The Black Jack Stroker by California Exotic Novelties.

When I was a kid, my father took me to see the 1983 Charles Bronson vigilante/cop film 10 To Midnight. Dad was a big action movie fan, a very typical guy in that regard, and always could be depended on to see the latest gun-toting, car-chasing, machismo-riddled strip of celluloid. Mom was good for occult thrillers and James Bond. Either way, I would happily munch on my Whoppers with the hit men, demonic spawn, spies, and man-eating sharks.

(10 To Midnight also featured a very nekkid Ola Ray who, in addition to being Playboy's June 1980 Playmate of the Month, thrilled me because I was dating a Nigerian at the time. The sight of her mocha self in the requisite shower-scene-as-the-crazed-killer-looms-nearby definitely caught my attention.)

But what stands out in my memory, even more than Bronson's snubnose .38 or Ray's beautiful brown tits, is the toy.

Psychopath Warren Stacy (played by Gene Davis) is a sexual predator. During a raid on his apartment, he's found in his bathroom with a large, bizarre apparatus that (to me) looked like a small fire extinguisher tank with some kind of J-shaped red rubber or plastic tubing attached to one end. The whole thing must have been two feet long. Later, while interrogating him in classic bully-cop fashion, Bronson tosses the thing on the table before Davis with a clatter, shouting, "You know what this is for, Warren? It's for jerking off!"

And then it hit me. My junior-year-high-school brain met my burgeoning, straining libido and stars burst in my head. The tank was for suction. The tubing was for his cock.

"Holy fuck!" I thought to myself, a malted milk ball held in mid-crunch between my teeth and my tongue. "They make machines to suck it??"

I very probably jacked my tender, young dick that night and burst my load into the stratosphere just with the thought of having such a thing. It did remain in my fantasies for years to come. I mean, just think of the fucking convenience.

But, and perhaps only until very recently, sextoys for men has had an element of shameful taboo associated with it. While the adult toy market easily and readily sensualizes the buying experience for women, sometimes relating the ownership of a vibrator or dildo with personal sexual empowerment and independence, most marketing strategies have yet to bridge the ambivalence that many guys might have. Many men still inwardly believe that to purchase or use a sextoy somehow conveys the message that "they have to" because they're "unsuccessful" with women. Owning a sextoy becomes connected with shame and self-effacing embarassment. This, in turn, enables interrogating police officers to hurl these toys at suspects, shouting things like "You know what this is for, Warren? It's for jerking off!" because it will emasculate him into submission out of his own shame for having the thing in the first place.

This, of course, is absolute bullshit. This is also one of the ways how patriarchal culture actually works against men, because this sort of shame robs us of wholly enjoying what would otherwise be a perfectly fun experience. Sure, it's perfectly possible that anyone (man or woman) can and may use a sextoy because a date didn't present him- or herself that Friday night, but that doesn't have to mean that this sort of bodyfun is mutually exclusive to being with a partner. And what's to suggest that someone (man or woman) couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't enjoy using toys while with your partner?

So imagine my personal glee when, after fantasizing about blowjob simulators since my teens, I had the opportunity to review one.



California Exotic Novelties is among the most successful and prolific adult toy manufacturers to be found anywhere, and frequently collaborates with respected sexperts and well-known adult performers to develop and market their wares. A woman-owned company, they contribute to breast cancer research. They very probably made the cheesy (but clever) boardgame you or your spouse got at the bridal shower.

The Black Jack Stroker features "robotic suction action" with "the perfect fit." It consists of four primary separate parts: a rubber manual pump, the battery-powered suction and vibration controller, an interior sleeve, and the plastic casing which includes fist grip and vibrating egg. Made in China, its overall length is 12.5 inches (32cm), the business end being 6.5 inches (17cm), and 2.5 inches (6cm) wide. It weighs 21 ounces (.6kg) and is powered by four C batteries to provide its individually-controlled vibration and pumping functions.

The important feature, as far as your cock is concerned, is the interior sleeve. The dead-black, well-shaped lips could seem a little ominous (unless you're into goths), and they're very, very firm. The sleeve's interior also has dozens of round nodules to enhance sensation, but certainly there's nothing to simulate warmth, moisture (unless you use water-based lube), or the action of a swirling tongue. Made from TPE, it retains some heat and is elastic, but (if your sense of political correctness wants to know this) it was probably fashioned by a nasty chemical corporation like Monsanto or Dupont. But does it feel good on your dick? With lube, not bad.

