Sunday 27 October 2013

A Guide to Buying Gags for BDSM, Bondage and S&M Play



A Guide to Buying BDSM and Bondage Gags





After experimenting with a bit of light scarf bondage, leather wrist cuffs or rope bondage, or trying out gentle sensory-deprivation toys such as blindfolds, many people wish to expand their repertoire of BDSM play, but there are many types of gags on the market today and the question arises "What sort of gag should I buy?"

This guide is an introduction to some of the most common types available and covers such aspects as their purpose and some of the important safety issues that you should consider when planning to buy and use them.

Why should I buy a gag?


This is probably one of the first questions that a less experienced person asks. Surely they are used to stop someone you're with from speaking and, thereby, preventing them from withdrawing consent, aren't they?

Well, yes, many are designed or intended to restrict someone's ability to speak, however there are a couple of issues to cover here.

Firstly it is virtually impossible to render someone completely incapable of making a sound, even if you were using duct-tape to seal a person's mouth shut, it is still possible for them to go "MMM!" quite loudly which any responsible player should take notice of.

Secondly, if, as all sensible bondage players do, you wish to engage in SSC (Safe, Sane and Consensual) or RACK (Risk Aware Consensual Kink) play, you will have arranged a Safe Signal prior to starring in order to let the Slave, Submissive or Bottom to indicate that they wish whatever the Master or Mistress, Dominant or Top is doing to them to stop.

Another reason for buying a gag is that wearing one or having someone put one on you can be a deeply submissive act, surrendering your ability to speak, or simply for the "look" of it, many people find their appearance to be very arousing.

What are some of the BDSM safety issues I should consider?


Especially with a new partner, you should always check to make sure that they do not have any medical conditions (e.g. congestion, asthma etc) which may make it difficult for them to breathe when gagged. This does not necessarily mean you cannot use gags, but you should stick to ones which have less risk of obstructing breathing, for instance the Breather, Bit, Ring or Dental Gags.

Another consideration is whether the wearer may have an over-reactive gag reflex. If they do, you should avoid toys that penetrate the mouth (e.g. a Penis Gag or even a large Ball Gag) as this risks causing the wearer to vomit and that could subsequently be aspirated (inhaled) by accident, causing choking. Naturally, even if this seems not to be a risk, taking a First Aid course that includes CPR is always a sensible idea.

You should also check to see if your slave or sub has weak teeth or has had dental bridgework, tooth-caps or similar as some types of gag (e.g. the plain metal Dental Gag) could risk damaging their teeth by accident.

What are Safe Signs and Signals and how are they used in BDSM when someone is gagged?


A Safe Sign is a way for the Bottom (person on the receiving end of play) to indicate a problem or that they wish the Top (the person doing the play) to slow down, reduce the intensity of, or completely stop the play.

Safe Signals can, for instance, be done with the fingers, one finger meaning "I'm OK", two meaning "this is getting close to my limit" and three meaning "stop what you're doing". There is also five fingers repeatedly which means "Emergency stop, something's gone wrong" and the person wants the whole scene to stop, perhaps because they're getting cramp etc.

An alternative is to have the Bottom hold a bunch of keys or a bell which they can use to make a noise or that will be noticeable when they drop it to warn the Top or Dominant of a problem.

What types of gags are available?


Ball Gag- This is one of the most common type of gags, often seen in BDSM pornography. As the name suggests, this uses a ball (usually rubber or a similar material) on a leather or latex strap (or occasionally a chain) to fill the mouth and make it very difficult for the wearer to speak.

If the wearer is capable of pulling their lower jaw back some distance, it is possible to spit out the ball, however this can be prevented by using the Head Harness Ball Gag. This generally has a buckling strap that goes under the chin and two straps that go from the sides of the mouth to meet at a point in the middle of the forehead. These are then attached to a strap which goes over the head and secures to the buckle-strap at the back of the head. If the wearer tries to spit this ball out, it will just pop back into their mouth!

