To: warhammer@thuntek.net

Subject: Safety From:(Huge Cajones Remailer)

Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 23:51:55 -0800

I'd like to add some more tips to your excellent page on self-bondage safety. These are based on some personal experiences with handcuff self-bondage, particularly in the hog tie position.

My timed release mechanism uses a small woman's nylon stocking, an ice cube and a double key ring (a short disconnect bar joins the two key rings). One of the key rings contains a full set of keys, the other is empty. I drop the ice cube into the toe of the stocking and then slide the top of the stocking through the empty key ring. Then I tie the top of the stocking to a hook on the ceiling. The ice cube keeps the key ring from slipping off the toe of the stocking until the ice melts and shrinks to less than the inside diameter of the key ring. For a typical ice cube this takes from 1-2 hours.

This method is much better than the old trick of freezing a handcuff key in an ice cube. No advance preparation is required, and there's no risk of a guest discovering an embarrassing item in your freezer. And the key ring can deliver you a whole set of keys, not just one handcuff key.

This method has proven completely reliable, though I had to make sure the keys weighed enough -- a single handcuff key is too light. If the keys stretch the stocking, they're probably heavy enough. But advance testing is essential with all timed release mechanisms. So is an emergency backup. I use a rope tied to a bucket of water on a closet shelf that has a spare set of keys.

Be careful with tethers or other positions or devices that could keep you from reaching your emergency escape rope or the keys when they drop off the stocking.

If it is possible in your bound position to roll off a bed or sofa onto the floor, arrange for the keys to drop to the floor. Keys that drop onto the bed may seem easier to reach -- IF you're still on the bed. If you've rolled off onto the floor you may find it impossible (especially in a hog tie) to get back up on the bed. The only time in many years of self bondage I ever used my emergency release was when I had rolled off the bed to alleviate numbness in my hands (more on this later). When the ice melted, the keys dropped onto the bed where I couldn't reach them. Fortunately my emergency rope was on the floor where I could reach it.

Pay attention to details. Adding something as simple as a strap around your knees can make you almost immobile in a hog tie even without a tether. Don't use one if you have to move more than a few feet to obtain the keys. Otherwise you may get some rather nasty carpet burns.

Good quality police-style handcuffs, properly applied, can be quite comfortable for long periods. Be sure to double-lock them so they can't overtighten accidentally. You can use a large bent paper clip to press the double-lock buttons if the keys are out of reach.

It is important to avoid stresses on handcuffs, and under no circumstances should handcuffs ever be used for suspension. If you like handcuff hog ties like I do, connect your handcuffs and leg irons to a waist belt. The belt will take the strain from your legs off your wrists, making for a more comfortable (and more confining) position.

Avoid hinged handcuffs. They're more confining, but they can get very uncomfortable. If you must use them, be absolutely sure you put them on with the keyholes facing your hands. Put them on the other way and they're extremely difficult to get out of even when you have the key in your hand.

Avoid wearing multiple handcuffs, especially when they're tethered to something (like a waist belt). They may seem comfortable enough at first, but I've found they tend to cut off circulation and cause numbness. The time I used my emergency escape was a time I used multiple handcuffs.

Avoid thumbcuffs. On most thumbs they can't really be made inescapable without cutting off circulation. They also make using the keys much harder.

Avoid metal cuffs on the elbows. I have never been able to tolerate them (even leg irons) for more than a few minutes without pinched nerves.

My favorite handcuffs are the Fury 15900s. They fit well, and the edges are well rounded for comfort. They do use a special key that is a little harder to insert into the keyhole, and their double-locking mechanisms are a little stiff. As with all self-bondage restraints, practice locking and unlocking them.