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First of all - What is Silicone?
Silicone is a synthetic elastomer
(technical name for rubber) derived from the complex processing of silica
or quartz. It is a non-organic material in that its molecular "backbone"
is made up of bonded Silicon and Oxygen atoms, rather than the organic
model, which is Carbon - Carbon. In part due to this lack of hydrocarbons,
silicone is not flammable. It also will not melt under a flame, but please
don't try this, it will still turn to ash and harm your toy. It is also
the non-organic nature of Silicone that makes it so prefered by most toy
afficiondos. Silicon (without the "e") is the second most abundant
element on the earth, after oxygen. Silicon is not found in the pure form
in nature as it has a strong affinity for oxygen and readily forms oxides
with it. The process involved in deriving the Silicon from these oxides
such as silicon ore, quartz, quartzite and silica is one that is
energy dependant.
To get Silicone to turn from
a flowing substance to its solidified, final rubber state a catalyst
is added which then triggers the curing process or 'vulcanization' as
it is called.
Because of cured silicone's
relatively simple chemical make-up and resistance to moisture and oils
it displays exceptional biocompatibility and is consequently widely used
in the medical field. Please don't confuse the silicone horrors of early
breast implants with the silicone used to produce my toys and any other
silicone toys for that matter. There are 100's of different types of silicones
created for many different purposes from cosmetic, to food, bio implants,
industrial and now....toys.
Why is it better than Vinyl?
Most of the toys on the marketplace today are made from sort of vinyl. Why? Because it is a byproduct of petroleum and therefore available in abundance. You can pick out vinyl by its strong plastic like, or sometimes, burnt smoky odor. Any of the super soft materials like jelly or the pink flesh-like feeling ones are all vinyl based. The issue that many toy afficianados have with vinyls is the toxic plasticizers that are required to make it soft. Since the lining of your rectum is designed to absorb, anything that you insert there will run the risk of entering into your bloodstream, the danger of which is enhanced even more if you're wearing plugs for long periods at a time.
Because vinyl is a heat vulcanized material any heat it is subjected to in cleaning and sterilizing acts to slowly breakdown the material itself and release more of the plasticizer. If you've ever had a toy get gummy, soft, brittle or melt other toys it touches this is why. Eventually cleaning them becomes impossible or they just end up breaking or too sticky to use.
Never remelt vinyl and try to recast it or try to smooth cuts with heat as the smoke contains dioxin along with other harmful chemicals.
Why is it better than Latex?
Latex, although much cheaper
as a raw material, is an organic substance and will react with oils, mild
acidic substances, even water and body fluids and will quickly deteriorate.
Anyone who has had experience with latex toys knows that you can't expect
them to last for very long. This gradual breakdown of the surface will
create an environment ideal for harboring bacteria and the heat and moisture
needed to sterilize latex toys actually harms them even more. Latex will
also lose its moisture over time to shrink and harden considerably. I
decided to use only Silicone when I discovered that the reason the particular
large, imported toys I had been buying were being made from a type of
latex. Not one has survived more than 2 years and one began to "peel"
after only 3 play sessions. Silicone, in addition to being long lasting,
strong and flexible, transmits body heat much more efficiently and therefore
makes it more comfortable to play with as well.
Why are all the Silicone Toys I see everywhere more expensive?
The nature of Silicone being
a manufactured substance makes it considerably more expensive than latex
or vinyl as a raw material (upwards of 7 to 10 times more expensive).
Casting silicone is also a very labor intensive process and requires a
certain level of technical know-how. But Silicone is unsurpassed in its
quality and suitability to making toys, namely durability, sterility and
imperviousness to water and oils, which more than justified the expense
for me. I often remind people that, originally, I began creating these only
for myself and spared no expense nor sacrificed quality or safety at the
time. I continue to carry this attitude with me as I develop the line
and sell to my friends and the public in general...not choosing to compromise
quality or the artisic process for a buck. This is what most makes them
unique in my eyes.
It is my goal to offer the
best value for large silicone toys anywhere. I'd like to know if you find
comparably sized Silicone toys elsewhere for less. Beware of companies
misrepresenting what they actually use, if it's marked "Silicone"
and the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Pure silicone lacks
the odor you find with other, cheaper materials.
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