Amanda says: We are just going to talk about the basics tonight..choosing a flogger, some tips on the act of flogging, and some aftercare advice.  I have had several people ask me what the difference is between a whip and a flogger.  The answer is, of course, that a flogger is a type of whip.  Anything with tresses attached to a handle is a whip.  A flogger simply has multiple tresses, usually more than 9 or its called a 'cat of 9 tails.'  The tresses can be wide or thin, knotted or straight..each gives a
different sensation.

Amanda says: when you are choosing a flogger, keep in mind who its going to be used upon (if you have a slave).  You will want to take into account what kind of strike they like, thuddy or stingy.  I know a Dominant who has a lovely rubber whip that he bought because his slave loves a stingy effect but he found that HE is very unhappy with the whip because he can't swing it as hard as he would like to be able to swing.  So take your own needs into acount as well!  He would have been better to go with a softer leather, he could still give her sting and he could swing harder. 

Amanda says: the type of material used to make the tresses is going to determine if the whip is thuddy or stingy.  The width of the tresses is also going to affect that.   Anything slim and hard is going to sting, anything wide and soft is going to thud.   But you can get a LOT of different effects out of the same whip, depending on how you use it.  Floggers can be found in soft nylon rope, silk, velvet, deerskin, rabbit - all 'soft' leathers, which a milder effect.  Harder materials include bull or steer hide and rubber...thicker denser materials which will strike heavier.  Try out as many different types as you can, thats the only way you can really find out what you will like best.  Or do like i do and buy LOTS of floggers <grin>
Guess giggles
rowan smiles
taken grins
Amanda says: when you shop for a flogger, there are a few things you should look for in addition to the type of material used to make the tresses.  Check the handle - it should have a core of hardwood - a softer wood can break and severely limit the life of your flogger.  A flogger WILL wear out, eventually - leather doesnt last forever.   But a well made flogger should at least last as long as the leather.  Check to see how the tresses are attached to the handle, how the cover of the handle is attached, how the knob at the end is attached.  It shouldnt just be glued down, it should have nails or brads.  Nails will outlast leather, glue wont.  The handle of a good flogger is usually braided, that gives you a nice grip.  You will also find floggers with a spiral design in the handle.  But it shouldnt be a smooth handle, thats too hard to hang on to.  Its going to be real embarrassing when the flogger flies out of your hand and whacks the sub in the back of the head.  The knob at the end of the handle is going to get a lot of wear, check it to be sure its tightly woven.

Amanda says: when you have selected your perfect whip, you are going to need to balance it to truely make it an extension of your hand.  Balancing a whip isnt hard to do, but it needs to be done VERY carefully.  Once you screw up the balance, you cant go back.  You can still use the whip, but it wont have the same feel in your hand.   To balance a flogger, take the handle into your hand in a natural grip, whatever feels right and comfortable to you.  Check and see where the finger closest to the tresses falls.  Then take the handle and try to balance it on your finger at that point, with the tresses hanging down on one side of the finger and the handle sticking out on the other side of the finger.  The ideal whip for you is going to balance right on that spot. 

Most good whip makers are going to deliberately make the tresses 'heavy', to make the flogger tip away to the tress side.  Thats because if the balance is farther away from the tresses than you like it, there is nothing you can do to fix it.  Put the whip on your finger where you want it to fall, and start picking up the tresses, one at a time, and laying them back into your hand.  Check the balance after you pick up each tress, so you know when it falls into perfect balance.  Once you have it balanced right at that perfect spot, count the number of tresses you are holding in your hand.   This is the amount of weight you need to remove from the whip to balance it.   Measure the tress...lets say you are holding only 1 tress, and its 20" long.   That means to balance this whip you need to remove 20" of leather.  Now count the total number of tresses in the whip (including the ones in your hand).  Lets say there are 20 tresses.  That means you are going to have to remove 1 inch from each tress to
total 20 inches and balance the whip.  What you DONT want to do is just lay the whip down and hack off an inch <grin> start slowly.  You cant put the leather back on once you remove it.  If you have to take off an inch, start by removing 1/2 inch instead.  Then check the balance.  If it needs more, take off another 1/4".   The idea is to constantly check, shaving off just a little bit at a time until you get it right.

