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Rope Bondage 101
by Mz Suzanne SxySadist
Rope Bondage is an amazing art form and delicious play element, but
like so many of the things we love to do with it requires some
training in safety and skill and lots of practice to do it safely.
I hope you find this article interesting and informative. best wishes
Suzanne SxySadist
What you will need:
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Rope & EMT shears or safety scissors (very important)
What kind and how much rope?
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For beginners a 3/8" (9.5mm) solid braid multifilament (MFP)
is great. Twisted strand ropes are ok also, but can be trickier
to work with for beginners. Rope with cores, or made out of plastic
are not as good to use since they are not as flexible or gentle on
the flesh and can be very difficult to work with. (This includes
climbing rope.) You can get good basic rope pretty easily at any
hardware store but for example Home Depot, carries 3/8" MFP,
Mo del: #BKSBP860, SKU: #140193 1/4 inch (6.4mm) & 1/2 inch
(12.7mm). Either thickness is fine, but keep in mind that with
the thinner rope I would suggest more coils, and the 1/2 can be
a little harder to tie knots into.
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150 ft or so is a great beginner bondage kit and will allow you
to do just about any basic bondage tie. What lengths to cut depend
a great deal on the types of ties you will be doing and on the
frame of your bottom but I would cut it up thus: (one) 40 ft or
50 ft, (two) 20 – 25 ft, (three) 10 – 12 ft, & (four) 3 – 4
ft. Be sure to finish your ends so they do not unravel. This
can be accomplished several ways; taping, whipping, tool dipping
etc.
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A note on hemp: I have a personal preference for hemp rope
mainly because the smell of it has delicious associations for
me. Some people will tell you that it is scratchy, itchy and
uncomfortable but it really depends on the kind that your buy
and how it is treated. I totally LOVE the way that the natural
fibers feel on my skin and for many of the types of bondage that
I most enjoy, I prefer the way that the hemp photographs. However,
good hemp rope can be very expensive (a dollar or more per foot)
and I would never suggest that a beginning bondage top go and make
that kind of investment to start with. Get some inexpensive nylon
rope and work your way up from there if you choose to.
Basic Rope Care & Maintenance:
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Inspect all ropes carefully before using them, making sure they are
free of unwanted twists & knots. Run the rope through your hands
inspecting for burs or splinters you may have picked up from equipment.
I also try to not let my ropes hit the floor as they can pick up sand,
grit and other undesirables that can weaken the fibers. Try to avoid
contamination from acids, oils, alkalis and any organic solvents. If
your ropes do get soiled, be sure to wash them thoroughly with warm
water & soap. Bleach can be used on heavily soiled nylon or cotton
ropes but it will eventually weaken your rope. Fabric softener can
make your ropes softer but can also shorten their life span. Be sure
to dry your rope completely before storing it. Find a way to coil
or store your rope that you are comfortable with and can use
consistently. Be careful how you coil twisted fiber rope as it
can easily become untwisted and cause the rope to get complicated
& messy. Keep all rope, including cords and threads, out of
direct sunlight to whatever extent possible. Some polypropylene
will degrade when exposed to Ultra-Violet light. Be cautious with
synthetic ropes because are they are flammable. Try to avoid long
periods of friction as heat build up could melt or weaken the rope.
If you are planning a full suspension or other scene which could
result in serious injury should the rope fail, and have any doubt
what so ever as to its strength, get new rope or do a different
type of scene!
Bondage Safety:
The principal danger associated with bondage is cutting off blood
circulation. Lack of circulation in any part of the body, regardless
of whether it is located in the region of a major artery or capillary
network, can lead to severe tissue damage--including necrosis (tissue
death), bruising and permanent nerve damage. Nerve damage can occur in
as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Symptoms of circulatory trouble include
pain, numbness, a tingling sensation, lack of sensation, drop in skin
temperature, and a skin color change to pale white or blue. If your
bondage bottom experiences or shows any of these symptoms, remove the
restraint immediately and begin massaging the area to promote blood
flow.
There is also always a danger of hyper extending or spraining of
limbs. To avoid this do not put excessive pressure on a bound limb
or force or tie it into a position that it does not readily go. Also,
certain types of play, like electrical play for example, will cause
muscle spasms and if the limb is unable to respond then it could put
added pressure on it. Fortunately, none of these dangers are inherent
and all are preventable by practicing good technique and common
sense precautions.
Some common sense reminders that can help ensure the safety of
your bondage scene experience are:
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Tighter is not necessarily better! Always make sure you can
slip at least two fingers between the bottom's skin &
the rope. Be especially cautious around joints (wrists,
elbows, knees, and ankles) or the neck--anywhere that major
arteries or veins are near the surface. Learn a little basic
anatomy & try to keep delicate places of the body
protected or at least not under too much strain. Do your
best to spread out the tension points over a wider area
when ever possible. Depending on the thickness of the rope,
use as many coils as necessary to not allow the rope to cut
into the flesh deeply.
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Do go slow with novices and new partners. Be especially
sensitive to the bottom's emotional reactions, providing
frequent gentle body contact, spoken encouragement, and
other reassurance. Watch out for developing panic.
