thepast
11-15-2007, 07:15 PM
G is for Gags
Who doesn’t love a good gag? Well… let’s rephrase that: What Dominant doesn’t love a good gag? There are so many types and variations of gags used for a variety of purposes. I will try and touch on some of the more and less obvious aspects of gags, and provide you with a variety of sources to go check out some other options…
Purpose
Silence is the most commonly known and used reason for gags. Gags can muffle the screams…errr…sounds… coming out of a submissive’s mouth during play. This can be especially beneficial if you’re worried about neighbors, kids or strangers overhearing your moments of sheer ecstasy.
A little humiliation. Some gags will cause the submissive to drool or might force them to breathe through their nose. This heightens the play experience and may be an element of control that the couple enjoys.
So where do I start?
The size of the gag is one of the most important choices in determining what gag is right for you. You should always start with a small gag, so that you can get used to the fit and feel. Not all gags are the same, however. A small, round wiffle ball with holes (ping pong ball sized) is a good place to start. It is small enough to fit well inside the mouth, allows breathing through the holes in the ball, and is not excruciatingly painful for the jaw. Make sure the ball is attached to some form of string/strap so that you don’t accidentally choke on it. Once you are comfortable with the small, porous wiffle ball, you can move to either a small ring gag or a slightly larger ball gag. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to adjust to an increase in size—the larger gags will make your jaw sorer faster and will also increase the drool factor and will interfere more with your breathing. Also, use gags for a short time at the beginning until you are used to the sensation, then increase in duration slowly.
Safety concerns:
Breathing is one of the biggest safety concerns with gags. With good experience, you might be able to put a gag in that severely restricts breathing through your mouth. However, at the beginning, you want to ensure that you don’t necessarily cut off all breathing ability through your mouth. Insert the gag and breathe slowly in and out. If you are uncomfortable with the lack of air, then immediately remove the gag. Subs should never be left alone when gagged!
Gags also prevent the use of verbal safe words during play. Before using a gag, you should have in place a non-verbal sequence of safe words so that if the submissive has an issue, the Dominant can immediately pull the gag out and administer help. Please Note: non-verbal safe words should be something that you otherwise would not see/use during play. For instance, hitting the bed/wall/floor is probably not a successful safe word since the sub may accidentally thrash about and hit the bed/wall/floor and play would cease accidentally.
It’s important to note that things such as tennis balls, Nerf balls and other objects not intended to be used as gags may have surface chemicals that are harmful to you so they should not be used. Also, duct tape is extremely dangerous to use as an exterior gag because it is hard to pull off and severely restricts breathing.
Make sure to always clean your gags well! After using hot soapy water, make sure you rinse them well—after all, they are ending up in your mouth and you don’t want to taste soap! (ok all you evil Doms, stop thinking mean things…)
Ok, so now I know about being safe and making sure I can breathe… What gag should I use?
Ball Gags: These gags are the most commonly seen and used. They come in a variety of sizes, colors and materials. As stated above, these are the best gags to start with. Find a small, porous ball to start, then move up in size slowly. Sometimes, ball gags “taste funny” because of the type of material they are made out of. Ball gags also come in different strengths—some are easy to bite through, some are hard as rocks. You have to go with a trial-and-error process and find the one that’s right for you. Don’t force a ball gag into your mouth. Sometimes they are just too big. It should fit in your mouth behind your teeth or just so that your teeth clamp down on the gag. If the gag is too big, it can hurt your jaw too much and cause damage.
Ring Gags: Ring gags come in a variety of sizes but generally are a metal ring with leather/suede wrapped around the ring to protect your mouth from touching the actual metal ring. Many Dominants like ring gags because they have a rather large drool factor and enable a penis (if the gag is large enough) to be inserted into the submissive’s mouth without the danger of the submissive biting down on the penis. Often, the throat can become dry quickly with a ring gag, so it’s important to properly hydrate. Don’t attempt to swallow liquids when the ring gag is in place.
