Pixelated Toys

Let’s get crackin’-A review of KnottySquid’s 4 foot single tail whip

I first became curious about the wonderful world of crack because of a workshop on single tails, snake whips, and bull whips that I missed. Missing that workshop was all it took to plant the seed of curiosity for me. After that I took to the internet and started my search for a whip. I stumbled around Google and eBay for a while before I was told that I should check out Etsy.com. It didn’t take long after that until I found what I was looking for.

I found a gentleman who goes by the name Knottysquid on Etsy that makes custom nylon (550 paracord) whips. His snake whips are all made to order and come with your choice of colors, patterns, embellishments (fringe on the Turks knot, a marble in the Turks knot, open or closed Turks knot, or a wrist loop) and a removable/changeable cracker. These whips also feature a weighted core with a bolster, an 8 plait underbelly and a 12 or 16 plait overlay. You can also choose the braiding pattern for your whip as well. Your imagination is really your only limit when it comes to these whips.

When I first got my whip I in January 2012, I was initially impressed with weight and overall feel of the whip. For being a whip that hadn’t been broken in, it still had a nice fall to it, and it wasn’t stiff or rigid when I pulled it out of the package. I chose a tricolor coral snake pattern for my whip and not a single plait on the whip was twisted. I didn’t need to do any kind of special treatment to the whip before I started cracking-it was ready to crack as soon as I opened my package.

For a 3 foot whip, this offers quite the crack. I had people around my apartment complex peeking their heads out to see what all the noise was included a few residents who started singing the Indian Jones theme song at me! One of the great things about this whip is how long it took to actually break it in. My whip was completely broken in less than three months with regular use. I didn’t have to use it every single day either. With 5-10 minute sessions once or twice a week your whip will break in nicely.

Before you get started cracking with your new whip it is recommend that you wear something to cover your forearm, some form of eye protection, and a hat that has a brim that hangs over your ears to keep the backs of your ears safe from the whip. A good idea for your arm would be to get an archer’s gauntlet (bracer). If you don’t want to spend too much money on a gauntlet you can go for the more economical version, a tube sock. Simply cut the toes of the sock off and slip it over your arm. It may not be the most stylish, but the first time your whip wraps you’ll be glad for you tube sock. Once your whip is broken in, you can now work on your accuracy. There are a number of different ways out there to do this. I chose to use a pillow propped up on a piece of furniture. With the pillow I was able to see the indent of each strike of the whip.

And now, for a kinky application of whips. I use my whip regularly in various BDSM play sessions. Once my whip was broken in, and after I had worked on my accuracy, there was still one more thing I needed to work on before I starting using my whip on skin. I needed to work on my touch with my whip. A whip can be a dangerous implement when not used properly. The best way that I have found to work on my touch is to tape newspaper to the wall and then flick the whip at the  paper without tearing the paper. This particular type of implement offers a very concentrated sting sensation. It’s not something you start out a play session with, as you need to warm someone up and build up to using a whip on them. The whip does leave some very nice marks ranging from just welting all the way to cuts on the skin. The great thing about a removable cracker is that I can replace it after each time I play. This keeps any cross contamination from happening across play sessions or between partners.

A quick note on caring for your whip. Since it’s nylon you don’t need any fancy balms or ointments to keep your whip in top shape. All you need to do is toss it in a pillow case on the gently cycle in your washing machine with some mild detergent and then hang to dry. You don’t have to do this very often but in the event that your whip gets dirty or you accidentally get blood on it this is a good way to clean your whip.

This whip is a great must have toy for your playbag. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out with whips or have been using them for a number of years. These are high quality whips that make a nice addition to anyone’s collection!