Side of the Paddle Stinges quite a Bit

At the bottom of the shaft a lever-operated carabiner is riveted onto it. The eyelet diameter of 10mm is large enough to attach the paddle to a belt loop which is a great additional feature compared to just a D-ring for playroom storage. Since due to the ergonomics of this paddle you will not deal big blows with the Claw (see below), I do not really miss a loop for the wrist.

Play with The Claw

This section is going to be divided in two parts. First I will talk about the smooth leather side, then about the spiked one because this is truly a two-sided toy.

Regulation markets this toy as a ball busting paddle. Because of this the head is small and the handle just as long as it needs to comfortably hold the toy. This way it is nimble and can easily target small body areas. It is narrow enough to smack the balls between thighs as long as there is enough space for the balls to hang freely (for example on a bondage chair). But it is equally good for falaka or hitting that sensitive spot where the thighs meet the buttocks. Having such a relatively small impact area, it focuses the kinetic energy and this impact force on a small area, making the Claw a bit of a bruiser. Having a shorts handle, it is a bit difficult to gather momentum and thus deal really heavy blows on the ass and thigh. Since swats on the balls are generally supposed to be bit softer and more controlled, this is not really a negative thing.

The Carabiner is for Easy Attaching and Storing but Developes Momentum when Hitting

The spring inside the paddle makes it just a little bit bounce and thus perfect for tapping and snapping. When tapping the carabiner swings and develops momentum. My recommendation is holding the shaft on the rivet between thumb, index and middle finger while restraining the carabiner inside the palm. Being so small, the paddle is also a bit head-heavy and unbalanced. But since it is not made for heavy and continuous hitting, it is unlikely that it will make the wrist tired.

Since the bridle leather is smooth, firm and has a lacquered surface, the impact sensation is stingy. Being so light, it is not really made for warm-up. It either stings or is almost unnoticeable.

So much for the smooth side. Now to the spikes.

These Spikes give The Claw its Name

Let me reiterate: The spikes are pointy and sharp! They are not like on other paddles where the spikes are dulled or cone-shaped rivets. You can cause serious injuries with them, especially on the balls. The scrotum skin is thin and sensitive. Light tapping with this toy is ok. Any stronger force will lead to breaking the skin and cause bleeding. This effect is even intensified when moving the toy in a scratching movement. It is actually a good thing that due to the ergonomics you cannot deal hard blows. This could lead to flesh wounds! The padded pad gives the spikes a bit of bounce but it does not really softens the blows. It is a nice design feature and makes the paddle a little bit more intimidating looking but I do not see the functional use for it since it does not dull the blows. So, what are the spikes good for? I used them for a combination of sensation play and mind fuck. Drag them over the bottom’s skin, varying the pressure from a light scratch to digging in deeply, telling him that soon they will dig into his body, propelled by full force, will most likely inflict terror. Then start light tapping, scratch a bit again, play with his fear and anticipation. Due to being so sharp, do not used gear to soften them. They will tear rubber, scratch leather and rip lycra or cotton.

Detail of the Stichting and Finished Edges

One unexpected use case is (AB)DL play: If you put on several layers of diapers you need to perforate the outside plastic layer of the inside diaper to allow the liquid to get to the next layer. You need to do this without destroying containment of the absorbent stuffing so randomly ripping with a knife does not work. The Claw is perfect for this! The spikes puncture, rip and tear the plastic while keeping the stuffing intact. This also means that the ass is protected from injuries during the process. And if your little is naughty, the Claw is a great, not too severe OTK paddle.

Conclusion: Nasty small paddle with a dangerously mean side

Pros

Cons

Where to get

Price

Small and nimble for precise hitting

… that flops around when hitting

Regulation

£29.99

With the coupon code ToyTorture you get 10% off your purchase

High quality feel

A bit unbalanced

Carabiner for easy attachment…

ToyTorture’s Stocking Stuffer II – Slagwerk Atelier Exclusive Impact Implements

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The Slagwerk Italian Leather Paddle

BDSM toys mostly follow the principal from follows function. This makes sense since they are being used in darker surroundings and – at least in the gay kink community – following an industrial/ rough design aesthetic. Slagwerk from the Netherlands follows a different direction. By matching braided Italian leather with polished stainless steel their toys have the look of luxurious lifestyle accessories instead of dungeon tools.