The suction comes from your manual use of the pump. The pistoning effect really does precious little toward contributing to that apart from the visual stimulation, and the repetitive, mechanical noise this feature makes is not quiet at all. This also means that to really enjoy this toy, both hands are required to operate the pump (and keep a finger handy near the quick-release valve) and hold the entire thing steadily on your cock. Once a rhythm is in place this wouldn't seem so bad, but the sleeve remains attached to the hard plastic casing only by virtue of a 4cm grip curling over the casing opening. Even a moderate amount of lube, plus some vigourous thrusting or stroking, can easily make the sleeve detach from the casing. This can be frustrating to deal with, probably requiring the user to ignore the topmost handgrip to the Stroker and hold it by the base to keep the sleeve in place. Fucking annoying, really. Why is it so difficult for male sextoy manufacturers to come up with a design that doesn't include multiple, separate pieces that each have to be manually (and distractingly) secured?

The plastic casing is made from ABS, a recyclable thermoplastic also used in protective headgear, auto parts, pipes, and tattoo ink. Other parts are made from PVC.

The vibrating egg is affixed to the interior top of the plastic casing, and its effect on the head of your cock can easily make you see stars when properly combined with that good, if labour-intensive, rhythm. That is, if seeing a wire in there doesnt give you heebiejeebies. When all the component sensations (suction, pistoning, the lips' grip, the nodules, and the vibrations to the cockhead)are running smoothly, the Stroker can be pretty sensational when it wants to.

Does it completely simulate a blowjob? Not exactly, no, because it doesn't have a tongue and your lover doesn't have a vibrating egg down her (or his) throat, but it's still a interesting experience that had me shooting the first time I tried it.

But after then, I was quickly reminded that the Stroker is being marketed as a novelty. Hell, it's in the company name. Marketed as a novelty, manufacturers absolve themselves from a lot of quality control (and, in the case of toys made with phthalates, possibly safety).

The truth is that, for me, the best blowjobs eventually become a little vigourous and passionate. I like to thrust. Once the 'novelty' of finally satisfying my teenage oh-my-God-you-mean-they-make-things-that'll-suck-it fantasy had been met and I was moving past the newness of the toy (say by the third time), my body brought me back to wanting to thrust and fuck that little, firm, goth-black, elastomer mouth. I set the phaser piston on stun, the photon vibrator on kill, found my rhythm with the manual pump and held that sleeve in place by the base while giving this sucker a real Mythbusters-level road test.

And I promptly broke the goddamned thing.

klik whirrr wheeez All gone. Bye bye. So sad. On a downstroke, I simply oversuctioned, overpistoned, overjacked the big bad Black Jack Stroker until it too seemed like a crestfallen, whimpering, sniveling suspect on the other end of an interrogator's desk. It was defeated.

Would I recommend it? Actually, yeah. Compared to other strokers I looked at, this one seemed more comprehensive and fun to use, even with the headaches. The Blow Job Stroker seems to be more high-tech, and gadgets like the Solo Slider try to do the job is a handier, simpler fashion. But I wouldn't expect to be too vigourous with the Black Jack, and I wouldn't expect it to replace the fleshy passion of my woman's mouth, tongue, hands, breath, warmth, zeal, hunger, and whimpering.

Especially if she were, you know, Ola Ray.

The Toybox: Topco's Liquid Sex Forever Silicone Lubricant.

Dean's head rested on the pillow as she lay on her right side before me, and I caressed her thigh as I lifted her left knee toward her chest. Her inner right thigh glistened with her excitement and I enjoyed the view of her small butt opening slightly as her leg moved upward.

Dean, you may recall, is my lithe and sexy early40s friend whose looks perpetually remind me of the ladies of ancient Rome and Greece, depicted in passionate scenes with flaking paints or colourful tiles. They are women who are deliciously unashamed of their sexuality, elegant in their tightly curled coifs, sensual in their joyfulness.

She looked over her shoulder to me, blinked her dark eyes as they mine, and more told me than asked me.

"Fuck me in my ass," she said, and rested her head back down. I smiled and reached for the curvaceous plastic bottle nearby.

"Wanna be a guinea pig?" I asked with a chuckle, snapping the plastic cap open and dribbling lubricant onto my fingers and palm. Kneeling behind her back, I slowly closed my eyes as I enjoyed the feel of my lubed grip first moistening my cock, and then toying with her dark, crinkled rosebud. Gently pressing, probing, spreading my fingertips, I teased Dean's willing backdoor until she felt pliant and relaxed.

When my cockhead squished pleasantly past her sphincter and the length of me started to slowly slide inside, Dean groaned quietly as we enjoyed a slow, smooth, silky ride.



Normally, I'm an Astroglide man, but Liquid Sex Forever Silicone quickly became a favourite lube for me. Being silicone-based, it stubbornly retains its slipperiness and silky texture, unlike other lubes I've used where reapplication is frequently necessary. It can stay slippery under water.

And I like the name. Why not start your night over the drink and make it a Liquid Sex night? Be careful, though: it unfortunately also shares the same moniker as a date-rape drug, so when you tell your partner that you bought some for the evening, you might want to show the sensually wavy squeezybottle before you find yourself talking to the nice police officer.

