I’m starting this review in a state of excitement. An eager little beaver with a goal in mind. See, usually I’d get to know a product inside and out, taking copious amounts of notes and working from them to help build what I have to say. But not this time. This time, I’m writing the review as I get to know the product, because I’m making it. Yep, it’s time for me to pick up my Kink Craft Paracord Flogger Kit and get stuck in, and I’m bringing you along for the ride.
First off, the kit comes in such a pretty box! I love the way Kink Craft present their kits. Paper lined, ribbon tied boxes, they come ready to present to whoever the maker-bee might be. If you’ve bought a kit, you’ll get everything you need inside that box. The only things you’ll want to have to hand are stuff like scissors, a ruler, a lighter. You may or may not need a craft mat, depending on your chosen product, but I use one each time I make something from Kink Craft.
So, in this box I’ve got three lengths of paracord: two black and one white. Those were my chosen colours. When you come to buy your kit, you can choose to pair your black with red, blue, purple, pink or, of course, white like I did. There’s a roll of black tape in the box, too, as well as a strip of black cotton tape, a large silver O-Ring, an orange stick and a tube of superglue. All the bits you need to make your hitty thing!
You get the course when you but the kit, too. A series of step-by-step videos that are narrated by the lovely Pixie. I’d recommend you watch the full set of vids before starting to make your piece, just so you know where you’re at. Familiarise yourself with the steps, and you’ll always know what’s coming next.
Pixie’s instructions are very clear, and her demonstrations make it easy to see what she’s doing. The first time around I just watch and listen, but once I start making the product I find I have to keep pausing at key moments to keep up. I also find I have to rewind it a few times so I can focus on what her fingers are doing closely so I can learn by example. That’s not because the vids are unclear or too quickly delivered. It’s just me and my not at all nimble fingers.
I’m diving in to step one now, so wish me luck!
Once all the stuff needed is gathered, the first decision to make is what style of knots I want to trim the ends of my flogger’s falls with. The two choices are simple knots, which give a sensual feel in use, or larger Celtic button knots, which offer a more intense sensation. The latter does look like it’s gonna be more complicated, but I’m opting for that. Go big or go home, right?
Okay, pro tip on your first task: preparing the paracord. Before you begin the first step, unravel your paracord. I just unwrapped the initial coil then started doing the required measuring and looping, and it’s gone tits up three loops in. I’ve ended up with knots and all sorts, so ensure you have yours all loosened up right from the start.
Confusion! The black paracord was sent in two bundles, neither of which are long enough to make all of the twenty-eight 60” lengths that I need to make the falls. I’m a bit unsure about cutting the second length, but I’m gonna go with it as there’s nothing else I can do.
Right, that’s done, and I’ve wrapped 5” of the paracord (measured from the bottom of the O-Ring) to make the base of the handle. Next, I need to wrap it. It’s simple enough to do using the left over paracord, which I have plenty of. I confess, I was worried that I’d fucked it up with one snip of my scissors, but I haven’t. Still plenty of time to fuck it up, though, so I’m not gonna start thinking I’m clever just yet…
I’ve done the bases for my Turks Head Knots, now. It’s been so simple, thus far, but as I pre-watched the videos, I know it isn’t staying that way for long. I’ve got to start doing the actual knots now, and I don’t have a paracord needle. There isn’t one provided in the kit, though I would imagine that they’re easy enough to get hold of. Watching how Pixie gets into a few fights, even using the needle, would make me suggest that you don’t even think about starting your kit without one. Ugh, we’ll see how I go…
I’m not going so well, folks. It’s fiddly and confusing, and the bits keep slipping off and unravelling. As soon as I have to start going under pieces I’ve already wrapped, things go to shit. I so wish I had a paracord needle, cos it would be one hundred times easier. If I’m finding it so hard this early on, God help me when I get to the tighter bits…
Just call me Girl Friday. I lost the plot using just my fingers, so I’ve made my own poky thing. Basically, I’ve mangled a paper clip into a loop, pierced one prong through the paracord and twisted the whole thing so that it doesn’t slip free. I finally managed to create my base for my Turk’s Head Knot, or as I’ve come to know it, the Dick Head Knot.