The Slagwerk Riding Crop

Personally, I find these three toys most interesting. The Italian Leather Paddle (170€) does not only look interesting, I imagine that the texture of the woven leather has an interesting impact sensation. At 50cm overall length it should be long enough to hit both ass cheeks at the same time yet the blade it thin enough to hit intricate spots. Second is their Italian Leather Single (185€) which is an is basically an dragon tongue directly attached to a handle. This is an actually very intuitive design which I have not yet seen at other kink stores and which intrigues me how well it handles as a toy! Last but not least or their riding crops (starting at 155€). Having a riding crop sticking in your boot shaft is a very classic leather look and a nifty thing to have because it it easily accessible if you need to discipline your sub without dangling around hanging from your belt. The exclusive design of the handle and shaft makes their riding crops stand out and are truly an accessory adding to the appeal of a leather uniform. The riding crops come in interesting color configurations like red leather slappers. But I am sure you can get a traditional all black design too on request.

Example of the Slagwerk exclusive Limited Edition

If you really want to treat your dom (I don’t think subs are the main market for their toys), they offer limited editions in even more exclusive configurations. On these toys the stainless steel is gold plated and the handle lining is made out of exotic hides. The top of the line is a solid gold handle flogger adorn with five diamonds. Considering the weight and low stiffness of gold, I am not sure how usable such a toy will be but for the rich kinkster who has EVERYTHING, it might just be the Christmas gift to get.

Sadly I have not yet had a chance to play with their toys. Looking at the designs and material being used, the impact sensation seems to be on the intenser and stingier side of the spectrum. If you are a kinkster coming to Easter Berlin and bring Slagwerk toys with you, please get in touch. I would love to see, try and experience if the handling and quality lives up to their extraordinary design.

Fetters Braided Cat o Nine

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The Fetters Braided Cat o Nine

Vendor: Regulation

Construction

The name of this whip is telling: Each of the nine falls is braided out of four thin leather straps. At the end they are finished with a small knots so the ends form little four fall “floggers”. The straps are made out of soft, medium density, low weight cow hide. This in combination with a tight and neat braid give the falls a very high quality feel and appeal.

At a first glance the handle looks equally elaborate. A black and red braided leather pummel on top covers the attachment points of the falls to the handle. This pummel also houses a leather patch with the Fetters logo embossed into it which I find an interesting location at best (see below). A single strap of what feels like latigo leather lines the handle in one spiral. It is attached to the core with four seams. At the bottom there is yet another black and read leather pummel which houses a quite long latigo leather loop. Speaking of bottom: The pummel only covers the side of the core not the bottom giving it a bit of an unfinished feel.

All things considered, the grip is very economically designed with an aspiring premium leather appeal. Form followed function here while you can see where corners were but. But considering the price of the toy it is exceptional value for money. Yet compared to other whips and floggers with braided grip cover and loops, a pummel that is used to really attach the falls to the grip instead of just covering the attachments points, this Braided Cat o Nine is a bit more basic especially compared to the flogger from the same range. Considering the cost these are minor points because…

The Latigo Loop hold by a „Lateral“ Pollem and thus unfinished Bottom

Playing with the Braided Cat o Nine

… from a play point of view, it is even better value for money!

At first I was skeptical how well this toy would perform. With all the tails just laterally “attached to a stick” I wondered how well they would fly. Turns out, actually pretty great! Even at low intensities all tails fly precisely into the direction they are thrown without any breaking out. Targeting is easy making this toy surprisingly suitable for beginners. This property is supported by the low weight and still good balance point which is about at 4/5 of the handle length. You do not need much technique to rein in the momentum heavier floggers can develop while throwing.

