Toy Review - Icicles #12

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Jute Rope from NaturallyTwisted.com

looks like a delicious blonde . . . two lengths of Naturally Twisted Co's handmade traditional Shibari rope

Looking for Jute rope to use in traditional style Shibari / Kinbaku?

You could certainly do well by yourself with a purchase from Australia's Naturally Twisted.

As I stated in a previous post here at SpiritualBDSM.com, a few months back I made the decision to discard all of the rope I'd used for bondage over the last two decades.  It wasn't a huge sacrifice, for the most part it was just cotton clothesline and braided nylon rope from a local big box hardware store.

I wanted to move away from cheap hardware store rope and get into better handling and more sensual, not to mention more authentic, natural fiber rope for my explorations of Shibari.  With that in mind, I purchased a 10 rope "starter pack" of handmade jute rope from NaturallyTwisted.co. 

closeup of our hand conditioned jute rope - purchased from NaturallyTwisted.co

Anyone who's visited us here at SpiritualBDSM.com probably already knows that Serafina and I live in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  So, it may strike our readers as strange that we purchased rope from Australia.  

Yes, shipping charges for international packages are very expensive.  But, when priced against the Shibari Kit of Osada Steve jute rope from (located here in the USA) kinkyropes.com, NaturallyTwisted.co's jute was a better value, even with the exorbitant postal charges applied for packages shipped from Australia to the US.

For the relatively modest cost of $130 (AUS) I was able to purchase ten separate lengths of Naturally Twisted's hand made and conditioned jute rope, each 7.5 meters in length.  Here's Naturally Twisted's own description of their rope:

6mm Handmade Jute - Natural
A 6mm tightly twisted jute rope that provides a soft feel without coming apart, suitable for both floor work and suspension. Tested to over 200kg per strand.
These ropes are hand made in Australia from the highest quality jute. The rope is springy and lovely to the touch.
A traditional Shibari/kinbaku rope or asanawa, finished by hand to produce an exceptional quality product.
All lengths are 7.5m

The description is quite accurate.  Hebari (the individual behind Naturally Twisted) makes beautiful rope that is both soft and strong.  I gave a single strand of the rope the "jerk test" - using all of my weight (240 lbs) in a quick dynamic pull hard enough to lift my feet off the ground.  No problem.

There is a very strong and distinct aroma associated with this rope.  It smells like jute rope!  If you know the smell it's unmistakable.  If you don't know the aroma, you probably need to experience it for yourself, it's difficult to describe.  It's earthy and woody for sure, but there's a strong undertone that just screams JUTE to me, I'm sorry but that's the best I can do.

As would be expected from a traditional rope made for Shibari, this rope holds knots very well.  It's handling characteristics are very similar to the 6mm Twisted Monk hemp rope that also inhabits my rope bag.  It's noticeably lighter in weight than TM's hemp offering, and perhaps a touch narrower in diameter.

One of these days I'm going to grab an affordable micrometer so I can give an exact diameter to rope and other toys that need precision measuring.  Until that happens, I'll eyeball my various rope and rope samples, then estimate (guess) that this jute rope is somewhere between 5-6mm.

A tender skinned submissive or bondagette might look at the detail picture we've included with this post and worry that this rope might feel rough or itchy.  That's simply not the case.  The hand conditioning that Hebari gives this rope makes it soft and quite scratch free.  Very nice!

detail of jute rope we purchased from Naturally Twisted Co

While I've very much enjoyed describing Naturally Twisted's rope, not to mention it is very much a pleasure to use, I don't consider myself qualified to truly judge this rope against other similar traditional jute shibari ropes.  This is the only jute in my toybag, it's the only jute in my experience.

It certainly is a premium handmade and hand conditioned jute rope that is a pleasure to use to bind my Serafina.  I'm told it's quite sensual to be bound with this rope.  I used alternating lengths of this and Monk's hemp rope in a chest tie on a blindfolded Serafina, she was unable to feel a difference between the two premium hand conditioned bondage ropes.

This is great rope, I love it.  As I continue to learn the art of Shibari / Kinbaku, I'm certain this rope will continue to have a special place in my ropebag, not to mention in my heart.  I already love it!

