Okay, so nipple clamps are pretty self-explanatory, right? Nipple, nipple clamp, pretty straightforward. In this section, we'll talk about some less obvious uses for clips and clamps, and some varieties of nipple clamps that go beyond "clippy thing on a chain."

Clamps work in places other than nipples; and the addition of other mechanisms more complex than a simple clip on a chain opens up all kinds of new vistas of sensation.

Beyond the Basics

One of the most basic variations on the "clips on a chain" theme is nipple clamps which have some sort of mechanism from which you can hang weights. The addition of weights to a nipple clamp increase sensation by pulling on the nipple (and with Japanese clover clamps, by tightening the clamp as well).

The simplest way to do this is to find the center of the chain of a conventional pair of nipple clamps, thread a bent paper clip through it, and hang fishing sinkers from the paper clip. There are varieties of nipple clamp designed specifically for weights; they fall into the same categories as the clamps described in the previous section, but they're each connected to a short piece of chain which has a hook or some similar device on the end designed to accommodate weights.

So how does adding weights to a set of nipple clamps open up new avenues of kinky fun? Glad you asked!

One frog, two eyes, four legs

This is a fun, and evil, game you can play in a number of ways. You can play it as a spanking game, as a predicament game, or in any of a number of other ways, but I like to play it with nipple clamps.

It's a simple game, really. One frog has two eyes and four legs. So two frogs, of course, have four eyes and eight legs between them; three frogs have six eyes and twelve legs...you get the idea.

Anyway, begin by attaching a set of nipple clamps to your partner's nipples from which you can hang weights in some fashion. Then pick a number of frogs: "Five frogs!" If your partner doesn't answer "Ten eyes, twenty legs" within one second (or some other reasonable but short amount of time), then hang a set of weights from the clamps and start again: "Two frogs!" If your partner doesn't immediately respond "four eyes, eight legs," then on goes another set of weights. Keep going until you've reached a specific number of rounds (or, if you're evil, a specific number of weights).

This game lends itself to other uses as well; it can become a spanking game if your partner is spanked for each time he or she doesn't answer correctly and quickly, for example.

Spanking and bouncing

Another way to incorporate weights into nipple play is to have your partner kneel on hands and knees with nipple clamps on. Hang weights from the clamps until they're near your partner's limit of endurance, then spank, paddle, or crop your partner from behind. Your partner will want to take care not to move, because moving (and especially jerking or recoiling) will cause the weights to swing and tug on the nipples...but, of course, remaining still means being unable to escape from the spankings.

You can also find, or make, clamps which have small bells attached to them. The easiest way to make these is to get a collection of clothespins, drill small holes in the ends of the handles, and attach small bells to the clothespins by tying them in place with string or twine. You can then present your partner with a challenge of some kind ("one frog, two eyes, four legs" works well for this), or by presenting your partner with a list of rules which must be followed all evening long. In any event, any failure to answer the "one frog" question or any infraction of the rules means another clamp with a bell on it is clipped to some convenient and available part of your partner's body--nipples, sides, side and underside of breasts, inner thighs, backs of legs, and undersides of arms all work well. By the time the evening is through, your partner will probably be jingling all over; any movement or wiggling causes all the little bells to ring...

Moving beyond simple clamps: tuggers and presses

Human ingenuity being what it is, you will see all kinds of variations on the "pinch, press, and clamp" theme. If your tastes run to this sort of sensation play, you'll find all sorts of devices much more complex than simple clamps.

For those who like pulling and pinching on nipples, there are various "tit tugger" designs to accommodate your tastes. These are available in many different designs, but the basic idea is the same. There is a clamp, or a set of clamps, designed to be clamped to a nipple, together with a mechanism to pull on the clamp. The design shown here fits around the breast and the clamp in the center is clamped onto the nipple; the rod that the clamp is connected to is threaded, and by turning a wing nut on the end of the rod, you can slowly retract the clamp, pulling on the nipple. More elaborate varieties feature bars with two chains connected to nipple clamps, and a "foot" that fits between the breast; by moving a lever or turning a crank, you can move the bar farther away from your partner's body, pulling on the clamps and tugging on your partner's nipples. Because you can increase the tension very slowly, these are a lot of fun for drawing out a sense of anticipation, especially if your partner is bound on his or her back and helpless to prevent you from slowly turning the screw... Ahem.

More elaborate still are sliding presses, similar to but more elaborate than the "C-clamp" style of nipple clamp, that are designed to clamp and press nipples, or even the entire breast. These devices usually consist of two floating sections connected by two or occasionally three rods which the sections can slide along, like the small nipple clamp shown here. The two sections can be moved together by turning thumbscrews on the ends of the rods. Large versions of this design are intended to clamp the entire breast (and usually work only on women with relatively large breasts); small versions like this one can be used to clamp nipples; medium-sized versions are sometimes used to clamp and press the penis.

As with C-clamps, nipple clamps of this design produce a different kind of sensation than other nipple clamps; they tend to be more of a steady pressure, like what you might get if you pinch your nipples between your fingers, and less of an intense localized "bite" that you experience with alligator clamps or Japanese clover clamps. They can be adjusted from feather-light sensation all the way to intense, painful pressure, or anything in between.

Clamp which attach around the base of the nipple, instead of over its top, can be combined with other forms of nipple stimulation as well, because they leave the top of the nipple exposed and accessible. With these (and also with tweezer clamps), you can poke and prod the top of the nipple while it's clamped, for example with a small bamboo skewer or a Wartenberg wheel.

