Domina Liza | Midlands Mistress and Dominatrix in Derby

Domina Liza

Here you will find articles written by Domina Liza: an insight into various aspects of BDSM and fetishism which draw on her experience from all areas of her profession and are intended to give you, the reader, an insight into the many different sides of femdom, BDSM and fetishism from her own personal perspective.

Be sure to check back every week or so, as new articles are added.

All the Gear No Idea

Following on from my article ‘the Gravity of Smaller Acts’, I want to dwell a little on the impact of and kudos given to BDSM equipment, or toys.

Gadgets, gizmos, furniture, insertables, whips, vac beds, suspension rigs, electrics..... And on and on and on – the list of instruments used in all areas of BDSM and fetish play is almost inexhaustible.

From the most simple Lochgelly Tawse, to a multipurpose bondage rack with pulleys, electronic hoist and isolation cage, these pieces of equipment often play a large role in many forms of play, and range from the rudimentary to the downright futuristic!

The idea of using equipment in BDSM and fetish is fairly simple – it is used to create. Think about different types of equipment (see here for a few examples if you wish), and think about what they create. Equipment can create physical sensation, be that the sensation of cold skin from steel restraints, the static crackle from a violet wand, the cut and burn of a whip and so on. It can create mental sensations and experiences, for example the fear or anticipation of an intimidating looking machine or tool, or the feeling of internalisation when using sensory deprivation equipment. Other equipment can create accessibility and mobility for the user by restraining or putting in place a body or body part enabling greater freedom of movement and activity, for example dangling you from my suspension rig while you are restrained with simple rope means I have both hands free to torture you. Equipment can also create problems in the wrong hands. It must never be forgotten that even the most simple of toys can do irreparable damage when used by someone with little or no self control, or no desire to learn how to use the equipment safely.

Many of us love toys, lots of shiny, wondrous toys. Like children in a toy store, we stand, eyes wide open, in rapture at the latest, greatest, or simply newly discovered contraption that holds in its making the key to doors of fun, pain and pleasure. Just like anything else in a consumer society really though, things we could do without can become things we cannot do without. Just like the latest mobile phone, car, or fashionable clothes, some see their equipment as a way of advertising their status – I have therefore I am. Comparisons can be drawn from all sides of the coin. The brand used, the cost of the item and how it looks often seem to supersede the actual purpose of the item itself.

The advent of companies who do produce equipment for specific BDSM purposes has been a good thing in many ways. I often cringe when I hear that people have used cane from a garden centre to administer CP – this can splinter easily and cause damage. Better to buy from a company who select the correct grass and cane for the purpose intended and proceed safely, or to buy cuffs from a maker who understands how you will use them, and the safe working limits of the cuffs. A lot of BDSM equipment is homemade and crafted from various household sundries, which is great, the mind’s only limit is imagination, and I have seen some truly ingenious contraptions born from such beginnings!
At the end of the day, we are only as good as our mind. An expensive spanner does not make a good mechanic. The key thing is to find equipment that suits you, and for the reasons you want it. Do your research, and do not be bullied into spending hundreds or thousands of pounds on something you do not need just because you think you need to have it.

Above all, enjoy it. And if something takes your eye and sets your pulse racing, make it yours, and use it well.