DISCLAIMER - SpiritualBDSM.com and it's owners (Michael Samadhi and Serafina Samadhi) are not associated or affiliated with Naturally Twisted Co or NaturallyTwisted.co in any manner.  We have not received any compensation or consideration in return for this posting.  


All images within this post are property of SpiritualBDSM.com - © 2011 Serafina Samadhi.

Safety Dance Shears

One of the prevailing credos for the majority of individuals who include BDSM activities in their lifestyle is that their activities are to always be "Safe, Sane, and Consensual."   Today's post is focused on one aspect of the credo - safety - that word is even in the name of the item we are about to profile.

We're talking about EMT Safety Shears.

Safety Shears are an absolute necessity for individuals practicing any form of Shibari, bondage, or playful restraint.  By absolute necessity, I literally mean - Do not play unless you have Safety Shears! - understood?

I hope that you will keep at least one pair of safety shears in your toybag, and at the same time I hope that you never actually have to use them.

My lovely assistant Serafina has provided us with an illustration of a EMT Safety Shears (top) as well as a pair of smaller Bandage Shears (bottom).

While the primary subject of today's post is the Safety Shear, I'd like to give some attention to it's smaller relative, the bandage shear.  Being lighter and cheaper, bandage shears aren't effective in an emergency.

I do like the bandage shear for tighter more delicate work, especially when time isn't of the essence.  A good use for that tool is removing plastic cling wrap after a mummification session.  Just remember it's a specialty tool, and not really for use in a true emergency.

Since I mentioned emergencies again, and just in case you didn't catch the most important message earlier in this post, I'll repeat myself here:

Safety Shears are an absolute necessity for individuals practicing any form of Shibari, bondage, or playful restraint.  Do not play unless you have Safety Shears!

They are like an insurance policy against any number of potential mishaps.  For instance . . .

• Imagine having an individual tightly restrained "spread eagled" on their back to your bed.  You've used an intricate web of ropes attached to a number of places on their four limbs, making your subject quite immobile.  Suddenly without warning, they inform you of an extremely urgent overwhelming need to vomit.  You know that inhaling even small amounts of stomach contents can cause pneumonia, that stomach acids can chemically burn tender lung tissue, and that a number of rock stars have literally died from the combination of inebriation and aspiration. Fortunately, the safety shears you had thoughtfully placed on your nightstand allow you to free your subject with a few snips, and help them to roll over and get to the edge of the bed where they throw up into a garbage can.  Tonight's scene may be over, but, as you hold your partner in your arms, you are thankful you aren't calling 911 because they choked on vomit while you struggled to untie the ropes.

That's not a pretty picture I painted.  But, in relative terms, for instance if I rated the danger using the old Department of Homeland Security's color codes, that particuler emergency is nothing more than a yellow or orange alert.  

A "Red Alert" scenario might include a subject who has actually passed out, or any number of mishaps involving true edge play such as suspension bondage.  At this level, mistakes, misjudgment, neglect, and shear stupidity can end up costing someone the ultimate price, their life.

For details of one recent story where apparent disregard for safety protocols cost one individual their life, and threatens to leave another charged with murder, read "Shibari, “Extreme Sex,” and Anti-Sex Prejudice" over at tinynibbles.com, Violet Blue's website.

Safety Shears are inexpensive, so there's no excuse not to have at least one pair in your toybag.  EMT Shears at TwistedMonk.com sell for just $5.50.  A quick peak at Amazon.com revealed a deluxe version, complete with titanium blades and comfort grip handles from Clauss for a few dollars more.

The Clauss shears are pretty neat, but I do have to say that if you are using Safety Shears frequently enough that you need a comfort grip handle, there are likely some serious problems with your technique, or your judgement.  Either that or they somehow ended up next to Serafina's sewing machine!

After saying that, I really should be clear however, Serafina and I have no desire to become the toybag police.  The only compliance I ever enforce is upon my lovely slave/wife, if you've been reading along you probably already know that.

But, it is my belief that when talking about toys and technique here at SpiritualBDSM.com, we can't ever stress the importance of safety too often, or in too strong of terms!  Today we might have gone over and over the importance of safety so much that we might be accused of flogging a dead horse.

I'd never strike a live animal, but in this case I'll happily beat that deceased equine one more time - Play safe everybody!

With that sentiment, I'll now segue to Men Without Hats and their hit - Safety Dance.