It is important to distinguish between the meaning of abrasion in the conventional sense (the wearing away of a material through rubbing) and erotic abrasion, which is the slow repetitive stimulation of the nerve endings of the skin. The cumulative effect of this is an eventual state of over stimulation. It is a very subtle SM scene, one that can be subtle and calculated and not at all brutal.

What is exciting about an abrasion scene is not pain per se, but the intensity of sensation and the exploration of non-standard physical and emotional spaces. As far as abrasion is concerned, it is a very intense scene rather than a dramatic one, even though a bottom’s reactions can be quite dramatic!

Stimulation like music does not have to be loud, just intense. You don’t have to use a bull whip to get an intense experience, a simple thing like a finger nail when used properly can give a similar intensity of stimulation without the ferocity of a whip. The feeling is very different but the intensity is the same.

Those who are SM impatient will not appreciate watching, receiving, or doing an abrasion scene. Probably this is an unfortunate offshoot of living in the instant gratification era.

What is worked on in an abrasion scene is the skin covering the subject’s whole body; the technique is to stimulate the nerve endings over the whole body. By doing this it is very surprising just how many new erogenous zones can be discovered. It is also important to remember that zones of stimulation differ from bottom to bottom, what will work for one individual may not work on another.

There are few parts of the body that are as important as the tits in this discussion. Nipple work can go on for hours, but they should be teased then left, come back to tease them again, leave them, and so on, and so on. The sensitivity really can be built up under such treatment. Other important areas are inner thighs, upper back, spinal depression, groin and of course the balls. Feet are one area where proper work can break a bottom. One works on the nipples to train a bottom, but it is work on the soles of his feet that will break him.

Hands and nails in particular are very important for a scene but other tools can be used as well. It is unlikely that you will find the tools for an abrasion scene in a sex shop. The tools will be found in almost any other shop you can think of. All that is needed is a highly developed imagination for the use of an item. Tools can range from disposable dental floss picks to hair brushes, from leather gloves to fly whisks, a feather duster to a nail file. All it takes is experimentation!

Why does the abrasion scene work in the way it does? It would seem that the stimulation sends messages to the brain so fast that the brain is unable to cope and sends out signals for the release of endorphins into the system. So what is induced is a natural chemical high with the body’s system flooded with endorphins.

Abrasion scenes require high creativity and total discipline - the top has to keep his partner guessing what is coming next, while gradually raising the intensity, over the space of several hours. The abrasion scene is one with a cumulative effect. Do not expect immediate results. Despite how mundane it can appear to onlookers, what is unusual about an abrasion scene is its sheer intensity.