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Don't leave someone who's inescapably bound completely
unattended for long periods of time, and no more than a
minute or two if they are gagged or tied by the neck.
Circulatory problems can get very bad, very quick! Also
you never know what other medical emergencies or accidents
could happen like fainting or falling. If you do leave the
room, keep within earshot at least and look in on them
frequently.
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Communicate with your bottom making sure s/he is comfortable
and ask for feedback from your bottoms during and / or after
a scene about what could make that experience even better for
them. Each body type will have a different range of motion
and comfort zone in bondage. Communicate to learn what works
for them. Have her / him report to you immediately if there
is any tingling, numbness, joint pain or other condition
related to the bondage. You may choose to let the scene go
on for awhile, but you need to be aware of the bottom's
condition as best as possible at all times to make that
decision and conscientious & educated one. To err on
the side of safety & cautiousness is usually a good idea.
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Don't gag a bondage partner unless you provide alternative
methods for them to communicate with you. Watch for these
signals carefully but do not count on them to know how the
bottom is doing. A bottom that is in serious distress or
that has passed out for example might not be able to use
a safe word or signal.
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Check circulation visually (watching for color changes)
and by touching (checking limb temperature) at least every
10 minutes. Numbness, color change or temperature drop =
time to remove the bondage.
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Make sure you know how to undo restraints before you put
them on. Be prepared to cut difficult knots or bonds in
an emergency. Always keep your safety scissors handy!!
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For safety sake: Ask yourself "what if" questions
such as; If there was some sort of an emergency right now
such as the bottom did happen to faint or trip in this
position what is the worse case scenario and how can I
minimize the risk? Again, always have your safety shears
close by!
A few words on rope burns & end whips:
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Rope burns can be very painful and occur as you drag the
rope quickly over the skin. Note that nylon & synthetic
ropes tend to have a faster burn speed than natural fibers.
Rope "end whips" are what happen when you have been
pulling the rope through a loop very quickly and when you get
to the end it pops up with enough speed and force to smack
your bottom in the face or other delicate anatomy part.
Neither of these are fun by products of a rope scene.
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Both are extremely common among novice & even some
intermediate rope tops & can be easily avoided by being
very aware of what you are doing as you are doing it. Wanting
to work quickly is not an excuse for being less than present
and aware of what is happening with your rope. Take a breath,
slow down and keep your own fingers between the rope and the
bottoms flesh as you pull it through. As you get close to
the end of the rope, slow down again and don't let it snap
up & hit your bottom in the face. Remember that although
neither of these may sound like serious injuries both are
definitely an indication of carelessness and will not help
to instill trust in your skills with your bottom.
Helpful Bondage Scene Creation Hints:
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First ask yourself: What is the purpose of the bondage in
this scene? It could be to make the bottom feel secure or
to keep them still cause I am really not so good with this
cane yet and I don't want them to move. <grin> You
get the picture. Is the bondage intended to be decorative
or functional? Plan accordingly! For example an elaborate
crotch rope will most likely need to be removed if you wish
to have sex during your scene. Then visualize the bondage
you want to create in your mind.
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Once you decide on the purpose of the bondage, ask yourself
what flavor or feel do you want your scene to have? Do you
want it to be a sensual and loving seduction into bondage
or would you both enjoy a rough grab and tie kidnapping
scene? Keep that in mind as you lay rope on your bottom.
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Remember that your bondage will get prettier with time
and practice. Do not be discouraged if you don't feel
you are doing it "right". No one becomes a
good rope top instantly! Get comfortable with the rope
and the ties you want to perform by doing them over &
over again. As long as you are taking precautions by
remembering to be safe and communicating with your bottom
with their welfare & relative comfort in mind, there
is no right & wrong bondage, only variations on a
theme. Be creative & experiment, try different things,
let the rope and your partner's body speak to you and you
will be fine.
Before you share rope with a new partner in a scene:
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Negotiate the scene. As with any other scene, be sure to have
full informed consent before binding your bottom and discuss
what their limitations and boundaries are while bound.
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Ask your bottom about his / her health & medical history
as it could relate to your scene. Ask questions such as:
Have you had any back, neck shoulder injuries or surgeries?
Do you have a heart condition? Etc. Do you have any difficulty
with fainting, seizures, respiration, or circulation? If female,
do you have breast implants? Does s/he have any past emotional
issues that may be triggered by being bound helplessly of which
you should be made aware?
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Have your bottom stretch a bit. This will often help avoid
injury and may help prolong the scene. Watch them as they
stretch as this could give you a good indication of how
flexible s/he is and may even give you ideas on other ways
to bind them and positions to avoid.
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Be sure that s/he has eaten but not too recently &
you may want to suggest that s/he make a bathroom stop.
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Then take a deep breath, relax & have fun!
