Domination & submission _ the BDSM relationship handbook ( PDFDrive )

Canes & Switches
When most Americans think of a cane, they see a mental image of a rigid
wooden walking stick with either a curved or ornamental handle. It’s
understandable, therefore, that when you mention the practice of caning to some
BDSM novices, they typically imagine a scene vaguely reminiscent of being
clubbed like a baby seal by hungry Eskimos. Fortunately, this misconception is
simply the result of one of those subtle differences between American English
and British English. To a Brit, a cane is a long, thin rattan rod used for corporal
punishment, and it is this type of cane that is used in BDSM caning play. For all
intents and purposes, the cane used in corporal punishment is virtually
indistinguishable from the iconic “switch” that certain rural parents may have
sent their kids outside to find, prior to applying discipline to their back-sides.
The rattan canes used for centuries in Great Britain for corporal punishment in
schools, the military and the courts never really caught on in American
institutions, possibly because rattan was harder to obtain in the Americas. As a
result, Americans tended to substitute hickory switches and paddles to
accomplish the same results. Today, rattan canes are not only more readily
available in the United States, but they have managed to make a comeback as
implements used almost exclusively in the fetish culture.
Canes are pretty simple in design. They typically range in length from 21” to
36”, and may have a straight or curved handle. Some variations may have a
tassel at the end, which allows the user to apply different striking styles. Most
modern cane designs draw on a variety of materials besides the traditional rattan,
to include wood, fiberglass, nylon, plastic, aluminum, bamboo and carbon
composites. Purchasers generally choose the materials for their strength,
flexibility and durability. Rattan switches can usually be purchased for $10 to
$15, and are often so inexpensive that retailers offer them in sets of three or
more. Canes constructed from high-tech or unusual materials can be priced
significantly higher, ranging easily from $25 to $100.
Despite their elegant simplicity, the proper use of a cane can require a great deal
of nuance and skill. Cane strikes, which are more accurately referred to as
strokes or cuts, will almost always sting, but the degree of pain and nature of the
effects upon the subject can easily be controlled through proper technique and by
striking with different parts of the cane. Some users like to employ an
unpredictable mix of painless taps and stinging strokes to intensify the bottom’s