Key points
- Look, bend and pull: check every item before each scene
- When in doubt, load-bearing gear is retired, not repaired
- Check electrical toys for damaged cables, cracks and battery problems
- Make sure keys, spare keys and safety scissors are in the room
- Do a thorough check after the scene, when there is time
In detail
- Rope: look for fraying, cuts, stiff or soft spots, discoloration and stretch. Run every length through your hands
- Cuffs and collars: cracked leather, loose stitching, bent rivets, stretched holes and buckles that slip
- Hardware: rings, snaps, carabiners and chains with rust, cracks, bent parts or gates that do not close on their own
- Electrical toys: frayed or kinked cables, loose plugs, cracked housings, swollen or leaking batteries, chargers that get hot. Stop using them at the first sign
- Glass and hard toys: chips, hairline cracks and rough edges. Run a fingertip or a cotton pad over the surface
- Impact toys: splits in canes, loose handles, splinters, loose falls on floggers
- Locks: they open and close smoothly, the key is there and so is a spare
- Furniture and anchors: wobbling, loose bolts, worn padding, cracked welds
- Keep a simple log for suspension gear: when it was bought, how often it is used, any drops or heavy loads
Warnings
- Retire suspension gear that has been dropped hard, overloaded or shock-loaded
- Snap hooks and hardware without a load rating do not belong in anything that carries body weight
- Rope or leather that stayed damp can rot or grow mold; dry it fully, and replace it if it smells or stains
Resources and next steps
- Manufacturer instructions and load ratings
- Care advice from local rope groups
- The rope care and bondage furniture guides on this site