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More Than You Might Have Wanted To Know About
Clothespins
Collected by an anonymous writer from various newsgroup, several publications, and a few
of his own invention. Examples provided are for females, but the concepts are not truly
gender-specific. A recent simple device for directly measuring clamping force of
clothespins and other spring clamps is described at the end of this posting. No doubt
others will add their own favorites, a future publication of '101 Things to Do With
Clothespins' would be an amusing project. As always, I have done what I might to suggest
safety, proceed with caring.
Wood versus plastic:
Wooden clothespins are a bit kinder and have less tendency to abrade, thus I would suggest
starting with them. Plastic clothespins tend to have much smaller ribbed gripping
surfaces, and a 'feel' much stronger than the equivalent wooden ones. Extremely small
plastic clothespins are very nasty indeed, and many may be used in the same area for
greater intensity.
Wooden clothespins are available in several qualities, with the older, thicker ones being
a bit better IMHO, and the thin ones more likely to splinter or have sharp edges. As one
may purchase 50 of these for perhaps $4 American, these rank among least expensive of
toys, and among the most versatile. Almost anything one may do with fingertip squeezing
may be done with clothespins, and several things that cannot be accomplished with one's
fingers may easily be done with these tiny household beauties. Of course, this does leave
your hands free for other activities....
Clamping Tightness "too hard!", "too soft!", "just right!":
Unmodified, most wooden clothespins of quality grip with between 4 and 6 pounds of
pressure over an area of 3/16 X 1/2 inches. This is too much for some, and not enough for
others. The grip is best increased by wrapping the clamping end with elastic bands, and
decreased in several ways. The simplest is by weakening the springs by clamping something
that requires the clothespin to be open to its limit for several days. This will reduce
the clamping pressure by several pounds, dependent on the initial strength of the spring,
the width of the opening, and the length of time one allows for stretching. Carefully
pulling the jaws wider than they would normally travel will stretch the spring quickly,
but this is harder to control. Wrapping elastic bands around the legs of the clothespin
will resist the tension of the spring and weaken the clamping force without permanently
weakening the spring.
If you are willing to spend a bit more time, drill straight through both legs of the
clothespin legs about one third from the end and thread a bolt through the holes,
tightening a wing nut on the bolt will allow for wonderfully precise changes in clamping
pressure, since the bolt-nut combination adjustably limits the travel of the legs. It is
often best to drill a larger hole or even a slot in one leg for ease of adjustment. This
requires perhaps 2 minutes per clothespin and is well worth the time, as the pressure may
be slowly increased as her ability to enjoy the sensation improves. Weights may be hung
off of the clothespin as well by hooks or cords attached to such holes and hardware.
Standard Techniques - suggestions for beginning and advancing:
One classical place to begin with clothespins is the nipple, but there are many possible
variations to this alone. The first grip recommended most often is with the clothespin
pointing straight onto the nipple, not from the side, gripping the base of the nipple, not
the tip, and perhaps a bit of areola as well. This does not have the same sort of 'bite'
as grasping the nipple alone may, and often does wonderful things for sensitivity without
causing severe pain. It is best to start with a rather weak clamping pressure and work
upwards, and if you are just beginning, try not to leave the pins on for too long (start
with what she can endure, and eventually work up to perhaps twenty minutes. I prefer not
to leave them on longer than this). The longer the clamping time, the more fierce the
sensation caused by removing the pressure. The increased sensitivity afterwards may last
from minutes to many hours, depending on the person, the clamping force and time; and
several things might be done in this period to use that sensitivity to advantage (beating
with the proverbial 'wet noodle' or even a featherduster is quite effective). Ice applied
immediately after removing the clothespin may reduce the length and severity of the
sensation if that is desired.
You might try putting the clothespin on sideways, with the nipple centered in the hole in
the clamping area. If you do this far enough back on the nipple base or areola, the tip of
a large nipple will remain exposed for other things, such as ice, nibbling, or smaller
clips and clamps.
You might try clamping the nipple only, or work gradually out from the areola as her
ability to enjoy more increases. Tapping or lightly brushing the tips of attached
clothespins is effective, and a light vibrator may also be used if taped to the legs of
the clothespin.
One simple device works nicely for both nipples at once on all but the smallest female
breasts. Take two clothespins and glue the outsides of the legs together with a slight
overlap. Then use the clamping ends to grasp both nipples from the sides at once. The pull
will vary depending on breast size, but some will be present, thus causing her to jiggle
her breasts gently can be fun, and of course, this is often just the thing to add to
tickling. Size differences may require an additional short piece of wood to link the pair
together, length best found by experiment.