The only silicone lube made by California-based Topco Sales, the company also produces Liquid Sex in water-based formulas, including Classic, Light, Hemp and Ginseng Aphrodisiac, Warming, and X-treme. Applying previous business experience in aerospace technology and metallurgical engineering, Topco focuses on sextoy manufacturing, and is invented the sextoy material Cyberskin.

Unlike water- or (God forbid) oil-based lubes, silicone lubricants will not absorb into skin, giving it its longer-lasting characteristic. Silicone is an inert, artificial polymer (like rubber, PVC, and Silly Putty) often used in hair products, breast implants, menstrual cups, children's toys, caulking, and cookware. It's pliable while remaining phthalate-free, which should be very important to the health-conscious lover.

This can be ideal for a great session of fucking, but it's vitally important to remember silicone lubes have very few opportunities for safer-sex fuckplay. Silicone degrades latex, despite the fact that silicone is sometimes used on pre-lubricated condoms. Some sources claim that condoms marked with the "CE" label (approved by European health and safety standards) may be used with them, but I found little information to support this. In the heat of passion, it's probably enough to simply remember to use condoms and toys with water-based lube only.

As to sextoys, silicone dissolves other silicone surfaces, making them sticky and eventually disintegrating. This will be No Fun to you when your new $60 realistic dildo starts to look like something out of a 50s monster movie.

But if these limits to using a silicone lube don't really affect you (such as you're using it for self-play without silicone toys or you and your lover are fucking bareback), then I'd definitely go for Liquid Sex Forever Silicone before most other lubes of choice. It's durable smoothness makes for a fun, fantastic friction. It's one of the few lubes that, to me, felt almost indistinguishable on my cock to natural, vaginal juices. Definitely something I'll be keeping handy.

The Toybox: Aneros', uh, Aneros.

I'm a reasonably open-minded guy. I'm very GGG with my partners. When I learned that Diva was experimenting with enemas, I was cool. When I learned that the Tomboy had ponygirl fantasies, I considered getting her a bit gag for her birthday. When the Grrl revealed that she really got off on bondage fantasies featuring space aliens, I smiled and started renting tentacle hentai. When I figured out that Shayne loves to be used and abused like a useless little cockslut getting fucked by a Daddy, I saw the potential for marital bliss.

Receptive anal play has never been a staple in my sexual diet, and prostate play even less so, but it's not something I'm completely foreign to. I've never known a lover who wanted (much less likely knew how) to "milk my prostate" during a blowjob. Perhaps it's because I have yet to have a partner who has pro-actively initiated interest in exploring that sort of territory with me, although it was a brief topic with both the Grrl and Shayne. In my past, I've enjoyed experimenting with small plugs like the Pink Paradise or the Red Stallion, but something specifically designed for prostate exploration was virgin ground.

Many men have hangups when it comes to sextoys for ourselves. This is probably for good reason: We're socialized to deny our sensual natures. Plus, perhaps up until very recently, sextoy marketing strategies have long been designed to celebrate women's sexuality. Male sextoys, on the other hand, seemed the sort of thing reserved for filthy roadside porn shops and made from cheap materials. Sextoys for men were the sort of thing that "guys who couldn't get laid" were "forced" to use, rather than being enjoyed (even with your partner!) as a fun thing to experience for its own merit. How repressed we dudes can often be.

Along with two other glands, the prostate is in the cum-making business. It secretes and stores a zinc-rich alkaline fluid that consists of up to 30% of semen, and its this fluid that reduces vaginal acidity for sperm survival. It also features muscles that aid in ejaculation, which may explain why for some older men, cum bursts may get reduced in both volume and pressure. In stroking, or "milking," the so-called "p-spot," toys like the Aneros are designed to greatly enhance male orgasm by stimulating this happy cum-maker.



Originally developed by another company as an alternative means to treat prostate problems, Texas-based manufacturer Aneros now holds the patent to their flagship male sextoy, the (wait for it...) Aneros. In Japan, it's marketed as the Enemagra (エネマグラ).

The elegantly shaped device has been designed to complement male anatomy and, according to an enthusiast website, "combined with ancient Oriental awareness of erogenous zones and pleasure centers." It features three primary components, including a quaint curved handle. A nub is intended to stimulate the perineum, and after insertion, the wavy shaft is designed to cradle against the prostate. The receiver is then intended to simply flex his sphincter, which in turn moves the toy gently and provides a massage motion against and along the prostate. This makes the Aneros unique among anal toys: unlike buttplugs or dildos, repeated penetrative insertion (yeah, fucking) is actually advised against. "The Aneros is completely hands-free," the Aneros website tells us, "which means manual manipulation of the device is never needed. In fact, we recommend to never use your hands to move the device - it is counter-productive and possibly dangerous to do so" (emphasis mine).