Many Ball Gags are made with hard, solid-rubber balls of the type that are sold in shops for dogs to play with, however these are often too big and too unforgiving for users because they simply will not fit comfortably in their mouth or they force the jaw too wide making it ache. Another drawback is that it is almost impossible for the wearer to swallow the saliva that inevitably collects in their mouth.

One of the easiest ways to avoid this issue is to use one that has a soft ball with a rubber shell and a foam inner. These are compressible, meaning the wearer can close their mouth sufficiently to swallow, but it will subsequently re-expand to fill the mouth again.

Breather Ball Gag- Some users find that a soft rubber ball is not suited to their play because they find it frightening to not be able to breathe through their mouths. This style will have air holes through it, for instance many use a practice golf-ball (a hard, hollow, plastic shell with holes through it) to allow the wearer to breathe more freely. This will, of course, also have the additional humiliating effect of making the wearer tend to dribble all over the place!

There is also a Head Harness Breather Ball Gag available.

Bit Gag- Based on the style of a horse bit, mainly these are made from a solid or hollow rubber tube but sometimes they can be made from a rolled piece of leather. There are also versions made from metal (i.e. the sort seen on a horse's bridle). Sometimes they have large O-rings at the side, whilst other versions have D Rings which allow a set of reins to be attached, again emulating a horse's bridle.

These are suited to users who wish to have something to bite down on or chew upon, something which may not be possible with other types of gag, either due to the style or because the material they are made from would be damaged by such actions.

They also, naturally, are ideal for those who people who wish to engage in Pony Play (i.e. animal role-play)

Combined Ball-Bit Gag - So what happens when you have someone who likes the idea of a Ball Gag, but also wants something they can bite down on, like the Bit Gag? Or perhaps they want to try a Ball Gag, but don't want something that pushes too far into their mouth.

Well the answer is to buy a Combined Ball-Bit Gag. This, as the name suggests, combines the mouth-filling soft rubber ball from the Ball Gag with the rubber bit gag that they can chew on without damaging the ball, giving the best of both worlds!


Ring Gag or Plug Gag- These are often used by people who wish to engage in (consensual) "forced" oral sex. The former comprises a metal ring (often coated in PVC or wrapped in leather) to hold the mouth open and allow oral penetration or similar activities to be carried out without the wearer being able to close their mouth to prevent it. Generally the ring will be attached to a strap and sit just behind the front teeth to prop the mouth open.

The latter type is often seen in Japanese BDSM pornography and is made from the fittings of a bathroom plug attached to a leather panel so a metal tube goes between the wearer's teeth and there is a plug on a short length of chain which the dominant partner can take out or put back in when they wish access to their slave's mouth. This is also available as a Head Harness Plug Gag if preferred.

Dental Gag- Based on equipment used by oral hygiene professionals, these generally comprise a pair of narrow, hinged metal bars that run horizontally across the mouth and have catches or a ratchet to keep them open. The two main types are the Jennings Dental Gag which has a single ratchet at the side and the Whitehead Dental Gag which has a pair of ratchets, one each side of the mouth, for a more dramatic look.

You can also buy these with PVC Coating on the metal bars to protect the teeth by preventing them from coming into contact with the bare metal. This style often has a leather strap which fastens around the back of the head to stop the wearer spitting the gag out.

Penis Gag- As the name suggests, this has a fitting which is shaped like a penis, usually made out of latex rubber, often with a softer foam filling. When buckled in place with a leather strap, the wearer has to suck on the rubber penis which can be humiliating for them.

A variant is the Penis Gag with Dildo where the wearer can be made to use the dildo to penetrate their partner or, alternatively, a Dominant woman can sit on their slave's face and ride the dildo for her pleasure.

So what sort of gag should I buy?


The answer to this question is "What do you want it to do?" To simply "silence" the wearer (or restrict their speech) a basic Ball Gag, Combined Ball-Bit Gag or Penis Gag is probably most appropriate.

If you want to hold someone's mouth open (e.g., as mentioned, for "forced" oral sex) then a Ring Gag or Dental Gag would be a suitable choice.

If your slave or submissive wants something to bite on, for instance if you wish to cane them or engage in other heavy discipline play which makes them grit their teeth, the Bit Gag (orthe Combined Ball-Bit Gag) could be the best choice.

Remember, though, whatever gag you choose to buy and use in your BDSM play, keep in mind the simple safety rules of monitoring the wearer to ensure that they are able to breathe freely and that the gag will not accidentally interfere with this.

Do you have any comments on buying gags?


Are you thinking about buying a gag, but have questions? Do you have any useful hints and tips for others who may be wanting to buy gags?

Is there a particular type of gag which you think is better than the others?

Perhaps you've bought a gag from us already and would love to tell people your experiences of using it!

Whatever the case, we would love you to add your comments below...




Friday 25 October 2013

Erotica 2013 show

Earlier today I visited the Erotica 2013 show and, frankly, was pretty underwhelmed.

Firstly, instead of being right next to Olympia station, there's a half mile walk from Wapping Tube. The building itself is a bit of a maze with all the stalls in glass "shops" (meaning some people ended up stuck in the back end of a room with no through-flow).

I talked to several people who had problems with the lack of organisation, being moved at the last minute, crew not being available for their events or not being mentioned in the show guide (I was the entire audience for the writers Q and A!).

It was a lot smaller than even the last Erotica at Olympia and there weren't many punters there either.

Even having spent a fair amount of time talking with stall-holders I knew, within 1 1/2 hours I'd seen everything there was there (which wasn't that much) and was going to go home, but first I wasted another 20 minutes trying to re-locate a stall on which there was something I wanted to take another look at, but couldn't remember which glass box it was in...

All in all, I wasn't very impressed.

Friday 18 October 2013

Lovely leather corset

When you're buying a leather corset, you want to make sure that you're getting a quality product, especially when you're forking out a lot of money for it. In which case, you could do an awful lot worse than buy one from Affordable Leather Products

Made from quality leather, with spring-steel boning and steel busk-fronted, these corsets are certainly a product you're unlikely to regret buying.

They are fully lined and all of them (apart from the waist-nipper) come with no less than eight suspenders which, of course, are removable if required.

They come in all the standard sizes, but can be made in size 24, size 26, size 28 or even size 30 for the BBWs out there. Not only that, but they can be custom made to fit your personal overbust, underbust, waist and hip measurements (and, yes, that includes corsets for men too!)

Whether you want a leather corset to wear as outer-wear or underwear, you're going to get a product that will be well worth the money and last for years to come.


Sunday 13 October 2013

What a co-incidence...

An ex-pro-domme who is about to publish a book (which features Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne) is suddenly raided by the Drugs Squad.

Unsurprisingly, no drugs were found.

Is anyone else thinking this is a very odd co-incidence...?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/george-osborne-cops-raid-home-2366160#ixzz2hYSY3H6N


Saturday 12 October 2013

Here's a lovely new gag!

Now here's a really great idea for a gag to keep your slave quiet!

If your submissive likes something that fills their mouth (like a conventional Ball Gag) but also has a habit of chewing on the gag ball or the gag strap, you can eventually end up with a ruined toy, but now those clever people form Affordable Leather Products have come up with a gag that combines the best elements of both.

It starts off with a rubber bit as you would find on one of their standard bit gags, but they have added a foam-filled rubber ball to the gag which will fill the mouth (however is still soft enough to let them swallow so they don't end up with a mouthful of spit!) giving them something to bite on as the ball keeps them quiet.

You can click here to buy one of these new combined ball-bit gags which are only £20 which is an excellent price for a neat toy.




Thursday 10 October 2013

Affordable Leather on Facebook

There's now a page for all you lovers of sensibly priced leather bondage and BDSM gear on Facebook as Affordable Leather Products have expanded into the world of social media.

All you need to do is to go to Affordable Leather Products's page and click on the Like button to get information about their bondage gear and leather fetish products and see pictures of lots of kinky toys :-)


EE's policies for transpeople are illegal!

