Quote Originally Posted by sugeneg
I was wondering if someone could give me a little bit of advice on buying my first whip/flogger. I have only a little experience in using whips, none of which were my own, and I am looking to go and buy one for myself. I am looking at maybe two, one slightly more harsh than the other or maybe one whip and one small hand flogger.

What I would like to know is what should I look for in a good whip. I am not looking for anything particularly harsh (I do not wish to break the skin or leave welts that last for weeks) but something that is still painful and can't just be shrugged off.

What should they be made of? How many strands should they be made of?
Very smart of you, Jason to ask for info before spending your money. Three tips for you:

Go the the whips and floggers thread (it's new!) and check the ratings there to get an idea what you are getting into. When I first started buying whips I learned that what I saw in my fantasies was not what whips do in real life. (I had some of my harsher implements sit in a drawer for two years before I learned to take that kind of pain.)

Remember that the stiffer the leather the more likely it is to bruise the skin and the sharper the edges the easier it will cut. Anything braided will likely be stiffer and edgier. Flat and wide tails hurt less. For not so painful, but very satisfying whippings I recomend floggers made with suede. Also, the more tails in it the less it will hurt.
Remember high school physics? Pressure=weight/surface? In whips it is Pain=force/tails. That is why singletail whips are best left for experts and painsluts.

Lastly, in whips you get what you pay for. Avoid products that have a plastic-like feeling to them. A nice flogger should give a very satisfying swish when swung through the air. If you really have money to spend look for hand-made floggers made of kangaroo leather. They are amazing and will last a lifetime!