Slip it in. Leave it in. Squeeze the sphincter. Got it?

Of its material, the packaging only tells us that the Aneros is made from "FDA-approved materials," with the website adding that its from "a high-quality, non-porous, medical-grade plastic." Is it because of patent issues that this seems so vague?

It appears nowhere in its packaging information, but the Aneros is made from the polyoxymethylene engineering plastic acetal. Some polyoxymethylenes are reputed to have a slight odor of formaldehyde, but I couldn't detect any such odor from the Aneros.

Admittedly, when I opted to experiment with this toy, I expected that gentle prostate stroking was in itself the way toward intense ejaculation. This, at least, was my impression as I read all the hype and advertising. I soon realized that I wasn't entirely correct.

Let's go on a short tangent together. Come walk with me.

"With the Aneros, a man can achieve strong, continuous full-body orgasms previously unattainable through conventional sexual techniques," the advertising claimed. "These orgasms are so earth-shattering that they deserve a special nickname - The Super Orgasm, or as our enthusiasts prefer, The "Super-O." A Super-O is entirely different from a traditional penile orgasm - it is characterized by pleasure starting from the lower abdomen that awashes the entire body in a state of bliss."

Oh. Ok.

"The man does not ejaculate during a Super-O."

blink
Oh?

"This means there is no "recharging" or "time out" period needed. Through practice, a man can have these orgasms, one after the other during sessions lasting for an hour or more at a time. Even short sessions can feel long as our customers have reported that during Super-O sessions their "beds shake uncontrollably" and they "lose all track and sense of time."

Ok, good to know, but what you're also telling me is that no, your toy isn't necessarily going to make me burst loads of cum. In fact, you found it necessary to market your product to me in such a way that you had to "create a need" and slickly redefine what a man might consider as the vital point to having an orgasm in the first place. Ejaculation? Well, no, uh, or maybe, you say... but here: have a non-ejaculatory "Super-O" instead!

In fact, there are Aneros enthusiasts out there who have sought to develop a "Super-O Society," complete with its own Wiki page and nifty corporate logo. These enthusiasts, of course, are not Aneros employees, despite their presence on the business website.

Why do I feel like someone is trying to market something that's already natural to my own body back to me? Wouldn't it be easier if I just sent them a cheque every time I jacked off?

... I know. I'm a cynic. And it isn't that I disregard non-ejaculatory orgasms for men: I have them often when I'm jacking and it's also an important component to tantra. But if I were a guy who, in buying this product, fully expected that my orgasm would mean having the Mother of All Loads, I might find myself a tad disappointed when that didn't happen. Especially with so much hype about the "most incredible" "mind blowing" "intense" "life changing" "new paradise" promised to me by the hyperbolic advertising.

Just sayin.

But that's more of a critique to the suits in Aneros' advertising cubicles, and the way us good consumers succumb to marketing hype, than a reflection of the product itself. Maybe if the packaging only suggested to me that the Aneros had the potential to introduce me to sensual stimulations that most men tend to ignore, then maybe my intelligence wouldn't feel so insulted and I wouldn't be a smartass and take my toy reviews on these interesting tangents.

Because, sarcasm aside, the Aneros definitely does have an interesting effect. Those same Super-O Society "enthusiasts" might neener-neener me by saying that I hadn't "awakened my prostate," was too focused on my "penile centered experiences," but the truth is that after a few tries, there was some difference in my semen volume. It also didn't take as long to cum, which for (sometimes frustratingly) long-lasting guys like me, can be a relief. The sensation against the prostate took a little getting used to, and being as relaxed as possible is key. Try to imagine having your balls gently tugged and stroked from the opposite end, that is to say, from inside your body, and as if part of your balls themselves were inside your abdomen as well. Yeah, I know, it's weird. But the really cool thing is that when you do ejaculate, those sphincter contractions become involuntary anyway, and this means that your orgasm is going to get immediately affected without any more conscious control on your part. kapowie!

Variants include the Aneros Progasm, a larger toy offering a "fuller" feeling and the Titus, a ribbed stimulator that looks as though it's about to be thrown at me by a crazed ninja. Like the Aneros, the Glide appears to have been developed with beginners in mind, and the Pandora also features a vibrating function.

"The Aneros can also be used to great effect during traditional sexual encounters. During oral sex and traditional intercourse, when the man uses the Aneros he will be harder, last longer, have better control. His prostate will empty more fully during ejaculation, which means a more intense and satisfying orgasm. This increased sexual performance is a great secondary benefit for the partner as well. The Aneros is a great way to explore and expand your intimacy with your partner."

