Seeking advice on size calculations for a Steelheart cage upgrade

Hi there, This community has been incredibly helpful for finding answers. I’m hoping you can all lend a hand one more time. I’m considering trading in my CB6000 short model for a Steelheart device. The aesthetic appeals to me, but what matters most is getting something that fits custom-made. I use the CB6Ks on a regular basis and find them comfortable enough, though they are somewhat bulky and the tube feels too wide. I’ve spent quite some time measuring and researching to determine the right size for my needs. Right now, I wear a 1 3/4” (approx. 45 mm) A-ring on the CB6Ks. However, after wearing several smaller O-rings without any cage device, I’ve settled on settling on a ring with a 42 mm diameter. It’s the smallest size I can tolerate comfortably and is barely noticeable. The only time it gives me trouble is when I sleep in it and wake up with an erection that takes a while to go down. I have measured my flaccid state multiple times over a long period. On average, my length measures 85 mm. My circumference comes out to 90 mm, which works out to a diameter of roughly 29 mm. The spacers on my current setup create an opening at the top (between the A-ring and tube) of about 10 mm. The bottom spacing is slightly wider, likely because the plastic flexes and my scrotum sits between the cage and the A-ring. That lower gap is around 12 mm. So, based on these numbers, here are the specs I’m leaning towards: A-ring: 42 mm diameter Total device length (tube/spacing/A-ring): 85 mm Tube diameter: 29 mm Top space (between A-ring and tube): 10 mm Bottom space (between A-ring and tube): 12 mm Does anyone have thoughts or spot potential issues? Should I increase the tube’s length and/or diameter by a millimeter or two? Given that the A-ring is thinner (8 mm compared to ~13 mm on the CB6K), would it be wiser to reduce the top and bottom spacing between the ring and tube? All advice is welcome. Thanks in advance.

Have you considered putting a smaller ring on your CB6000s? You might want to try that for a while. I haven't seen many tubes at 29mm, though I own both 32mm and 35mm versions. My 32mm feels quite small already; I can barely imagine how narrow a 29mm tube would be. I also have an 80mm OAL Steelheart which has a pretty long tube—too long for my liking, in fact. At one point I wore a CB3000 and recall that the 80mm length felt longer than what was typical there. A setup with a 29mm diameter by 85mm overall length will be both tall and slender. That might work perfectly, but I'd want to be certain. Is there significant side-to-side room in your CB6Ks?

Hi Atone, Thank you so much for the feedback. I have tried using the next smaller A-ring size, but it became a bit uncomfortable. It seems to be the ring's thickness causing that issue. I plan to try it again, though; my current combination of ring and spacer has worked well for me over time. I'm not sure we can ever truly compare our definitions of "a lot," but I do have some breathing room in the CB6Ks. My index finger fits inside the tube quite easily. Sometimes I use this space to push lotion up toward my head. Perhaps I should frame it differently—if you measured yourself at 29 mm diameter and 85 mm length, what size tube diameter and overall device length would you choose for a Steelheart? Keep in mind that I calculated my diameter by measuring circumference and dividing by Pi. My length was taken from the base along the top ridge to the head tip. I took many measurements under different temperatures and clothing conditions to ensure accuracy, so those are my working figures. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks again!

> member_25fdf854cb wrote:I wear the CB6Ks regularly and it's comfortable, but is a bit bulky and the tube is too big for me. Can you clarify what you mean by "too big"? Is it length-wise, width-wise, or both? If the issue is length, an 85mm OAL Steelheart might also be too long. The CB6K itself stands at 2.5", with a ring of .5" and a small spacer of .25", totaling 3.25" overall (which converts to about 82.55 mm). I suggest starting by figuring out the correct length based on where you usually sit within your CB6K setup. Then, determine the diameter by looking at how much free space remains around the tube when it's that long. The tricky part is that your minimum length doesn't always coincide with your minimum diameter. Conversely, minimizing one dimension doesn't guarantee the other is minimized too. Plus, there's that magical tendency of the penis to shrink upward once inside the tube for a while. I wear a fairly small tube and still sometimes find it empty enough when using a q-tip to dry off; I wonder how my shaft fills only half such a narrow space. One more point: I prefer being in a tube that is slightly wider but has the correct length, rather than one that is too long even if the diameter is spot on.

