Flogging workshop and first-time Kabunza trade stand at the BBB

Whenever I am asked to host a workshop, give tuition or give a demonstration, I always leap at the chance. It is incredibly rewarding and I truly believe that one of the best things anyone with a well practiced skill can do for the BDSM community is to pass on their knowledge to willing students safely. There are a lot of people out there who are reckless (even dangerous) but teach their activities anyway, (often simply to stroke their own egos) despite how unsafe it may be. It can sometimes be very confusing or even scary enough to put people off trying or learning new things. My recommendation to anyone taking advice from anyone on any BDSM activity is to do a little research into the competence of the person(s) giving out their information and also briefly on the subject matter in question (be it flogging, whips, shibari or any BDSM skill) using that magical tool: The internet. Trust me, for the safety of both yourself and those you play with, it never hurts to do a little research and anyone with real knowledge or skill will be apparent from the tat.

I tend to be very hands-on and interactive in my workshops; I like people to ask questions, I like people to talk to me about their own experiences so that I can explain or perhaps even learn something new myself (nobody ever stops learning) and I always try to get people out of their seats to physically practice anything I am trying to teach. Actual practice of any skill makes perfect and I think being able to actively talk people through and demonstrate safely as they are attempting new skills tends to alleviate a very large portion of simple first-time learning hiccups.

Having said that; I am happy to say that the flogging workshop at the Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar received some wonderful feedback and comments. It seemed as though everyone had a wonderful time and I cannot express how rewarding it is to watch people putting their new-found teachings into practice over the course of an event (having a room full of flying florantining floggers can be an incredibly fun thing to watch).

Even the lovely Mistress Victoria from Uberkinky (who was a pleasure to finally meet face to face) wrote a sparkling review of the experience, which you can read on her website blog: Here.

In response to the many people who have asked me to do some Youtube videos and tutorials: I do hope to get some made eventually, but it is finding someone who would be willing to film me and has decent enough equipment and software to do so. It will be done, it is just a question of time and expense (anyone wishing to participate in this kind of project, please feel free to contact me).

And to answer the question that so many people directed at me about my collection of floggers at the workshop: The straight handled floggers were from Jack’s Floggers, The ball handled floggers were from Jack’s floggers and Edgeplay and the majority of the floggers that you saw that evening (the poi floggers) were from our very own Kabunza Craftwerks (we do accept custom orders if you would like a personalised set made).

As well as the workshop, it was also Kabunza‘s first ever trade stand at the BBB. We received some wonderful feedback on our products and many people walked home with shiny new Kabunza collars, jewellery and floggers. We are gleefully looking forward to any possibilities of trading there again. The atmosphere and people at this event are simply awesome.

To sum up this post, I would just like to send out a few thankyou’s :

• To the BBB market and after party organizers for offering us the opportunity to have our Kabunza trade stand represented at their event, for the ample support they gave us, for allowing me the honour of hosting a workshop for them and for their very encouraging and complimentary words throughout.
• To everyone who made a purchase at the Kabunza trade stand. We know from all your lovely comments and appreciation photos that our hard work is going to good homes. We hope you get as much joy from them through their use and wear as we have had in creating them.
• To everyone who attended the workshop. I hope everyone had fun (I know many did from the comments that I have received on Facebook and Fetlife but I never tire from hearing your thoughts and I am sure the readers of my blog would love to hear your comments if anyone would like to post any below).
• To my ever diligent partner for pouring her blood, sweat and tears (three of my favourite things to squeeze out of her) into customising and altering almost every purchased Kabunza item at the event. She really worked hard.
• To my Benjamin. Who, without him, none of the above would of happened and who embraced everything that I inflicted upon him at the workshop (and afterwards) with a delicious smile. As I have always said; “It takes two to play”, and in that respect I am always greatly appreciative of him and feel incredibly lucky to have him as my own.

Introductions: Scylla & Charybdis

Given my insatiable passion for hitting things with other things, it seemed appropriate for my loving submissive Benjamin to purchase me a pair of new floggers for my birthday.

Granted, my birthday is not for another month (28th October to be exact), but he had given them to me early because it had been arranged for them to be picked up from their creator at a recent event; and he could not resist my beguiling charm to use them at the same event (purely to make sure they functioned correctly, of course). Naturally, once they were in my hands, he could not take them back.

Due to the circumstance to which they were attained, as well as the humorous aspects pertaining to anyone who might feel their falls, they have been given the names Scylla and Charybdis. If you know your Greek mythology, you will know what I mean, but for those who do not, a helpful link has been provided (the ignorant will remain blissfully so).

Similar to Sasha, Tempest and Angele, only the most special of my items get given names and I will explain why these floggers are particularly special:

This pair of floggers have been custom made and designed according to my preferred specifications and intended as a gift for my birthday from my submissive (this should make them special enough, but there is more). The ball-handles (not to be confused with normal handles as they are used completely differently) have been made out of the same wood (dymond wood) that the handles of Sasha and Tempest had been made from, keeping to the uniform of the most special items in my continuing collection. Each have a 20 inch fall of soft black suede leather (this is a longer fall than normal, but my personal preference) and matching belt clips (made from the same leather) were also included.
During construction several hitches in the design were hit. One of which was the wood itself: Apparently dymond wood is quite fragile when compared to the woods normally used in the creation of flogger handles and because of this the ball-handle design needed to be changed. The creator (Jack’s floggers) came up with the unique design of adding steel pins through the core of the handles to make them strong enough to sustain through the inevitable beatings they will dish out.
The design proved so fiddly and annoying to complete that once the floggers were finished, the creator decided to abandon the idea of crafting any more; making these floggers the only pair currently in existence and highly unlikely to be reproduced without being incredibly expensive.

I have always been a flogger enthusiast and I have never seen a pair so beautifully made or better suited for me.

I love them.

And yes, before anyone asks, I know which is which and I can easily differentiate the two.

Thankyou Benjamin for my beautiful birthday twins.

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