So, it's slightly pandering marketing strategy and online "community" flag-waving aside, these anus-happy Texans are trying to remind us men that our sexuality doesn't always have to be centered around just our cocks. A lot of us (those who like to kiss, caress, cuddle, spank, etc) likely already know that, but it's probably very true that many of us haven't given much thought to our interior 'nads. The Aneros, it seems, can open guys to entirely unexplored sensual terrain, and so long as you don't mind looking like a wind-up toy while you're fucking your partner, can probably greatly enhance things for you during your, uh, "traditional intercourse."

The Toybox: Lelo's Iris. Or, Shayne drives a BMW.

We were nude and sipping tea.

I sat on the hardwood floor at the edge of her bed, casually stroking her warm bare legs as we talked in the afterglow. It was another sunny morning in Chicago, and again we began our day with sensual and tender sex. We enjoyed the respite, smiling as we yawned, indecisive about whether or not we we done playing for the moment.

"You know," she whispered coquettishly to me, her head resting on the pillow, "this might be a fine time to explore the Iris..."

I smiled wide and my heart skipped a beat. Bringing the Iris was one of the highlights of my visit, an early holiday present for my naughty lover. She had asked for it specifically once upon a time, and I was happy to oblige her. Earlier during this trip, I enjoyed her as she explored with her Mini Corsair, and during a threesome with one of her former partners in the past, I was privileged to watch her fuck sexy Annie with her G Twist. But this was a treat we both had been eagerly awaiting.

Similar to the Gigi and the Liv, the Iris is among Swedish manufacturer Lelo's finest products. Sculpted like a burgeoning flowerbud, the Iris is made from phthlate-free silicone at its play end, which is specifically designed for G-spot fun. It features a sensually curved and girthy shaft that houses a merry-go-round of varying vibrational tones, timbres, and speeds, allowing for an incredibly versatile experience.

We enjoyed the charming black case that toy came in. Being silcone, the Iris shouldn't be extensively exposed to direct sunlight, so we also appreciated the sleek black sleeve it could be discretely held in as well.

Tempted as I was to join in on Shayne's play, as she brought this treasure to her happybits, it didn't take long before I realized that I was observing sheer carnal beauty. I simply couldn't intervene, and relaxed on my haunches, occasionally caressing her, as I remained riveted to her lovely, contorting face as Shayne entered her own jilling nirvana. The subtle movements of her body revealed to my eyes that she was experiencing waves and currents that I had rarely, if ever, witnessed a lover enjoy before. Clearly, she liked this girltoy.

So, naturally, after she had crested in her ecstacies, I solicited her collaboration in sharing this review with you. "Homework!" she cried out happily. I have no doubt that she enjoyed the necessary study sessions.

"I have gleefully been speaking of "her" as the "Cadillac" or "BMW" of vibrators," Shayne wrote to me later, "and let me tell you why."



"I still can't count how many settings this little puppy has. She goes from quiet-little-butterfly-kisses strength of vibe to something-like-lion-in-a-cage to V8-under-the-hood-roar. I prefer closer to the roar."

Shayne and I both love the fact that, despite its powder-blue and white colour, the Iris is really very green. It's completely rechargable. It also comes with a warranty, which is virtually unheard of for sextoys. Lelo knows what they are doing.

"The first and best thing about the Iris is that she's electric. I go through so many AAA and AA batteries with my other vibrators (and they aren't even as perfect as the Iris) so imagine how often I'd be running to the corner for another pack of batteries if she weren't electric! Huzzah! She recharges really quickly and holds a charge for a long-ass time. I haven't plugged her in in over a week and have used her several times for maybe a total of ninety minutes and she's still purring as smooth as ever. A beautiful thing.

"The Iris is also gorgeous to look at: befitting a queen, she's sleek, classy, and sensual. I'm happy to leave her on the bathroom shelf to dry after a rinse because she's just so pretty to look at.

"One of the settings I like best is an alternating setting. This vibrator has the capacity to vibe either at the base, or at the tip, or both simultaneously. Being the eclectic lady I am, I really like the setting that alternates tip, base, tip base and back. It really adds to the rocking motion that I've come to love on the Iris.

"My favorite method of use: first I use the vibe in the tip over my panties to get me revved up. Then, when I'm wet and hot, I pull the panties off and put the setting to steady (no pulse) in both the base and the tip at max vibe and slide her halfway deep into my cunt. I hold her there and rock my pelvis to simulate thrusting while I flex my kegel muscles and rub my clit in those nice circles you've described. I pretty much stick with that until a first shuddering clitgasm happens, and then I back off, take a breather for a minute, and switch to the alternating vibe. That's when I start thrusting by hand while still rocking my pelvis."

During our play, one of the things we noticed was how both the shape of the Iris and the way it needed to be held was visually similar to a man stroking his cock. We both smirked over the genderfuckery about that.

