As you may have read in the past, I like the idea of
ownership marks. There are many types such as marking via tattoos, branding, piercings, etc.
I'm currently researching about branding. I'm still researching but so far I've read there are many ways to branding. The traditional way is strike branding, but there are new forms like electrocautery, and cell popping using a violet wand.
Tip: I've read from many people that one should not use a wire coat hanger fashioned into letters because coat hangers typically are coated in harmful chemicals and also the wire is thick so you won't get as clean a line as with other methods.
Interesting links:
Branding class at Fakir in San Francisco with many photos of brands:
http://www.fakir.org/classes/basicbranding.html
http://www.kinkymedical.net has a cheap disposable Cautery Pen with a fine tip in either a high temp or adjustable temperature.
I also found that there are some kinky people that make small custom branding irons for strike branding on people. I also read that steak branding irons ordered online can also work.
Also, I found a bdsm person (dragon_soul) in greensboro NC that teaches branding classes and also has done several brands on individuals. Here's a couple pics of a brand he did with ElectroCautery...
Bird brand he did on 5/19/12:
He wrote
"At the earliest stage,
immediately after the brand is done, it is
imperative that burn cream of some type is used. The best product would
be Silvadene, but it is prescription based. Over the counter burn creams
work fine. The purpose of burn creams is to remove some of the residual
heat that the skin in feeling, which will cause blistering around the
burn area. Use burn cream for 4-6 hours after the brand is complete. If
burn cream is not used, blistering can occur, which may distort the
intended brand by causing excessive scarring."
The same Bird brand just over a month later on 6/23/12:
He wrote "Keep in mind that everyone heals differently...At the 3-4 week mark, your brand should be completely "healed". There
should be no more scabbing, unless you messed with it or know you heal
at a slower rate. This does not mean that the healing process is 100%
complete though. That can take up to a year. The body will add skin
layers to the area, and the thickness of the skin will increase. In some
cases, people see this as a fading of the brand. With ECU brands, in
particular, the finished line should be a flat, pink surface. Other
brand types heal differently."
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Also one of my female friends had a large mark done on her that looked like an intricate brand but it was actually a cutting with a scapel. I'm not interested in that though since I do not like the idea of cutting and plus she said it was long and very painful. So now I'm also wondering if the ElectroCautery is alot more painful than the quick Strike Branding with an iron implement. (
KinkPedia's page on branding)
In addition to a brand (which I like for permanency), I also like the idea of a tattoo also added because words and numbers are more easily seen with that.
Update of some additional comments:
- One experienced brander in california told me: "The key to a good brand is a good design. It needs to be simple.
Complex designs tend to blob out as they heal. This applies regardless
of whether they are done with cautery or strikes. Single strike
(branding iron) brands rarely work because the "iron" is too thick and
the brand spreads until they blob. Despite what some people say, I have
yet to see a branding iron that left as clean a brand as can be done
with multi-strike technique. I have repeatedly challenged those who make
such claims to post pictures of the fully healed brand, usually a year
later and to date, I have yet to get a reply. I wonder why.... LOL, That is why I recommend using someone who is well trained and/or a body mod artist."
- Another person told me: "I know of three Dominants who have done branding in Florida; one in South
Florida, one in Lakeland area and one in Tampa Bay. I have
seen all 3 brand using a cautery pen. I am certain any one of them
would be happy to answer any questions."
- Another person said: "If you contact
Fakir Musasfar, he can probably tell you of some trained
branders in FLA. A lot of them aren't in the kink scene, but are body
mod artists. When looking for someone to do a brand, ask to see their work at
least a year after the brand was done. Brands tend to widen 3-5 times
the width of the original trench. Designs that are too complex, too
small, or done with tools that leave too wide a trench become a "blob".
Most brands look good when they are done, but a year or so later have
widened and blurred into a "blob". Do your research on body mod sites as well as kink sites and you are
probably more likely to find skilled professionals who can do an
excellent job for you."
-
Site describing the different forms of body branding.
-Video clips of branding using a Cautery Pen:
Here,
Here and
Here.
