SPANKING, ASS BEATING and CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

by
Robin and John Hanson
Hanson PaddleWerks

 

This article originally was written for Bondagezine, an on-line magazine for Bondage enthusiasts. It sums up how Hanson Paddle Company Started and our views on spanking technique and safety.

First, We want to talk about Hanson Paddle Company. We’re not exactly the new guys on the block when it comes to spanking implements. In fact, Hanson was formed because we love spanking. John Hanson introduced me to spanking during our first scene together. Spanking was not exactly number one on my list when I first came out into the BDSM world, Bondage and the role of Slave were. Because I wanted to be a slave, anything that John wanted to try was a turn-on to me and I found that I actually got off on the pain that he inflicted on my virgin butt. That was in 1988. John’s major interest was spanking as it had been for many years before I met him.

Hanson was founded in 1990, on one product, our eight inch Stinger, a small vinyl whip that was then crudely fashioned out of vinyl beaded strands, gauze and rubber tool handle grip. John had already been making paddles for his own use for some time, because he could not find good quality reasonably priced paddles on the market and he was never comfortable with the junk that was then available in "leather" and kink stores. The response to his work was so great that he started making paddles for friends, friends of friends, club brothers and finally for sale at leather markets and stores. Thus we added paddles to our to product list several months after our first "formal" offering of the Stinger.

As manufacturers, our main concern is safety. That means that we want to make our toys as safe and indestructible as possible as well as making sure that the finished product looks good and is durable enough to take a lickin’ while giving a beating. John is a perfectionist. It sometimes drives me crazy but it’s a definite plus when it comes to the customer. Each time we sell something to a new customer we feel that they have become part of our extensive Hanson family. We’re not in business just to make a living selling our toys, we’re also here for our customers, when they need our advice about technique and safety. We frequently get questions that are better answered by a Psychologist. Sometimes we have an answer, but when we don’t, we refer them to a KINK AWARE PROFESSIONAL or tell them to look for Guy Baldwin’s TIES THAT BIND in a leather toy store or book store that specializes in Gay and Lesbian books. It’s easier to find professional resources these days because of the Internet. We provide links to a few resources on our web page.

Paddles, Straps, Razor Strops, Tawse, Canes, Stingers, Birches, what’s the best toy ? Each type of instrument has a different impact. That may sound like a pun but it’s true. Perhaps that most important impact is the psychological impact. Different people have different turn-ons. Some people relate to the frat house experience, some to the hair brush, some to getting it with dad’s belt out in the woodshed. As consenting adults, we’re entitled to explore anything that trips our triggers. My turn-on is to be helplessly bound and "tortured". I like getting my ass beaten rather than getting a spanking. The difference is all in the head.

We have a number of toys that I like having used on me, or like using on a bottom, in non-traditional places like the chest, the back or between the legs on the inner thighs. John prefers to use our toys on the butt and the backs of the thighs. Another difference between what triggers John and me is that John likes Spanking, pure and simple. Spanking for spanking’s sake. Bondage is only exciting to him as a tool to keep his bottoms where he wants them while spanking. I like bondage as a platform for all other activities, spanking is just one of the possibilities.

Some people like to cry, others scream and still others take a spanking without apparent reaction. What’s right ? It’s what’s in your head that’s right ! As long as the spanker and spankee consent. Some feel that since they are adults, or are tough leather types, that any reaction to a spanking is unseemly. They can’t be further from the truth. To prevent yourself from responding in a natural way to a spanking deprives both you and your top of the fullest enjoyment a spanking can provide. "Do what comes naturally" is the best rule to follow in this matter.

We’re very concerned about safety. We never want anyone to be injured while playing with one of our toys. Of course, we don’t have much control over a product once it’s out of our door, so we want to make sure that we’ve done our part to make a strong product and that the purchaser is using it correctly. That’s one of the reasons that we spend so much time on the phone with our customers. We want to make sure that the customer knows how to hold a particular toy and that the toy is the correct one for the intended use. We also emphasize practicing with a toy before using it on a person, even the most experienced top. Sometimes people want to order products to use on children. If we find that out, we refuse to sell to them. We are in business to supply spanking toys to consenting parties and we feel that there is no way that an under-aged individual is able to consent to having our toys used on them.

Safety first !

We advise people to use some common sense when spanking. But what is common sense? Basically, never use an implement in an area of the body where it can damage the anatomy. Some areas are obvious, like the spine, behind the knee, the area around the kidneys, the hips, the neck. Most people know this. So here are a few finer points.

When using larger, heavier instruments on the butt, avoid having the bottom bent at the waist. The reason for this is that when you bend at the waist the butt muscles are stretched and consequently more thinned out than when standing or in a prone position. A muscle has less elasticity and resilience when stretched. The muscle protects the skeletal structure from the impact of the paddle. That’s important when you want to wail away with a fraternity paddle or a large rigid toy. The best position when using a heavy paddle is for the bottom to be prone or standing upright with hands braced against the wall and legs spread about shoulder width. Looking back at my frat days, we were pretty stupid to insist that our pledges bend over and grab their ankles. We were smacking them pretty damn hard with those half inch to three quarter inch thick bats. It’s a wonder that any of us survived that.

We also make a couple of very thick and long canes. I like them because they work the muscle and leave the butt aching for days. In most cane situations you see the bottom bent over. With a cane that is thick and heavy it is advisable to follow the same rules as you would use with a heavy paddle. Most other canes, one half inch or smaller you can safely use them in a bent over position. Which brings me to canes in general. I love them, when the timing is right. Each time a stroke is given, allow a moment for the bottom to assimilate and enjoy the pain. A rapid fire succession of strokes leads to overload. The body doesn’t have time to really feel what is happening. When using a cane, aim the tip of the cane at the middle of the buttock farthest away from you. When you actually swing the cane you have a natural tendency to extend the arm. By aiming at the middle of the cheek, you will keep the cane from wrapping around the side of the hip where you can damage the bony structure. Remember, the thicker the cane, the more deeply
it works.