"Remember that awesome jack off motion? That's where this comes back. I jack myself off then, fucking my cunt and grazing my hard clit. I flex my muscles to really milk the sensation of being fucked. It's pretty amazing and it makes me cum really hard.

"One of the very few drawbacks to the Iris is that it's easy for your hands to slip and change the setting when you're holding it. A lock mechanism of some sort would be great. So would a handle; I declare all vibrators should really have some sort of handle, as that's definitely one thing dildos have going for them."

Later, when Shayne enjoyed a bath, we also learned a second, minor drawback: unlike her Mini Corsair, the Iris is not waterproof and must not be submerged.

"But that aside, this is just one of the beautiful stories of the Iris. I'd fucking marry this thing if I could!"

And there was a time when I thought she might marry me. Ah, well.

The Toybox: Finger Fitting Products' Magnificent Vibrating Glove

Several years ago, because it was easy for me to get and would provide me with some fast money once my legal emigration to Canada was complete, one of my first jobs here was as staff in a very competitive adult DVD and sextoy store.

I had done similar work when I was in my late teens, and it was a treat to temporarily return to the old pleasures of charming giggling couples or eliciting the fantasies out of courageous but less-than-informed women as they explored the horny hardware our store had to offer.

These were the days when the Fukuoku 9000 was a fairly recent product, and among the hottest sellers in this particular suburban sex emporium. The staff received rave reviews from those who purchased one, although some were slightly disappointed with its lack of variable speeds. Still, the 9000 seemed like a revolution in sextoy technology those ten or so years ago, with its compact and clever one-fingertip design.

But progress waits for no, uh, woman, or so they say. More recently, the Rhodes scholars at Finger Fitting Product labs came up with the Magnificent Vibrating Glove, also called the Fukuoku Five Finger Massage Glove, and it's easy to imagine how. "My God!, some perky product tester must have realized during one of her after-hours sessions with the corporate VP of sales, "If oneFukuoku fingertip can get me climaxing like that, what am I in for if every fingertip were sheathed in these vivacious voracious vibrations?! Eureka!"

Or something like that. I'm sure. You can see that happening, cantcha?



The Glove itself is manufactured from an 84% nylon/16% lycra (Spandex) blend with a sheer look and feel that may indicate that latex presence is likely negligible, if present at all. With two speed settings, the Glove houses three AAA batteries in a waterproof casing located at the inner wrist and secured with a strap. One Fukuoku massager is located within the Glove for each fingertip. The Glove itself is hand-washable only and should not be exposed to temperatures above 120F (50C). Not that you'll likely make your hot tub that extreme. It's intended for external use only.

Sensations penetrate only the uppermost layers of skin and muscle, so while the Glove is no Hitachi Magic Wand, its ideal for sensual, stimulation-oriented play. Tops and dominants would enjoy the versatility of its use as a subtle pleasure enhancer, especially for fingertip-to-genital or -nipple play. Less fetish-oriented partners and/or solo jillers and jackers could certainly appreciate the Glove's usefulness that way as well, and the Fukuoku line of vibrators has an already well-established reputation with clitoral fun. Caressing faces, squeezing labia, tickling clits, pinching nipples, gently touching the eyelids or ears, squeezing scrotums, stroking cocks... the options are endless.

Using a large non-latex glove to cover over the Magnificent Vibrating Glove, I found that probing a partner's pussy was a challenging experience, however. The fact that the Glove isn't recommended for internal use notwithstanding, I found that the Fukuoku tips simply weren't snug enough around the fingertips to prevent them from sliding to one side of the finger or other. Even in normal usage, these little buzzZZzzzing bees (and truly, that's what the vibrations sound like) kept wanting to move of their own accord.

Perhaps this is why those same horny scientists at Finger Fitting labs have also developed the Fukuoku Power Pack, which appears to feature handydandy clips for the massagers to secure themselves around the fingers. It might look like something a Borg might be found wearing... but if so, there's bound to be somebody out there with the right costumes and kinky minds to make that work too.

The Toybox: Doc Johnson's Anal Enchantment.

I smiled to myself as she closed her eyes and raised her lovely butt higher into the air for me. She bit her lower lip as I gently lubed her there, and giggled as she watched the lubricant drizzle down the length of the bulbs. Her eyes opened when she felt the first ball at her tightness, and with enough wiggling and pressing, we both felt it pop inside gently. I leaned closer and kissed her as I worked the next bulb, and the next, inside. Her tongue danced around mine as she felt herself gradually widen as I fucked her with the toy...

Sex toys rule. I don't understand how or why some other guys might feel threatened by them, as if toys were a "replacement" for our own fantastic and diverse fuckgear. Was your Tonka bulldozer a "replacement" for your Hot Wheels Camaro? Was that baseball mitt a "replacement" for your own hand? Nah. A diverse lover is a well appreciated lover, especially if you're bringing fun and frolic into the scene.

