|
|
|
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo Please read oOo oOo oOo
|
The Cane
This is
probably the implement most associated with Corporal Punishment. There is
something very emotive about this traditional, English disciplinary tool.
Part of the cane’s mysticism is the ritual and theatre associated with its
application which is as much about psychological
torment and fear as it is the actual beating. Making the condemned wait,
sometimes hours or days in anticipation. The flexing of the rod as a scolding
takes place. Then, finally, the rite itself: having the reprobate bent over a
desk, or a chair, or perhaps touching their toes as the skirt is lifted and the
panties lowered. Traditionally administered in half dozen batches ominously
referred to as ‘six of the best’. Caning is an art that involves more
than the technical ability to apply an accurate stroke – to master it you must
understand its psychology. To the uninitiated, a caning may
seem rather staid but I can assure you, a heavy caning is one of the most
painful and intense forms of CP you can receive. There
are many types of cane, which are actually tropical grasses, reeds or palms
characterized by knuckles, nodes or joints where the new segment of growth
shoots off. The Bamboo cane is probably the best known but it is not
really suitable for CP as it is inflexible. (See Buying a Cane) The best
types of cane to use are those that come from the climbing palm or rattan family
as these have a flexible stem. There are enormous varieties of rattans, with
innumerable differing qualities. The most popular varieties for making a
punishment cane are Kooboo, Dragon,
Palambang and Malacca. No two
canes are ever identical, as they are natural products, grown, not manufactured.
There are an endless variety of rattans. Thickness, flexibility, curvature,
colouring and surface finish all vary. Often canes are named and graded by their
increased length and thickness: Junior Cane 8mm diameter, Senior Cane 10mm
and Reformatory Cane 12mm plus. Lengths usually range from 30in to 36in.
Most standard canes are made from Kooboo. For
more serious punishments try a Dragon cane as the rattan is denser and
slightly stiffer than Kooboo. It also has a very smooth surface which helps it
fly through the air faster. Another heavier implement is the ferrule
originally a Victorian walking cane made from the very thick and heavy rattan
Malacca. I have come across so-called ‘fibre-glass’ canes and ‘dressage or
show’ canes (canes covered with leather), which are not really canes at all,
both are very severe implements that I would suggest only advanced players
consider using. Probably the fiercest
canes are those used for Singapore judicial punishments, made from stripped
manner rattan they are approximately
15mm thick and 50 inches long. Crook or Straight Handle So why do canes have crook
handles? I have to say I’m not exactly sure, as I have found lots of different
explanations. One being that originally walking canes were used to beat people
with so the crook handle is just a remnant of this. I have also read that the
crook was used to stop the cane slipping out of the hands during a vigorous
thrashing. The crook was also used to hang the cane up so it would be a constant
reminder to errant young children. Well the crook handle is
certainly associated with the school cane. I
don’t think the handle makes much of a difference to the cane, many people just
have a personal preference. Some straight canes have some kind of added handle,
which does make them easier to use. Short or long & thick or
thin
Canes come in a huge variety
of lengths and thickness. I would suggest that a beginner use a short,
lightweight cane. The longer the cane the more swing, the greater the arc,
equaling a more painful stroke. Remember the longer the cane the more difficult
it is to control. The weight of the cane changes the sensation and intensity of
the stroke. The thinner the cane the more ‘stingy’ and biting it feels. While
thicker canes are heavier, more ‘thumpy’ and tend to bruise the skin. With more
weight they penetrate more deeply.
Caning Techniques Caning is
probably one of the most revered of the disciplinary arts taking some time to
perfect.
A perfect cane stroke needs a minimum
amount of effort, you don’t have to throw your whole body into it. In fact the
greatest accuracy is achieved with the minimum variation of movement. This is
probably one of the reasons as to why the cane is such a favoured disciplinary
tool. The stature and strength of the disciplinarian is immaterial as it is
one’s technique that is all-important (the cane is certainly a great equalizer
for women).
Before beginning a punishment with the
cane, it is really advisable to have a very thorough warm up to help prevent
serious bruises and cuts. Despite appearances canes are very severe implements,
so never use full force blows as they may cause damage to underlying tissue and
nerves. There are two different
techniques to caning someone. Firstly with a ‘wrist only’ movement and
secondly, with an ‘arm and wrist’ movement. I would suggest that
beginners (and when caning in an area with limited space/height) should always
use the wrist movement. It is also the stroke I prefer to use as it has a
greater degree of accuracy. Hold the cane in your hand, tuck your elbow into
your body and using only your lower arm, use a fast wrist motion to flick the
cane at the target. If you cane without moving
your wrist you cannot get any speed into the motion of the stroke or that lovely
‘swish’ noise, as you are not really using the flexibility of the cane. The ‘arm and wrist’
movement involves lifting up and bringing down your arm, putting the force of
your shoulder behind the stroke, finishing the stroke with the wrist movement.
The arm can move either up or out for this motion. Make sure you practice the
movement and measure the stroke lots of times before beginning the punishment
because with this technique it is easy to be inaccurate. If you have never caned
someone before try holding the cane about a third of the way in, this makes it
shorter, less flexible and easier to control. As you gain confidence move your
hand out until eventually you are holding it at the end. After striking the bottom you
can either follow through with a stroke that leaves the cane firmly planted on
the buttocks or allow the cane to bounce back and lift away from the area.
Following through will make the stroke more painful and ‘thumpy’, this is
because you are passing on all the kinetic energy of the stroke into the
buttocks. While lifting off does not dump as much energy onto the area. Another caning technique is
that of ‘bastinado’ - a rapid continuous drumming of the skin often used
for punishing the feet. In old Public School films I have seen the punisher run
across a room to administer the stroke. I don’t personally believe this will
make a great deal of difference to the stroke, (except to make it more difficult
to be accurate). However, I am sure it does have some great psychological effect
on the frightened recipient. Where should you aim for? A proper cane stroke is really
best suited for use on the fleshy buttocks. It can be used on other parts of the
body but I suggest using a very short lightweight cane, with a building tapping
motion. I would suggest that beginners aim to keep the tip of the cane in the
middle of the furthest cheek. Once you are more confident keep the tip about two
inches in from the outer edge of the bottom. (See
Fig. 1) Beware of over-shooting the target. Often when caning you can
measure the stroke but will then over shoot this mark when putting your power
behind the stroke. The highest cut should be just below the cleft of the
buttocks and the lowest just along the crease where the bottom meets the legs.
(See Fig. 2)
One of
the main mistakes that people make when using a cane is to deliver the strokes
all on the same spot. There should be a succession of cane stripes up and
down the entire buttocks. I love to see a caned bottom with
six evenly placed lines across it each about an inch apart.
(See Fig. 3) So try to cane the entire
bottom, don’t just hope to hit anywhere. Practice high and low shots. Even
experienced players can miss-hit sometimes but remember - if you are not that
experienced start with medium or light strokes so that they will not cause too
much damage if you do miss. I think that where you stand
in relation to the recipient while administrating the caning is one of the most
important factors. Where you stand determines the angle the cane will hit the
bottom. If you are too forward or behind the target the angle will be too great
and result in one buttock receiving a heavy punishment and the other side none
at all. (See Fig. 4) Use the lines you
are leaving on the bottom as a guide to how well you are balancing the strokes.
The perfect stroke lands flat, that is parallel to
the buttocks just before it lands. Thereby transferring the stroke’s power
equally onto each cheek. Before the prevalence of the
cane the most popular implement was of course the birch. However the cane fitted
in well with the Victorian ideals of modesty as it could be easily used over the
clothes with very little loss of intensity. So the cane is one of the few CP
implements that can be particularly effective over clothes. Canings over tight
skirts, jeans, shorts and thick panties are all popular. If you want to indulge
in a heavy caning session but don’t want to be marked some practitioners
recommend wearing layers of thick knickers or
laying a folded wet towel over the buttocks. It will prevent marks, yet still
allows much of the intensity of the punishment to come through. These are also
useful for a dominant that wants to really
thrash away at their partner. Another way to dish out a
punishment of a half dozen strokes is that of the ‘Five-Barred Gate’, a
‘six-of-the-best’ with one very important, singular variation - the sixth cane
stroke is delivered at a roughly 45° angle slicing diagonally across the
previous five strokes. Its purpose is to ‘link’ the weal’s into what appears to
be, as you may have guessed, a ‘gate.’ That last cane stroke is, as is
traditional, the hardest, and “opens up” the previously inflicted welts.
Buying a cane Look for
a cane that is straight and smooth. It should either be cut so there are no
knuckles or they should have been sanded down. It should be flexible - not too
stiff and not uncontrollable. Never make the mistake
of buying bamboo from a garden center as it is completely unsuitable for beating
soft tissue as it is inflexible, it splits and splinters easily and can cut the
skin. If you want to buy a truly authentic quality cane I would recommend
ordering one from a specialist.
Cane
Care Canes are
made from natural reed with their own moisture content and so will stiffen and
become brittle as they dry out over time. This will make them more prone to
snap. The best place to keep your canes is in a nice humid bathroom to prevent
them drying out. The worst place is near radiators and central heating, as this
will considerably shorten their lifespan. If soiled, canes may be washed with
soapy water (also alcohol or household bleach if blood is present). You can then
wipe them with a wax based furniture polish that will help to preserve both the
surface seal and their appearance. Periodically you can help your canes remain supple by
standing them in a shallow bowl containing a wet sponge. To straighten out any
kinks you can soak your canes in a bath of cold water overnight - be aware it
will also straighten out crook handles so secure them with an elastic band
first. (Note: you cannot soak oiled or varnished canes.) It is also possible to
stand your canes in a light, non-viscous oil, such as Linseed oil for 24hrs,
this will not only help keep your canes flexible but also add weight to them. To
prevent ends splitting or breaking off it is possible to paint them with a wood
knotting solution. Canes have a limited life so replace them at regular
intervals. Mistress L Credited to and used with permission of Mistress Sidonia www.sidoniabork.com . |
Send mail to matron@theoriginalinstitute.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2001
The Institute
|
