I recently decided I’d like to start creating more educational content for the community and this is a challenging area for me because even though I have loads of fun kinky skills knowledge, I have no experience making videos. So I have decided to start by making a couple of videos about some of the things I have learned about floggers and using them in the last 30 years. Of course, in order to do that I needed to organize some of that knowledge into an essay form first – and here it is.

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Let’s talk about Flogging – Why flogging you might ask? Great question! I believe flogging is an excellent entry-level activity for newcomers to the scene. It doesn’t require a great deal of time or effort to become proficient enough to create a wide variety of scenes. You can use floggers for light teasing and sensually erotic play by simply caressing the body with them.  Alternatively, you can engage in longer, more intense sessions that involve a rhythmic, thumpy sensation and pace — perfect for guiding someone on a hypnotic, relaxing journey.

As you and your partner develop your skills and communicate effectively, flogging can also be tailored to more intense or heavy levels of play. With practice, building those advanced techniques becomes quite manageable. Flogging is a staple in kink play and mastering it is a skill you’ll never regret developing.

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My favorite Toymaker – I have quite a collection of floggers, and my favorites are almost all from a talented toy maker named Mitch Kessler of ASWGT.com. (Adam’s Sensual Whips & Gillian’s Toys Shameless plug? Absolutely!!) I was very fortunate to discover Mitch and Gerrie quite early in my kink journey completely by accident while reading a copy of Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns by Phillip Miller and Molly Devon, a classic worth checking out.

ASWGT was listed in the resources section at the back of the book, and I realized they were just one town away from where I was living at the time on Long Island! I eagerly called to ask if I could visit and less than an hour later, I was picking up my very first flogger – their beautiful “claw foot flogger”! It was love at first sight, and even after more than 30 years it remains in perfect condition, showing no signs of age or it’s very extensive use. <grin>

I began visiting their shop regularly, purchasing a wide variety of floggers, cats, paddles and other toys on my I began visiting their shop regularly, purchasing a wide variety of floggers, cats, paddles and other toys on my travel agent’s salary. I think I initially started pro-domming just to feed my toy addiction! (LOL) I highly recommend their equipment to anyone looking for high-quality kink gear. Mitch has also generously offered a 10% discount to anyone who mentions that “Mz Suzanne” sent them. You can email him directly here [email protected] I am delighted and honored to say that Mitch also helped to proof read, fact check and add some serious “geek” factor to my article in the materials and sensation section.  My huge thanks and admiration to him always!

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Speaking of other toys – So what exactly distinguishes a flogger from a whip or a cat o’ nine tails? Generally, a flogger is an implement with a firm handle and multiple lashes or tails, often more than you can quickly count. In contrast, a cat, or a cat o’ nine tails, typically feature a longer handle with fewer, often longer, thinner tails. Cats tend to be stingier in sensation than floggers which are often thuddier, although there are exceptions, which I’ll discuss shortly. Many in the kink community consider a whip to be any single-lashed implement, such as a dragon tail or a signal, snake, stock or bull whip. There is also a type of whip called a galley whip that has a flexible handle like a signal or snake whip but multiple lashes and throws more like a whip than a flogger.

Single-lash toys and cats and galley whips require a fair bit more skill and practice to throw accurately and consistently. That’s why I recommend starting with floggers and working your way up as you develop your technique.

What should you look for in a flogger? – Of course, you must love the aesthetic—if it isn’t attractive to you, you simply won’t want to play with it. I strongly advise against wasting time or money on costume and/or Sex Shop level props, they are simply not worth the effort and will give poor quality results.

My caveat to this is that I do keep a few inexpensive, small floggers made of cheap leather or nylon on hand for areas and intensities where they might get “messy,” so I don’t have to worry about damaging or contaminating my good-quality toys.

Instead, it’s far better to invest in high-quality equipment, as these will last a lifetime. Most of my collection of Mitch’s toys have been with me for between 25 and 30 years.

The next most important factor is how the tool feels in your hand. How does the grip feel? Make sure it isn’t slippery, and that the handle is wide enough to comfortably wrap your fingers around—especially if you have long nails. I tend to prefer traditional handled floggers, but I’ve also used ball-handled and finger grip varieties. Try out a few types to see what feels best for you. But above all else, absolutely check the balance! You can do this by finding the balance point with two fingers of one hand.