Detail of the Braided Fall with the Finishing Knot

The overall great handling is a bit compromised by the Fetters logo tag. If the tag is in the throwing direction the tails break away. Since you usually do not turn the handle while whipping, simply make sure that the tag is facing you when picking up the whip so it should not be a problem. Annoyingly – at least at my whip – the tag was not a 100% aligned with the leather loop. Especially when the loop is not broken in, it wants to sit comfortably on your wrist. So you intuitively start to turn the handle until the loop sits comfortably – and the tag gets a bit in the way again. Over time you will learn to compensate the tag but especially at the beginning it is extremely irritating especially for beginners.

Which is a shame because overall, this toy is a surprisingly good beginner’s whip despite leaning towards sting due to the light weight. The combination of the great flying properties combined with the light and soft leather allow the top to caress and teas the bottom’s back lightly at low intensities. Because the falls are so light, I would not consider it a warm-up toy. The strokes are simply too light to increase the circulation sufficiently. As soon as you ad heft to your blows, the sting and intensity ramps up quickly. The sensation is of course focused on the knots which bite but the bottom will most likely also feel the scratch of the short tails behind the knots. These multitude of sensations is the greatest feat of this whip: Once you have learned to wield it properly, it offers many different sensations. Targeted precisely the end of the small floggers can just scratch the skin. Hitting exposed or raised areas of the back just right, almost only the knots hit. Throwing it like a flogger the is a bit of thuddy feeling along the impact area – until the tail ends sting like a lightning. So completely mastered the Fetters Braided Cat o Nine tails is truly a multitrick pony.

The Top Pummel with the Fetters Logo and the Leather Lined Handle

Speaking of great sensation range: Because the hanging loop is so long, it can be used as an impact of of its own. The pain is not sever but being made out of thin latigo leather, it bits a bit. Since the bottom expects a whip like impact sensation, teasing him with it it or inflicting agony when precisely targeting bruised areas adds to the wide range of possibilities with this whip.

Conclusion: Easy to throw whip with wide range of sensations and basic fitments.

Pro

Cons

Where to get

Price

Wide range of possible sensations

Annoyingly placed logo patch which impairs the handling

Regulation

£68.41

Easy to handle and throw

Handle design cuts corners

Good value for money

Selection of McHurt Bats

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The McHurt Mini Teacher’s Bat, Mini Bat, Long Bat & Padded Long Bat

Vendor: McHurt

Before I start this review, a word on McHurt in general. Founded in 2007, their mission is to bring functionally high quality kink toys at affordable prices. Based in Berlin-Tempelhof, they were the first kink shop I have ever visited back in the summer of 2008. Some of the clamps that I have bought at that visit I still used and treasure today. They have an online shop but their in-store offering is WAY bigger. They have the a very large selection of different impact toys and I personally own at least fifty different ones from them.

Their core audience is more the straight scene which is reflected in their products. In 2022 I sent them drafts for two wooden impact toys because I could not find a maker to make them for me. They refused, saying my reviews are too critical because the gay scene has higher quality expectations than the straight one. So when I talk about their toys, keep this and their name in mind: From a functional point of view, they are great and will last you a lifetime. And the prices are incredible. But to achieve this they have to cut some small corners which I gladly allow to pass considering the value you get.

Construction

All the toys I am looking at today are so called bats, also called blades. They all have a short grip section which than tapers into a narrow and long – in case of the leather ones slightly cone-shaped – impact area and a rounded tip. All toys feature a hole at the end through which a leather loop is threaded to secure the toy to your wrist and for easy storage.

The leather bats are made out of two layers of very thick and stiff bridle leather. The leather and stitching come in some “kinky” colors like black and reds. Between them sits a piece of spring steel for added sturdiness. If you hit HARD or store the toy bent, the toy can deform a bit (this often happens to me when I cramp the toys in my toy bag). Once taken out simply bend it in shape again. Both leather pieces are glued together and sown around making these toys virtually indestructible. The edges are beveled, deburred and burnished for a nice and quality feel and look. The wrist loop is a little bit more basic with a piece of soft garment leather split in the middle to form a loop.

