Body Art ? Branding

Author's note; This is not intended as a how to guide. This is merely to increase your knowledge on this subject. Always hire a professional.

Branding is an extreme form of temperature play. Basically, short curved pieces of metal are heated with a blowtorch, then pressed into the skin so as to make an ornamental burn.

There are several methods of branding. The first of which is single strike branding. Single strike branding is just that. An iron is heated and pressed into the flesh just once.

Repetitive strike branding is when a brand must be hit multiple times in order to create a specific design.

Electro-cautery branding is defined as using a Medical Cauterizer to "Draw" a picture. This is not unlike burning leather.

The electrical method is best used for complex designs. On the downside though there will be a lot more smoke from the evaporated skin and the smell will be much worse. I'm also given to understand it hurts A LOT more.

There are inherent dangers using a single strike brand. Movies and books make a lot out of single strike brands. But you can't brand your slave like you would a cow. In order for a brand not to damage the surrounding tissue you have to use thin wire. A large solid metal brand may extremely damage your property.

My personal favorite is repetitive strike branding. This is usually done with a propane torch and small bits of wire. Anywhere from 12 to 18 gauge stainless steel wire. The strikes are not as painful as the electrical method and much safer in my opinion than a large single iron.

I prefer to immobilize the area to be branded. I would not like to have a marred piece of work because the subject could not take the pain. I've seen it done without immobilizing the area to be branded. Generally there is not a problem and the subject is able to hold still. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

First, sterilize and shave the area. It's best to ink on or stencil on the pattern much like doing a tattoo. Wire may be bent into the appropriate designs and held in a pair of vice grips. Then heat the wire in a torch. Don't heat the vice grips. As the first mark is laid down there will be a sizzling sound, which anyone who's ever burned themselves, or cooked bacon, knows quite well. Your subject will flinch even though you've immobilized the area. The skin will suddenly open, almost as if it was melted apart. A puff of smoke will fly up, and there will be a familiar sensation... the smell of burned meat.

Keeping in mind the general principle that tissue burned to the third degree will expand (spread) from three to five hundred percent the stencil will become more of a reminder than a guide. This is why I stress that you should never brand anyone yourself. Find a competent body modification specialist.

The artist's job is to conceptualize the healed brand by taking into account numerous factors. The type and size of the design, Runes, Letters, Numbers and other Symbols that share simple, wide open designs often produce the most readable brands. Multiple strike designs need to be carefully planned out. Second, where on the body will the brand be placed? A flat area, preferably away from any bones and not above any vital organs is best. Yes, a brand may be placed in these areas, but not without proceeding slowly and cautiously. Sometimes repositioning the body will redistribute fat and muscle, flattening a previously unsuitable location.

Differing gauges of wire can be combined in different ways to create complex, multi-strike designs. A piece of scrap metal the same size as the iron can be used to test the metal's melting point. Using a pair of large, insulated pliers, hold the mock iron in the flame of a propane torch and watch closely for any distortion in the metal. Some grades of metal will turn red hot for a moment and then fade. Some will not change at all. If the metal distorts it may have been heated unevenly or been to thin or too small. Experiment on scrap metal until the perfect mix is discovered. A hand held, propane torch and an assistant to hold the torch are key ingredients in a successful brand.

Third, the duration of the heated strike. The amount of time the iron remains on the tissue . Quickly removing the iron should result in a light scar. Leaving the iron in place (with out adding pressure) usually makes a heavier scar. Never push hard. Practicing on soft cardboard and room temperature chicken breast is a must.

Lastly, the aftercare a brand receives greatly affects the finished result. Different things work for different skin types. The location and surrounding area are cleaned using alcohol gel. The skin is scrubbed thoroughly in one direction. The cleaning should be done at least twice. The iron itself should also be sterilized. Since the brand itself is a third degree burn, cauterization takes place.

Most brands take from three to twelve weeks to heal.