Difference Between Paddle and Hairbrush?

[DKN117]

Having never experienced either, I'd like to know something for the sake of a story I may end up writing: is there any significant difference between a spanking from a paddle (a simple, 'small', one-handed one) and a spanking from the back of a hairbrush? Like, does one hurt more than the other? Do they hurt in different ways?

[greyrain]

Different ways.

The feel of a paddle can change based on how big it is, whether or not it has holes, what it's made of, what type of wood it is (if it's even made of wood), and thickness but typically a paddle has a larger surface area than the back of a hairbrush so the impact feels heavier and lands over more of a bottom (and I'm not just talking about the large sorority style paddles).

A hairbrush is usually smaller so it concentrates the force of the blow into a smaller area so some people say that it would be more of a sting compared to a paddle's thud. Longer handles on a brush (like a bathbrush for example) can add more force to the blow and create more impact than a typical hairbrush could.

How the implement is used can change the way a swat feels as well. People like to use phrases like "a flick of the wrist" and similar but it's kind of hard to explain until you've had some practical experience spanking/being spanked. The end result is that the technique of the spanker can effect how a spank feels in a way akin to which area of a bottom is targeted for said swat. It's sort of common sense but maybe a bit hard to describe in a story how different a swat feels when a spanker changes up their technique during a spanking. I'm getting off topic now though.

[RobM]

The shorter (not in total contradiction of Greyrain) answer: No.

There isn't much difference in terms of effect. Two equally sized, equally weighted implements, one with bristles, one without, will be the pretty much the same.
Of course, no two swats are ever the same anyway, the number of factors (a lot of them subjective) are too many.

Otherwise, as Greyrain says, both come in different sizes, widths, handle-lengths and thicknesses.

From the point of view of story-writing, obviously there's a difference between a paddle and a hairbrush.
A paddle is for CP, it has no other purpose. At the risk of turning this into some version of the handgun vs rifle debate - and I daresay there's some clever Dom's and Domme's out there who can make a fantastic egg dish with an iron skillet and a paddle instead of a spatula, or go canoeing with them - a spanking paddle is designed to be used for one role.
Obviously, a hairbrush isn't. Even if it's never used on a single hair in it's entire life a hairbrush ultimately is a tool repurposed for CP.

Therefore in a story the two can have initially similar but diverging context. If a family or a dom/sub relationship has a paddle one would expect it to be part of a formalised CP arrangement with an expectation of punishments rather than spanking being a total surprise 'never bindun before' situation. It doesn't have to be that way, but it's a fair convention.
Likewise, a hairbrush can be formalised with the old 'fetch the hairbrush' dialogue line and there's many, many stories whereby hairbrushes have taken on a generational hand-me-down legacy. Mothers spanking daughters long after they were spanked by their mother and her by her mother before her - all with the same worn ole' brush.
It can also, divergently, be an on-the-spur grab of the nearest hard thing with a handle.
It's also more natural to put a hairbrush in a handbag, to put it in your luggage (again, even if it's never been used by hair) it's not an uncommon thing. A equally-sized paddle in your luggage or handbag IS an uncommon thing, something subject to comment and as noted... is expected to have only one use.
Hairbrushes can be seen by some as... a more intimate implement simply because of it's wider familiarity.

[greyrain]

Yeah, there are some formidable brushes out there, but since most brushes aren't made for the purpose of spanking they don't always hold up as well.

There's a certain charm to them, but I think a lot of people can tell you stories of broken brushes and similar. Doesn't mean they can't do the job, but it's pretty much as Rob says. If they're similar sizes and shapes then they'll feel pretty similar. It's just that since paddles are only made for spanking they tend to be made to be a bit more formidable than your typical hairbrush.

[helen spanking]

Brush has a bristle side... And some people use it That's why I pefer the paddle

[Hawke]

The bristle side of a brush can make your bottom too sore to pull up your jeans.

[Golden Kevin]

I think that the brush is much more lethal because it is quite light when hitting, unlike the board that has a certain weight although it hurts more

[Lonewulf]

Okay, first let's dicuss fantasy and reality.

In fantasy, it's common for paddles to have holes, sometimes also nails. Both are horrible in reality, because both cause extreme damage that any recipient will state unequivically that they should never be used again. Let me explain why. It should be obvious that nails are not for any form of play without explaining why, but what about holes? What's wrong with holes??? The answer is from a paddle manufacturer who herself was a switch, and tested out all of her products first hand with her partner.

Paddles, intended for spankings, unlike impromptu paddles like ping pong paddles or paddleball rackets, shoulďn't have a square edge. The reason is simple, a square edge is more prone to causing damage under the surface of the skin, as well as on the surface. The skin is like a pool of water. When something impacts the surface, it makes those wonderful ripples that we love to see radiating out from the edge of the hand/paddle/etc. Well, unlike water, skin can only move so quickly. The square edge causes instantaneous reaction in the skin. That instantaneous action makes the skin move faster than it is capable to react, meaning: broken skin, broken blood vessels, bruising and internal damage.

Now you might say that a hand causes bruises etc, and that is true, somewhat. Some people simply bruise at the drop of a hat. A frequently spanked bottom will toughen and bruise far less, UNLESS a square edge paddle is used. It will bruise and break skin each and every time.