Besides, and trust me on this: one day in your life, you will have had too much to drink/not enough sleep/a rough week at work/a belly full of too much pasta and your cock is. just. not. going to. respond. It's a fact of life that you are not a mechanical piston with an "on" and "off" switch, no matter what you tell yourself or what she might be misinformed enough to expect. So whatareya gonna do? Pout? Apologize? No. It's going to be Toy Night, my friend, and that will make you Superman even if your dick feels more like Underdog.

So thanks to the sexy people at VibeReview here is the first of a coming series of posts reviewing sextoys that have made their scandalous way across my sheets.

The Anal Enchantment

Available in clear or pink jelly, the Anal Enchantment, or Anal Delight is a 5-inch (14.5cm) flexible probe with five bulbous spheres that's ideal for beginners and experienced anal play enthusiasts alike. Once inserted, the spheres gradually widen the sphincter from a 2.5cm diameter through 3cm, 3.25cm, and two bulbs at 3.5cm, much smaller than the average cock or dildo. The final bulb is longer than the others, giving the receiver opportunity to experience depth without additional width, and secured with the very necessary widened base. Always avoid anal insertion toys that do not have a flanged, widened base. Slow pumping brings optimum sensation, and especially so for stroking a male partner's prostate. For me, prostate play is a new territory, but I can already say that I received stronger sensation from the Enchantment than from other, more sophisticated toys designed expressly for the so-called P-spot. The little fucker is pretty cool.

Similar experiences can be had with the Vibrating Spectra Probe, a beaded jelly shaft affixed to a waterproof vibrator, or the Ripple, a beaded shaft also ideal for beginners but with a firmer feel.

For someone with even a little experience in anal play, the flexibility of the Enchantment can make for easy and relaxed insertion and a comfortable fit. It's thicker than a typical beginner's butt plug (like the Red Stallion), but the material has enough give to make it easy to use. Absolute beginners might find its flexibility challenging sometimes, as its comparative lack of rigidness can make insertion difficult to achieve. A well-lubed Enchantment against a tight anus is just going to slip and slide everywhere but where you want it to go. ssssloop!

To be this flexible however, this toy has some cause for concern. The Enchantment is among that gradually-decreasing number of adult toys that have been made with phthalates, a family of softening chemicals found in other products (such as some foods, paint, and until recently, baby toys) that are shown in some studies to cause testicular damage in men, adversely affect genital development in infants, and possibly cause liver and kidney damage.

As part of a comprehensive German study, phthalate concentration in some sex toys has been found to be upwards of 243000 ppm, compared to Health Canada's maximum daily exposure of no more than 3000 ppm. Potentially harmful compounds in these products (including latex, for those allergic to that) are also known to leach out when in contact with certain fats, and "jelly" toys in general also have a reputation for breaking down when around other compounds, excessive heat or light, or when improperly washed. This poses the risk of even the smallest portions of material possibly extracting within the body, and for these reasons, "jelly" toys are best used with a condom.

Sexologist Violet Blue tells us that these health risks, coupled with the unregulated manufacture of adult toys, is what prompts many manufacturers to market them as "novelties," implying a use for the object other than bodily insertion. United States-based manufacturer Doc Johnson's packaging for the Enchantment, like its larger counterparts the Anal Starter, the Ballsy Supercock, and others in its "Crystal Jellies" line, lists this product as "sold as an adult novelty only."

Still, the Enchantment offers a subtle experience that, even if covered, provides sensual play alone or with a partner. Despite the limitations it might have because of the "jelly" material, it can be an easy toy to experiment with and enjoy.

Hot Reads: The Leather Daddy And The Femme by Carol Queen

When Dr. Carol Queen's first publisher released The Leather Daddy and the Femme in the early 90s, her editors restricted her to produce "just a fuckbook." But, in its kinky, genderbending, proto-polyamorous style, what a fuckbook it was. After its re-release through Down There Press, Queen was able to offer her devout readers "the author's cut," including previously-purged chapters that clarify the headspace behind the hot sexplay that readers are escorted through.

This is important because Leather Daddy and the Femme is a sociosexually groundbreaking work, especially for sex-positive people to whom genderfuckery, kink, or alternative relationships might be new. Those already familiar with queer theory and gender politics may celebrate the work for its raw hotness and literary value, but the average reader of Hustler, say, might (happily) get more than he bargained for. With an open mind, that could be a liberating thing. What the Hustler reader might mistake for what could appear to be straight sex is really Queen's multi-layered demonstration in sex-consciousness, context, nuance, and paradigm shifting. For the uninitiated, this book offers insight into how the most powerful sexual organ is the brain.

