This will be Part 2 of the writing I did "Singletail Scares The Crap Out Of You? Read This?" You may want to go to that other writing and read that one first as it is a prequel to this writing.
So you have decided that you would like to try feeling what a single tail whip is like for the first time. Or, you had a bad experience with single tails and you would like to venture out and try it again. But how do you find someone who is good at throwing whips? What kind of questions should you ask someone when you are negotiating a whip scene?
Well, if you are a heavy masochist who loves pain, it might be as simple as knowing that the Top can hit their target of where they're aiming at. Can it really be that simple? Probably not. You may want to gain a little bit more information before you let somebody slice your back open, even if that is exactly what you want.
I recently went to lunch with a friend of mine, who incidentally went to a tasting party and got whipped by me. I told her I was going to write a Part 2 on how to find a whip Top. She said "Well that writing will be short and sweet. All you have to say is Send Nocturnal_Dom A Message!" :-)
As flattering as that is, there are still steps to take to vet someone that is going to be throwing an instrument that can move faster than the speed of sound at your naked flesh. However, (Now here comes that "Infomercial" from Part 1 lol) I have yet to say no to someone who wanted me to do a tasting with them... Just saying ;-)
The first point I'm going to get to is a whip throwers reputation. If you ask around your local munch or play space "Who is good with whips?" Most people will give you their opinion and point out certain people. However, if the Top you are looking at to give you a good "Ass Whooping" has been in the scene for years, is a great person and appears to know what they are doing, you still might want to ask them a few questions before throwing yourself on the Saint Andrew's cross. Yes, this includes Yours Truly! You are not going to hurt my feelings by asking me questions regarding my abilities or my whips. In fact, I encourage it...I love talking about whips...okay, now to those questions:
There was a discussion in the Munch group that I co-lead regarding Basic Negotiations. My slave, Nocturnals_pet and I shared a couple of negotiation lists that we came up with for the group. These are the basic things that you may want to ask before doing a scene with somebody:
https://fetlife.com/groups/168871/group_posts/13006053
But here are some other questions that you may want to ask while negotiating a whip scene or to get to know someone you are thinking of being a bottom to for a whip:
After I got my first whip, I would practice at least an hour a day, sometimes twice in one day and at least 5 times a week. I would not throw it towards anybody until about 3 months after I had practiced. This practice entailed doing accuracy drills so I could hit the same spot and do it with control. At about that three month mark, I began incorporating a live person, my slave. And even at that, she either wore pants or a skirt and a shirt so I was not hitting her bare flesh. After I was comfortable with that, I got her naked... just the way I like my slave or a bottom I am playing with to be...again, Just Saying! ;-)
Oh yeah, back to my point... Ask the Top how much practice they have had. Obviously the more they have practiced, the better they are going to be.
Okay ladies and gentlemen, let's dispel this myth once and for all..."SIZE DOESN'T MATTER"...Right? "It's not the length of the whip, it's the girth?" No, I was just kidding. Girth has nothing to do with whips! However, longer is not always better either, to the dismay of some of you Size Queens and Kings.
Generally speaking, most dungeons will not allow whips over 4 ft long to be thrown. Some dungeons do make exceptions though so check with the owners of the play space first. My whips are exactly 4 feet long but I was at one Play Party and was told they were too long because the space was small. Most whips used in scenes are anywhere between 2 and 4 feet in total length. Keep in mind that most people measure only the whip body and not the fall so you may want to ask what the total length of the whip is with the fall. For control, I prefer a whip between 3 and 4 ft long total length. Granted there are some whip Masters out there that have great control with a 6 foot, 8 foot and even 12 foot whip and can throw them accurately. I have seen someone wrap the last few inches around a banana that his demo bottom was holding between their legs. Yes, I am sure you can see how practical that skill could be ;-) But he was extremely skilled and had been throwing whips for years. These skilled people are out there and I respect their abilities. So just because someone has a whip longer than 4 feet, do not discount them as a potential play partner.
A good whip thrower usually takes pride in their whips. They will usually be able to tell you who made it and what type of whip it is. You may not be able to recognize a good brand name whip, but if the person knows who made their whip, they probably took the effort to look for a quality maker.
Not that it really matters much when you are a bottom. The only part of the whip you're going to feel is the cracker or popper on the very end. When you have a blindfold on and you are starting to slip into subspace, you are not going to be able to tell the difference between a paracord whip or a leather whip. It's going to come down to what type of cracker or popper they use on the end of the whip. Which brings up a great question...
Normally, Mason's line is used to make the cracker on popper. However I have seen stiff nylon, sort of like a soft plastic on the end of a whip. I used this hard nylon on some paper targets before and it did a nice job shredding them for me, who needs a paper shredder when you have a hard nylon cracker or popper on the end of your whip, right? ;-) For the novice bottom, I would recommend soft Mason line be used as a cracker or popper. But wait, there's more...
Sometimes people will tie a knot or a few knots about an inch or more above the end of the cracker or popper. If the end of the fall or the end of the body of the whip has a loop, a cracker or popper can be easily looped through and no knot will be needed at the end of the cracker or popper. Without a knot, it minimizes the amount of sting when hitting someone's flesh and the cracker or popper will fray into threads. But trust me, you will still feel the sting if thrown with the proper force. But it can also be thrown softly and feel very sensual. I am not saying a knot on the cracker or popper is a deal-breaker and it too can be thrown softly and feel very gentle. I have played with them before and again, no blood was drawn. So do not discount someone because they have a
knot on the end of their cracker or popper (Remember Part 1, it is how you use it).
There are different kinds of throwing techniques. There is the "Baseball" throw, where it looks as if somebody is throwing a baseball. There is the "West Coast" throw, similar to how a flogger is thrown in an "X" pattern. There is the "East Coast" throw, which is usually a horizontal side to side pattern. And there is the "Wet Towel" throw. You know, when you used to snap your wet towel at your brother, sister or friends when you were a kid? That can be done at waist level or head level, in front of or behind the neck. Everyone has their different style of throwing. I cannot discount any of them because again, it is how you have been trained to throw the whip. But they should explain to you what technique they prefer. I prefer the "West Coast" style, not because I live in California, but because I feel I have the most control with throwing it that way. But again, that is just me and I have seen people throw with great accuracy and control using the other styles. Again, don't go running away because of their style of throwing.
With a little bit of practice, almost anyone can make a whip crack. Just because someone can through a whip at the speed of sound and make a scary sound with it does not make them a good whip Top. A good Target to use would be half of a paper towel tissue or a napkin. If they can consistently hit the paper without tearing it, there is a good possibility that you may have found someone who is accurate and who has control. Thus, they will not inadvertently get you in an area that should not be hit and they will not tear open your skin, unless you ask them to. If you are still not convinced about their control, you can ask them to hit the paper as light as possible and see how their control is.
I know I am probably not telling anyone something they didn't already know but this BDSM stuff is sometimes a little risky. And when risks are involved, you should take precautions, just in case. Yes, accidents do happen so make sure there are antiseptic wipes, gauze, bandages, Etc. that are handy. Most good Tops keep a small first aid kit in their toy bag. But I would also encourage the bottoms to keep one with them as well when they go to a play party.
I was overwhelmed with the amount of "Loves" I got on Part 1 and I just want to say that I really appreciate everyone who "Loved" it, made a comment or even read it. I do hope you enjoyed this writing as much as you enjoyed the last one. Once Again, This Whip Thrower Thanks You!
SOURCE: https://fetlife.com/users/149578/posts/5310495