So Shaboygen asked me about my favorite gag. I started answering and realized I was writing an essay about gags, so I might as well post it as a journal.
I´ll go for ball gags -personal preference-. I like the precise moment when the captive finally accepts her fate and opens her mouth letting the gag in -thinking that it won´t be so unconfortable and that she will be able to spit it out- and the moment it is tightened around her head and she realizes the mistake that she just made accepting the gag in. I like to see the lips stretched around the gag and the expression in the face of the captive. You can have the variation in sizes: the huge ones that force the hiperextension of the jaw and stretch the outside lips, and totally oclude the mouth almost choking the captive (but hate them when they are just for show and can easily be pushed out by the captive). Or you can have medium/smaller ones, which can be tightened up deep into the mouth (as seen on "hogtied" homepage videos),with no means of being spit out even with repeated efforts by the captive, leaving the tongue depressed and the futile effort of biting it, showing the teeth trying to resist it. The captive can wrap her lips around the gag and partially close her mouth or she can open her mouth and show her teeth in despair and disconfort. Makes the girl drool incontrolably and gives her the false hope that mumbling inintelligible words will get her out of the bind. Love the gag talk, whether it consists of softly pleading or angrily mumbling insults, Girls look so cute with gags. Also, multiple colors to mix and match. Romantic? pink. Kinky: red. Hardcore-leather-chain-bdsm: black.
The possibilty of a simple, one belt gag, or a complex head harness with it adds to variety. I dont really understand the purpose of the "trainer" ballgag (the one with an underchin strap). Maybe to avoid being spit? but if a simple strap ballgag is adjusted deeply enough it is almost impossible to spit it. Share some insight about it please.
Whiff ball gags (the ones with holes, as seen in japanese hentai bondage pics) are safer because they don´t block the mouth, allowing breathing and drooling. But they are made of rigid plastic instead of rubber, which makes them more harsh to use for a longer period of time. Nose hooks are just too weird for my taste.
Also the panel gag seems interesting, but I think that it would just slip down if it is not properly adjusted. Panel gags in combination with a head harness seem adequate.
Functionally I think that a mouth packing with wraparound tape (or elastic sport bandage) is the most effective in muffling the sounds of a captive. Still mouth packing is kind of dangerous. Saliva can accumulate and there is difficulty in swallowing. Also the packing, if not done right, can slide into the back of the throat blocking the airway.
There is also the problem of a sticky adhesive tape over the hair of the captive and how to safely remove it later. High ponytails or pigtails help with that issue.
Tape gags are ok, but 2 or 3 strips over the mouth just won´t do. The captive just has to force open her mouth and the strips will come off (jaw muscles are strong enough to loosen the tape), also with the sweat and saliva, the tape tends to loosen up. So for tape gags to be effective, they have to be wrapped around the head several times, and sealing the lips together.
OTM (over the mouth if you´re not familiar with the gag terms) is just an esthetical addition after another gag has been set under it. Also dangerous if it blocks the nasal airways
Cleave gags Are mostly useless in silencing a captive, they just render their speech partially ininteligible. On the other hand, Knotted cleave gags serve a similar purpose as the ballgag, depending on the size of the knot.
Stick gags or pony gags, might be very unconfortable since they need to go deep into the jaw articulation so they won´t be spitted out. This hiperextends the jaw causing discomfort and pain. Depending on the material of the stick gag (rubber, wood, metal, plastic), any force applied by the jaw can damage the teeth or pull a jaw muscle.
Ring gags are an interesting concept and serve other purposes - ahem- but same principle applies to what I commented with the stick gags. If the captive has a sensitive gag reflex on the back of her throat, she will have the automatic response of trying to close her jaw, damaging her teeth or jaw muscles with the rigid gag, even if it is wrapped in leather or rubber.
These conclusions come after years and years of visually studying ball gags.
So, what is your favorite gag?