Miranda is a San Francisco lesbian whose secret kink is to dress in boy drag and have sex with gay men. For fear of being discovered as a woman, she usually contents herself to cruising for anonymous blowjobs, getting soaked in her tight pants over the mindfuck that she's a 'boy' sucking thick, manly cock in the park. Her world becomes completely shaken (and for the better) when "Randy" encounters Jack, a hog-riding leather Daddy of the first calibre. The opening scenes of her tryst with Jack, and his response to the discovery that Randy lacks his favourite anatomy is itself worth the modest cover price.

It's a sexual debauch from there, with readers introduced to a sex-positive, queer-friendly, scandalously-imaginative, fearlessly-expressive San Francisco underworld tableau of bathhouses, dungeons, and upscale condominium palaces housing an exclusive bdsm elite. The visionary behind the Center For Sex And Culture, Queen straps one on and effortlessly fucks us into bliss with scenes featuring Daddy play, pegging, orgies, servitude, protocol, crossdressing, interracial fun, and places where distinctions and labels become a blur of human passion and ecstacy. Every character we encounter offers us a new element of powerful sexplay, opening the critical reader to possibilities within her- or himself that far surpass staid missionary positions after the Thursday sitcoms. Sculpted, BBC-wielding Demetrius... courageous, crossdressing Ariel... effiminate, obedient Peaches... orderly, commanding Sir Sebastian... and the imperious, high society dominatrix Georgia Strong are among the sexual avatars we meet who reveal to us the underlying consciousness that made them the sexually powerful people they are. Like lubricated fingers in a blackroom, The Leather Daddy and The Femme opens us up.

My lover Shayne introduced me to this book. Between sessions of her jilling herself to its searing pages, she would tell me how "transformative" it was for her. It's easy to understand why: in a straightforward "fuckbook" way, Queen breaks cultural barriers to show us nuances of sexual play and awareness, and in doing so, opens many of us toward broad new vistas of hot.

Hot Reads: Dungeon Emergencies and Supplies by Jay Wiseman

I've lowered her cotton pyjama pants and pleated panties around her knees, and have been thoroughly enjoying Sweethart's tender derriere across my lap. What a fantastic ass. She yelps so nicely as I spank her, but she catches me unprepared when she suddenly whimpers, "Please, no marks, sir," between her sniffles. It's a little late to be informing me of a boundary like that (virtually guaranteeing a future punishment session), but the damage is done. Is there a topical ointment to help reduce those embarassing welts and bruises for when she's in the girls' lockerroom Friday morning?

She's been moaning for more all night and the motel bed is a mess of rustled sheets. I sit on the floor behind Swingerwife, probing her beautiful anus with a thin purple vibrator as she's bent over the bed. Suddenly, in a hungry moment for even more, she thrusts her gorgeous bottom backward just as I'm sliding the vibe a little deeper and sschllp it vanishes! Oopsie!

I have her just where I want her. Wearing my non-latex gloves, I'm liberally soaking my hands in lube as Ms. Inconspicuous hangs languidly from the full suspension harness, blindfolded, her labia glistening and eager. Before my chest, she sways slowly in the rigging as I prepare to probe her and ready her magnificent pussy for a long, slow session of gentle fisting. I nudge her warm thighs apart with my elbows and step closer when kkraaak the main eyebolt breaks free of the beams and she crashes to the floor! Ruh ro.

Part of Greenery Press' "Toybag Guide" series, BDSM educator Jay Wiseman responds to these and many more potential safety and awareness issues in Dungeon Emergencies and Supplies. Wiseman, an EMT and firefighter, brings both his professional and bondage expertise to cogently explain to experienced practitioners how to handle unpleasant (and sometimes dangerous) situations. Does a bite from a partner pose any health risks, and what are some effective ways to reduce risk? Why would a prepared Top want to keep a bottle of chewable kiddie aspirin in his or her toybag? Is coldness of the fingertips an effective gauge for healthy blood circulation during bondage play?

But in addition to potential medical emergencies, Wiseman also presents level-headed guidelines for handling crises of emotional and social natures, making his work applicable to everyone engaging in sex-positive relationships of any kind, and not to BDSM kinksters alone. What can you do when a partner has overstepped your personal boundaries? How might you handle an emotional confrontation when in a sensitive space? What ways, in addition to using safewords, can an adventurous person preserve personal safety, especially with partners one may have just met? How might you best handle matters when your loud playparty becomes of interest to the passing police cruiser?

For BDSMers, playparty enthusiasts, and sexually adventurous people in general, Wiseman has prepared a practical and useful resource to have on our bedroom bookshelves. Read it, keep it handy, create a playspace first-aid kit of your own, and refer to this book often. Because unless you have some hardcore doctor fantasies, no one really wants to go to the emergency room with a purple vibrator in their ass.


images Greenery Press, Doctor Tushy