Basic Knots:
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You don't need to be a boy scout to do good bondage. All
you need to learn is a few basic knots and you are well on
your way. This link has exceptional knot tutorials complete
with animated illustrations to practice to:
Knots and Hitches
Be sure to check out the: Bowline, Lark's Head & Reef
or Square knots especially to start with. I also find the
"round turn with two half hitches to be very helpful
for full & partial suspensions but please do not attempt
suspension for the first time without a knowledgeable &
experienced mentor. More on suspension later.
Basic Ties:
Bondage Scene After Care:
Aside from the usual; get him / her some water, wrap in a blanket
& keep warm, cuddle & show your appreciation to your bottom
there are a few after care things you should remember relative to
bondage. Chances are very good that if your bottom has been in bondage
for awhile, s/he will be very stiff and sore as you release her / him.
Be very gentle! Try to make no sudden movements, watch for rope burns
& whips again and let the bottom move and lower any stiff limbs
themselves initially. Also you can score major top after care points
if you remember to gently massage those areas that have carried the
stress or have become numb. <smile> You may also apply warmth
if necessary to restore circulation (use a heating pad or warm towels)
If the bottom is not overly "zoned" this may be a good time
to ask for feedback. It will show the bottom that you do care how
they feel and it will help you learn more about their body &
preferences. Also, be sure to admire your beautiful rope marks!
Finally, put your rope away properly, being sure to set one's
aside that may need special care or cleaning.
Suspension & partial suspension bondage notes:
This article is not intended to teach suspension of any kind but
there will always be those that want to experiment with the edgier
side of things and I would like to offer a few words of advice on
the topic.
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Never! I repeat NEVER, try this stuff at home alone until
you have a good working knowledge of what you are doing and
how to do it safely!! Please don't ever forget that you can
kill or cripple someone if you screw this up! Yes, I am trying
to scare you. You should be a little scared! People have died
or ended up in wheel chairs for life doing this! This is no
joke!
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I honestly can not stress this enough. Please, don't attempt
suspension alone without proper training . I would always
strongly suggest that you have someone more experienced
present the first few times you try suspension yourself.
It is also not a bad idea to have another person available
to help you get your bottom down in case of emergency. You
just never can know everything that might go wrong and if
you need to get someone out in a big hurry it might be
nice to have someone to help you catch them when you cut
that rope. <smile>
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Find out and be extremely aware of the maximum load capacity
of every item related to your scene. Your bondage is only as
safe as the weakest link in your system. Remember that a
person struggling can exert more than 4 times their own
body weight. Double check the bolts, hardware and construction
of the rig that the person will be tied to making sure that
there are no signs of wear. How many strands of rope are actually
supporting the weight? What if one failed, is there enough back up?
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Make sure that you have an understanding of what load is safe
to put on items such as eyebolts (use only welded closed loop
eyebolts for bearing weight) and anchor bolts & in what
direction. For example if an eyebolt is screwed into an
overhead beam and you are applying pressure straight down
it has less chance of failure than if you have that same
eyebolt screwed into a wall and you are applying pressure
that could cause the shaft to snap or the wood to split
under the load. Again, this is very serious life threatening
stuff and you must take everything into consideration! If
you don't know what is safe, ask someone who does!
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Each & every time you pick up your rope to do a suspension,
ask yourself how you would feel if you killed or crippled
someone you care about? Even if you are an experienced rope
rigger and have done suspension 100 times or more, check in
with yourself and see where you are at today, in this moment.
Are you well rested, alert and in good enough physical shape
to do this scene safely? (Suspension can involve heavy lifting
or having to support a bottom's weight while you tie off the
ropes.) Are you also attuned to your bottom's physical &
emotional needs well enough to do this scene beautifully? (I
think the most beautiful scenes I have seen are more about
the connection of the players than the top's skill with his
/ her knots & toys) It is a far better decision to wait
to do the scene another day than to just stumble stubbornly
or blindly ahead and have a negative experience.
That's about all for now!! Play safe & enjoy! Yours in rope...
Suzanne SxySadist
Links & On - line Resources:
Excellent hard copy books:
The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage
Midori, Craig Morey
Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook
Jay Wiseman
Places to buy rope online:
http://www.rainbowrope.com
http://www.japanrope.com
http://www.heliosproject.com
Rope bondage tutorials:
http://www.massachusettsbondage.com/tutorials/index.html
http://www.ropefashions.com/index.php
http://www.realknots.com/knots/
http://www.japanrope.com/tutorial.html
RopeForPleasure
Great bondage photo sites: (many are member sites)
http://www.delanoindistress.com
http://www.sxysadist.com/Default.htm
http://www.ropelover.com
http://www.beautybound.com
http://www.boundndetermined.com/
http://www.ds-arts.com/RopeArt/mainrope.html
Article written & links complied by Suzanne SxySadist
"Sensual Sadism is an art form... the body & soul is
My canvas"
Photography by Neil Shadow
www.NeilShadow.com/portfolio
My websites:
Main site:
www.SxySadist.com
Medical Play:
www.NurseNasty.net
Rope Bondage Site:
www.ShibariLover.com
Informational Site:
www.SMAntics.com
Get more instruction from Mistress Suzanne by reading her
Needle Play Tutorial.
See Suzanne in action in the Neil Shadow Gallery!
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