Following the second of the three steps needed to make this knot is so much easier than the first, so I’m pretty much whizzing through that. My fingers are killing me cos of this fucking paper clip, though. My kingdom for a paracord needle!
On to the third stage, now. It’s time to decide how I want my Turk’s Head Knot to look. I have a choice between a lightning bolt design and a wave, and I’ve decided to go with the wave. It looks prettier in my eyes, so that’s the one for me…
Fuck, I cocked it up. Something went wrong while adding the white and I’ve ended up with a half-wave-half-criss-cross total load of what the fuckery. My fingers are ripped off cos of that stupid mangled paper clip, and I’m just not a very happy Ella. I’ve made an executive decision: I’m putting the making, doing and reviewing on hold while I wait for the arrival of a paracord needle…
So, a few days have passed, my needle is here, and now I’m ready to get stuck in again.
The paracord needle is a bit of an arse to get set up. It’s as simple as threading the stuff into the hole at the end, but I swear to God, it took me nearly ten minutes to get it jammed in there, and I’m not confident that it’s gonna stay there until I’m finished. We’ll see.
Oh, and I’ve changed my mind about the pattern, too. I’m going for the lightning bolt now, cos I’m feeling fickle. And I’m also hoping it’ll be easier than the wave…
Okay, that’s the lightning bolt pattern done and done! It was so much easier than the wave, and not just because the paracord needle is a gift from the gods. Seriously, you really need to get one of these things if you’re considering making any of Kink Craft’s larger scale products, it’s just a better experience all around. If you’re not down with the fiddly bits, or if you’ve been finding your flogger too confusing and you just want it fucking finished already, forget the wave and stick with the lightning bolt.
After doing the base stages for the second Turk’s Head Knot (the one at the top of the falls) which took me longer that the first one did for some unfathomable reason, I tried doing the wave again. It only took me two attempts to abort that plan, and I now have to very pretty black and white lightning bolt knots.
While Kink Craft suggest putting aside 4-5 hours to make this flogger, I’ll confess that just the handle has taken me about 9 hours to complete. I now have eighty Celtic Button Knots to do. Stone me!
I like doing these knots. They look complicated, but I’ve got it down and I’m whizzing through them. I’ve burnt my fingers a few times tidying up the ends, but that’s to be expected when you’re clumsy like me.
So, it’s all done. From top to bottom, it’s all finished and I’ve ended up with a flogger that has a 7.5” handle (including hanging ring) and eighty falls that measure between 15” and 18”. I’m so pleased I chose the black and white, cos not only are they my city’s football colours, but they also make for a gorgeous flogger!
We’ve used the Kink Craft Paracord Flogger now, and it’s fucking fabulous. The Celtic Button Knots provide some lovely, deep thuds, and because I managed to finish half of them in a raggy fashion, there’s an unmissable scratch that adds an extra sensation on more sensitive body parts.
Tickling feels good with this one, probably because of the knots acting as weights. There’s also a lovely rain-like feeling to be had from trailing them back and forth over the skin. I don’t know if it just feels so different to anything else because I literally bled while making it, but there’s something special about it that’s make it my favourite flogger to date.
It’s the Fella’s new fave, too. He says that the handle is good and chunky, but it could have been an inch longer to accommodate his hand. And he would feel more comfy with a wrist strap, too. But he loves how it swings, how it actually makes a thumping noise on impact rather than a slap.
It feels good to know my efforts have impressed him, and that’s one of the best things about Kink Craft kits. Whatever your relationship dynamic, knowing that you’re crafting your own kinky thing is exciting. I loved the Fella watching me, knowing what was in store for me once I’d finished. And he loved checking up on my progress, making little comments about the plans he was cooking up. Even though we didn’t do it together it was super intimate, just like what came after.
The Kink Craft Paracord Flogger was a challenging one, for sure, but I loved making it and I love using it. If you’ve never done a DIY Kink Craft kit before, I’d recommend starting with something simpler. The Mini Flogger, or maybe some cuffs. If you’ve done those and are looking for something a bit more involved, this one could be the ticket. If you’d like to give one a shot, click the image below to go buy one.