"Well, what if you don't try to pulverize the bottom and just use light taps?" you ask. That is true and of course light taps will do far less damage, but the intent to spank often means quick, vigorous slaps, and you can't very well do light AND fast without hitting harder than you intended.

Okay, so if you look at the hand, it doesn't have square edges, but radiused edges all over the place. A radiused edge allows the skin to ripple at a slower rate and not cause breaking of the skin, like a square edge does.

"Okay, okay. Enought about square edges! What's wrong with holes?!?"
Sorry, but to go back to square edges, most holes in an impromptu paddle have square edges.
"So what if the holes had radiused edges?" you reasonably recounter. Remember what I said about that ripple effect that occurs when skin is impacted? That also occurs around a hole, but a hole is round and that means the radiating ripple encounters itself. When that occurs, it crests in the center, and that causes blistering of the skin, with each impact, and for every hole. Any spankee will verify that there bottom feels HOT after a spanking. Well, the holes cause an intensifying of heat to cause blistering, so in other words, you are giving them second to third degree burns at each hole, with each application of the paddle.
If you are truly sadistic, then you wont care and just swing harder and giggle the whole time at the extreme pain you are enacting. Personally, I think you will have to find a new spankee shortly afterwards, or if they are a true masochist, tell you to do that less often!

Me? I'd rather go with less no holes, more frequent spankings where the spankee (hopefully) joyfully, has no blisters and can take the more frequent spankings with no blisters, and complain only with a pouty good natured grumpling.

So, here's the thing, while most wooden hairbrushes have a radiused edge, and oval shape, meaning they have no sharp corners (sharp corners are the same as square edges) or edges, which SHOULD mean they are opportune for using for spankings, the sad fact is that they weren't intended to be used as an impromptu spanking device and might break if used hard enough.

now, rarely will you find a paddle and hairbrush that are the same in size, so to use that analogy, while true, is plain silly because why reinvent the wheel when you could use a hairbrish instead???

A spanking paddle, made and intended to do such, shouldn't break unless inferior wood was used. it shouldn't have a painted or laquered finish as those finishes cause skin burns and youre back to blistering. A well sanded, unfinished wood is perfect for spanking. "Well sanded" means no splinters and you relieve the wood for potential stress cracks. painted or laquered wood may not be as well sanded and thereby have potential stress cracks, which is why hairbrushes have potential to break.
Try this test. take a VERY well sanded piece of unfinished wood. Rub your hand over the surface quickly. You shouldnt feel any burn. Now try a gloss painted or laquered wood surface and dothe same. You should feel a burning sensation which is a friction burn.

A paddle is by and large, longer and thereby covers a larger area. this is both good and bad. Covers a larger area is good, right??? No actually it could be bad because it limits the frequencý you use to revisit the same area. The more frequent an areq is hit, the greater the chance to do more harm as you have to let an area to recover before the next application. Also realize the longer the paddle is, the less control over it you will have. Again, the point of using a paddle is to use selfcontrol and not cause undue damage.

A good size paddle covers about two hand lengths and about one and a half hand widths. If you intend fewer smacks, you can go longer, if you intend more frequent smacks, then go smaller.

Note: "smaller" also tends to allow you to bend your wrist and "whip" your wrist for greater impact speed. This will bring us back to blistering and less fun for the spankee. Full arm swing from the ceiling, likewise. You should never rock your shoulder/swivel your waist nor flick your wrist, and only swing back as high as your shoulder at most.

Happy spankings!

[atsugi]

the physical aspect is nothing, they are the same as long as size and shape are similar, however as the size of the paddle increases so does the surface area and the changing of pain and discomfort. However the psychological aspect of them are totally different, and can mean different things to different people. here below is my take.

When threatening or being threatened with a paddle, it is formal, almost ritualizing in my storytelling. I usually am very methodical with a set of actions and commands. With the hairbrush or any other multipurpose instrument (sometimes called pervertables), it is more free flowing, the spanker usually reaching for whatever is at hand and the spankee being shocked or upset that THEIR hairbrush or the spankers hairbrush is being used against them. There is also something more intimate (not is a sexual way) of using an object like ones hairbrush against them. The same goes for the belt and spoon. When used as an implement there is a connection every time that object is used in a non spanking context. One could say the same goes for a paddle but that is more of dread seeing a paddle hanging on the wall, rather that a sense of connection one gets from a pervertable. just my 2 cents hope it helps.

[cdsvirtue]

The Paddle covers a larger area, where as the hairbrush is concentrated on a smaller area. A Hairbrush will tend to be heavy, which will tend to cause bruising to a small area, if too much force is used. A heavy Paddle will also cause bruising, and can cause harm deep below the surface. While light weight Paddle that is no more than 1/2 inch thick, will inflect a nice painful sting to the fleshy surface, causing a nice red bottom. I think a nice light weight Paddle that is large enough to inflect a nice painful evenly upon both fleshy bare cheeks is best. Whether a Paddle with holes is more painful, is debatable. My preference would be a Paddle without holes. The hairbrush is more of a makeshift spanking implement, where as the Paddle is specialized spanking implement. Making it a nice formal spanking implement that can be displayed on the wall in home, school, or in church Sunday school room. As a reminder for boys, and girls to be on their very best behavior.