Amanda says: ok, now you have your perfect whip..its balanced, its well made, it feels like an extension of your hand. You are ready to flog, right?  Wrong <grin>.   If you are having a session with a new sub, the first thing you need to do is sit down and have a discussion with that sub.  Do they like stingy or thuddy? do they know the difference?  Have they ever been flogged before?  Do they have any medical or physical problems?  As with anythign else, communication is vital.  So now you have talked everything over and you are ready to go.  I'm going to ASSUME that you have been practicing first, so you can
hit what you intend to hit.
taken laughs
Amanda says: trust me, no one wants to be your practice dummy <grin>
taken says: That's a dangerous assumption ;)
Amanda grins at taken, damn straight.  Practice - a lot.  Take a dark colored pillow and dust it with flour.  Then when you hit the pillow you can see where the tresses land.  Or use a light colored pillow and dust it with cocoa.  The point is to make sure you hit where you intend to hit. 

Watch for wrap.  Wrapping means that the tresses curve around the body.  Remember physics is at work here...the tresses are going to travel faster as they whip around that curve, like a crack the whip.  Its going to hit in a tender area, and its going to sting like hell.  And chances are that sub is not going to be real quick to volunteer to go under your whip again.  When you throw the whip forward, you arent going to be making a full swing right down to the floor.  You may want to pull back just before the tresses hit, so they will snap against the skin.  Or you may want to just kind of lay the tresses onto the skin and stop
the throw there, for a softer effect.  An effective stroke is a figure 8, if you do like to be able to follow thru.
taken smiles.
Amanda says: but you will be following through at an angle, criss crossing to strike first one side of the body, then the other on the return stroke.  I adore a figure 8 <grin>.  The very best place to strike is the area of the back on both sides of the spine.  You want to avoid the spine itself as much as possible.  This is there big women have a HUGE advantage over their skinny sisters.  Not only do you have a lot bigger canvas to work with, but the bones are cushioned and you have a lot more leeway.

Amanda says: avoid the kidney area, you should never strike a blow there.  Avoid the base of the spine, thats another dangerous area.  Avoid the neck and head.   The ass does not need to be avoided <grin>.  Be aware though that its a smaller target than the back.  You have to be a lot more accurate to be sure you dont wrap
taken grins.
Amanda says: thighs, particularly upper thighs can also be flogged.  Again, you have an even smaller area now, so wrap is going to be even more of a problem.  You want to be careful when flogging the breasts.  A man can take a lot more in the breast than a woman can.  You dont want to cause medical problems somewhere down the road.  You CAN flog the breasts...jsut dont do it every day <grin>.  And be a bit more gentle there.  Particularly if the girl has implants.  And yes subbies, you SHOULD tell your Dominant if you have implants.  As if he cant tell from the scar <grin>
taken chuckles.
Amanda says: if you are going to flog in the genital area, you need to use a very light touch.  Its a really intense thing, it can be great for both the sub and the Dominant...but use your head.  You are supposed to be having fun here, not damaging someone
taken says: Spare the rod, spoil the.... rod....  Amanda laughs 

Amanda says:  When you start a flogging session, dont just wade in full force.   Both you and the submissive are going to enjoy the session a LOT longer, and you will have a lot LONGER session, if you start slow.  Use a gentle stroke and a softer whip.  Break the subbie in <grin> warm them up.  Let their skin start to glow.  Let their endorphins kick in.  The sub is going to be able to take a lot more if you give their endorphins a chance to start flowing.  Then gradually move up to harder leathers and harder strokes.  If the submissive LIKES sting, you will be able to start with harder leathers.  But you still want to start slow and work up.   Myself i love thud, i could lie there all day <grin>.  But even someone who loves thud is probably going to want a little sting at the end, just to wake up the nerve endings. 

In my first flogging session, i was flogged for an hour..if you had asked me afterwards i would have sworn it was no more than 10 minutes.  And thats because the Dominant started slow and worked up.  Flogging is going to work up a sweat for the Dominant as well.  By pacing yourself you are both going to be able to have a lot more fun for a lot longer time.  While you are flogging, by the way, be sure you keep an eye on the tresses to make sure they dont get tangled.  Because they will <grin> Let the whip dangle every now and then to give the tresses a chance to unwind.  Otherwise you are just hitting with one huge lash.