Several people have mentioned pulling on clothespins or clips with strings, chains or
cords. The nipple itself may also be encircled by a thin cord or thread, I have used
unwaxed dental floss to good effect. Avoid slipknots for the obvious reason that they
might tighten too far in use.
Pulling off a clothespin is more painful than squeezing the legs to remove it gently, and
is the basis for several devices below. Again, the longer one leaves them attached, the
stronger the result.
Other places you might wish to try:
Many areas of the body might do well with a bit of clamping either for sensation or visual
appeal. Other parts of the breast, and any portion of the torso and limbs where one may
gather a bit of skin come immediately to mind. In view of the tiny expense, one might use
many dozens at one time.
Specific classic variations include but are not limited to:
A row, circle, on the belly or back one or more on the labia or other areas of
'wabbliebits' (tm-STella) the inner thigh or arm a belt of clothespins round the waist
small clothespins on the webbing of fingers and toes the earlobe (the dangling legs of the
clothespin brush the neck nicely) behind the knees and inside the elbows a circle round
the thighs as a reminder to keep them spread.
'Zippers' and other tailoring:
Drill a hole through one leg of at least one dozen clothespins, thread them on a thong or
cord, knotting them at small intervals, and you have created a zipper. One derivation for
the name will become obvious the first time one tugs swiftly on one end of the cord and
hears the sound made by the pins pulling off sensitive skin (there may be other sounds as
well). The spacing may vary, longer ones may be made, and double rows of 20 or so
clothespins are common. The inside of the upper arm or thigh are rather traditional for
these, but most areas of the body are available, one of my own favorites being the side of
the body normally covered by the arms, after binding the arms over the head. Ticklish and
sensitive.
A 'tri-zipper' is my own name for three of these single zippers with one end of each
fastened to a central ring (a key ring will do, but try to find something a bit larger).
The ring is centered high on the belly, with the farthest pins attaching to the nipples
and 'wabbliebits' (tm-STella), perhaps with a bit of spiral towards the center of each
region, and the nearest ones fastening to the skin near the center. The look of horrified
anticipation as you grasp the ring and begin to pull slowly outwards, each pin popping off
in turn as the three zipper lines move towards the most sensitive areas is not to be
missed, while pulling faster often causes volumes of coloratura shrieking.
Another design I have not seen elsewhere I have dubbed the Reverse Garter, 'reverse' in
the sense of pulling down rather than up. Two bands of non-stretch material (webbing,
fabric or leather will do) with buckles or other adjustable fasteners are put high up
around each thigh, perhaps five inches from the pubis, although this dimension will vary.
Sewn or riveted onto the band is a close (almost touching) row of four clothespins on the
inside of the leg, with the clamping ends pointing upwards. These are first attached to
the outer labia, then the band is adjusted to a position to gently stretch the lips and
tightened so as not to be pulled further up the thigh. Intriguing in itself, and provides
both more pull and an interesting display when she spreads her legs. Delectable. (There
are major sensation differences between the outer lips and more inner tissues, grasping
these areas with the same force is likely to cause considerably more pain than
anticipated.)
Modifying pins for more intense sensations:
The simplest method is increasing the clamping force with one or more elastic bands round
the clamping end, but there are several others.
Purchase some short 1/8th inch diameter brads or finish nails, and a drill of the same
diameter. Drill three holes through the clamping end of two clothespins. Sand, grind, or
file the ends of the brads to a smooth *ROUND* tip then push them through so they protrude
into the clamping area while the clothespin is held open 1/8th inch. Use a drop of strong
glue to hold the brads in place, and saw off the excess length from the outside of the
pins after the glue dries.
Exceedingly nasty, as the clamping force now concentrates primarily on three small areas
rather than the entire clamping area. Use this carefully, preferably with a fully
adjustable clothespin as above, and make quite sure by testing on yourself first that the
ends of the brads are NOT SHARP at all to avoid damage. Useful for those seeking more than
a 'regular' clothespin may provide.
Several less extreme variations on the idea above are possible, all based on disassembling
the clothespin, filing several grooves in the wooden clamping area, then reassembling the
clothespin. Grooves and blunt 'teeth' aid in preventing slippage, and feel a bit more
harsh than flat wood.
Removing perhaps one-half of the side of the clamping area with a saw or rasp provides two
benefits, the same clamping pressure will be applied over a smaller area, and double the
number of clothespin tips may fitted to the same bit of anatomy. Remember to round the
edges slightly with sandpaper to avoid splinters or other inadvertent injury.