I believe that balance is crucial because it allows the implement to rest comfortably and evenly in your hand, and you will not have to work as hard at having it flow smoothly when you swing it. I believe it needs to feel like part of or an extension of you, not just something you are holding in order to use it most wonderfully, and it needs to feel balanced for that to feel right. Every toy I’ve purchased from Mitch came perfectly balanced from my very first one, so I was spoiled without realizing it. Since then I’ve acquired others that were completely out of balance and I mostly keep them on hand as an example of what NOT to buy and why.

For example, this massive black flogger that I received as a gift, is barely possible to hold upright in your hand properly, because the weight and balance are so badly off. When I try to swing it, it feels very front-heavy and seems like it’s falling away from me. We’ll go into more detail about why balance is important in the next section when I discuss how to throw and control your toys. (By the way, I love gifts, though I admit I’m a bit spoiled and biased towards very high quality toys now.) <grin>

I also inspect the braiding and Turk’s knot work. A Turk’s knot is the round braided top and bottom knots on handles. You want the braiding to be even and tight. The first photo below are a few floggers made by Jeanette Heartwood who was another incredible whip make whom I was fortunate enough to meet before she passed away. in the second two photos the floggers may look similar at a first glance but when you look closely at the knots you can see how the inside of the one on the left appears “bubbled”.

Regarding length, I have heard other people suggest that you should get floggers that match the length of your shoulder to wrist, but I do not really find that to be necessary. Unless you are perhaps throwing in an under handed style where the added flogger length would be a hinderance. Personally, I think that finding a weight you are comfortable with and a length that you can extend smoothly and consistently is more important. Most floggers are available in fairly standard lengths, but having both longer and shorter options can be useful depending on the situation.

A massive flogger that allows you to put all your weight behind it can deliver powerful, broad strokes—ideal for impact play with lots of force. Smaller floggers, on the other hand, are perfect for close-up work or targeted play on specific areas. <grin>  As a general guideline, the longer the flogger, the more energy you’ll need to put into it to land it accurately and with control.  I feel like a good mid weight flogger or two is a great starting point for any collection.

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What about materials? – Floggers can be crafted from a wide variety of materials, each offering a unique sensory experience. Factors such as the materials used, overall weight or mass, the thickness or thinness of individual strands, the finish or smoothness of those strands, and the shape of the tips (with pointed tips delivering more sting than blunt cuts or rounded tips) will all influence how the implement will feel. Additionally, how light or heavy you apply them and where you strike also play a significant role in the sensation.

When considering a purchase, I highly recommend running your fingers through the lashes to feel their texture, inspecting the edges and tips for sensation, and if possible, trying it out to get a sense of how it will feel to the receiver during use.

Please note! I strongly advise against buying floggers online especially from over seas shops like Pakistan or India, where you are not able to actually FEEL them before you buy them. I have gotten several “leather items” that were imitation garbage or horribly thin and just not worth the money. Buyer definitely beware. (LOL Trust me – just go to ASWGT.com)

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A note about switching: Since I entered the lifestyle as a switch, I often had a trusted friend use a flogger on me when I was first learning to top. This firsthand experience helped me better understand what certain sensations actually feel like and what my partner might experience during play. Many Tops and Dominants believe that bottoming isn’t necessary to be skilled at topping, but I firmly believe that experiencing it yourself offers invaluable insight into what your partner is likely to feel—at least physically.

Emotional, psychological, spiritual, hormonal, and other factors also influence how sensations are experienced on any given day, making each experience constantly shifting and difficult to predict exactly how someone else is feeling. However, I believe it’s my responsibility as a top to try to understand, as best as possible, what I’m delivering, and to observe my partner’s responses to gauge how it’s landing. More on this later.

It could be useful to develop a sensation memory of what each flogger used on your back or butt in a scene, feels like as a stroke or two on your arm, so as to compare a new or borrowed flogger to your past experience. As I have stated, there are vast differences in then sensations created in all the different hides, finishes, masses etc.  You cannot assume all toys will be received the same by your partner, bottom or submissive. 

