I wish I could make it to BlackBeat this year. It is really where my heart is. Still it looks to be fabulous even without me being there. If you can go, I would really suggest that you make the effort.
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BlackBeat 2010 is Back
12 02 2010Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: BDSM, BlackBEAT, Conference
Categories : BDSM, Links
Leatherati
10 02 2010
Ok, I don’t know how I missed this site before (perhaps because while I like Leather, and I hang sometimes with Leather, I am definitely not Leather). I ran across this fantastic site the other day while in FetLife. This site is Leatherati. What is Leatherati? In their own words:
Leatherati launched in 2009 after a long (and productive!) gestation in the minds of Loren Berthelsen and Alex Lindsay. Sensing a gaping hole in the informatosphere for things leathery, but not adult-rated, the duo leveraged their long-standing involvement in the leather community to bring you the most comprehensive leather content site available today. Leatherati explores our unique lifestyle of contests and titleholders, travel and events, dining and drinking, entertainment and shopping and of course, news and opinion.
There was an article talking about the importance of fund raising and Leather contests. It gave the history and asked if maybe there was too much emphasis on how much money a person can raise when it may be better done elsewhere and at the cost of other excellent attributes.
If you want to learn a bit about where we come from (admittedly there is more to the story than leather, but it is a big part of it) then I would suggest you do what I plan on doing and spend a few days at the site reading their posts. Truly excellent content.
MV
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Tags: BDSM, Contests, Leather, Leatherati, Leathermen, Lifestyle
Categories : BDSM, Links
Leather Working 101: Basic Tools Pt. 3
13 01 2010
Photo by Meralain on Flickr. Some rights reserved. Used per creative commons.
Ok, I have showed you how to cut, sew and put holes in leather, this time we are going to see some of the basic tools you need to add things to leather.
Rivets, Grommets and Conchos
When you have your leather cut, you need to do something with it. Rivets are used to hold two pieces of leather together, or to hold some sort of cosmetic item in the leather. They come in a wide variety of shapes and appearances. You will need a mallet (which I discussed in pt. 2) and a rivet setter. This is used to strike the rivets and and set them in place. Basically you are causing a small piece of metal to deform lock into place with a metal holder.
Do not use them when safety requires a strong hold to bind two pieces of leather together. I find they are more for appearance sake. Instead, either sew (which I showed the tools needed in part 1) or use Chicago screws.
Grommets are used to reinforce a hole in leather. Use them when you want to run a rope or lace through a piece of leather where wear may affect it. Or use it for appearance sake too. You will need to use a grommet setter as well as your trusty mallet.
Conchos are very decorative items that are set using either screws or like a rivet. They are almost always to improve the appearance of the item, though they can hold the leather together as well.
MV
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Tags: conchos, grommets, leather working 101, rivets
Categories : Links, Techniques
More on BDSM and Feminism
30 12 2009Very early this year (way back in January), I did a quick post on BDSM and Feminism, linking to an interesting article on Feminist Philosophers. Today, I will point you to an article on SF appeal. The Sexual Manifesto: Can BDSM be Feminist? is an excellent defense of BDSM and makes some very good points about how the Lifestyle is not anti-Feminist. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: BDSM, Feminism, SF Appeal
Categories : BDSM, Links
A Great Place for Novices to Start
23 12 2009One of my favorite places to shop for toys is JT’s Stockroom. I have found that they have a diverse selection of stock and seem to never have shoddy goods. I found out today that they own Kinklab. This where they focus on providing novices an easy entry into the world of BDSM. It is more of a brand of toys than a retailer, so look for it where you shop for your sex toys and feel comfortable that they are good stuff.
Kinklab is the beginner bondage toy line of world-renowned manufacturer, retailer, and distributor Stockroom, Inc. Created in response to a growing mainstream interest in and demand for fetish product, the line draws on Stockroom’s twenty-year history serving the needs of both wholesale and retail kink customers of all experience levels. Though they maintain The Stockroom’s reputation for premium quality leather and fine workmanship, Kinklab products are nevertheless value-priced to remain accessible to the curious beginner.
The Kinklab brand is carefully curated to include only items safe and intuitive to use for those who have little to no experience with BDSM; and all products are presented with a fresh, clean-cut aesthetic to attract a more mainstream customer who is adventurous but who doesn’t identify with a more traditional, black leather-and-chains bondage aesthetic or lifestyle. The elegantly packaged products are presented in ways that take the guesswork out of shopping for unfamiliar gear – compatible items are sold in kits, and packaging incorporates visuals and text to make items as self-explanatory as possible.
You can read about their most recent product announcement (a lube applicator) here.
Happy Holidays!
MV
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Tags: BDSM, Kinklab, Novice, Stockroom, Toys
Categories : Links
Black Thunder
18 11 2009If you are looking for something to do in the May timeline, you might want to check out Black Thunder. Imagine being in the mountains of Tennessee in a log cabin surrounded by kinky folk. All your meals provided for. Vending. Camaraderie. And the price for what you would pay for a weekend hotel stay at another event. Very nice.
Black Thunder 2010 is an education conference for Blacks and People of Color in the Leather and BDSM Community that will be held at a 4-star mountain resort in the Great Smoky Mountains near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, away from the concrete jungle of the major cities and the everyday hum-drum of life.
Be prepared to embark on a totally unique “BDSM Convention Experience” in the natural beauty of the Smoky Mountains during this all-inclusive three days and nights, intense, energy-filled, exciting, educational conference.
We have reserved several impressive, beautiful, majestic, luxurious, colossal mountain lodges overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains that provides spectacular views from the decks and provides an elegant rustic atmosphere not soon forgotten.
Get away with us for a weekend of education, relaxation, socializing, recharging and most of all, enjoying the use of the play spaces and connecting or reconnecting with other members of the Leather and BDSM Communities
Please note that space is limited to only 150 attendees, including presenters and vendors, don’t delay, register now to secure your space.
Be sure to check it out.
MV
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Tags: Black Thunder, Events, Lifestyle, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Categories : Links
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