An inventory of implements 2: tawse

The classic tawse is a strip of leather about three inches wide. One end is fashioned into a handle, and the other end is slit down the middle, for up to a third of its length. I’m not sure I have ever pinned down the reason for the slit. I’ve seen it argued that the gap allows air to escape at the moment of impact, air that would otherwise act as a cushion and thus mitigate the force of the blow. But I’m not at all sure this is plausible technically, and the slit may be merely a design feature whose original purpose has been lost in the mists of time.

Certainly the tawse has a venerable history, being traditionally favoured by the kind of old-style Scottish schoolmasters whose motto was ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ (a saying that I only recently discovered comes straight out of the bible, that source of so many lurid tales of sin and punishment). Be this as it may, it’s an implement I cherish. One of the reasons I like it so much is the sound it makes. A properly wielded tawse delivers not only a sting to the right place, but also a loud, sharply defined crack. It’s a quite different noise from what you get with a belt or a whip or a cane, a very focussed, clear retort which I think has an excellent effect on both the spanker and spankee. For the latter I think it can induce a sense that she is being spanked just a little harder than is really the case, thus augmenting the effect of the blow itself. If it’s that loud, it must be really hurting.

Another thing I like about a tawse is that it makes good marks. If I wanted to make sure that a girl would have a well-marked bottom the next day, and even a week later, I wouldn’t use a tawse, or at least I would augment it with something else. To really make your mark, I think you need a cane. But a tawse will produce a most pleasing shade of pink, becoming red if plied for long enough. A belt or a crop will do the same, but a tawse ensures a more diffused patch of colour that can be aesthetically gratifying.

The pain that a tawse delivers depends, obviously, on the strength with which is it applied. But it’s also dependent on the thickness of the leather. At present, mine is rather thin, which means it creates a most pleasing sound, and induces a delightful colour. But I don’t find it hurts a girl as much as she needs. It’s perfect for a warm-up, but if I am not to disappoint her then I have to follow up with something more severe. Perhaps for Christmas I shall treat myself to a more sturdy model. I find one cannot have too many instruments of correction.