Penis Gags: These gags are internal, often with a solid “plate” (of leather) over the entire mouth with a penis protruding into the mouth. The penis can be of varying lengths and sizes. It’s important to start slowly with a shorter penis before going longer to ensure that you can take a larger size. The larger the penis, the harder it will be to breathe, so take caution.
Medical Gags: There are various types of medical gags including a “spider” gag. These gags tend to be metal and are adjustable to be smaller or larger. These are far more advanced gags and should be used by experienced players and with great caution.
Bit Gags: Often used in pet play, especially pony play. Bit gags are usually one long “rod” that is part of a larger harness. Many people prefer bit gags because they’re easier to “clamp” down on with the teeth. One thing to be careful of with bit gags is grinding of teeth that is possible if the bit is too small in diameter to keep the upper and lower teeth separated.
Homemade Gags: There are many varieties of homemade gags. Many people choose to start learning how to use a gag by using a scarf or other soft object to bite down on. Take note that it is important not to use anything with chemicals or anything you could suffocate on. Also, homemade gags tend to not have a strap or another way for them to be extracted if needed.
Submissive Tricks
Spitting the gag out: ahh one of the best tricks. Subs can often push a gag out with their tongue. This occurs especially frequently if the gag is small or the strap is not tight enough.
Biting through the gag: Frequently occurs if the gag is too soft or is cheap. Try biting hard on the gag before inserting it to test and see if it will crack through. Sometimes if the play is incredibly intense, a gag may be bitten through that otherwise would be strong. If you bite through a gag, immediately stop play and extract the pieces of gag from your mouth to avoid choking.
Threads on the Forums:
There are many threads including gags, but no recent threads strictly on gags.
Other Sites with Good Info:
http://www.albanypowerexchange.com/BDSMinfo/gags.htm --AlbanyPowerExchange’s “Urban Myths about Gags”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gag_(BDSM) --Wikipedia’s take on gags
Who doesn’t love a good gag? Well… let’s rephrase that: What Dominant doesn’t love a good gag? There are so many types and variations of gags used for a variety of purposes. I will try and touch on some of the more and less obvious aspects of gags, and provide you with a variety of sources to go check out some other options…
Purpose
Silence is the most commonly known and used reason for gags. Gags can muffle the screams…errr…sounds… coming out of a submissive’s mouth during play. This can be especially beneficial if you’re worried about neighbors, kids or strangers overhearing your moments of sheer ecstasy.
A little humiliation. Some gags will cause the submissive to drool or might force them to breathe through their nose. This heightens the play experience and may be an element of control that the couple enjoys.
So where do I start?
The size of the gag is one of the most important choices in determining what gag is right for you. You should always start with a small gag, so that you can get used to the fit and feel. Not all gags are the same, however. A small, round wiffle ball with holes (ping pong ball sized) is a good place to start. It is small enough to fit well inside the mouth, allows breathing through the holes in the ball, and is not excruciatingly painful for the jaw. Make sure the ball is attached to some form of string/strap so that you don’t accidentally choke on it. Once you are comfortable with the small, porous wiffle ball, you can move to either a small ring gag or a slightly larger ball gag. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to adjust to an increase in size—the larger gags will make your jaw sorer faster and will also increase the drool factor and will interfere more with your breathing. Also, use gags for a short time at the beginning until you are used to the sensation, then increase in duration slowly.
Safety concerns:
Breathing is one of the biggest safety concerns with gags. With good experience, you might be able to put a gag in that severely restricts breathing through your mouth. However, at the beginning, you want to ensure that you don’t necessarily cut off all breathing ability through your mouth. Insert the gag and breathe slowly in and out. If you are uncomfortable with the lack of air, then immediately remove the gag. Subs should never be left alone when gagged!
