I had seen my first fraenum ladder on BME about 2 years ago, which I thought was one of the best looking piercings I had seen.
At A Glance Author Qwox Contact Qwox@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Clive and Katie Studio Tattoo inc. Location Colchester, Essex, UK Over the years and several discussions with my wife, I finally plucked up the courage to go ahead with what would be my new pride and joy.
This gave me my first problem; I did not have any recommendations of who was the best for the job after all I did not want to be peeing in 15 different directions every time I went to the loo.
The only information I had to go on was vague, one piercer in Colchester had a reputation of being a bit rough and ready (as we are talking about one of my favourite parts of my body) he was easily dismissed; a second had been in the local newspaper for being naughty on a couple of occasions so out of the window he went, the third which does have a very good reputation unfortunately didn't do male genital piercing so that left me with limited choices another was a bit out of the town centre with no parking. So that left me with the final choice of Tattoo inc. my first thoughts were what a well thought up name on entering the studio it seemed well decorated, tidy welcoming and most importantly clean.
I spoke to the staff (Clive and Katie) and they assured me made me feel comfortable.
Then it was the moment of truth I had liked what I had seen; so I decided to go ahead, I was led into a smallish studio with a dentists chair and light.
Clive locked the door, and asked me if I wanted to measure up upstanding or soft, as the look is all important upstanding was my choice (not easy with a bloke looking on). Eventually I got somewhere close to being at my proudest, it was, then he got to the measuring and marking, this I am pleased to say he took his time with to get them as tidy as possible. He decided that a 22mm bar for the lowest three would look best with a 12mm bar in the actual fraenum.
The next step was to get in the chair, the light was swung round so Clive could see what he was doing. He double checked his measurements and started to numb the lowest of my four markings, all the time chatting to make me feel at ease. More spray was added to make sure it was numb and he asked if I was ready, out come the clamp. He attached it carefully once again he asked if I was ready and he proceeded, I looked away and two seconds later I experienced what felt like a pinch it was enough to lift me off the seat slightly but nothing major. I looked down to see Clive inserting the bar he then screwed on the ball that was the first step of my ladder done.
After a 5 minutes break Clive started the second one again checking his measurements, reapplying his purple felt tip pen markings he started numbing up the area again once he felt satisfied he asked if I was happy for him to go ahead
Once more, he proceeded to clamp and adjust where he had clamped, a quick pinch, a sharp intake of breath and number two was ready to have ball screwed into place.
After another 5 – 10 minute break and number three was being readied for the job at hand. Moreover, Clive was clamping up once more, a further sharp intake of breath a little lift out of the chair and number three was having the ball screwed on (after Clive had dropped it in my lap) and was complete
Number four (the actual fraenum) was a little bit trickier for Clive, as I had some scar tissue there from a previous fraenum piercing which was ripped out! (That is another story). My wife at this point trying to have a conversation with me via text message, asking how it was going, then where was I having it done, could I get some KFC for tea and with the near constant echoes of my phone. Clive kept his composure always talking, checking, and taking his time and before I knew it the final pinch and I was the proud owner of my ladder (not the biggest ladder in the world but it is a start).
This will leave me with my next problem of learning how to use my old friend again and not hurting my wife in the process
Overall, I would say Clive was an excellent piercer, who seems takes enormous pride in his work, is confident, competent and friendly. I will defiantly be going back for more rungs on my ladder, and who knows what else.