The two-layer construction of the Leather Bats. On the Right you can see a bit of deformation which you can easily bend back into shape

The small bat is 280mm long of which about 160mm can be used for impact, depending on your palm size. The maximum width is 33mm on the small one and 48mm on the long one which has an overall length of 420mm. At least 280mm of the length can be used for hitting.

The Long Bat comes in a padded version which sadly is not available on their website (if interested, simply write them a mail). On this toy one side is completely covered with medium-firm foam and lined with smooth garment leather.

Example of the manufacturing quality „shortcomings“ like split leather loop, the uneven stitching or not oiled hole in the wooden paddle for the leather loop. All these imperfections do not impair the play properties and are just esthetic!

The (Mini) Teacher’s Bat is made out of beautiful rosewood. It has been painstakingly sanded and oiled for a smooth finish with really brings out the grain and character of the wood – except the countersunk hole for the loop which edges are not oiled. It is great that the wood is oiled instead of lacquered like on other wooden toys I know. Lacquer has the tendencies to crack and splinter off over time leaving an ugly, rough surface. Speaking of smooth, the shape and edges has been rounded very well. It almost feel like a worry stone. Cross-section of this toy is almost oval. The wrist loop is made out of leather lace which I like a lot more than the split garment leather on the bats.

The Mini Teacher’s Bat is 265mm long of which roughly 160mm can be used. At the widest point it is 45mm wide. Sadly I don’t own the Teacher’s Bat – I cannot have (and store!) ALL the toys in the world, can I? – so the length of 460mm and width of approx 50mm comes form McHurt’s website. Considering the size similarity to the Long Bat, I just assume it can be wielded like the Long Bat.

Both wood and leather need about the same level of maintenance. After play, wipe them off with a wet cloth. If body fluids have been drawn, spray them with a sanitizer. Over time, this will dry out the material. The wood can be brought back to style using a paper towel with a bit of olive oil, for the leather use the leather care of your choice (personally I use Lexol but you can ask your boot black of choice)-

Playing with the Bats

Bats are some of the most universal impact toys out there. Their thin footprint makes them the perfect choice from large areas like the ass and thighs to more delicate ones like the soles of the feet for bastonado/ falaka or the palms of your sub’s hands. Especially on the latter body areas, be careful with the intensity as the small bones in the hands and feet break easily! With a bit of practice you can precisely target the blows to the very sensitive body area where the ass cheeks transition to the thighs or the inside of the thighs. The smaller versions of the toys are great for targeted, small area impact like glans spanking, ball smacking or nipple hitting.

The rounded shape and flowing lines of the Mini Teacher’s Bat

The relatively thin impact area naturally focuses the kinetic energy on a small body area. So an equally intense blow with a bat will feel more intense than with standard paddle. For an ever more focused blow, hit with the side of the bat! This is even more important considering the material these toys are made out of. The bridle leather is very dense and stiff and the wood, well… is wood. There is little give or softness in the material so all toys are stingy. Surprisingly the rounding of the wood makes it feel smoother so it is a bit less stingy than the wooden counterparts. An exception of course is that padded side of the Long Bat. Even intense, focused blows are thuddy making it a truly universal toy.

Due to the stiffness of the material, all bats are great for tapping. The intensity can be very gradually adjusted because there is almost no flex. The Mini Bat is also good for snapping. Despite the flexibility of the leather and the spring steel you can build up tension easily. This process will deform the toy over time but you can easily bend it back in shape. Due to its rounded shape, the Mini Teacher’s Bat is not perfect for snapping. The smooth shape simply makes it hard to keep it from slipping and this building tension.

Comparing the Padded and regular version of the Long Bat

Tapping can be used for warm-up but it is a sub-optimal process. It either takes very long or once you increase intensity, you already deal out quite the intensity beyond warm-up. Unless you have to Padded Long Bat. The padded side is equally perfect for warm-up and long, intense sessions with novices or more thud-loving bottoms. The only downside for warm-up is that due to the narrow blade, it takes a bit longer to cover a large body area like the ass or thighs compared to a classic paddle. But once you switch sides, you have the flash-like sting of the firm, dense bridle leather! If you only have ONE impact toy in your toy collection, the Padded Long Bat is actually the perfect choice offering – albeit focused – thud and sting. These properties makes it a good beginner’s to to start out with so it has become my go-to gift if I want to give a novice top something to start out with.

