Part of every traditional standard neurological test kit for use in doctors' offices

The Wartenberg Wheel is a medical device invented to test nerve responses for possible damage. It is meant to incite intense sensations, without breaking the skin. It is a metal tool with a slim handle of approximately 7" in length and a free-spinning wheel with evenly-spaced spokes that prick the skin as they are dragged across it.

For beginners just delving into BDSM or those into moderate painplay or doctor/nurse fantasies, the Wartenberg pinwheel is a lovely tool. It can be wielded gently, conjuring gentle sensations of prickliness, or with a heavy hand, bringing about feelings of intense scratching on the skin, pinpricks, and acute pain. It will not draw blood with proper use, nor will it break the skin (unless you go absolutely wild with it). It conforms to your own level of comfort.

The stainless steel tool is of solid construction, is waterproof and cleans up easily. It's a bit difficult to store, so you may need to obtain a custom pouch for it. As far as traveling, it's quite lightweight and compact, and it couldn't be much more discreet. Who the hell is going to think this is a sex toy?

Originally designed by Dr. Wartenberg, an American neurologist, the Wartenberg wheel is slim, lightweight, and intelligently designed to do its job efficiently. Grips on the handle prevent slipping during an examination, or during use with lubricants abound. The angled end of the handle allows for perfectly perpendicular strokes to be achieved without dragging the handle as well as the spokes across the skin.

Each of the 22 spokes is approximately 2cm long. They feature a pointed tip reminiscent entirely of pushpins.


Unlike a pushpin, however, the tips are solid and aren't going to bend. I myself have ruined many a pushpin by trying to place them into walls that were too solid, bending the tip and rendering them useless. Even if the stainless steel spurs were as fragile as a pushpin, I can't see them bending as easily, due to their proximity to one another. This is what prevents them from stabbing - the nearest spurs catch the skin on the attempted penetration of the skin. You literally have to be trying to stab someone to cut them with this.

The wheel is attached to the handle with one 1cm-wide screw, flat-head style. It appears very sturdy and solid. As this was made to be used frequently in doctors' offices, it's safe to say this was made to last.

Photo depicting how to hold the tool


Depiction of how the tool depresses the skin as it's moved across the surface. Yes, that's a yoni underneath the giant pink heart

In action, the wheel performs wonderfully. The lighthanded will find it teasing, tickling, tingling, when used with a soft touch. The heavyhanded will find it conjures images of blades slicing the skin, though no marks or blood result from its use. The range of intensity wrought from the Wheel is rather broad. It all depends on you and how you choose to wield it.

I recommend playing with this first on yourself so you can get a feel of how heavy handed you want to be, before trying with a partner. This way you can get to know the tool and learn what amount of pressure is required before your desired level of pain/sensation is achieved.

The sensation is similar to being scratched with fingernails, and can be quite exhilarating. It brings you to the edge of pain, forces you to trust your partner to not do more damage than you desire (if you desire any damage whatsoever), and is a bit of a psychological exercise.

For everyday cleaning, I recommend soap and water followed by a thorough drying before storing. If you're looking to sanitize this, soaking in a 10% bleach solution or boiling will do just fine. Still, remember to dry it well or it may rust.

Storage for this is a bit tricky - a hard-shelled eyeglasses case is about perfect for this, but the standard size is too short. Something similar but longer would be ideal. You could also store this in a little jewelry box. If you find something solid to store this in, you'll be in luck. The pouch it came in didn't last past shipping, and anything supple that you put this into has the potential of being damaged by the spokes, consequentially poking you in the process.

This came to me in a thin, flimsy clear plastic pouch. The toy fell out of it when I first picked it up, coming within centimeters of banging all its spikes right into my bare toe. Shew! It was a close one. The opposite end that was meant to be closed had ripped open, rendering the pouch useless. A hard case for this would be ideal, because the spikes can poke through fabric.

For those who really love this toy, there are even more intense versions available. 2, 3, 5 and even 7 sets of spokes adorn several popular variations of the Wartenberg wheel.

I found this being dragged across my stomach by a sexy boy to be quite the turn-on! It got me sighing and gasping, and was quite the exercise in trust.

This can be used on any body part (but stay away from the eyes!!) though some prefer to use it on or near the genitals. For me it doesn't provide any kind of sensation similar to what I normally deem a turn-on in those areas. It is just as sexy to use across the back or belly. The nipples are an incredibly sensitive spot, and you may find that even lightly dragging this across that area will make you yelp a bit!