By:
In: Lion's Journal, Reviews
comparison of two chastity devices
On the left is my custom-made Jail Bird chastity device. The cage is 1-1/4 inches long. The inexpensive, Chinese cage on the right is a bit shorter, but costs a lot less. Click the image to visit the site selling that cage.

Over the last five years, my view about measuring for a male chastity device has changed dramatically. I’ve found that a short cage is much better than a longer one. Many guys would like to see for themselves. I’ve been keeping my eye out for an inexpensive Chinese cage that will allow you to experiment.

small chastity device on penis
This is how the tiny, Chinese cage looks on me. It looks like it hurts, but it doesn’t  Click the image to enlarge.

I finally found one! It’s less than $25 USD, shipping included (click the image to visit the site). You may wonder why I decided that this male chastity device is good for testing if it is so much shorter than my Jail Bird.

As you can see (Image, left), my urethra pokes out quite far. I also didn’t align it very well for the picture. The extra protrusion is actually a good thing. Peeing standing up without spraying like a lawn sprinkler is easy. A normal stream comes out.

my penis in jail bird chastity device
My Jailbird is roomier. It is certainly a better fit. Click image to view larger.

The reason this device makes sense for a test drive is that the cage diameter is almost the same as my Jail Bird’s. That, I discovered, is the key to a manageable fit. In my case, and many others I am told, a cage diameter of about 1-1/4 inches is sufficient. The idea is not to compress the head too much. That doesn’t mean it should be loose. The penis should always be in contact with both the sides and top of the cage. In my case, if I sit back in a chair, sometimes my penis actually recedes in the Jail Bird.

I’ve tried other very short Chinese cages. Invariably the cage diameter was much too narrow for me. Most are only an inch in diameter. Unless you’re super lucky,  I’m sure that this cage won’t be a perfect fit for you. But it should be good enough to wear for a week or two so you can try a short cage.

You may discover that like me, you’ll be happier, more secure, and more comfortable if you wear a much shorter cage.

 

By:
In: Chastity hardware, Lion's Journal, Reviews
holy trainer male chastity device
This is the Holy Trainer Nano male chastity device. It’s the ideal size for most men.

The Holy Trainer V3 Nano is a real step forward in off-the-shelf male chastity devices. Its cage is a very nice 1.36 inches in length. Better yet, the inside diameter of the cage is 1.3 inches. The base rings are available in several sizes. Mine is 1.75-inches, which happens to be the most popular. It’s reasonably priced and a very good starter chastity device.

lion in holy trainer male chastity device
I fit nicely into the device. You will too.

I know that in the past, a lot of attention was paid to getting your cage length to match your flaccid penis length. We’ve since learned that shorter is better. The Nano is, in my opinion, the ideal length.

It’s an unusual design. The tube appears open on the bottom, with just the head fully encased. Others have commented that this open design makes it possible to masturbate while wearing it because the “sensitive” spot under and just behind the head, is exposed and available for stimulation.

That’s not true in my case. As you can see in the image (left), that sensitive spot is covered by the tube. Yes, at least when flaccid, its possible to push a finger inside the tube and touch that spot. If I were able to arouse myself, the tube would get much tighter and it would be very difficult to masturbate while locked up.

penis in holy trainer nano
The tube lines up nicely and allows peeing without urine leaking into the tube. This is important if you want to reduce irritation and bad smells.

Besides, none of these devices is escape proof. I think the Nano does an adequate job of keeping me away from self stimulation. Because it’s short, the head is pressed firmly against the top of the tube. My urethra stays fairly well centered so urine doesn’t get a chance to get inside.

I didn’t stay pressed against the end and centered all the time. However, it’s very easy to adjust. If the penis is not pressing the end of the tube, pull the bottom of the scrotum while holding the base ring. This will move the head against the top of the tube. If you hold the tube and pull the top of your scrotum, you can adjust the centering of your urethra. This is a lot easier to do than it sounds and isn’t required all the time.

penis in holy trainer male chstity device

The Holy Trainer Nano uses a European “trailer lock”. This is the same lock used by some of the custom cage makers in Europe. It’s easy to use and leaves only a tiny brass locking mechanism inside the device. It’s secure and won’t trip TSA metal detectors.

The makers claim the device is made from a proprietary organic plastic material. They say it softens a bit at body temperature. I haven’t noticed this. The plastic has a nice feel to it. There are no sharp edges or mold marks on the finished device.

The base ring has what they call an “Anatomical Curve”. This shape is supposed to be more comfortable than round or oval base rings. It is comfortable, but then, so are the other shapes. Since the device fits correctly — my penis is in contact with the walls and top of the tube at all times — cleaning is difficult. I use a shower massager set to “pulse” and direct it into the back and tip of the device. I don’t use soap because I don’t want any to remain because rinsing is so difficult.

I strongly recommend that the device be removed weekly and both tube and penis get a thorough washing and drying. Like any other male chastity device, the Nano should be cleaned thoroughly at least monthly. Because the device is made using a plastic with a low melting point, cleaning in the dishwasher might deform it. I use the ultrasonic cleaner with warm water and jewelry cleaning detergent.

invisible under clothes
The Nano is invisible under clothes. On the left my natural (uncaged) profile. On the right, I’m wearing the Holy Trainer Nano chastity device. The tube separates my balls so there is a more distinct shape when wearing the device. This is invisible under jeans.

