Fire Play
Introduction
Fire play is, along with really knowing how to use a full size whip, one of the most visually impressive scene acts. With whips, to get even passably proficient, you need to spend a lot of time practicing. Fire play, on the other hand, is relatively simple to start exploring - provided you follow some relatively simple rules. So, at the end of the day, how many Dominants would turn down the idea of a cool addition to their arsenal that is actually pretty easy to learn?
Getting Started
Before I even begin talking about the how-to's, I am going to cover the how-not-to's. I know how tempting it is to read the fun stuff and skip straight to playing but this part is really important - skip it and you could seriously hurt someone.
Safety Gear
There are only three back up measures you need to take and they are really simple to prepare, so there is not excuse for skipping them.First, get a bowl of water with some ice in it. I am going to cover enough precautions that you should not risk anything worse than very minor surface burns. To treat them you want to keep them in cold water for a good fifteen minutes - yes, I know it stops burning within five but the extra time ensures it is not still burning beneath the surface. The reason for the ice in the water is to keep it as cold as possible yet applying ice itself can actually make things worse.
Keep a towel handy. When soaked quickly in the bowl of water, a wet towel is a great way to smother any flames. If you do everything carefully, there should not be any - but as a Dominant, part of doing things with style is being prepared for everything.
Finally, have a fire extinguisher available. This should speak for itself.
Avoid Overhanging Body Parts
The trick of fire play is that it is actually the vapor of alcohol that burns, not the alcohol itself. This keeps the flame away from the body enough that a flash will not burn.As heat rises, if you cause a flame to burn beneath an overhanging body part, it will take all of the heat and you will burn it incredibly quickly. Therefore stay away from places like just below the breasts.
Avoid Areas That Pool
You will be using a very small amount of alcohol to cause brief flashes that burn out before they burn the submissive. As a result, you want to avoid areas like the navel that the alcohol can pool in and continue to burn.
Do Not Play With Anything That You Cannot Risk Burning
Your submissive's genitals may seem like a fun area to play with but remember that you could still burn them. Do you really want to have to treat even minor burns there? The same goes for faces and anywhere that bra straps and waist bands rub against.
Avoid Hair
Hair burns, it singes and it smells horrible while it does so. If your submissive has body hair on a part of their body you wish to play with, either have them shave or avoid it. You do not want to risk it catching and you really do not want the smell - it kills the mood instantly.
The Theory
You should, by now, be getting an idea of what you will be doing from having read the Getting Started section - what, you skipped it, well go back and read it, it's important! The style of fire play I am going to tell you about involves using alcohol to create a fast burning flash of flame. As alcohol's vapor burns, not the alcohol itself, a quick flash burns itself out without the flame ever making it to the skin.The best kind of alcohol to use that I have found - and on the recommendation of others - is 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. This is the same stuff you can get in quarts (about 1000ml) bottles in supermarkets. Pour a large shot's worth in to a glass and put the rest of it safely out of the way.
To apply the alcohol, you want to use Q-tips. The cotton wool on the ends absorbs about the right amount for a small flash. If you really need more, you can always re-dip it. Keep a second Q-tip soaking in the alcohol to apply the flame later.
As the alcohol will evaporate quickly, make sure you have a candle lit before starting so that you have a ready source of flame when you need it.
To start with, take the first Q-tip and press it against an area of flat skin. The pressing will squeeze out about the perfect amount of alcohol.
Now, return the Q-tip to the alcohol and take the second Q-tip. Hold it in the candle's flame - it should catch very quickly. Now move it to the spot of alcohol. Very quickly, tap it against the spot and pull it away. The spot should then catch with a quick flash before burning itself out.
As soon as you are done, extinguish the taper Q-tip and put it aside. DO NOT put it back in the alcohol - it may not be burning but it may still be hot and you really do not want to set the whole glass on fire.
If the spot burns for even a second, swipe your hand over it. It will not burn you but it will extinguish the flame instantly. If the spot does not burn at all, that is probably because you took too long and the alcohol evaporated - try repeating a little faster, with a little more alcohol if you need to.
Adding Flourishes
As with anything, start small on relatively resilient parts of the body. As you gain a feel for how it works, slowly start to vary things…Try using multiple points. So long as you do not let the alcohol evaporate, you can then light them in quick succession, triggering a series of flinches, keeping your submissive tense and nervous for longer.
Streaks also work well. They require some care to ensure the flame runs quickly in only the direction you intended and does not double back but, once you have got the hang of it, being able to create running paths of flame looks incredible.
If you are quick - and very careful - you can apply alcohol to your finger tip too. Lighting it first, then tapping it against the spot is another impressive addition. Be careful though as you will need to keep your finger tip burning a little longer than you would normally do and you run the risk of burning yourself.
Conclusion
Taking just three simple safety precautions and remembering only a couple of fairly obvious rules, fire play is a skill you can learn quickly and use to look incredible.
SoulThief
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This page was last updated on Monday 28th 2002f January 2002