This is also due to the easy handling. You can easily target your blows and finely tune the intensity. One drawback is that due to the shape bats are always unbalanced. They are head-heavy and overtime can tire out your wrist. Especially since due to the stiffness and the narrowness there is a bit of “blowback”. On the plus side if you keep your rhythm the toy develops momentum, bit like a flogger, making the impact easier – especially on the long ones.

Conclusion: Easy to handle and versatile impact toys for a great price!

Pro

Cons

Where to get

Price

Wide range of sensations and hitting modi, especially on the padded one

Unbalanced and giving “blowbacks”

Mini Bat

19,80€

Easy to handle

Long Bat

29,80€

Ceteris paribus good manufacturing quality

Padded Long Bat (not available online; write a mail)

39,80€

Exceptional value for money

Mini Teacher’s Bat

16,80€

Teacher’s Bat

24,50€

Alpha Whips Junior Snake Whip

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The Alpha Whip 2ft Junior Snake Whip in a Custom Adaptive Version

Vendor: Alpha Whips

Construction

This whip is very traditionally made: At the bottom is a lead-weighted pommel to balance the whip followed by a spring core. Being a Snake Whip there is no dedicated grip section with a second knot before the body like on a Bullwhip. At the end of the body a single paracord becomes the so call “fall” to which the cracker is attached by a loop. The cracker can be made out of Dacron or Dyneema. Dacron is a bit more stiffer and sharper and thus more stingy. It also takes longer to break in for cracking the whip. The upside is that the falls at the end do not tangle easily when cracking. My cracker is made out of Dyneema because it is softer and the chances of breaking the skin are next to nothing.

Lengthwise you can choose between 2ft and 5ft. The length is measure from the end of the pommel to where the fall begins. Choosing the right length is not an easy task. The most important thing to consider is your play space: The more confined the short the whip should be. Next is your play style, how you throw your whip. As a beginner I would recommend 3ft because it is a good compromise between handling, being able to crack it and throwing the whip far away from you. Despite controlling my whip fairly well, I still manage to unintentionally hit myself… If you want Hollywood style show throwing and cracking, you will need longer whips.

Nota bene: My whip is a custom Adaptive Snake Whip in 2ft length and 12 plaits. So where on a standard Snake Whip the fall is, I have a loop for attaching various attachments like a Dragon Quirt or a braided nylon fall onto which my cracker is attached. The plus side of an Adaptive whip is versatility. In theory you do not need carry several whips to a scene but can exchange the impact implement. In practice I rarely do it because it takes a bit of time. The downside is that doe to the nylon fall I basically ended up with a 3ft whip.

On a normal Snake Whip the Fall would begin here. At my Adaptive Whip there is the Loop for attaching different Implements

What makes whip from Alpha Whip special is the material it is made out of: Is completely made out of paracord.  In case of the Junior Whip it is made out of 550lb Nylon paracord which is perfect considering the length of the whip and thus force the material is subjected to. If you have experience which leather whips, you will have to adjust a bit. Out of the box, the body is less stiff and thus the whip is easier to throw right away. But unlike leather, the material will not break in over time. The braid will loosen just a little bit but not too much. So once you have learned to control your whip your throwing style does not need to adjust much to the changing whip properties. Another advantage is that the whip does not need maintenance beyond exchanging the cracker.

Speaking of the braid, it is very neat, tight and even which is an indicator for the quality and long term durability of the whip. The Junior Series has as 12 plait braid which means 12 cords are used to make the whip. Higher braid count means tighter braid and more detailed patterns. Since all whips are custom made, you can choose from a wide range of patterns and colors. My Snake Whip is a two-color Double Diamond in black and neon green both on the handle and the pommel.

Lead-Weighted Pommel with Hanging Loop

The pommel can have a different color than the handle and you can choose if you want a small loop for hanging the whip. I would highly recommend this for shorter whips because since the nylon does not break in as much as leather does, you cannot curl the whip like Indiana Jones does. Better store them hanging.