Please check your ego long enough to realize that just because you become familiar with what a sensation feels like doesn’t mean you are a submissive or a masochist and you have not lost your “Domly Dom” status.  Think of it as gathering vital information. I promise—they won’t take your Top card away if you do it for research. LOL 

Leathers: Among the most traditional and popular materials are various types of animal hides, including cow, deer, elk, moose, bull, lamb, rabbit, and more. These leathers come in a remarkable array of textures—from soft as butter to heavy and thuddy, or super stingy. Be sure to try out different types to find what feels right for you and the people you play with!

Deer is very soft, but can be stingy if the tresses are wide, or thuddy if there are a lot of them.  Mitch tells me that these days almost all “moose” ( which is about 50% thicker than deer) is actually “elk”, because of a brain worm epidemic in moose habitats. (sad face) Even the elk is increasingly expensive and hard to come by. Bull hide is, of course “thicker” and denser than cow hide which is often heavier than deer. Think in terms of how much intensity and sensation you want to create.

Size matters! – Mitch also offered me a bit of leather geekiness to share with you here. He says that buyers can talk to toy makers about the leather they want in the makers’ language if they specify leather thickness in “ounces” rather than “inches”. For example, one ounce is 1/64^th of an inch while eight ounces is 1/8^th and is about the thickest leather whipmakers use. There ARE some “exotics” that are thicker, but he doesn’t know who if anyone uses them and doesn’t want to THINK about the prices or the Endangered Species issues. I completely agree and don’t think it is worth considering. There are more than enough lovely leathers that come from animals humans already consume without going after others.

Horsehair: I’m also very fond of horsehair floggers. They make an excellent warm-up toy because they are lightly stingy and brushy. You can use them all over the body to enliven and sensitize the skin, warming things up beautifully. But don’t mistake them for wimpy toys—if used long enough, horsehair can generate a lot of heat!

It is not impossible for horsehair to “draw blood” due to the very stingy nature of the horse hair.  Generally, it will be light, “capillary” bleeding and easily stopped with a wipe of cold water. But the point Is if you get a little bit of bleeding in sensitive areas “don’t worry – it happens!”

Nylon: Nylon floggers come in a wide variety of types and textures. I have some that are whisper-soft and fluffy, others where the thin nylon strands are dipped in liquid latex which sting like heck, and I even made one myself under Mitch’s brilliant tutelage using braided paracord lashes that have a heavy, stingy feel when they land. The point here is nylon can range from very soft to really stingy and everything between.  Shop cautiously and understand what you are buying.

Rope and chain I currently have only one rope flogger that I made myself, but they can offer a variety of sensations depending on the type of rope because it comes in a WIDE variety of textures and materials also. Furthermore, factors like whether it’s twisted or braided, allowed to flay open for a softer feel, or knotted at the end all influence the experience. The one I made myself uses a rope with metal fibers running through it to conduct electricity—a very interesting and fun addition.

Same thing with the ball bead flogger, I don’t use it for swinging because it could do some serious damage if you put some oomph behind it, but it’s great for sensation play or electrical fun. I LOVE putting it in the freezer for a bit and using it to cool things down here and there but just letting it drape and slide over the skin. <evil smile>

Rubber: Rubber can be quite intense—some might jokingly refer to it as “evil”! I enjoy a variety of rubber toys, ranging from those with thin rubber strands that can be playfully swished over the body, to others that deliver a sharp, punishing sensation. For the thicker rubber implements, such as ¼ inch or more in diameter, the lashes can be very severe and demanding a very special kind of masochist to endure—and possibly enjoy. These are definitely not suitable for beginners, so please use them with extreme caution. I also appreciate using them in scenarios where they might come into contact with body fluids, as they are very easy to clean and maintain.

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Bottom line – so in summary if you are shopping for your first flogger pick up one that is well-made, feels good in your hand and is BALANCED. Give thought to the kind of sensation it will deliver. Choose something that is medium weight in mass and that has mid to lite range in texture like a deer skin flogger with blunt tips as a good starting point while you develop your skills. You can swing a lite flogger heavier to give more sensation but a heavy or super stingy flogger is tougher to dial down.

I believe that covers the fundamentals of how to select a high-quality implement and understand the different sensations they can produce based on their various characteristics. In the next part of this article, I will explore techniques to broaden the range of sensations you can achieve by how you wield and use them. Stay tuned for more tips and insights!

More soon!! Mz Suzanne SxySadist