As a teacher of Chemistry and Physics I was asked by my friend Angie to explain why Lexan implements sting so much more than wooden implements of similar size, shape and mass. After researching the properties of Lexan to the best of my ability I now put forth the following hypothesis which attempts to explain this phenomenon.
First some background. Lexan is a plastic resin and is thus less porous than is wood. It has also roughly twice the density. (A Lexan paddle will sink in water whereas a wooden paddle will float.) That and the durability of Lexan (bulletproof "glass" is made of Lexan) are why Lexan paddles are usually only half the thickness of wooden ones. (A wooden paddle 1/2" thick is considered by most to be relatively thin. A Lexan paddle thicker than 3/8" is a virtual club.)
So how do the properties of Lexan affect sting? Because it is a resin, Lexan has properties similar to that of varnish, which is used to seal wood to protect it against moisture. If you've ever been spanked with a heavily varnished wooden paddle you know that such a paddle stings a lot more than a similarly sized paddle sans varnish. (The "unvarnished truth," so to speak. *LOL*) This is probably because the varnish provides a smoother surface and eliminates more of the air "cushion" that most implements trap between themselves and the bottom being paddled. (This is also why the addition of holes increases the sting of ANY implement.)
Lexan has a smoother surface than even well sanded varnished wood. Like varnish on wood only more so, this surface would seem to allow for greater contact with the skin because there should be less air trapped in between paddle surface and bottom cheek. This increased contact allows a something of a seal to form between the skin and the paddle, causing the paddle to "stick" to the skin. (This seal is also why spankings on wet bottoms are much worse than spankings on dry ones.) I shall now illustrate the difference this hypothetically makes.
Contrary to popular belief the real pain of a sound spanking does not occur when the hand, paddle or other implement strikes the buttocks but when it is pulled away, allowing the skin and underlying tissue to "snap" back into its original shape. If you don't believe this try a simple experiment. Bare your bottom, then swat the cheek on the side of your dominant hand (the right hand for most of us) with that hand and leave the hand in contact with the cheek for a moment, then gently lift it away. Now swat the cheek on the side of your "off" hand with that hand, then jerk the hand back quickly. I guarantee you that even using the weaker arm, the cheek which experiences the swat with the hand jerked away will sting much worse than the other cheek.
Add to this the seal formed by a smooth surface such as that of Lexan or by the application of a liquid to the bottom. When the paddle is lifted away the skin wants to come with it. The tissue not only "snaps" back into shape but is pulled slightly beyond that point in a fraction of a second. The sensation is similar to adhesive tape being ripped suddenly from the skin. It literally feels as if the hide is being taken off of one's backside!
Finally, Lexan is more flexible than wood and tends to wrap itself around the bottom, thus affecting a larger area and increasing the seal being formed.
Voilà!
I hope this explanation makes sense to my fellow spankophiles.
First some background. Lexan is a plastic resin and is thus less porous than is wood. It has also roughly twice the density. (A Lexan paddle will sink in water whereas a wooden paddle will float.) That and the durability of Lexan (bulletproof "glass" is made of Lexan) are why Lexan paddles are usually only half the thickness of wooden ones. (A wooden paddle 1/2" thick is considered by most to be relatively thin. A Lexan paddle thicker than 3/8" is a virtual club.)
So how do the properties of Lexan affect sting? Because it is a resin, Lexan has properties similar to that of varnish, which is used to seal wood to protect it against moisture. If you've ever been spanked with a heavily varnished wooden paddle you know that such a paddle stings a lot more than a similarly sized paddle sans varnish. (The "unvarnished truth," so to speak. *LOL*) This is probably because the varnish provides a smoother surface and eliminates more of the air "cushion" that most implements trap between themselves and the bottom being paddled. (This is also why the addition of holes increases the sting of ANY implement.)
Lexan has a smoother surface than even well sanded varnished wood. Like varnish on wood only more so, this surface would seem to allow for greater contact with the skin because there should be less air trapped in between paddle surface and bottom cheek. This increased contact allows a something of a seal to form between the skin and the paddle, causing the paddle to "stick" to the skin. (This seal is also why spankings on wet bottoms are much worse than spankings on dry ones.) I shall now illustrate the difference this hypothetically makes.
Contrary to popular belief the real pain of a sound spanking does not occur when the hand, paddle or other implement strikes the buttocks but when it is pulled away, allowing the skin and underlying tissue to "snap" back into its original shape. If you don't believe this try a simple experiment. Bare your bottom, then swat the cheek on the side of your dominant hand (the right hand for most of us) with that hand and leave the hand in contact with the cheek for a moment, then gently lift it away. Now swat the cheek on the side of your "off" hand with that hand, then jerk the hand back quickly. I guarantee you that even using the weaker arm, the cheek which experiences the swat with the hand jerked away will sting much worse than the other cheek.
Add to this the seal formed by a smooth surface such as that of Lexan or by the application of a liquid to the bottom. When the paddle is lifted away the skin wants to come with it. The tissue not only "snaps" back into shape but is pulled slightly beyond that point in a fraction of a second. The sensation is similar to adhesive tape being ripped suddenly from the skin. It literally feels as if the hide is being taken off of one's backside!
Finally, Lexan is more flexible than wood and tends to wrap itself around the bottom, thus affecting a larger area and increasing the seal being formed.
Voilà!
I hope this explanation makes sense to my fellow spankophiles.