Finally a word on pricing: When I talk about flogger or whips at my impact play workshops or with interested people after they have seen me throw whips at Quälgeist for example, a common topic is where to get inexpensive whips for beginners. Being made out of paracord, Alpha Whips are already on the lower end of the price spectrum for good handmade whips. It takes hours to braid a whip like this. It takes a large stock of material you have to finance in order to offer this wide range of colors. And most importantly it takes years to learn how to make great whips. For that reason whips quality whips that will last you years of heavy play cannot come at a discount price. So like with anal toys where I always recommend saving for more expensive but safer to play with platinum silicone toys, better safe for another half year and get a proper whip instead of something cheap.

But don’t safe or wait too long for the whip you want. For most whip makers making whips is a hobby. If they had to make a living from it, whips would be even more expensive. So on a regular basis famous whip makers stop making their toys because they cannot justify the – personal – costs anymore.

Progression of the Braid from 12 plait to the Fall

Playing with the Junior Snake Whip

Each whip has a natural orientation in which it wants to go. In order to find this orientation hold the whip on the pommel and see into which direction it leans. You should always throw the whip on this plane because it will naturally lean towards it. Throwing it perpendicularly will make it harder to control because the whip will be pulled sideways while the momentum is propelling it forward.

The Fluff of a Dyneema Cracker

In order to learn how to control the whip, a proven technique is taking a large piece of cardboard and draw the outlines of a human torso onto it. Put this on the wall and throw your whip at it aiming at specific areas. Caution: Make sure there is nothing fragile about a meter left and right of the target and behind you. My poor plants speak from experience…

There are two ways to throw this whip: The easier one is “lashing”. You hold the pommel in your dominant hand and hold the fall in the other. Now extend your dominant arm until it is slightly bend and pull the other arm backwards. How far you pull backwards and thus put load the whip with tension will determine the impact intensity. If you want to add even more intensity, press your thump against the grip. This will add a surprising amount of kinetic energy. With lashing you can fairly easy and quickly develop a good aim. Since you always have to “charge” your whip again, lashing it not made for rapid strokes.

The other one is called “rolling” because you roll the whip forward. It is the style seen in movies and most porn. For this style, you wind the whip up by putting it behind your back and propel it forward using your shoulder, upper and lower arm. In this style the whip hits the bottom diagonally from above. Since you use all the muscles in your arm and your shoulder to propel the whip forward (and for advanced players even in your torso when you add a turning it towards the bottom), you can gather considerably more kinetic energy and thus increase the pain. Also you can develop a pendulum movement for rapid strokes. But the whip is much more harder to control and proper aim takes a lot of experience. Especially since you need to adjust to the height of every bottom.

The Loop on top of the Fall for Attaching the Cracker

Regardless of the throwing technique, when pulling the whip back for the next stroke, be careful not to hit yourself! On numerous occasions I gave myself a more or less thorough arm and back whipping in a scene…

If you are into extreme, long whipping, especially if you want to break the skin, I highly recommend exchanging the crackers between partners. Otherwise pathogens get transferred from one player to another. Such whipping bottoms usually have their own crackers they give the top before the scene.

Finally, a word on cracking. Cracking is when you throw the whip and there is a cracking sound. This sound is emitted when the cracker breaks the sound barrier. Unlike leather whips, even the short Snake Whip can be made cracking with a bit of practice. I found it easier to crack the whip with lashing than rolling because the kinetic energy is focused in one burst instead of building over time. Since the whip apexes in the middle of the air instead on a bottom, be extra careful of your surroundings. It makes the whip a bit more difficult to control.

Conclusion: Really well-made single tail for beginners and experienced whippers
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Does not breaking in I could not really find any weak spots during the test. If you are in the market for a single tail and except it not being made out of the traditional material leather there is no reason not to buy one of these Alpha Whips Starting at 105€
Easy to crack
Good value for money
No maintenance needed
Made in Germany, so for EU readers no high shipping costs and import duties like on US whips