A word about wrapping. When working on a male bottom, wrapping too far can cause unwanted pain and disturb the mind set of the bottom. When working on a female bottom wrapping too far can cause serious injury to the person. So, ALWAYS know where your instrument is going to land. PRACTICE !

Straps ! Another favorite! Wait, what am I talking about, anything that spanks is a favorite. Straps have a special appeal for me. I like the flex and warm burn of leather. Setting the physical sensation aside, they have a psychological turn-on for me. Do I relate to getting it from my dad ? Hardly! I was a victim of abuse. If I related the strap to my dad I’d hate it. I think of being a slave or prisoner in some archaic system of
man’s inhumanity to man. Figure that one out and you know what half the people of kink get turned on by. Straps can be heavy enough to damage bones too. Evaluate the strap, it’s weight and the force of your swing before using it. I like to get it on the pectorals. But John knows how hard to swing and he chokes up on the strap so that he’s not hitting anything but the large (I wish) muscles that protect the ribs and avoids the sternum. I also like to use straps on the back but I am careful to strike only the large muscled areas on the back. I strike vertically so that I don’t come near the spinal column. I swing with attention to the amount of muscle on the back. If I’m playing with a body builder I can smack pretty hard. If a skinny guy is the bottom, I’m only going to use a tapping motion.

Short straps are easier to use that long ones, obviously ! When using a long strap, practice first ! We tell people to take an old bed pillow, fold it in half and tie a rope around the center, then form it to approximate the ass. Remember what I said about aiming with the cane ? The instructions are the same. Aim for the middle of the farthest buttock. Don’t wrap the hip. At the very least, it’s very unpleasant. Just one more quick pointer. Put your index finger up the middle of the back of the strap. It helps to make it land flat instead of on an edge. Edges can feel nasty and they may bruise and cut.

BRUISES. I happen to like "war wounds" and I know there are a lot of people like me, but there are people who don’t want or can’t have marks or bruises for various reasons. There are a few ways to keep bruises and marks to a minimum. Use a lighter warm-up toy to redden the entire area that you intend to work harder later on in the scene. Use a rapid light spanking movement all over the butt surface until it is glowing with a nice pink to reddish color. This helps dilate the capillaries and bring a good supply of blood near the surface of the skin. If you should find a bruise after the spanking, use a light tapping motion around and on the bruise. This helps to bring the blood back to the entire surface which helps the body to reabsorb the fluids in the affected area. (Also, it’s fun watching the bottom squirm when doing this.) We don’t know how or why it works, but we’ve found that by increasing intake in vitamins A and E that bottoms who bruise easily are less likely to bruise and mark. If you have a bottom who is concerned about bruising you might have them try taking higher dosages of the vitamins as a part of their regular diet. The use of a pair of boxer type heavy latex shorts that fit snuggly will increase the pain of a spanking and will reduce the chances of bruising considerably. Have the bottom wear the shorts for a while until there is a bit of sweat forming on the butt. Then spank !

Punishment vs. Play. That’s an issue that you could write volumes on. We personally don’t play the punishment games. We find that there is no need for it in our relationship. Besides, it would be hard to find a way to inflict physical punishment on me. It seems that I can turn anything into a massive turn-on, it’s the way my head works. Spanking certainly doesn’t work as a tool for it. Enforced abstinence from all BDSM activity is probably the only way to find a workable punishment where I am concerned. I think that I have to refer you to our web site where you can find resources for people who are more competent to discuss the subject.

Spanking toys in erogenous zones. AHHH! For me, the feet. I love bastinado. Beating of the soles of the feet. It’s like an instant ON BUTTON. There are a few rules. Keep the foot flat. Unless you plan on crippling the bottom, use toys that are flexible, like a thin cane, small leather strap or a small vinyl whip. You can also use a small narrow paddle such as our ruler. But always pay attention to the force of the blow. Try to use tapping motions that illicit a squirm and a squeal. You don’t want a scream. Think of it as heavy tickling. My personal favorite toy is our quarter inch Cocobolo ruler. It has a bit of weight for it’s size. It stings like hell but it’s very controllable. Just remember, the bottom has to walk on his feet for the rest of his life. Cause pain without any lasting effect. Remember, when working on other than muscular areas, control your blows. A light tap on a bottom’s testicles can be excruciating. Know your anatomy !

Since I mentioned the quarter inch ruler, I’d like to bring up another favorite. I love tit torture. When I’m in the mood to go really heavy, I ask John to "punish" my tits before working on the them. He likes to use either the quarter inch thick ruler or choke up on the prison strap. My chest is usually bruised before he starts in with the clamps. It’s a mind blower and there are certainly times when I think I can’t handle it. But John knows by watching my bodily reactions that I am really turned on by it. He knows me. We’ve been playing together for a decade. He knows when to push and when to stop. This brings to mind a little comment that should be a matter of common sense. Know your bottom or top before playing games that push limits to the "edge" or have a reliable safe word. Sometimes yelling "stop" isn’t the best idea. As I know myself, "stop" means more, even when I think it means stop. Never ! Ever ! abuse a safe word. It’ll blow the scene for both the top and bottom and you don’t want to do that…do you ?

We’re always open to discussion with our customers, so if you want more information or ideas, look through our web site or e-mail us