If you like a sharper, more intense form of sensation, then a "claw" style clamp is a good choice. These nipple clamps have spring steel "fingers" which are tightened by sliding a rubber "O" ring upward along the length of the fingers. They're adjustable and provide a very specific, sharp sensation quite different from that of other forms of nipple clamps and clips.

Even very gentle tugging on a claw-style clamp produces sensations that are quite intense, as you might imagine. This particular style of clamp does not exert a clamping pressure on the nipple, so the sensation does not fade over time as is the case with other styles of nipple clamps--five minutes after you put it on, it still feels just as intense as the moment it went on.

One especially evil and tricky thing that you can do with these clamps is begin by running an ice cube over your partner's nipples. The ice dulls sharp, localized sensation; after you've made your lover's nipples nice and cold (and hard!), apply the claw clamp and slowly increase the tension until you're near your partner's limits. As the effects of the ice wear off and the nipple warms up, it will feel like the clamp is getting tighter and tighter, even though it's not changing at all.

Putting it all together

Clamps and clips provide constant, nonstop sensation, leaving your hands free to do other things. People are not really very good at tracking multiple forms of stimulation on different parts of the body at the same time, a fact you can use to your advantage for all sorts of kinky sex fun.

Tie your partner down, blindfolded, on his or her back. When you have your partner restrained, choose your favorite variety of nipple clamp and clamp his or her nipples. If you have a variety of clothespins or clamps available, you can use these as well; run a line of clamps wherever you like, on arms and legs and chest. Then, stimulate your partner in other ways, keeping away from the clamps.

For example, you can clamp your partner's nipples and run a row of clamps around your partner's chest or breasts, then stroke your partner's legs and thighs, or even drip hot wax along your partner's thighs. Try to create a variety of different sensations; run a Wartenberg wheel down your partner's sides, or stroke your partner's genitals, or use heat or cold on different parts of your partner's body. Move around, and change the sensation frequently; you can follow hot wax on your partner's thighs by running a tickler over his or her face, then bringing ice down between his or her legs. The sensation of the clamps will provide a steady, unchanging counterpoint to the various sensations you create; you will probably find that your partner's awareness of the clamps will come and go as your partner's attention shifts between the feel of the clamps and the feel of whatever else you're doing. This creates in your partner a visceral awareness of his or her body that can be quite interesting, especially if you follow it up with sex.

Orgasm releases chemicals in the brain that change the awareness of pain. It can be a lot of fun to apply clips and clamps and then bring your partner to orgasm; the sensation of the clamps changes just before, during, and just after the orgasm, in ways that I find can make the orgasm more intense.

In the next section, we'll move on to some less obvious and even more deliciously evil uses for clamps.

		"Bully" Clamps Silver clamps with black vinyl tips and 1.5" diameter metal rings; come in pairs.
"Bully" clamps are alligator clamps which are each connected to a large diameter steel ring. The clamps are fully adjustable from light sensation to a very firm grip, and you can pull or tug on the rings to create greater sensation. These clamps are useful if you wish to hang weights from them, or even attach a lead or leash to them. Another fun and non-intuitive use for these clamps is to restrain your partner on his or her back, then run a string through the rings and up over the top of a canopy bed or through a pulley overhead. From that point, you can attach weights to the string, increasing the upward tugging on the nipples, until you reach the point where the weight is sufficient to pull the clamps off; the tighter they are to begin with, the longer this will take...

		Bell Tweezer Clamps Vinyl-coated tweezer clamps with attached bell; come in pairs.
These bell clamps are just fun. The adjustable tweezer-style clamps are quite mold to moderate, and the bell rings whenever the person wearing them moves. These clamps work great on nipples, labia, and the underside of the penis, and turn your partner into a squirming musical instrument.

		Brass Adjustable Nipple Clamps Solid brass clamps with black vinyl tips connected by a brass chain
These clamps use an unusual adjustment mechanism; the tightness of the clamps is controlled by twisting the black cylinder at the base of the clamp. They offer extremely fine control over tension. The clamps and chain are brass, giving them a lovely gold color. Very mild to moderately hard pinch.

		Clamps With Magnet Weights Adjustable vinyl-tipped alligator-style clamps with six one-ounce magnetic weights
A quick and easy way to explore nipple clamps with weights is with this simple, inexpensive alligator clamp with magnetic weights. Adding and removing weight is very simple to do; just attach or remove the magnets. If you're fond of setting challenges for your partner, attach the clamp with all six weights and then see if he or she can shake the magnets off! Each magnet weighs one ounce; you can buy additional weights here.

		Evil nipple stretcher Japanese clover clamps connected to a transparent acrylic rod with threaded bolt and pressure plate
If you think that Japanese clover clamps are ho-hum, this evil contraption will change your mind right quick. It combines two clover clamps with a threaded mechanism attached to an acrylic rod. By turning the clear acrylic knob on the end of the rod, you pull the rod away from the body, stretching the nipples and also increasing the pressure on the clamps. This device is for people who really, really like intense nipple sensation! Disassembles for compact storage.

		Claw Clamps Spring steel nipple clamps connected by a 12" spring steel chain
These spring-steel claws produce a sharp stinging sensation. They're adjustable from a moderately hard bite to a very intense sting, and feel very different from other clamp designs. Good for people who like strong nipple sensation.