By Dean of Seattle

There is a general rule in electrical play: Nothing Above The Waist. This rule can, however, be broken, in specific instances, with strict adherence to procedure. If you aren’t willing to play by the rules in this area though, this article isn’t for you this time.

Above the waist is not the place for the careless or inexperienced. Don’t play above the waist until you have some solid experience and confidence in what you are doing.

The first violation should be obvious. It isn’t really above the waist. As a matter of fact, it’s right on the waist. I refer to the belly button.

I can’t really describe the sensation of electrifying the umbilicus because it’s, well, strange. But, the serious practitioner should at least try it once. Personally, I think it’s a kick. You might not.

I suggest a cotton ball dipped in salt water (or piss) stuffed in the belly button (if you have an “innie”. If you have an “outie”, just compress the cotton ball on top). Bend the bare end of a wire to fit snugly on the top, or just snap an alligator clip on the cotton ball, then fasten the sandwich in place. A piece of tape will do. Myself, I like an ACE bandage. (I have more used for ACE bandages than you can shake a stick at. I find them indispensable in the playroom.) The best second contact point for this one is the rectum, but any legal point will do.

Okay, the tits. We always come back to them, don’t we?! The most controversial contact points on the old bod. Well, my official public stance is unchanged: don’t.

The arms: Yes, they are legal. IF, repeat, IF both connections are on the same arm. Do not cross the current from one arm to the other. Ever. Basically, this calls for playing with only one arm at a time. IF you have two isolated power sources, you could hook one source to one arm and one to the other arm. Do not cross leads from the two power sources. This is the only way I know of playing safely with both arms at the same time.

Some people feel that running the current from the arm down the torso is okay, on the grounds that it will do down the side of the body, avoiding the heart area. I think that’s wishful thinking. There’s no guarantee. Do this one at your own risk. At lower voltages you might be okay, but no way would I ever do strenuous work using that electrical path.

Armpits: This can be erotic. It can also be dangerous. It also makes me nervous. Go down the arm from there, never across the chest, and down the torso at your own risk.

Armpit to armpit: I know people who do this, and I know people who are vehemently opposed. I’m in that group. My personal position: I would never do it. There is a real heart muscle risk, perhaps even more than tit-to-tit. There is also a real risk of muscle damage, and reports float around the country that such has indeed happened. This one is on my no-no list. Sorry!

Down the arms: The biceps is a good contact point, as is also the inside of the wrist. The palm of the hand. The thumb. The individual fingers. The back of the hand can be fun. Be careful when working with hands, however. A strong jolt can contract them suddenly and strongly. Restrain the hand first. My suggestion for the hand is to have the victim grasp a metal bar or length of pipe that serves as one contact. An application of current will only tighten his fist. There’s little risk of unnatural movements.

The head: There are some good spots here. But, I would insist that any head work be done with the head restrained, in its natural position. An unrestrained head can bash itself, or even result in whiplash. Restrain the head.

The nasal septum is good (the strip of cartilage between your nostrils). This point just cries for application of an alligator clip. As do the earlobes.

The gums: Very sensitive. Also easy to burn. Sure, but go easy. Nothing scratchy in the mouth, and be very sure anything put in there is sterile, including your hand. And ferchissake, give them time to breathe. It’s unlikely they are going to breathe during the time current is actually applied to the mouth. So never, ever, more than ten seconds on, and then at least as much time OFF as you had the current ON.

I suggest, for all head contacts, that you run the current down the head, or front to back. Earlobe to mouth, say, or earlobe to nose. Earlobe to earlobe? Well, I honestly don’t know. I’d like to hear a discussion on this. Myself, that route would make me nervous. Medical types, I’ll sit this one out.

Head to trunk? Don’t even think about it. Head to arm? Uh, well, do so at your own risk. The jury is still out on the potential for danger on this one.

I nearly forgot one of the most interesting, uh, “head trips”. This is the side-of-neck to side-of-neck, a la Frankenstein’s Monster. In fact, I have a leather collar with a mean-looking bolt attached to each side, and coiled wire running to my generating equipment. I have my subject facing a mirror. The visual impact is staggering. As any good dungeoneer knows, mush of a successful scene is the theatre. And let me tell you, the “Frankenstein Connection” IS theatre.

Avoid: The backbone, the shoulder blades or any place on the back above the hips. There’s too much chance for pulling, tearing, straining or even snapping. Also, the shoulder blades are again closer to the heart than I care to venture.

And, never insert sharp objects in the body. Nothing in the ears at all. Use only the earlobes, please. Only smooth (and sanitary!) objects inside the mouth. No wire ends in either the mouth or the nose. Don’t obstruct any breathing passage.

A NOTE ON SAFE ELECTRICITY TO THE CHEST BY FLEDERMAUS

Electrical stimulation feels too damn good elsewhere — sensitive tits cry out to feel it. I feel there is a safe way to do this — and that is to have BOTH CONTACTS on the same tit. This can be accomplished in any one of several ways.

Use a metal tit clamp, eg alligator clip, on either side of the nipple (the clamps must not touch) and wire each to an electrode. Or, use a hose-clamp, like the nipple-gripper or variable compressor styles, well back on the tit and an alligator or some other small steel clamp on the tip. My favourite, since I’m also into temporary piercing, is to pierce the tip with two sterile needles, then run the current between them. Naturally, if you have permanently pierced tits the ring or bar can be used as one of the electrodes.

The easiest to use electrical tit toy is a wooden snap clothespin with each side of the jaw modified as one electrical contact. This can be done by gluing on strips of thin copper or aluminium, wrapping with tin copper wire, or drilling a small hole and inserting brass nails so the head is on the inside against the nipple and the point is outside for connecting the electrodes.

But remember, both electrodes on one tit and ONLY one tit at a time. Some feel it is safe to use two separate sources on the two tits simultaneously. I do not agree. One tit at a time, and no tits at all until you are thoroughly familiar with the equipment and the sensations it produces elsewhere.

Feature image: detail of a painting by Ron Kibble

FURTHER READING

• Deviance and Desire – Sparking Your BDSM with Electricity
• A Submissive’s Initiative – Shocking Tips to Electrosex Stimulation
• Brotherhood of Leathermen of Color – Electro Play: Safe or Not?
• Ruru’s Restrained Ramblings – TENS Above the Waist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This article first appeared in DungeonMaster magazine, Number 33, September 1987 published by Desmodus Publications and edited by Fledermaus (Tony DeBlase).

Dean of Seattle wrote the electrical column for DungeonMaster for years.

DungeonMaster was published from 1979 to 1992. After Tony DeBlase bought Drummer magazine in 1986, DungeonMaster became, in some ways,  the little brother of its more popular stable-mate. Articles published in DungeonMaster were sometimes later reprinted in Drummer. In 1992, Desmodus Inc., which then included Drummer, Mach, Tough Customers, DungeonMaster, The Sandmutopia Guardian and The Sandmutopia Supply Company, was sold to a Dutch corporation headed by Martjin Bakker, the owner of RoB Amsterdam stores and galleries. Tony DeBlase became Editor Emeritus and passed away in 2000.