We love to answer your flogger questions
ask a more specific question here!
Q: What is the best flogger for a beginner?
An Elk flogger is the toy we almost always suggest as a first flogger. Elk is considered a medium-intensity hide and it’s very forgiving since it’s a very soft (but not too soft) hide. A single elk can have a bit of sting and is great for a beginner, but if you get a double Elk, you will be purchasing our best selling flogger of all time and there is a reason for that. By doubling the tails you get a lot more thud and so it’s a soft yummy thud that doesn’t really bring much sting. Everyone needs a double elk in their bag, regardless of how experienced you are. Also if we have some thinner moose it will be almost the same as elk but give you more color choices.
If you are nervous and want to start with something really light, Deer is your hide. It’s very light, so light it’s often called a “bedroom toy” since there is almost no sting or thud. If you double the tails and buy a double Deer, there will be a little bit of thuddy pop but not a lot.
Avoid jumping straight to bull, buffalo, or anything in our High Intensity category unless you already know what you are getting into.
Q: What would be two floggers that would give me the best coverage of light to heavy and sting to thud?
Everyone has different preferences, but on the lighter side it would be a Double Elk, and on the heavier side a Single Bull or Buffalo.
The Elk gives a soft, thuddy sensation without much sting but still packs some soft punch. It’s perfect for warmup and sensual play too. Elk is our single most popular hide overall and the double elk our most popular flogger.
The Bull or Buffalo is higher intensity with a great mix of thud and sting. Together they cover a huge range.
Q: What's the difference between a single and a double flogger?
A double has roughly twice as many tails as a single. Doubling adds thud, because thud comes from total mass. A double elk has a beautiful thud-to-sting ratio, you can hit hard without intense pain. A double bull or double buffalo gives massive thud and sting and is not for beginners. Even lighter hides like deer become more useful doubled. Rule of thumb: whatever a single does, a double of that hide will be thuddIER.
Q: What's the difference between sting and thud?
All floggers have some of each. Sting is decided mostly by the type of hide, how thin the tails are and the moisture that is in the hide. Thin finished leathers sting more. Thud is decided by total mass, thicker hides and more tails give more thud. Sting examples: stock braid, bootlace, rubber. Thud examples: anything doubled, any mop, thick spongy hides like bull or buffalo.
Q: What's the difference between a cat o' nine tails and a flogger?
A cat o’ nine tails is a specific style of whip/flogger with a small number of tails, traditionally nine or more. A “Cat of 9” can be knotted or braided for a sharper, stingier bite. The cat started as a naval punishment; in lifestyle play it is prized for that concentrated sting.
Our “Cats” live in our Stock Braid and Cat O’ Nines category. Want sting/thud and coverage, go flogger; want focused sting with a little theater, the cat o’ nine is your tool.
Q: What's the difference between a flogger and a whip?
Both are impact toys but they behave very differently. First let us say that some of this is semantics. Some people call floggers whips as an overall term. But USUALLY a whip is an impact toy with a flexible body that amplifies the power of your throw down the whip into the tail or tails. Often a whip has just one tail aka “a single tail” but they can also have multiple tails and slappers and just about anything else. Most people think of a whip and they think of a signal/snake or bull whip which all have one tail at the end. Whips, like our FlipCat and Galley whip are often still thought of as whips because of their flexible body that concentrates its energy into the end of the whip. Just to confuse you more, our FlipCat is also often called a Cat “o” Nine because it has nine tails. Usually you combine the two and call it a “flexible cat”.
Q: Where can I find size information and specs on your floggers?
Our standard sizing and specs are on the Floggers page, with tail counts, tail lengths, handle lengths, and handle circumferences for our Mini, Standard, Double, Cats, and Mop configurations. Each individual category/intensity or product page will have additional info and explain any way it might deviate from the info on the main flogger page.
Q: How should I clean and care for my flogger?
Most of our floggers have been used for years with little maintenance; leather is durable.
