Paddle Making

Since I'm probably older than some of you are, I remember when we still had shop class in school, from Jr. High on. Those who remember this, might also remember the wood shop teacher making paddles for teachers to use on their students. In my case, the teacher might find a student who wasn't working on a project of his own and assign him to make the paddle. In my three years in Jr. High, I did make several paddles for teachers, but never had the ill fortune to have my own creation used on me. I knew one guy who did suffer that fate though.

Is there anyone else who remembers seeing wood shop teachers making paddles, or being assigned to make one or more paddles.?

My High School was a caning school where only the Head and Deputy were allowed to administer in private. Canings were rare but vicious with 2 to 6 brought down with great force on the hands for boys only. I always managed to avoid it thank heaven.

However all teachers were allowed one hit on the backside which only a couple took advantage of, one of whom used a Jokari bat. However to answer your question one annual woodwork project was to make a paddle bat intended for use with a ball. It was not unknown for the woodwork teacher to paddle a pupil with his bat if caught messing around.

I do remember hearing of a fellow who made a paddle in shop class and ended up getting his own butt whacked with it. So I heard it was his intention to enjoy seeing others get it used on them.

No. But I've made paddles in my shop and then gifted them to my wife, who I then used them on.

I was in Jr. High in the late 60's. We had wood shop and industrial arts shop. Both shops made paddles.

I recall the shop teacher making them, not the students. I made and sold paddles for 3 or 4 years. Different shapes and wood. Sometimes I even got feedback from the spanker or spankee as to their effectiveness!

Of those of you with experience in making paddled; what would you deem the best materia thickness and shape of one designed for family use a conservative christian household of the 1980s USA?

That is an interesting question, to which I am sure there will be members who can bring first-hand or first-bottom experience. I presume that this is a literary question, so my answer won't necessarily be helpful, coming as it does from the perspective one who makes toys for sensual purposes, and that in the present.

The thing which needs to be considered is the effect the implement will have on the three parties to the spanking transaction - primarily the spankee, but also the spanker, and thirdly, any observers there may be, which I imagine, given the setting there may well be, either visual or aural.

From the spanker's POV the implement mustn't be too severe. This may appear counter-intuitive, but the punisher (for in this setting we are to assume that it is punishment we are talking about) needs to feel that effort has gone in, that healthy whacks have been given, that the job has been well done.
So thus we are talking quite thin, about probably 1/4" - 3/8" but crucially, big for maximum visual impact before the action starts, and acoustic impact after it has started (so the listeners can hear how bad the spanking sound is). A thin, less dense paddle gives a higher pitched sound than a thick dense one and whilst it doesn't carry so far in acoustic terms, the snappy sound is worse. Perhaps boxwood would be suitable, though this is difficult to get in large enough pieces for a paddle.

From the bottom's POV it wants to be as pathetic as possible, say 1/16" thick and made of papier-mache or expanded polystyrene.

From the observer's point of view, there are competing requirements. The smug tell-tale sister wants her being-spanked little brother to get it as hard and as long as possible, so she will require 3/8"-1/2" thick and a dense material like oak, walnut or perspex. If, however she is watching the spanking knowing that she is next over the knee then of course her requirements are similar to the spankee's - see above.

I don't know what others have done in this regard. I know in school, we made them to have maximum punifive effectiveness. Nothing sensual here. All the lumber we used in the shop was rough sawn hardwood, mahogany, oak, ash, cherry, maple. Ash and maple were the woods of choice as they didn't break easily. The piece in question would be cut to roughly 4 inches wide by 20 inches long. It would be planed down to about 1/4" at the business end, and left at 3/4" on the handle end, the handle would be formed and sized appropriately for the user, larger for mean, smaller for a female teacher. It would be sanded to a very smooth finish, and would have several coats of clear varnish applied. The business end would be taped on the last 2-3 inches to avoid splitting. It made a very effective instrument of correction.

Somewhere during my three years in that school, a shop teacher started taking broken baseball bats, and would plane them down in a similar manner, sand, varnish and tape them. They didn't look particularly painful, but were probably more painful than their larger relatives.

School paddling is what got me hooked into my F/M spanking obsession. I observed several female teachers paddling mis-behaving students in grade school in the late 1950's/early 1960's. So one of the first spanking related items I purchased was a paddle that reminded me of what my teachers used. I still have it and its about 18 inches long including about 6-1/2 inch handle. Its 3-1/2 inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick. I'm not sure of the wood but its quite light and possibly ash or birch. I love it when my wife role plays a teacher and gives it to me but good!

Also another 'classic' is the Spencer paddle. Nu-West/Leda used to sell them and I bought several and have replicated them too. They are about 18 inches long including an 8 inch handle. Its 4 inches wide and has three rows of nine holes drilled, all evenly spaced 1 inch apart. Its made of 7-ply birch plywood so is rather light. However, it can deliver quite an impact and if swung fast enough by the disciplinarian, makes a really interesting whistle sound.