Abel has read somewhere about somebody’s parents putting switches in the freezer before giving a whipping, and how this made the pain particularly awful. Never one to pass up any kinky experimentation, he stuck a few birch twigs in the freezer and crossed his fingers.
Some hours later he invited me to lie face-down on the bed to test the theory of frozen switches. (“Quick, quick! Before they defrost!”) Getting into the spirit of scientific enquiry, I bared my bottom and gritted my teeth.
And what a spectacular failure this experiment has been! Not only were the icicle switches no more painful than usual, I could swear they were more bearable. Normally I find switching very trying, and can hardly ever take more than six or so cuts, but here the sting was quite mild and – dare I confess – pleasant. I encouraged Abel to continue the whipping past the experimental stage, which he did with some force, and although by the end I was quite striped and sore, this wasn’t an ordeal for me, but rather a piquant exercise.
So maybe I’m wrong to call the experiment a failure, after all. I did rather enjoy its results. But the conclusion is the same: putting switches in the freezer doesn’t make them any more fearsome.
And thank goodness for that. Switches are pretty evil without any artificial enhancement.
Interesting – I would have assumed that they would have broken much more easily if cold, but obviously not from the sounds of things.
Thank you for researching for us!
Could be a water content factor. Betula (Birch) twigs are not the most water heavy switches. Perhaps the effect would be more noticeable with switches with a greater water content. May I suggest young Salix (Willow) switches, although you may have to wait till later in the summer for the fresh branches to get long enough.
Prefectdt
Interesting experiment. I do not know a lot about switches but I would think that the fact that they were frozen would give them a numbing effect, that is to mean that they would numb your bottom with their coldness and thus lessen the stinging effect.
Also could the fact that being frozen would make them less flexible have some bearing on it?
Thank you for letting us know how this experiment worked out for you both.
@spankedhortic
That might actually be the point of the switches in the freezer! If the willow switches are only suitable in late summer, one could cut them and freeze them for freshness.
And then the frozen state is not what enhances the experience, but the fact that they are fresh and willowy as opposed to old and dry.
@ Sam
Could be the point yes. I read a study about the Elizabethan era, that told of fresh willow switches being cut and then pickled in brine for year round use, perhaps the freezer is the modern equivalent.
Prefectdt
From what I recall of the original piece I read about this, the freezer was only used for a relatively short time – along the lines of “cut a switch, put it in the freezer and I’ll deal with you later”. So I’m guessing that we were using the wrong type of switch, and that I need to experiment with others. After all, the neighbours’ apple tree is overgrowing our garden, so it does need pruning 😉