Light cleaning: rub a small amount of saddle soap between your fingers until it foams, wipe it lightly onto the tails, then wipe off. Heavy conditioners can permanently change the feel, so use them sparingly.
Storage: It’s a good idea to hang your floggers up where the air can circulate around them. Some people like to use a cotton bag or a sock over the tails to protect them and reduce shedding; we sell Flogger Bags for $10. But floggers are pretty resilient and they will come back even if you leave them in a bag for 6 months.
Blood or body fluids: a 10% bleach solution sprayed on and air-dried is the least harmful effective cleaner, or dedicate the flogger to one partner.
Q: Do your floggers shed?
A few do, because they are made from wild animal hides and every hide is different. Shedding is normal for some leathers and is not a defect. To reduce it, vacuum each tail with a narrow nozzle or run a lint roller over the tails, and store the flogger in a cotton bag or sock sleeve.
Q: Do your floggers use cowhide?
There is nothing wrong with cowhide but we almost never use it as the part you hit people with. All whips were made of cowhide in the United States up till about 30 years ago. HOWEVER, the cowhide that sex shops use in their cheap imported floggers is usually thin garment leather that doesn’t feel very nice when you’re hit with it. Many hides we do use come from cows in a technical sense: Bull is male cow, much thicker and denser than garment leather; Suede is often cow, unfinished on both sides; Latigo is bull hide tanned very stiff. We use a lot of embossed cowhide in our handles too. So, do not fear cowhide, it’s a perfectly good hide, BUT DO Fear cheap thin cowhide cut into tails vs. Deer, elk, moose, bull, buffalo, suede, latigo etc. We and countless other artisans use these hides for a reason.
Q: Which flogger should I use for Florentine (two-handed) flogging?
Most people prefer lighter hides for Florentine because you are working with weight in both hands and your wrists take a beating. Elk, deer, and suede are our most popular Florentine choices. Some players use matched pairs of everything, even mops (which is quite a sight to see). Look for (Qty 2) in front of a flogger listing to purchase a matched set.
Q: Can I get a flogger in a specific color?
Deer and suede offer the most color variety, followed by bull and latigo. Every current flogger is listed with pictures of its hide color and handle color. Because we cut from real hides, exact colors vary with each batch of leather. If you are looking for something specific and can’t find it, please do let us know here!
Q: Are your floggers made in the USA?
Yes. Every flogger we have ever made, all 20,000 and more since 1997, has been handcrafted by us in the United States. We have never outsourced our flogger production. To be 100% transparent, our whips and some of our other non-flogger toys are made for us by handpicked vendors overseas who make products specifically for us and to our custom standards.
Q: Do you ship discreetly?
Yes. All packages ship in plain boxes with no DeTails Toys branding on the outside, and the return address is the neutral business name of “Details”. Nobody at your doorstep or mailroom knows what is inside.
Q: What's your return policy?
If you do not like a flogger when you get it home, send it back unused within 14 days for a full refund. We cannot accept returns on items that have been used, oiled, dressed, or broken in. See our full policy here.
Q: Do your floggers come with a warranty?
Yes. Every flogger we make is guaranteed for life. If something breaks due to a defect in craftsmanship, we will repair or replace it. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.
Q: Do you make custom floggers?
Not currently. After 25-plus years of custom work, we have shifted to stock-based sales, and every flogger listed on the site is ready to ship. If you love a combination that is sold out, email sales@detailstoys.com and we will let you know if something similar is coming.
Q: When are new floggers available?
We make batches of roughly 10 floggers at a time and list everything on the site when a batch is finished. We also announce it on Instagram and Facebook. The fastest way to hear about new batches is to follow us on Instagram or subscribe to our email list which is on the left sidebar of every page.
Q: How long does shipping take?
Most orders ship within 1 to 2 business days via USPS or UPS, with domestic delivery typically 3 to 5 business days after that. International shipping is available on request.
Q: How can I contact you?
Email sales@detailstoys.com or use our “We love to answer your flogger questions” form here! We aim to respond within 24 hours on business days.
