6 is Plenty
By Lazarus Redmayne
You don't need much rope to have a good time; a short length — 6'(~2m) — is plenty. The greatest satisfaction of rope is rarely the craft itself, but the experiences we share with others. And while rope is an important part of any rope scene, it is certainly not the only tool at your disposal to drive your rope partner wild! In this CAS, Blue and I explore the power of suggestion, surprise, and a few short ropes to create a wonderful mind game.
You can get consent in a way that enhances the experience!
Many of us enjoy the thrill of impromptu bondage scenes and explicit consent can seem like a cramp in our kinky style. However, the opposite can definitely be true!
Picture it: You sit down with your rope partner to discuss:
- You: I’d like to discuss a potential future scene with you
- Rope Partner: Okay…? What is it?
- Y: Well, there’s something about the idea of you helplessly tied to a tree that has been making it hard … for me to concentrate …
- RP: Oh really…? Concentration problems can be serious … What do you intend to do about that? ::devilish grin::
- Y: In an ideal world I would carry around a few short lengths of rope on the off chance that a suitable spot becomes available. And in an ideal world you would be completely caught off guard. And become completely helpless insanely fast.
- RP: Hm…that sounds like something I could be inclined to enjoy. In an ideal world…
- Y: What if I make that world a reality? Say, before the snow flies…?
- RP: I would love for you to make that world a reality.
BOOM! Extremely sexy and playful negotiation with time sensitive and relatively informed consent. (In this scenario the characters are existing rope partners and have a shared history. Ideally none of the ties used by the rigger in the impromptu scene would be brand new to the rope bottom.)
At this point the rope bottom has no idea what kind of ties will be used to restrain them or exactly when the scene will take place, but they know it is coming “before the snow flies”. They will constantly wonder if *this* walk in the park will be the one…
Oh, the exquisitely agonizing antici……
……
……PATION! Tease and denial make everything better, don’t ask me why, it just does.
You could rev them up even further by practicing some of the ties with a very detached and purposefully thoughtful demeanor. Lots of “Hmm”s and thoughtful pauses. Then if they ask, “What are you practicing for?” a simple “Oh, nothing. Just a little surprise for later.” will surely fan the flames.
Try not to let the mind games drag on too long without some follow-through. Experiment and figure out how long your partner likes being teased and at what point it becomes annoying. Remember, just because you end one game doesn’t mean you can’t start another!
Risk Management and Safety
When tying anyone to an object, it’s important to assess its sturdiness. After all, if it breaks or falls your partner is going down with it! If you intend to tie someone to a tree, scope out the location ahead of time and assess the health and sturdiness of the tree. Ensure that there aren’t any sharp rocks or sticks nearby that could hurt someone and remove twigs that could poke someone in the eye (within reason, of course. Don’t go leveling a grove for one rope scene). If the ground is soddened due to extensive rain, melting snow, or flooding, wait for it to dry out and become steady before tying.
The techniques used to create this scene are quite simple and fast after some practice. And given the use of single lines and wraps, they aren’t the most sustainable. The intention of this scene is to be fast and disarming, both the application and duration. Ensure that the rope bottom has a way to signal if the rope is becoming too intense or if they are experiencing negative effects.
It is possible for a Prusik knot to jam if it is pulled tightly. If you are planning to tie a wiggly eel, then (as always) have a means to cut your rope if you are unable to untie it to get them out!
It should go without saying, but let’s be explicit. Just as with all power exchange and bondage, this should only be done on a willing participant! If you want to learn more about negotiation, consent, and a whole host of other things, check out our richly detailed Getting Started pages.
Rope Needed
- Hands: One 6’ (~2m) rope
- Ankles: One 4’ (~1.25m) rope
- Mouth: One 6’ (~2m) rope
Scene Credits
Prerequisites
Scene
- Prusik Cuffs secured around the wrists and to the belly, using the techniques from Applying a Handcuff Knot.
- The extra rope from the Prusik Cuffs is used to tie the waist to the tree using a Square Knot and a few Half Hitches for extra security.
- A single line Somerville Bowline on one ankle, the tail is run behind the tree, and a second Somerville Bowline tied on the other ankle.
- A single wrap Lark’s Head Single Column is tied around the head and run through the mouth, then tied to the tree with a Square Knot.
- Find step-by-step instructions in the “More Detail” section below
1. Prep
Step-by-step shots of the tying process and a few of our favorites!
You need very little rope to effectively restrain someone.
Just 6’ (~2m) is plenty. Here I’m going to do so using Prusik Cuffs
2. Wrists
Secure the Prusik Cuffs around the wrists.
Run the tails of (1) around each side and tie the wrist tightly to the waist using a Surgeon’s Knot. See the Applying a Handcuff Knot tutorial for some good tips on doing this well!
Use the remaining rope to tie the waist to the tree using a Surgeon’s Knot.
If your partner is going to play/thrash around to try and break free, secure the ends extra well. Here I’m using up the extra rope with an additional Half Hitch on one side …
… then on the other to fully lock the rope down.
Then I let Blue thrash around with just that level for a while…
That is all you need to keep your partner in their place!
... but if you happen to have a little more rope and want to further limit their options or increase their frustration, here are a few more layers you can add with very little rope:
3. Ankles
To give her something new to play with, I grabbed another short length of rope. You can tie a Somerville Bowline with a single strand. So, I did that on one ankle. Here is the first part…
…here I have locked it off.
I then ran the tail behind the tree and added a second Somerville Bowline to the other ankle.
And then let her play some more 😉
…
4. Mouth
To make things extra frustrating, you can add one more layer: Run a Lark’s Head around the head and through the mouth…
…then lock it off with a Half Hitch (this is effectively a Single Wrap Lark’s Head Single Column)
Run the tail around the tree and lock off. Here I did so with a Square Knot.
Your partner can now brat all they want; they aren’t going anywhere! 😉