After a session, its important to rub the submissive down with lotion.  Flogging brings oils out on the skin.  Yes, it does cause zits <grin>.  That lotion massage can be a great way to ease out of the scene and bring the submissive back down to earth.

Amanda says: taken has another great idea for care <grinning at taken>
taken asks: Is that my cue?
Amanda laughs, yes it is
taken grins.
taken says: Hershey's Kisses and a glass of water make a great "accessory" on a nearby table...  A long session can leave your body needing a little boost, and it's easy to dehydrate even if you don't realize it...
Amanda says: fluids are always important, as are carbohydrates
taken says: For both Dom/mes and their subs.
taken says: Also, witch hazel is a great rub-down: it's a natural astringent but is mild and soothing.
Amanda says: oo thats a wonderful idea taken
taken smiles.
Amanda says: that will not only feel fantastic, but it will help with the oils that have risen to the surface
taken nods nods nods

Amanda says: be sure to talk to the submissive the entire time you are flogging.   Ask them how they are doing, make sure they are not so far out in sub space that they dont know WHATS going on.  Occasionally when flogging, you may end up drawing a bit of blood.  It happens, particularly with a stingy whip.  Whips made of things like horsehair or nylon are particularly prone to bleeding.  Chances are you are not going to notice if you draw a little bit of blood, because the tresses are going to wipe it off as they strike.  During the aftercare is when you want to take the time to closely examine all areas that you struck, to see if there are any small cuts.   In this day and age, you have to be very careful of any fluids that get on your whip.

Amanda says: ideally, the whip will always be used on the same person so the danger is lessened.  But the ideal doesnt happen all that often.  So you will need to think about cleaning your whip.
taken says: One of my favorite floggers has suede strands. Although it seems soft to the touch, after prolonged flogging, the surface can cause microscopic droplets of blood due to abrasion.
Amanda nods to taken, thats an excellent point
taken says: I love being flogged with it, but thought I'd add that caveat.
Amanda says: sometimes the softest materials are the quickest ones to cut
taken says: You won't SEE the blood... but if you're going to use the flogger on somebody else, you should be aware that it can remain on the suede.
Amanda says: if you get blood or fluids on the whip you need to ensure that you wont pass any virus to someone else.  Wipe the whip down after use, with a soft cloth.  Then hang the whip, tresses down, to air dry for 2 weeks or so.  2 weeks if you KNOW that blood was exchanged and you will be using the whip on anyone else.  Wf you air dry in a warm dry place for 2 weeks, the drying action will kill any aids or hepatitis virus.   I've heard of cleaning the tresses with bleach as well, mixed 1 part
bleach to 10 parts water.
Patron nods
Amanda says: if you do that, you can use the whip much quicker.  In a matter of 10 minutes or so even
caliente smiles
Patron says along with your sub:) hehe
Amanda laughs
Amanda says: oo i like that idea patron <grin>

Amanda says: speaking of hanging whips, by the way.  ALWAYS store your whips by hanging them by their handles.  Dont lay whips flat, you will destroy the balance.   When you bring home a new whip the first thing you do should be to hang
it up for 24 hours.  Well..the 2nd thing <grin> we all know damn well you are going to try it out first.
caliente smiles