EE have discovered that their policies dealing with transpeople may well be illegal after they required a transwoman that they required "a covering letter with a copy of the change of name deed poll document and also the documented proof of gender change"!

Requiring she provide a deed poll is like asking someone for a marriage or divorce certificate could be considered indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

The request for proof of gender change documentation, is very probably in breach of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

They are now frantically back-pedalling "as a matter of urgency", but don't actually say when they'll fix the information on their website.

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/mobile-phone-giant-ee-botches-name-change-trans-customer101013

Monday 7 October 2013

10% discount for customers and new Wartenburg Pinwheels

Following the news that the October London Fetish Fair has had to be cancelled (a new venue will be coming soon, watch this space for details...!), in order to compensate for the disappointment, Affordable Leather Products are offering a 10% discount to customers until the 14th of October.

All you need to do is to visit their website and pick from their usual great range of leather bondage and BDSM gear and then enter the Discount Code LFF at the checkout.

This will, of course, also apply to their new range of 1, 3, 5 and 7 wheel Wartenburg Pinwheels and includes the offer of buying a set of 1, 3, 5 and 7 wheel Wartenburg Pinwheels for £60 including a FREE carrying case!

Remember, though, this discount offer is only for the next week and will expire on the 14th of October, so get it while it's still there...


Friday 4 October 2013

October London Fetish Fair Cancelled :-(

Regrettably the October LFF has been cancelled.

For those who don't know, the London Fetish Fair is a long running market where you can buy all sorts of products from sexy outfits to kinky furniture to leather bondage gear and corsets to name just a small selection of what's available.

The organisers are doing their utmost to find a new venue for this excellent event, so check the LFF website for more details as soon as they are available.



Wednesday 2 October 2013

Apple's incoherent LGBT policies.

Why can't Apple come up with a coherent and understandable policy on LGBT issues?

First they allow "Gay Cure" Apps and only take them down after a massive protest, then they decide that an App designed to give a "fun read-out on individual sexuality" violates their policy of not allowing Apps that have "objectionable or crude content"!

What, exactly is "objectionable or crude content" about this??

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/apple-refuses-take-gay-or-straight-sex-app-test-won%E2%80%99t-say-why021013?fb_comment_id=fbc_472442769519720_2452666_472448762852454


Tuesday 1 October 2013

Open wide and say... gulp!

If you have a little "forced" oral sex in mind, you need something that will let you enjoy it without the risk of getting bitten!

Well now Affordable Leather supply a product which will do exactly that, the Japanese Mouth Plug Gag.

This gag, as the name suggests, has a bathroom plug held by a leather strap and panel so it can be inserted between the wearer's teeth and, of course, secured in place stop them spitting the gag out.

Once you've done this, you can take the plug out so your slave's mouth is still held open and you can insert anything you like into it.

The Japanese seem to love this sort of gag as it often features in their pornography, but, of course, if you're female, you can always make a slave take a strap-on dildo into their mouth or, for those with a smoking fetish, tap your cigarette ash onto their tongue!

Japanese Mouth Plug Gag


Michael Gove and (lack of) Sex Education

Michael Gove the Education Secretary thinks that we should not update sex education in schools because he doesn't want it to become "time bound" and "because “changing social mores” will make fresh advice out of date".

WTF? Sex education advice to schools was last updated in 2000, ie *thirteen years ago*. How, exactly is that not "time bound"??

Thirteen years ago kids did not have the internet and smart phones and didn't have free and easy access to online pornography. Now they do, however instead of passing stupid and ineffective laws making ISPs impose default-on blocks on adult content (which are laughably easy to circumvent) we need to *educate* children about sex and sexuality and relationships and how to behave towards one another.

Unfortunately although Nick Clegg and, indeed, David Cameron agree that advice needs to be updated for the modern world, Michael Gove wants to keep children ignorant in the deluded view that somehow denying them information will make them safer!