A design for testing the clamping force of clothespins:
Tradition demands testing on the web of one's hand, this is well and good for impromptu
buying and to get a subjective feel for the actual sensation of a new design, but lacks
precision and repeatability, qualities dear to the heart of any engineer. Some thinking
and a bit of experimentation resulted in the following frame to directly and accurately
measure clamping force in clothespins. With minor modifications, it serves to measure
certain other sorts of spring-clamp pressure as well. I recognize the source of error from
measuring the force at the hole rather than the clamping area, but it is a difference both
trivial and consistent, and thus may be ignored for comparative testing.
Select two boards longer than 8 inches, wider than 1 inch, and perhaps 1/4 inch thick, and
place them together, lying flat on top of one another. Drill a hole through both 5 inches
or so from one end. Put a bolt through this hole, and thread a wingnut on the bolt. Clamp
the other end of the boards firmly to a table or bench, slide one leg of the clothespin
into the tapered space between the two boards, then tighten the wingnut. This frame will
hold the clothespin for testing. Once the pin is held firmly in place, use a thin cord
attached to a spring tension scale (I use an 'anglers scale', accurate from 1 to 28
pounds, any 'pulling' scale with a hook will do), and pull downwards against the clamping
area until the clothespin opens. This measurement will vary from the pull necessary to
just open the jaws to a higher reading before the jaws reach their limit of travel. As
mentioned, the 'standard' clothespins I have tested fall somewhere in the region of 4-6
pounds, stretching for several days may yield less than 3 pounds, and manual stretching of
the clothespin spring will swiftly reduce the pressure to 1 pounds or less. If one has the
time and interest, coding the various strength ranges of tested clothespins for different
tastes and applications is possible, either by color or by filing groove patterns in the
legs to select by touch. "Twenty of the red ones for a start, I am in an evil mood
tonight."
A reply to above from a woman on Society for Human Sexuality mailing list
(shs@u.washington.edu):
"hmm..one thing that I go by, to see if it is something I want to make part of my
sex-life is..TRY IT..so if I buy new clamps, I will try them on myself first...if they
don't make my nipples come off...I keep them :).
With the clothespins...well, I thought the idea was a little weird and I didn't know how
to approach my SO about it...so I bought 50 clothespins. Once they sat in my bedroom
neatly packed in a box, curiosity took over...and I attached some to my breasts...well...I
think I ended up with about 30 and wished my SO was there...the pulling off was ok..and
they left those pretty red marks for the next hour or two. So trying things out alone
isn't bad...
After that night I just gave my SO the clamps and grinned...because I couldn't wait any
longer and wanted his loving and caring hands to attach them to my sensitive skin. But I
tried it alone first to see, if this is a kind of pain I can take."
1/13/2000 Interesting E-mail response to article
Reprinted with author's permission
Many thanks for the great article more than you ever wanted to know about clothespins. My wife and I have have been married for over thirty years. She's mid 50's I'm late 50"s. We have and always had a great sex life. We do and have done everything to and with oneanother. Monogamy is notmonotanous with ous. We have used every fantasy to spur us on. Well............. clothespins have entered our lives.
Neither of us is into S&M. If it's ok for you great. It's not for us.
The first thought we had about clothespins was it was for some people to perform in sex films. My wife tried one on her nipple and rejested it out of hand......for herself. She did not like the pain or the mark it left on her. However, she became as excited as me when I tried at first one, then another, and yet another.
Both of us are a little heavier than we should be. It doesn't bother us. She's still a babe in my eyes. The extra flesh I have is perfect for clothespin art which my bride now performs.
The first nite we used eight pins (we use only the large wooden ones) on my breasts. My first reaction was ouch. I was determined to see this through. I laid perfectly still on the bed for about one minute. The severe pain subsided. My wife flicked some of them with her fingures and a sudden surge of energy shot through my body.
Since then we've added more and more pins. We've become very creative. We can easily place twenty to thirty on each breast alone. Fifty or so extending down my side from my underarms. Twentyfive each on the soft portion fo each arm. Fifty along each leg beginning just beneath my testicles. And a whole bunch more on my abdomen. In all we have used over five-hundred in one session. The last four clips are reserved for my testicles. What an incredible feeling.
What prompted me to write is last nite in the midst of the clicking of the clothespins I received the best fellatio my honey ever performed on me. Fellatio is the dominant form of climax for me (my bride prefers our curved vibrator). Twelve hours later I can still feel each and every pin and that explosive orgasm. Another interesting feature is my body still looks as though I am covered with zipper tracks. They'll be gone by this evening. Maybe we'll make more tracks.
Moe in the Northeast
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