Janet Hardy - The Toybag Guide to Canes and Caning

Rating: 5/5
Impressions: An indespensible little book for those new to canes and caning and those who want to learn more about it.
Price: $9.95 from publisher, $9.95 from JT's Stockroom

While I'm an old hand (relatively speaking, I'm sure there are a great many people out there who have more experience than I do, of course) at spanking, caning (and canes) are new to me. So when I decided that I wanted to buy my first cane and branch out from spanking to caning (thanks to being enthralled by the caning descriptions in The Story of O), I knew that I had to do my homework and learn the basics and subtleties of my new interest rather than jumping in headfirst as safety and technique are always important when using a toy that causes physical pain and/or injuries.

The Toybag Guide to Canes and Caning met my needs and more. This little book (and I do mean little, it's intended to fit into a toy bag and measures in at a scant 4" x 6" and 103 pages) has everything I needed to know and then some included in its concise coverage.

Areas covered in Canes and Caning are:

• Cane styles and materials (something I greatly appreciated as buying your first cane - or getting a new cane in a new material or style - can be intimidating with all the options available to you)


• Caning techniques, pacing, warmup and aftercare


• The history of the cane


• Integrating the cane into your scenes


• Receiving the cane (which acknowledges that there's more to caning than bend over and get whacked and which addresses the person being caned rather than just the dominant person doing the caning, and which, as a submissive, I appreciate greatly)


• First aid and safety issues (which is always important when engaging in BDSM play, whether you're an old hand or a neophyte)


• Making and maintaining canes (something I was glad to see as my husband has expressed an interest in making his own)

Canes and Caning covers anything and everything I needed to know when I ventured into the world of caning and then some, all written in an approachable style that includes the author's (who is also the author or co-author of two other books in my library: The Compleat Spanker and The Ethical Slut under the nomes de plume Lady Green and Catherine A. Liszt respectively) personal experiences, preferences and opinions.

While $9.95 may seem a bit steep for such a small book, it really was worth every penny for the peace of mind and knowledge it provided. While I can't speak to whether the other books in the Toy Bag Guide series are as helpful (the authors vary from book to book), this particular installment earns my highest commendation for anyone new to caning or for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of it.

(Buy Canes and Caning from JT's Stockroom)