Domination & submission _ the BDSM relationship handbook ( PDFDrive )

Occasionally, you’ll encounter a split keeper, which consists of two strips of
leather designed to maximize the sound of the keeper’s impact upon your
subject’s skin, or a looped keeper, which delivers a less painful strike. The
traditional riding crop has long been favored as a practical fashion accessory by
Dominatrices and used extensively in BDSM pony play, but it also makes a
versatile play accessory for just about anyone interested in rounding out their
impact toy collection.
Most crops are produced and sold primarily for the purpose of horse training,
and are readily available in a variety of styles at most ranch and farm supply
stores. Quite often, the very same crops that are offered there for $10 to $15 are
purchased in bulk by kink toy retailers and resold at twice or even three times
the original retail price. By the same token, there are plenty of craftsmen who
produce similar products specifically for a BDSM clientele, and those crops are
often enhanced with extra touches or unique materials not found in the local feed
& tack stores. Some crops even come with a collapsible shaft for easy transport
or storage. For a crop crafted specifically for BDSM use, you can expect to pay
between $35 and $100.
The versatility of a crop has always been one of its major selling points. It’s
both fashionable and functional, can be used to deliver both playful and painful
strikes, and is the most accurate of all the whip types. Some crops come with
interchangeable keepers, which allow users to vary how the crop is utilized.
Crops are most commonly used to deliver stinging or glancing strikes against
particularly sensitive areas of the body such as the genitals or nipples, but they
can be used practically anywhere on the body with varying techniques and levels
of force. Crops are also good for caressing, flicking or sensitizing the skin
through repeated small slaps to the same area. The appeal of the crop is rooted
as much in its psychological connotations as its functional versatility. It’s often
viewed as a symbol of absolute authority or severe discipline, and those
connotations can be used to effectively enhance a scene, role play activity,
photography or a person’s public image.
Safety concerns about the use of crops are few; the same basic rules for impact
play in general apply equally to crops. There are only a few additional caveats.
Always ensure that the keeper remains firmly attached to the end of the flexible
shaft. If it should come loose or detach, the bare end of the shaft could cause
some injury. Second, even with a keeper attached, the business end of a crop