Tying normally involves setting knots neatly and later releasing the ropes in a controlled way. Even so, situations may arise where there is no longer time for that. The rope must then be cut quickly.
For us, a suitable rescue tool is therefore part of the basic equipment for bondage, whether you use jute, flax or synthetic rope. In shibari too, it makes sense to keep a suitable tool within reach.
Ideally, it will never be needed. But if it is, it should be quickly accessible and work reliably.
For our purposes, a rescue tool should above all be able to do one thing:
Cut a rope quickly and in a controlled manner without unnecessarily endangering the person in the rope.
Tools with a protected cutting edge or no freely exposed point are particularly useful. A good rescue tool should:
It does not have to be an exotic specialist tool. What matters is that it is suitable for this exact purpose.
Rescue and trauma shears, protected rope cutters and appropriately designed rescue knives have proved particularly useful. What matters more than the tool’s name is its design and whether it works reliably with the bondage rope you actually use.
| Tool | What matters |
|---|---|
| Rescue or trauma shears | Rounded design and sufficient cutting performance on the rope actually being used. |
| Protected rope cutter | An internal blade and a guide that accommodates the rope being used. |
| rescue knife | A design suitable for use close to the body; the name alone is not enough. |
Good rescue shears can be a very practical solution. They typically have a rounded or specially shaped tip, allowing them to be used directly next to the body.
High-quality models can cut stronger ropes as well as clothing and straps. However, not every small pair of trauma shears from an inexpensive first-aid kit can easily handle firm natural or polyester rope. You should therefore test your own shears beforehand on the rope you actually use.
A particularly useful solution is a compact rope cutter with an internal or protected blade. The rope is pulled into a guide and cut there, while the cutting edge remains largely shielded from the body.
Such tools require little space and can therefore be practical even when a rope lies fairly close to the body. Similar designs are familiar from strap and seat-belt cutters used in rescue work.
Rescue or emergency knives can also be suitable. However, they must be designed for work directly next to the body.
Suitable options include models with a protected cutting edge, rounded tip or design that minimises contact between an open blade and the skin. A classic pocket or outdoor knife is therefore not automatically a good rescue tool.
The closer a tool must be used to the body, the more important a protected cutting edge and safe design become.
Household scissors can of course cut. However, many models are intended for paper, fabric or light materials and quickly reach their limits with several layers of firm rope. They also often have pointed tips.
When a rope lies close to the body, sturdy rescue shears with a rounded tip are therefore usually the better choice.
A good kitchen knife can cut through rope easily. The problem is the completely exposed blade. If the rope lies directly against the body, moves or is under tension, this creates an unnecessary additional risk.
Excellent for the chopping board. Between skin and bondage rope, less so. 🙂
An ordinary utility knife is also very sharp and can cut ropes. However, the exposed blade offers no protection from the body. Typical snap-off blades can also be damaged or break under unfavourable loads.
Practical for boxes and workshop jobs, but there are much better options as rescue tools for bondage.
Buying a rescue tool and then placing it untested in a drawer is not enough. You should know how it works.
Ideally, take an old piece of the exact rope you normally use and try the tool on it:
These are things you want to find out beforehand, not only when something actually goes wrong.
Even the best rescue knife is of little use if it is in a drawer somewhere in the house.
Before tying, it should therefore be clear:
Where is the rescue tool?
It should be quickly accessible and not disappear under bags, ropes or other accessories. A simple habit helps: ropes laid out, rescue tool laid out too.
Having a rescue tool does not mean that any rope should be cut indiscriminately in an emergency. This is especially true for suspensions.
If a loaded line is suddenly cut, the entire tie may change and the tied person may descend or fall uncontrollably.
Anyone working with suspensions should therefore know not only how to raise a person safely, but also how to bring them down again quickly and in a controlled manner.
A rescue tool is an additional safety measure, not a substitute for knowledge, attention and a well-considered emergency plan.
At Bavarian Bondage, we offer suitable shears, a Rope Cutter and a rescue knife . Our personal recommendation is the Rope Cutter: its compact design and internal protected blade make it particularly practical for working with ropes.
“Rope Cutter” is not a designation defined specifically for bondage. The decisive factors remain the specific design, cutting performance on the rope used and practised handling. Suitable rescue shears or an appropriately designed rescue knife may also work.
Choose a tool you can handle safely, test it beforehand on an old piece of rope away from the body and place it within reach before every session. Hopefully you will never need it, but it should be there for that moment.
Read more: Carabiners, rings and swivels as well as Identifying wear on bondage ropes.
