Cold metal, warm body: BNDSM on designing "discomfort devices"

If you're a nerd for BDSM gear – especially creatively designed and independently produced  – you surely know about BNDSM already. BNDSM hits the sweet spot at the intersection of arousing, disturbing and technically intriguing. Looking at mouth spreaders, nipple clamps, spankers and hand cuffs crafted from medical grade stainless steel wire is likely to send shivers down your spine for the reason perfectly summed up by the brand's founder Kees: "There's just something beautiful about the cold, clean, and durable metal combined with the warm, dirty and perishable human body".

With a background in graphic design and music (and a continuous affinity for making, building and repairing things), Netherlands-based Kees started BNDSM in 2020. The name comes from combining 'bends' and BDSM. "It's a bit silly, like the 'metal' in Metallica, but it looks nice with the logo". Kees describes his creations as "discomfort devices" and is continuously working on developing and improving his craft. 

In the interview for Other Kinds of Pleasures, he discusses his design process, the beauty of DIY play tools, and how a visit to the dentist might or might not be a crucial part of one's kink history. 

Tell me a bit about BNDSM and what inspired you to start it? 

My name is Kees, I'm a 34-year-old designer from the Netherlands. BNDSM is a one-person operation. In 2018 I quit my job as a graphic designer and decided to spend some time on personal projects. One thing I had always been interested in was working with metal, so I took up a beginners course at the local hobby center. An old grumpy man reluctantly showed me the basic principles of lathe and milling machine work and under the guise of "making a clamp for my drum kit", I made a very clunky pair of thumb screws out of aluminium. After the course was done I knew I wanted to continue working with metal. Those awesome machines are way too big, heavy, dirty and expensive to use at my home, so I had to come up with something else. The only metal I had lying around at home was some copper wire. Using a pair of pliers I just started bending it into random shapes until the idea of a mouth piece popped into my head. The next two years were spent experimenting, researching, designing and developing the skills needed. When I finally thought my work was okay enough to show to the rest of the world, I made an Instagram page in July 2020. The name BNDSM comes from combining 'bends' and BDSM. It's a bit silly, like the 'metal' in Metallica, but it looks nice with the logo.

What kind of material do you use for the devices?  What do you like about this specific material? 

At the moment, all devices are made out of medical grade stainless steel wire. Along with standard vices and pliers, I use a set of tools I designed to manually bend the material with. There's no welding or gluing involved. Limiting myself to only using steel wire forces me to think out of the box. I love coming up with creative connections and solutions. There's also just something beautiful about the cold, clean, and durable metal combined with the warm, dirty and perishable human body.

Are the devices you make connected with your personal kinks and experiences?

When I was young, I fell and broke one of my front teeth. The whole process of repairing and replacing it with all the tools and drills has definitely made a lasting impression. For a while I even thought of becoming a dentist myself. During that time, at the age of 12-13, I was also really interested in scarring. Not in a self-harm kind of way, but I was trying to create permanent scars in a certain shape because I liked how it looked. I ended up on Shannon Larratt's BME website and found all the info I needed and more! Those two experiences combined might have had something to do with my current activities...

I use my own designs mainly for photo shoots, not often in personal play sessions. It's a bit like listening to your own music, I guess. While I certainly enjoy seeing them in use, the pleasure is mostly derived from the fact that they work as intended. My hands are my preferred items of use regarding personal kink activities.

Do you have an absolute favourite thing among your designs?

Not necessarily one favourite piece. Each item has parts I like and parts I think that can be improved. I'm a pretty harsh critic of my own work, but that also keeps me going. What I enjoy most are the overall solutions I've come up with regarding specific design problems.

What do you like or dislike about the current market of BDSM devices and equipment?

I'm honestly not really that up to date with what's going on in terms of contemporary BDSM equipment design. Personally I really like finding photos of these really rudimentary homemade items on platforms like Fetlife. There's a certain urgency embedded in those tools, like an idea came to mind and something had to be made then and there with whatever was at hand. I'd rather see some wonky clamp made out of clothespins and hot glue than the millionth diamond butt plug.

Do you have any exciting things you're working on now or what you're dreaming of making?

I'm constantly trying to improve my craft. For example: The material I normally use only comes in pre-cut lengths of 100 cm. I wanted something longer, which sounds simple enough right? I've been spending the last 8 months figuring out a way to get the same material in longer rods. Now I finally figured it out and will be receiving the last piece of necessary equipment soon. This will enable me to make more complicated designs like the wire cuffs v2 available to the public.

I would love to be able to make better springs at home, but manual spring winders are expensive and hard to come by second hand. If anyone who reads this has an old Di-Acro or Helios lying around at home, hit me up!

After I get vaccinated, I will also finally be able to plan some photoshoots again.

Follow BNDSM on Instagram and Twitter, and check their website here. 

Top image by Frederica Bucci, latex hood image by @sinfulvainglory2 (model @xprettyfilthyx), photo with an open mouth (4 from the top) by @eepersip_ (model: @primal_leather_), the rest courtesy of BNDSM.