What we used: Rattan cane
From: Bondara
Price: £16.99
Material(s): Rattan (cane), leather (handle)

*Important: Canes can hurt in bad ways as well as good ways! If you haven’t already, please do take the time to read the Behind the Chintz Curtain Disclaimer before delving further into this post.

 

First thoughts …

Lizzie
Excitement and dread.

It’s fair to say that Thomas and I have been on a bit of a journey these past few years with impact instruments; first hands, then paddles, then floggers, then straps, then crops, and now, finally, a cane. We’d been discussing the idea of trying one for a while but had been gradually building up as we knew from all the research we’d done on them (and from playing with our other impact toys) that the pain level would likely be quite a jump. Additionally, because of their greater length, there was the worry that a cane would be trickier to control.

In the end, it was Thomas who took the bull by the horns and ordered  it – I was too chicken!

 

What it looks like …

Lizzie
Like a looong stick. This is a very simple implement and there’s not much to it. It’s basically a length of flexible rattan (81.5 cm of rattan, to be precise) with a strip of soft suede wrapped around one end to create a handle.

While the exterior barrel of the cane is smooth, the two ends (where the rattan has been sliced through) are actually quite rough. Not really a big deal from a use perspective as these parts don’t – or shouldn’t – touch the skin, but not wildly attractive.

I already knew from reading and questioning others that thinner canes are generally more ‘stingy’ and fatter ones more ‘thuddy’, so the newbie in me was pleased to see that this Bondara cane clocked in with a diameter of approximately 1.0 cm. Reasonably chunky! 

Another plus? It’s not made of bamboo, which we’d been warned off due to its tendency to split and crack.

Thomas
It’s a bit hard to pick what a cane will be like from descriptions online. I knew I didn’t want a thin ‘whippy’ one to start with so, was quite pleased to find that the Bondara cane was relatively robust.

Lizzie’s right, it is a very simple thing; a thick bit of rattan (about as thick as your finger) with some leather wrapped around the end. It’s also nice and smooth, with no splits or cracks (very important). 

 

Using it …

Lizzie
When this arrived and Thomas let me see what he’d ordered, I got into a bit of a dither. On the one hand, I was really looking forward to having it used on me. On the other, I was worried about having it applied and not being able to cope. (Mind you, I was the same way the first time we used a crop!)

Then Thomas put it away in a cupboard, and that just ramped up the anticipation ten-fold. It’s fair to say, I drove him pretty nuts with questions about when he would be getting it out, whether he’d been practising with it in private, and whether he’d re-read all of the educational texts we have on the subject.

Yeah, I was a pain.

The inevitable response was. ‘I’m not telling you. Relax. You know I’ll be careful.’ (And I do know. He always is.)

The cane finally made an appearance about two weeks after it was delivered, and I knew it was coming because Thomas really took his time to build things up. He didn’t go straight in with it but spent a good forty minutes to an hour getting my head in the right place and warming the skin of my buttocks – first with his hands and then with a wooden paddle. Eventually, he leaned me over a piece of furniture and secured my legs with a spreader bar so that I couldn’t wriggle around. (A good idea because you don’t want to be able to shift position unexpectedly when it’s coming towards you and cause an incorrect placement.)

The first strike was a shock – and the sting very sharp – but, oddly, put my mind at ease because once I knew what the sensation was like, it immediately made it much easier to deal with. (Sometimes my imagination is my own worst enemy.)

Interestingly, the pain a cane strike generates is two-fold. There’s a sting when it first hits, followed by a second bloom of pain a moment or two later.

Thomas’s first blow was relatively restrained and he stopped and checked in with me immediately afterwards to make sure I handled it okay. From there, he incrementally increased the pressure, placing strokes in straight, parallel lines across my bottom. On the third one, he checked in verbally again and I requested that he switch sides so that the tip of the cane landed on a different cheek.  (The end was generating a fair amount of sting in a relatively localised area and given my newness to the instrument, I didn’t want to push things too far too soon.)

We did six strokes in total – three on each side – and my backside was on absolute glorious fire by the end. While it was still smarting, Thomas tipped wax from a wax-play candle over the welts and just about had me leaping through the ceiling. I believe the words ‘sadistic bastard’ were used but quickly forgotten as the session morphed into something else entirely :-).

A final note. I should just mention that canes have ‘after effects’. The welts and bruising this particular Bondara offering created were pretty spectacular and lasted roughly a week on me. While I personally loved seeing the evidence of our session in the days that followed, I’m aware that others might not find the slow-fading markings quite such a turn-on. Just something to be aware of – particularly if you are planning on revealing your butt and thighs in the swimming pool, the changing room at the gym, etc. 

Thomas
As Lizzie was being a right pain in the arse about when, where and how it would be used, I made her wait a while. (A reminder of who’s on top – in the bedroom, at least!)

When it did use it, it was after an extended warm up to ensure Lizzie was well and truly ready for it. I can’t say enough how important it is to build up to something more severe like a cane – especially if it’s the first time you have used one. Going in cold won’t hit the right balance of pain/pleasure unless you know your partner very, very well and you both agree that the severe approach is something you want.

Lizzie was clearly nervous, so I started really conservatively with lots of checking to make sure she was handling it okay. (She was – and was getting rather heated as well ;-). I limited the caning to three-a-side, which was plenty for an initial session, and I must say the red welts on Lizzie’s bottom, especially where the end of the cane was hitting, were very impressive. (This is why you need to spread the love over both cheeks). Any more, even at the relatively restrained intensity we were playing at, and I think sitting down may have been a real issue.

I didn’t want to let Lizzie off lightly after all the stressing and fussing beforehand, so had some hot wax to hand to finish her off.

A nice set-up to a particularly squirty orgasm.

 

The verdict?

Lizzie
One thing hasn’t changed. I’m still both excited and frightened by this implement. The cane has some serious, serious power and, if applied incorrectly and/or without thought, could result in a horrible experience. On the flip side, in the hands of someone who is measured, careful, and in tune with the person on the receiving end, I think it has the potential to open up an absolute kaleidoscope of possibilities for those, like me, who enjoy erotic pain.

If you choose to buy this – or any other cane – doing your safety homework is essential before putting it through its paces. (The aptly named Jay Wiseman’s book, SM 101: A Realistic Introduction is an excellent text with solid, practical information about caning and other aspects of S/M. Peter Masters’s BDSM website, too, has a very good overview of caning for beginners.) And if you’re the wielder, make sure you practise your aim and pressure on an inanimate object before going anywhere near real flesh. 

Thomas
I liked it, Lizzie liked it, and it’s an implement that can be used to great effect. Just go easy to start with, practice hitting pillows, etc., first to get your aim right, move the strokes around on the cheeks, and swap sides to help keep the intensity and the welts at a manageable level (unless your partner likes a more extreme workup, of course). And remember to keep a close eye on your other half to make sure that all is well and they’re not getting too stressed.

 

In summary …

Things we liked:

• The price. Sub-£20.00.
• The diameter. This is a thicker cane and, as such, a great choice for beginners.
• The feel. (Well, actually, it hurts. A lot. But that’s kind of the point!)
• The marks it leaves.

Things we weren’t so keen on:

• The cane ends could be finished better – they’re a bit rough ‘n’ ready.

Tickle your fancy? Click here to buy the Rattan Cane from Bondara.

 

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