Amanda asks: does anyone else have any favorite cleaning methods for their whips?   Because whips do get dirty..jsut the oils from your hands is going to stain the leather over time. I'm told there are special leather cleaning products, but i've never
tried any of them.  Any one else who has tried them? any pros or cons?
Patron uses the bleach water and sometimes rubbing alcohol
Amanda asks: do you have to worry about drying out the leather with the alcohol patron?
Patron says: afterwards just saddle soap to keep them flexible and from drying out
Amanda says: i have a lovely whip with tresses in shades of brown and tan and beige <grin> i KNOW that beige is gonna get dirty and i'm always looking for good ways to spruce it up without damaging the leather
Patron says: use a rag with the alcohol on it then use the saddle soap
Amanda nods, i have heard good things about saddle soap
Patron says: it is a cleaner/moiturizer
Riffraff says: I have thought that saddlesoap dried leather out without some form of oil after
Amanda asks: doesnt the saddlesoap itself oil the leather as well?
Patron says: the stuff I have does
Amanda has never actually USED saddle soap, i've just heard that its good.  Maybe it depends on the brand
taken says: Try this link for care tips:  http://www.tdl.com/~thawley/toycare.html
Patron says: I use it on my cowboy boots too and seems to be ok, but RiffRaff may have a point, I'll check:)
Amanda says: a flogger is a big investment
Riffraff says: unless you make em ;)
Amanda says: you dont have to run out and buy a top of the line heartwood if you are just starting out.  Amanda grins at riffraff, thats the cheapest way of all! And making your own is a great way to start out by the way.  Making your own is ALWAYS a great idea, if you can do it <grin>.  But for practice whips...just bundle together some leather boot laces
and wrap clothesline around them to form a handle.  Another idea for really cheap homemade practice whips...  Buy a chamois...you know, those things they use to wash cars with <grin> cut it in strips (leaving one end solid) then wrap the solid end around a core for a handle.  There are 2 good articles that repeat most of what i've said, that are located on the IR web page.  One is on balancing a whip, and goes into great detail on exactly how to do it.  The other is about flogging itself, and how to get a subbie to come back for more <grin>.

Amanda exclaims: and subbies....just because you are sub doesnt mean you cant own whips!   Dominants adore subs who have their own whips, it gives them more toys to play with.   If you want some ideas about different types of whips that are
available, please visit the IR store.  And no, i dont get a commission for getting you to buy there <grin>.  But MK has a great selection.  Has anyone else seen the rose whips yet?
Patron says: just the pics:)
Amanda says: picture a whip with a leather rose attached to the end of each tress
Riffraff says: yes
Amanda shivers, i can just imagine the *punch* of that thing landing, it makes me drool
Riffraff says: I need to get some hide and some better tools
Amanda says: i have also seen some really beautiful whips made from fine chain -jewelry chain.  Put it in the freezer, then lightly stroke it across the subs back.   Amanda shivers again...is there a draft in here?
Patron says: or heat it
Amanda says: ooo another great idea <grinning at patron>
caliente smiles
Amanda says: what you DONT want to do with a chain whip is flog hard with it...you would really cut up the sub.  Its just for gentle touches and great mind games
Riffraff makes some 18 arm soft-nylon cord floggers
Amanda nods, i have seen those.  I have also seen whips made from the inside of bungee cords.  It makes thousands of little tiny filaments, for a soft whip with a nice sting.
dryssa says: i think one of my favorites is one Master picked up at some party.. thin plastic like those plastic jump ropes
Amanda asks: how many tresses dryssa?
dryssa says: 'they loop.  Maybe 5
Amanda exclaims: ooo i like the sound of that dyssa!  I have a mini whip made of 3 loops of thin rubber cord.  It stings like a son-of-a-gun <grin> its very intense.
dryssa says: but there are no ends and it is small enough that it can be used anywhere and it hurts more than the leather
Amanda grins at dryssa, it sounds just like mine, but cheaper and more loops!  Its a good idea.  Rabbit fur whips are nice too.  The little strip of leather that backs the fur gives you sting, and the fur side is super soft.  Its a nice combination.

Amanda checks her watch...ok, we only have 1 minute left.  Any last comments or questions? <smile>
Riffraff says: one comment
Amanda nods, listening
Riffraff says: as usual if it is leather take GOOD care of it
Amanda nods...a good flogger is a big investment, you are talking over $100.  It just makes sense to take care of it and get a long life out of it.
Riffraff says: not only that but in disrepair it is dangerous
Amanda says: heartwood and lashes by sara are both excellent whip makers, if you like brand names.  They are expensive, but they are worth it.  Ok, i want to thank you all very much for coming <smile>.  Now go out there and start flogging!   Amanda wonders if she should hand out mini floggers instead of cheese and
crackers
Kristine laughs
Jane goes to the line for flogging...
taken exclaims: Thanks for hosting, Amanda!
Amanda says: thank you all for coming <smile>