Als rigger krijg je al snel te maken met verschillende soorten touwen.
Hier maken we even een overzicht welk touw zoal geschikt is voor het bonderen van mensen.

Thickness

To begin with, you have different thicknesses in ropes. 
For shibari we usually use thicknesses between 5mm and 8mm. 
5mm rope you will use more for ground work and/or with lighter bunnies during a suspension. However, it is recommended to use at least 5.5mm during suspension. 
6mm rope is about the most common. It looks sleek and depending on the type of rope, this thickness has an acceptable breaking force. 
7mm or 8mm is used more to add a little more accent to the knots. This thickness is also applicable for suspension of slightly fuller bunnies. Keep in mind here that if you use carbines they will provide enough room for the ropes. 

Strechability

Be sure to check when purchasing rope to make sure it is not stretching. This is especially common with climbing rope to "break" the fall a bit. However, it can compromise safety under tethering because the knots will get a little too tight. Therefore, choosing natural rope is always better because it barely stretches, if at all. 

Maintenance

Synthetic and cotton rope: wash at 30 degrees in a pillowcase without fabric softener. Then dry on a rack and fold again 

Natural rope: wash at 30 degrees in a pillowcase without fabric softener. Afterwards dry under tension, the ropes should be broken again, burnt and break again. Afterwards treat again with oil and/or wax of your choice.

Breaking strength

As a rigger, it is important that you know the breaking strength of your ropes. However, this is the breaking force guaranteed by the rope manufacturer.
Of course, it will decrease somewhat after the ropes are processed. In general, you can say that synthetic ropes have a higher breaking force than natural ropes. 

A good knotting technique is therefore enormously important here. The videos below show this well. 

Soorten touwen 

Jute

Jute is a natural rope that can be felt rough to the touch. Think of the burlap sack they used to store potatoes in. Although with the right treatment you can already get the rope reasonably soft, but this is not always the intention. On the contrary, it can be fun to tease your bunny with it. 
In addition to the roughness, this rope has a crackle that is very typical.

Hemp

A lovely soft natural rope with a typical smell that sometimes reminds of the horse stable. It sometimes depends on the suppliers if the smell is more or less. Despite the smell, which fades with time, this is a pleasant rope to tie. It is slightly less fluffy than jute and glides smoothly through the fingers. 

Hempex or spleitex

Hempex is sometimes called the synthetic sister of hemp. If you were to put both ropes side by side it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between them. Still, there are some advantages and disadvantages to this. Wet like hemp it feels soft, but because it is synthetic you still have to watch out for rope burnt. If you pull the ropes through your fingers or along the body of the bunny too quickly, you can make burns more often. Because this rope is synthetic it is recommended for the hay fever sufferers among us. 

Cotton

A rope that is soft to the touch and easy to maintain. You will find cotton ropes just as easily beaten as braided on the market. Please note that beaten cotton has a lower breaking force than braided. 

Synthetic(ppm)

Synthetic ropes come in all types of colors and are easy to maintain.
They have a high breaking strength but this is the rope where you have to be careful with rope burn. 
Ppm or polypropylene multifilament, looks like nylon but it is not. 

Posh

P.O.S.H. is the best rope you will come across for bondage. It is made of spun polyester and is usually beaten per 3 strings. It feels as soft as cotton and is UV resistant.
The rope has a very high breaking strength so it is obviously great for suspensions. 
It comes in various colors that are usually colored deep to the core. 

Coco

A playful and stubborn rope that is tremendously rough. Not ideal for tying but great for teasing. 

An overview of the types of ropes can also be viewed in this video.

If you liked this page or you want to support me: