Bondage, Part One, Getting Started
by Jack Rinella

Becoming an expert in bondage techniques takes experience. You're not going to get from here to “there” in one easy step, but you will get there with practice, information, experience, and the right equipment. Starting out is merely getting the fundamental tools and starting where you are. You'll hear me say time and time again that you don't have to do anything with great expense or “whole hog.” It's best to start out small and slow. You'll have lots of time later for big investments and marathon bondage sessions.

So come with me this morning as I walk through my local Ace Hardware and see how we can put together a rope kit for Bondage 101. The names of the equipment may vary from supplier to supplier. The numbers in parentheses reflect suburban hardware rates. You can probably get things cheaper if you try.

I'm going start off with a good pair of scissors. Ideally you'll get the kind used to remove bandages after surgery. They have dull ends so that the skin is safe while you cut your bottom loose. You'll probably have to make a quick stop at a pharmacy to get these. I mention scissors first because in all this bondage stuff, as in all SM, safety comes first. Never tie someone up without a pair of good scissors nearby in case of an emergency.

That said, our first stop is for rope. There are two types that I use: clothesline and nylon. Pick up a 50 foot package of 7/32 inch by 100 feet ($5.79) cotton rope. Cut it into variable lengths between 7 and 18 or so feet. You'll want to have shorter lengths for some things such as tying feet, wrists, or cocks, and longer for others, such as around chests and arms or thighs. Once cut you may want to protect the ends from fraying. Nylon cord is easy to melt with a candle's flame. Heat it enough so that it begins to melt and then form it into a secure end.

You'll have to be a bit more creative with the frayed ends of clothesline. I immersed the ends of my first ropes in glue and then let the glue dry by setting the ropes' ends on wax paper. Be sure the glue (I used Elmer's) soaks into the rope. Rubber cement works, but not as well. To be real fancy, you could wrap the ends with thin twine.

At this point I'll refer you to a boy scout handbook or a book on knot tying. Of course it's not a bad idea to get one of those anyway, though many bondage enthusiasts will readily admit that they use only a few standard knots.

Clothesline is my favorite rope because it ties easily and is flexible. It tends to get dirty and sometimes the knots can be more difficult to untie.

Nylon, on the other hand, seems to stay cleaner and is easier to loosen. The down side to this is that nylon knots tend to loosen too easily. You can get it in various thicknesses ( ¼ ($6.79), 3/8 ($13.79), ½ ($23.47) inch for instance) and lengths (the prices are for 50 feet). I prefer the 3/8 inch ropes. Thinner is more dangerous, thicker is harder to work with. In any case, among these three choices it's probably more a question of esthetics than safety, as long as you tie knots safely in the first place.

Avoid twine, any thin rope or thread, and any rope made of a rough material such as jute or manila. Leather thongs are nice if used with care. Be mindful that the thinner the cord, the more liable it is to cut or otherwise damage skin. Thin cords are more dangerous too in that they will more easily cut off your bottom's circulation.

An exception might be the use of nylon twine ($2.19 for 260 feet) where you use lots of twine to weave your bondage around your bottom. Here I emphasize weaving as opposed to tying per se, though it may be just a matter of terminology. If the tying is done so that the twine remains snug enough to stay but loose enough so as not to constrict, the bondage can be a real work of art. The details for such artistry, though, are beyond an intro course. Mentioning it is just food for thought.

Ropes aren't the only tools for tying. Chains and lashing straps are somewhere to be found in every hardware store. A pair of 9 foot straps ($4.79) would be useful for bondage to a cross, chair, or sawhorse or to secure a bottom's arms to his or her chest. There's a use for stretch cords if you have the place for them. Lengths of 24, 32, and 46 inches range in cost from $2 to 3.00.

The next stop at Ace's is to the aisle where they sell chain. Quarter inch coil chain is $1.59 per foot. Unless you want to invest in a pair of cutters, know your required lengths before you buy them. Add an inch or so to your measurements as it's always better to have it too long than too short.

With the chains you'll also need bolt snaps ($1.59 each). These are double-ended snaps and you'll never need less than the number you buy. I guess I own more than a dozen and I still find myself in a scene looking for another one. For more permanent attachment use a quick link for under 50 cents.

Chain can serve several purposes. It certainly works as a bondage material, though you'll want to get leather restraints to attach your bottom to the chain. It's not as comfortable as rope but it does pose less danger. Here again it's a matter of taste and the kind of scene you're both into.

More often chain serves as a great point of attachment. You can, for instance, run a length of chain around the edge of your bed and then tie your bottom spread eagle on the bed. Each link serves as a point of attachment. The nice thing about an arrangement such as this is that the equipment is portable, storable, easily hidden, and usable without altering furniture or walls.

I'm thinking of a scene where the chain encircles the bed and the bottom is loosely encased in nylon twine, Gulliver in Lilliputian style. Yards of twine would go from link to leg and back again, link to chest, link to arm, etc. Sounds hot to me. I'll have to try that on Michael.

I haven't even started on locks and screw eyes, nor on saran wrap or duct tape. Some things, I guess, need to be left to your imagination or to next week's column.

Have a great week. You can leave me email at mrjackr@leathermail.com or visit my website at http://leatherviews.c.topica.com/maajQJUabEHhhaCIxGEb/ where you can subscribe to this column and receive it weekly.

Copyright 2008 by Jack Rinella, all rights reserved.