Hi Atone, Thanks again—this is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for. What I did was mark a spot on the top of my tube where its length usually sits. I'll keep checking that marker to ensure it remains consistent with where I typically am. Next time the cage comes off, I’ll measure back from that point to confirm my current length. Am I right in assuming the CB6Ks inner diameter (side-to-side) is about 35 mm (1 3/8")? If so, you are steering me correctly away from a 29 mm tube. My shaft thickness doesn't completely fill the width of the tube; there's a visible gap. Using your last point about preferring a slightly wider but properly sized length, I'm trying to decide if a 32 mm tube would eliminate that gap or if I should stick with my current ~35 mm diameter for extra leeway.

> member_25fdf854cb wrote: > Am I correct in saying the CB6Ks ID (side-to-side) is about 35 mm (1 3/8")? If so, you're correct in steering me away from 29 mm. My thickness doesn't fill the tube side to side. There is a noticeable gap. I'm not entirely sure of the exact CB6Ks size since I don't own one myself, but I believe it's advertised as 1 3/8". However, I don't think it's perfectly round; it seems slightly wider than it is tall. > member_25fdf854cb wrote:Using your last statement about the tube being better off a bit wider but the right length, I'm trying to determine if I'd be better off with a 32 mm, which would eliminate that gap, or keep the 35 mm tube diameter to have a little bit of leeway like I do now. Just to clarify, that is *my* personal take on width versus length. Hopefully others will add their perspectives too. One benefit of having extra width is better self-adjustment of your shaft within the tube. My 32mm tube requires me occasionally shift things around with a q-tip. Usually, I do this in the morning after showering to dry off excess water and make adjustments then. It rarely needs attention at other times during the day. There's also a distinct difference in feel between having no extra space versus that little bit of room. My two Steelhearts are identical except for diameter. The snugger 32mm tube takes just a tiny bit more effort to clean because water doesn't flow through as easily. The larger 35mm tube is very easy to rinse and clean. However, the wider tube feels less "clean" as the day progresses; any trapped moisture becomes noticeable when or if your shaft moves around inside it. I'm sure the smaller tube traps moisture too, but because there's so little movement, I don't notice it much. I typically only need to clean my small tube in the morning shower. For the larger one, I almost always rinse it out with a squirt bottle at night.

I used a curtain ring that had similar thickness to the Steelworxx back ring and tightened it as much as possible over my balls. After wearing it for a few hours, I took measurements while soft, then got hard again to ensure it could accommodate an erection before measuring once more, and finally wore it overnight and measured after waking up. My point is that you never wear the tube in isolation; the ring alters your shape significantly. So why measure without the ring? I chose the 35mm tube over the 32mm one. Looking back, a smaller tube might have made night erections less painful, but that's perhaps my only doubt. Hygiene was the main priority when I placed the order.

I might just add to the confusion! I've been wearing a Steelheart since last October. During the winter months this year, my balls retracted frequently due to cold weather, so I ordered a new one with a reduced gap of 10mm. I also dropped the tube diameter from 35mm down to 32mm. The tube length decreased from 70 to 65 mm (making the overall length go from 85 to 80), while my A-ring stayed at 38mm. Last week, I had to wear my CB6 for an afternoon session. I needed to use a 1 3/4 inch ring because nothing smaller would fit; it's much larger than the Steelheart's 38mm one. There was some space at the end of the tube, but not always. I can't imagine fitting into a 29mm tube myself. When I first looked at them, I wasn't sure about my ability to get into a 32mm either. Initially, it felt tight and caused that "burning ball skin" sensation several times during the week, but now I have total comfort—though it's slightly more frustrating because I'm constantly aware of the snugness. I think comparing directly with CB6 ring thickness is tricky.

pamdipot: You mentioned in your post that you "got my length by measuring from the base along the top to the head." However, this method might not be optimal for accurately determining your CD (cross-dressing) length. The instruction guide provided with Mature Metal's set of nine plastic measuring rings states: "On length, take a ruler and measure at the base of the penis where it meets the testicles and measure to the tip of the penis. If you measure different lengths order the shorter length. Then subtract 1/4 inch. It is always better to order a little short than too long." It appears your measurement was taken along the dorsal (top) side rather than from underneath. I went through this exact process myself when ordering a JailBird from Mature Metal, so I know how important accurate measurements are here. You may want to re-check your length and advise the manufacturer to adjust your order if there is any discrepancy.

> Mike Bekoff wrote:The instruction guide supplied by Mature Metal with their set of nine plastic measuring rings states the following:... Mature Metal actually uses a different method for specifying dimensions when you place an order.