My experience with this device is overwhelmingly positive. It’s comfortable, relatively secure, and best of all, I can pee standing up at home and in public bathrooms. It is a tube-type device so cleaning is difficult and it has to be removed regularly for good hygiene. This is the first off-the-shelf male chastity device I can endorse.

I ordered my directly from Holy Trainer. The order page showed that the item was in stock and I got it about a week after ordering. Be aware that there are cheap, Chinese copies of the device. I suggest ordering from the manufacturer. In my opinion, the Holy Trainer Nano is a great choice. I picked the clear device. It also comes in a range of colors. I like to see where things are, so to speak, so the clear model is my personal favorite.

 

By:
In: Body Hair Removal, Lion's Journal, Reviews
This is the product. My advice: stay away.

(Mrs. Lion is at a conference. I’m filling in with this review of Balls Bare Balm) I tried the male depilatory called Balls Bare Balm. I’m looking for an easier way to remove hair on my scrotum. My Norelco Body Shaver tends to nick me painfully.

balls before treating
Here is my scrotum before application. I have little hair, but it is clearly visible. Click the image to enlarge.

Yesterday, I did a test patch on a quarter-sized area on my balls. Hair was removed and there was no irritation. Today, I applied Balls Balm to my full scrotum, the base of my penis, and anus. I waited ten minutes and then washed with cool water. In the shower, I used the provided exfoliating glove to remove the hair. When using a depilatory, the hair must be buffed off after application.

During the ten minute wait, I could feel some heat in the anal area, but no burning sensation. I stood while waiting for the product to work. I didn’t want any mess on a chair or the bed.

The product has a light scent. I don’t mind it. When applying it, I used a rubber glove to put the cream on. The kit I bought came with applicator sticks. They are difficult to use and reviews of the product suggested the glove is easier.

After application. Note that some hair is gone, but much remains. Click image to enlarge.

The instructions say to apply the cream when the balls are in “walnut mode”. They mean the sack is shriveled rather than loose and hanging down. I followed that instruction.

As you can see in the photos (left is before, right is after), there was good hair removal, but it didn’t get everything. Perhaps I didn’t put the product on thick enough all over. After application and removal, I used the soothing lotion that comes in the kit. It felt good going on. I expect it restores the ph of the skin and moisturizes.

Some Blood
When I exfoliated in the anal area, blood was on the cotton glove. Apparently, the Balls Balm irritated some sensitive skin. There was quite a bit of bleeding. When it stopped I cold see that there were two small areas that looked like sores. I suspect that the cotton exfoliating glove caused the problem by scratching a couple of small allergic “bumps” back there.

Conclusion
This product works. It isn’t perfect and takes experimentation to determine the right amount to apply. Ten minutes is probably the best amount of time to leave the product on. The manufacturer says you can leave it on as much as 13 minutes. I wouldn’t wait that long.

As you can see in the “after” photo, there is some irritation. It is minor and not painful. I expect it will recede in a day or two. Depilatories are generally safe and effective in removing hair. This product is intended for men and the maker claims its formula has been refined especially for male pubic hair removal.

I’m not going to use it again. The anal bleeding and the fact that some hair didn’t get removed disqualifies Balls Balm as a product I would recommend to you.  We’ll stay with the Norelco Body Shaver and the Bella Silk’n Flash and Go to keep me hairless. I’m returning the Balls Bare Balm kit to Amazon.

By:
In: Blogging, Lion's Journal, Reviews

I’m an avid reader of other blogs about male chastity, spanking, and lifestyle power exchanges. I’m a big fan of Strict Julie Spanks, a blog that accurately reports BDSM scenes between Julie and her husband. The reason this site deserves particular mention is that Julie doesn’t just do scenes that relate to the fantasies of her husband and she. She incorporates the fantasies of her readers in her real-life activities.

It’s true that her posts are “enhanced” to make them more arousing to her almost-entirely male readership. But, she assures me that the activities described are real and the action is accurately reported.

I don’t normally do commercials for other blogs. Bloggers are selfish hoarders of their readers. In the past I’ve written about other blogs without any acknowledgment or reciprocation. Julie is the lone exception. That’s not why this post is about her.

Aside from being hot, her posts offer insight into how to build a successful BDSM scene. For example, even though I’ve taught many workshops on spanking technique, when it came to my own punishment, I felt that there needed to be a difference between punishment and play spanking. Julie taught me that I was wrong.

It turns out that punishment spanking is exactly the same as “play” spanking. Simply beating someone as hard as you can from the start certainly didn’t work when Mrs. Lion tried that on me. I couldn’t take much at all. But, when she used the tried-and-true technique of gradual buildup, a spanking went from eight swats to hundreds. It wasn’t fun for me. It hurt a lot and left me sore and red.

She could successfully send me a painful message in a way I could barely handle; but I could handle it. Julie’s explicit descriptions of her work on her husband were the inspiration I needed to suggest this change to Mrs. Lion. As a result, our FLR with discipline became more effective.

The reason I picked this particular time to recommend Julie’s blog is her most recent post, “Husband Made to Take the Breast“. She took suggestions from her readers and incorporated some in her scene. In this case it was simulated breast feeding. I have no idea if this is something either of them wanted before the suggestion, but based on her post she did a fantastic job of creating a living fantasy.

For the record, I’m not interested at all in Mrs. Lion breast feeding me. This example is a way of illustrating the kind of creativity that makes her blog so much fun to read. She’s been writing for about six years. Her content is always fresh. I’ve gone back and read her earlier posts. There’s a fun, consistent story of a couple’s evolution in BDSM. That’s rare in the blogosphere.