Do-it-yourself

Do-it-yourself BDSM refers to making the tools, toys, and equipment for BDSM scenes yourself instead of buying it ready-made.

While you can buy practically any BDSM toy or tool at either a sex shop, specialist BDSM emporium, or at on-line stores, store-bought equipment can be expensive. To equip an entire dungeon solely with store-bought equipment is usually prohibitive financially and frequently not necessary.

When gathered around the camp-fire at the end of the day, many conversations between BDSM enthusiasts will turn to things people have found in their kitchen, laundry, hardware store, hobby store, or shipwright's which they have turned to BDSM purposes. For example:

• Clamps - hardware stores (including clothes-pegs, and other clamps),
• Rope - shipwright's store, or
• Wooden spoon (for impact play) - kitchenware department.

Impact play

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Figure 1. Kitchen cutting board AKA spanking paddle

Kitchen departments of larger stores are always good value for bits and pieces to use during impact play. In particular, consider the classic wooden spoon for use on a disobedient submissive's butt. For extreme spanking a wooden cutting board with a handle (as shown in figure 1) can deliver a very stinging blow. Meat tenderisers can also be useful.

Gardening departments often have metal or plastic rods used for training plants. These can be quite whippy and are generally fairly robust as they have to withstand being out in all sorts of weather for long periods. These can be very good for caning-like play and, of course, are quite cheap. Be careful about any cane rods you might find at hardware or gardening supply stores. They can't take the place of real rattan canes and, being wood, may fracture or break at the wrong time and leave splinters in your submissive's rear end.

In the paint department you could look at large paint stripper/scrapers as spanking paddles.

Rope

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Figure 2. Shoe lace being used for (very loose) nipple bondage

One very good source of high-quality ropes is a shipwright's (sailing or boating) store. They often have excellent ropes of different sizes and texture. Do note that because the ropes they sell are for outdoor use they can be quite tough and stiff.

For softer and more flexible rope a hardware store can be a good place to look. Hardware stores will often have rope and cord, including cotton sash cord or nylon cord, which can be quite smooth or soft. Finer cord can be excellent for very delicate bondage, such as on nipples.

Post offices often sell a coarse string or twine used for wrapping packages. This is interestingly rough and can also be used in sensation play.

Finally, don't neglect shoe laces (figure 2) as these already have their ends finished to prevent fraying. They are also quite soft and strong.

Chain and padlocks

Chains and padlocks, of course, can be cheaply bought from hardware stores, but don't by the cheapest you can find! BDSM play tends to involve sweat and other bodily fluids and these can cause corrosion of cheap chains and can get into locks and cause them to rust and jam (which is a bad thing when you're in a hurry to release your partner).

Spend a little extra and get stainless steel chain and weatherproof locks. After a heavy session you can wash these without worrying about rust.

Spreader bars

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Figure 3. Simple spreader bar made from a piece of wood

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Figure 4. Spreader bar made from a rod of wood (such as a cut-down wooden broom handle) with eyelets screwed in each end

Do-it-yourself spreader bars are as easy as getting a piece of wood, as shown in figure 3, and using soft cord to tie your partner's extremities to it.

Another style of do-it-yourself spreader bar is also shown in figure 4 with a simple rod of wood with eyelets screwed into each end.

A single chopstick can make a good spreader bar for the fingers of a hand, i.e., you tie each finger individually along the length of the chopstick.

Clamps

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Figure 5. Clothes pegs on labia

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Figure 6. Alligator clamps from an electronics hobbyist store

Clothes pegs, the kind with the hinge and spring, are common in BDSM dungeons. They're very cheap and they can have a nasty bite when placed on nipples, skin or labia (see figure 5). The homewares department of your local department store will probably stock them and, if not, your ubiquitous hardware store is sure to have them.

Electronics hobbyist stores will have alligator clips (see figure 6). These are meant for making electrical connections to battery terminals and such like. They have serrated jaws and a strong bite. Wrapping the jaws in a layer or two of tape can make them friendlier (if that's what you're after).

For those unfamiliar with their use in BDSM, chopsticks and a pair of elastic bands can make an effective nipple clamp (see doing it yourself with chopsticks).

Knives

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Figure 7. Knives of the sort you might find in an art or hobby store

The sorts of knives used in cutting need to be extra sharp and sterile. Scalpels with replaceable blades are ideal and, surprisingly, you can often find these in hobby or art supply stores with individual blades already packed in sterile packaging (see figure 7). Because artists and hobbyist have much the same needs in knives as many medical practitioners, and because so many medical scalpels and blades are manufactured, it's easier and cheaper for the stores just to stock these.

Of course, if you want a knife to intimidate your partner during scenes---such as mind fucks---then an outdoor or fishing shop is a good place to go. Quite nasty looking knives with curved and serrated blades can be bought there and leaving one laying in plain sight nearby during a scene can be very effective.

Sensation play

Hardware stores are good sources of things like paint rollers and sandpaper for sensation play. Try different grades of sandpaper from coarse to fine.

Pharmacies will have interesting creams and salves in the my-muscles-hurt department which can cause anything from a mild warm glow to a very intense burning sensation. These go well on more sensitive parts of the body which aren't known for having lots of muscles such as the penis, labia and nipples.

Kitchenware departments may have graters used for grating vegetables and cheese. Look for a grater that has different sized cutters to give you more choice in what you inflict.

As noted above, rope, cord and twine can have different textures which can be useful during sensation play.

Candles

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Figure 8

Candles for use in wax play (figure 8) can come from most anywhere. However, perfumed candles and some decorative candles can have additives which make them burn hotter than plain candles. Beeswax candles can also be quite hot. Always be sure to test the heat of the wax from each individual candle before using it on your partner.

You can generally find candles at:

• Hardware stores
• Art and hobby supply stores
• Homeware and kitchenware departments
• Tea shops