Common Sense

Good health is preferred – despite the device originally being used to treat people who were ill.
Sober and no drugs – you really should be in control of yourself.
No crowds – in a club ask people to keep their distance – too close and they could get a shock.
Test on yourself first – so you know the effect you are giving.
We do not know the effect on pace makers or plates holding bones together.
Avoid using near flammable or combustible materials – including designer pvc

Sensations

These vary from a mild tingly sensation to an intense prickly feel – depending on intensity.
Marks are not normally left – but with intense use – a slight reddening of the skin can take place. With very intense use – red lines are produced and can sometimes last for days.
People have also been known to electro brand – a subject not even covered here.

Setting Up / Shutting Down

Use a clean table – away from sensitive electrical devices or data storage systems .
Inside the case, there will be a control unit (fixed or housed loosely) and a hand held wand into which a number of glass electrodes can be fitted.
Try inserting any glass electrode into the wand handle. Holding it ½ way up the straight part of the shaft (it is good practice to keep your hands away from the business end of the wand).
Turn controls down to minimum.
Any cables need plugging into the control unit get plugged in BEFORE you plug into the MAINS.
Adjust power* until you hear a buzzing sound – you are now at minimum power.

*Generally there is one power control per wand and it consists of either a rheostat or a contact breaker adjuster. Sometimes, a wand device may contain both – so there will be two knobs on the control unit – and occasionally there is a knob on the control box and a knob or slide control in the wand handle – operating a moving coil or a coil tap. There are other systems as well !!!

You are now up and running.
To shut down, do the reverse – disconnect from mains*, turn power controls down, unplug any other cables and pack away.

*Leaving the machine running while you unplug it means the capacitors short out – otherwise they may be live and give you a little shock if you touch the exposed pins of the plug.
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General Use

Always keep the business end of the wand away from yourself or the recipient. Sparks can jump quite some way along the surface of the handle or a glass attachment. For this reason, hold the wand at least half way down.
Always start with minimum power output and work upwards – you don’t want to frighten people away.
Do not exceed the prescribed time – normally 10 – 15 minutes and let cool for 20 – 30 minutes before using again. The exceptions are the polymer* coils used in more modern devices which can sometimes be used for longer.

*Polymer vs Wax – inside the wand handle is a high voltage coil. In the good old days each layer in the coil was insulated using waxed paper – it lasts forever but melts when heated up too much. In the modern ones, the insulation is a polymer – lifetime unproven but it is less affected by heat and so can be used for slightly longer.

Intensity

Mostly, power varies from virtually nothing to maximum – depending on the device. Some however can be quite intense even at minimum.
· Big* electrodes are less intense than smaller ones.

*Surprisingly the ear electrode is quite small and yet the mildest of the lot – this is because it has a long and narrow tube and quite often – thick glass.

Electrodes with a wire tip are the most intense of all.
A small gap between the electrode and the skin increases intensity. Alternatively try through a T-Shirt. Firm contact with the skin is much more mild and can hardly be felt.
Slow strokes are more intense than rapid strokes along the body.
The back of the neck is more pleasurable than protracted use on the nipples.

Feel

In addition to intensity, some electrodes feel different to others.
A comb is going to feel different to a mushroom or a fulgurator – however it is used.
The actual shape of the electrode can produce a unique sensation as well – sometimes prickly, sometimes warm – depending on how and where it is used – thus a set with 24 electrodes will give slightly more options than sets of five or ten pieces.

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Secondary Contact – Making the recipient live !!!

This is quite a common play method.
Get the recipient to hold a glass or metal electrode in the wand handle – turn the machine on and they will now be live – not charged with static, but with the high frequency output from the wand handle.
If you or anyone very gently touches them, you are effectively completing the electrical circuit and will feel a slight prickly sensation. Turn up the machine and it is more intense.
Hold any metal object for a greater effect – sharp points are the most intense – dental pick !!!
Try kissing (minimum levels) and avoid nose contact.
PLEASE AVOID metal furniture or cables which can also “complete” the circuit – If unavoidable, get them to hold the furniture boldly with one hand to establish good electrical contact – they will feel nothing.

Some wand handles have a metal covering which connects back to the mains/earth thus providing a return path for the wand output. When the user is applying the wand, they can use their free hand to startling effect – more so than without this device.
Interestingly, there is often a hand held device, held by the user to provide that return path when the recipient is live – or alternatively held by the recipient to increase the intensity of the glass electrodes when in use !!!

How they Work

The buzzing you hear is quite natural and is made by a pair of contact breakers snapping open and shut every 50^th of a second. Other bits inside the control unit include a capacitor and an induction coil. In the wand handle is a primary coil (10 turns) and a high voltage secondary coil (several thousand turns).
With each snapping open of the contact breakers a momentary burst of high frequency electrical energy is generated (an oscillating current) which feeds into the wand handle at mains voltage.
In the wand handle, this energy is stepped up to around 50,000 volts – thankfully, current goes down.
This high frequency energy travels around the surface of a conductor rather than through it.
Being high voltage it also sparks across small gaps and ionises the near vacuumed in the glass electrodes – very visual.

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Safety and Maintenance

Looked after properly, a vintage wand should last for many years – they are quite simple devices and the components are normally quite robust – some are already over 70 years old !
Normal common sense things apply.
- Keep away from dampness.
- Do not drop or spill liquids on it.
- Handle with care – they are not child proof.
- Treat with respect – they are NOT idiot proof.
- Make sure you are not using it on the 110V option !!!
- If you have a detachable mains cable – always plug into the control unit first – especially if it has two exposed pins which of course would be live.
If you notice any change in its behaviour (unusual sounds, something drops off ) then best get it checked out by an expert.
Do not overheat – with the vintage ones 10 – 15 minutes use and 20 – 30 minutes cooling down is advisable.
Do not leave plugged in all night.
If used on a regular basis (ie – professional dungeon) then best get it checked out on a regular basis – at least once a year.

Finally we cannot accept any liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from this document.

This information has been reproduced with the kind permission of Nick and Morphia.Com, Classic and Vintage Violet Wands.

Information reproduced 2nd June 2007.

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