Top Interview

Some people just don’t get why anyone would want to get tied or spend a couple of hours tying someone else. In other words, they don’t see the benefit in buying ropes that are constantly shedding. Nor do they see why someone would like to be hanging above the floor, half-naked. If you are one of these people, we invite you to read this two-part article, in which we interview first a top, and then a bottom. Why ropes? Top interview.

We’ll call him Tom. He has been a rigger for six years now, and he has taken several workshops. He certified himself as a rope top in one of the most famous bondage studios in California.

SN: “Why do you like tying people?”

TOM: “This may come as a surprise, but I don’t like tying people. What I do like is having an intense, sensual experience with my partner. I’m not the villain of a silent movie, so I don’t enjoy knots by themselves. I like my partner trusting me to tie her, and I like showing that I have the skill to do whatever I’ve planned in my imagination.”

SN: “Is there a special talent you need to be a rope top?”

TOM: “Well, first of all, you must have good coordination, you know, to tie the knots. But I think that the really important talent is discipline. Shibari is a very risky practice, and you can’t improvise anything. You also have to be constantly aware that you’re taking responsibility for other people’s safety.”

SN: “What is the best part of being a rigger?”

TOM: “I’d say it is the exhilarating sensation of accomplishment. You know what I mean, you spend an hour or more tying someone, and when it’s perfect, you feel a very special kind of pride. I would say it is an “I can do anything I want” kind of pride.”

SN: “Well, thank you, Tom. That was very insightful.”.