This is a leaflet I wrote for the GMSMA Dungeon Demo where I demonstrated temporarily inescapable selfbondage. In the spirit of the demo I interviewed myself for the leaflet. All views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by GMSMA.
A similar setup won me a gold medal for temporarily inescapable self-bondage at Chicago Hellfire Club's Inferno the same year.
Q. Why do self-bondage? Can't you get someone to tie you up?
A.Well, other than the fact that there isn't always someone around to tie you up when you need to be tied up, self-bondage has its own rewards.
Q. Can you tell us how self-bondage bondage differs from ordinary bondage?
A. The obvious thing is that you are by yourself and that raises some important safety issues. You really need to plan your scene well if you want to come out of it safely. If something goes wrong, you or you stop enjoying the scene you can't say 'Safeword' and be released instantly. You have to have a secure and reliable way to get you out again.
Q. If there are these drawbacks and potential dangers -- why do it? And what do you if can't free yourself?
A. When someone ties you up you want to test whether the bondage is tight and secure: I want to know that I'm unable to get out. A well planned self-bondage scene can keep you in place until your release mechanism kicks in. There is this mental 'high' in knowing that there is no escape, no one to let you out if you start to moan and bitch.
I also find that when I play with myself that I am a lot more relaxed, so I can do more and be adventurous, try out things by myself that I can then do with other guys. Woody Allen said something along the lines of that 'masturbation is sex with someone you like'. Well, when I play with myself there is this bottom boy I like to do nasty things to, and then of course there is the bottom boy who loves whatever he gets. Somehow it satisfies both sides of me at the same time.
Q. You mentioned escape mechanisms - tell us a bit more.
A. Your escape mechanism has to be pretty much fail-safe. Personally I like to rely on very basic things: ice melts, gravity makes things drop, the sun rises in the morning. In the scene I am doing for the Dungeon Demo the scene ends when an ice cube melts and lets the release cord on the hoist swing into my reach.
This is probably the most complex setup I would trust. Some people use timers, motors, electronics, but as soon as the power goes or something malfunctions they are stuck. When I do an overnight scene - I really like sleeping all tied up - I use a four-digit 'Master' combination lock. It's next to impossible to get out while it's dark as there are 10,000 different combinations to try, but as soon as it gets light I can open it instantly.
Q. How long do your scenes last?
A. It really varies a lot. I like bondage positions that are physically challenging, so you have to work out how long you can safely stay in a position without getting cramps and how long you might actually enjoy the position. My longest scenes are overnight and I usually get some good sleep.
Q. Are there any safety issues you would like to discuss?
A. The most basic thing is good planning. If you put together a scene in a hurry because you are horny and want to play NOW you can easily find yourself in trouble. Figure out really well how you are going to get yourself out again. Test and check everything a few times before you get going.
There are quite a few horror stories around of people who got themselves stuck for many more hours than they had anticipated, well beyond the point of enjoyment or endurance. As a fantasy that may be a turn-on, but if it happens in real life the fun and horniness tends to disappear pretty quickly. If it should happen to you, try not to panic. Often there is an alternate way out, however difficult. If the worst should happen you just have to make enough noise until the neighbors call the police...
Q. Yikes. So good planning really is the key here.
A. Sure is. But there's also your equipment. A lot of people use rope for self-bondage, and rope is hot to work with. But the problem with it is that it can also be unpredictable. A knot might tighten inadvertently and now you are getting slightly numb fingers and can't get it open. Or you are struggling away happily in your bonds and the knot slips out of reach. Just try gnawing through some nylon rope.
Some people like to have safety scissors or a knife handy (a knife can be easier to use in some situations), and in a real emergency it's great to have a phone in reach. Even in a standing position you should be able to knock the receiver off the hook and press one of the speed dial buttons to reach a friend or the emergency services.
Personally I prefer to use handcuffs, lockable leather shackles, chains and padlocks. All of these are much more predictable than rope and therefore I think they are safer.
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