Gags also prevent the use of verbal safe words during play. Before using a gag, you should have in place a non-verbal sequence of safe words so that if the submissive has an issue, the Dominant can immediately pull the gag out and administer help. Please Note: non-verbal safe words should be something that you otherwise would not see/use during play. For instance, hitting the bed/wall/floor is probably not a successful safe word since the sub may accidentally thrash about and hit the bed/wall/floor and play would cease accidentally.
It’s important to note that things such as tennis balls, Nerf balls and other objects not intended to be used as gags may have surface chemicals that are harmful to you so they should not be used. Also, duct tape is extremely dangerous to use as an exterior gag because it is hard to pull off and severely restricts breathing.
Make sure to always clean your gags well! After using hot soapy water, make sure you rinse them well—after all, they are ending up in your mouth and you don’t want to taste soap! (ok all you evil Doms, stop thinking mean things…)
Ok, so now I know about being safe and making sure I can breathe… What gag should I use?
Ball Gags: These gags are the most commonly seen and used. They come in a variety of sizes, colors and materials. As stated above, these are the best gags to start with. Find a small, porous ball to start, then move up in size slowly. Sometimes, ball gags “taste funny” because of the type of material they are made out of. Ball gags also come in different strengths—some are easy to bite through, some are hard as rocks. You have to go with a trial-and-error process and find the one that’s right for you. Don’t force a ball gag into your mouth. Sometimes they are just too big. It should fit in your mouth behind your teeth or just so that your teeth clamp down on the gag. If the gag is too big, it can hurt your jaw too much and cause damage.
Ring Gags: Ring gags come in a variety of sizes but generally are a metal ring with leather/suede wrapped around the ring to protect your mouth from touching the actual metal ring. Many Dominants like ring gags because they have a rather large drool factor and enable a penis (if the gag is large enough) to be inserted into the submissive’s mouth without the danger of the submissive biting down on the penis. Often, the throat can become dry quickly with a ring gag, so it’s important to properly hydrate. Don’t attempt to swallow liquids when the ring gag is in place.
Penis Gags: These gags are internal, often with a solid “plate” (of leather) over the entire mouth with a penis protruding into the mouth. The penis can be of varying lengths and sizes. It’s important to start slowly with a shorter penis before going longer to ensure that you can take a larger size. The larger the penis, the harder it will be to breathe, so take caution.
Medical Gags: There are various types of medical gags including a “spider” gag. These gags tend to be metal and are adjustable to be smaller or larger. These are far more advanced gags and should be used by experienced players and with great caution.
Bit Gags: Often used in pet play, especially pony play. Bit gags are usually one long “rod” that is part of a larger harness. Many people prefer bit gags because they’re easier to “clamp” down on with the teeth. One thing to be careful of with bit gags is grinding of teeth that is possible if the bit is too small in diameter to keep the upper and lower teeth separated.
Homemade Gags: There are many varieties of homemade gags. Many people choose to start learning how to use a gag by using a scarf or other soft object to bite down on. Take note that it is important not to use anything with chemicals or anything you could suffocate on. Also, homemade gags tend to not have a strap or another way for them to be extracted if needed.
Submissive Tricks
Spitting the gag out: ahh one of the best tricks. Subs can often push a gag out with their tongue. This occurs especially frequently if the gag is small or the strap is not tight enough.
Biting through the gag: Frequently occurs if the gag is too soft or is cheap. Try biting hard on the gag before inserting it to test and see if it will crack through. Sometimes if the play is incredibly intense, a gag may be bitten through that otherwise would be strong. If you bite through a gag, immediately stop play and extract the pieces of gag from your mouth to avoid choking.
Threads on the Forums:
There are many threads including gags, but no recent threads strictly on gags.
Other Sites with Good Info:
http://www.albanypowerexchange.com/BDSMinfo/gags.htm --AlbanyPowerExchange’s “Urban Myths about Gags”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gag_(BDSM) --Wikipedia’s take on gags