Transitioning to Metal Soon

I’ve got the sizing rings from MM already, but I’m being careful with my order. I’d love to hear from anyone who switched from a CB6Ks to either an MMJB or MMWM: For those of us growing (rather than just showing off)…

1. Did you stop needing daily lube on the shaft and head to prevent it getting stuck partway up the tube when peeing? Show-ers don’t mind this as much, but for growers like me, it’s a major issue.
2. Do you struggle with alignment without using a q-tip while urinating? Are stand-up restroom fixtures still usable?
3. When your penis is flaccid/small, does the cage tend to slip off at all?
4. If you opt for the lock over the screw, is the fit looser and more prone to shifting? Also, does locking it make spooning with your partner harder? (I find it difficult because the sharp corners of my current lock dig into my wife’s back.)
5. Overall, is spooning easier on your partner when you wear a metal device? Thanks in advance for your insights.

1) The only lube I ever used with my jailbird or pet trap was a single drop around the base ring; never on the shaft itself. Now I use baby powder between my sac and inner thighs to reduce friction. I’ve gone without any lube for about a month, though I wonder how it will hold up as summer heat arrives. 2) The jailbird felt much easier to align than the pet trap (which is similar to the WM). Still, peeing standing up was easy enough with either one. 3) No issues there at all. 4) I used a lock for about three or four months with my jailbird. It was just as tight, if not tighter, than the screw version. I’d secure the lock and fold it flat to add tension where the pieces meet. Then I’d use a tiny nylon wire tie to keep it folded down so it could flip up easily. Mostly, this prevented a weird lump from forming that I worried might be visible when flipped up. I used a sanding drum in my dremel tool to smooth out all the sharp corners and edges on the lock itself. I suspect your wife might find the locked position less comfortable while spooning. 5) Hard to say for sure; my wife isn’t keen on spooning while I’m locked up anyway. She dislikes the 'hardness' of the device pressing against her. Are you looking at metal options beyond Mature Metal? If so, definitely check out and specifically the Steelheart. You can get one with an integrated lock for roughly the same price as a jailbird or WM. Just as much an upgrade over the CB-3000 (for me) as the jailbird was, the Steelheart is that extra step up from the jailbird in terms of fit, finish, and comfort. Best of luck with your choice. -A

> Atone wrote:...I would definitely look at and the Steelheart in particular. You can get one with an integrated lock for about the same price as a jailbird / WM. As much of an improvement the jailbird was over the CB-3000 (for me) the steelheart is over jailbird. The fit, finish, and comfort just that much better. Huzzah! A convert!;) But Atone, what about hygiene? Isn't the Steelheart, with its enclosed tube, so much more 'icky' than the Jail Bird? That’s what everyone claims...

> member_efaaeaef99 wrote:Isn't the Steelheart, with its closed tube, so very much more icky than the Jail Bird? yes, I am definitely a convert (among many 'verts'). The steelheart does require a bit more effort to keep clean, but it is totally manageable. Last time around, I wore mine for nine days without any issues. It has been nine days since then now, and I plan to wear at least until this weekend before taking it off for an inspection. If everything looks good after that removal, I probably won't worry about frequent checks unless something feels wrong. -A

I agree the Steelheart looks great and I really appreciate the integrated lock. It *would* be my top pick except that I tend toward shorter in flaccid state. So my main complaint with the CB6Ks tube is that it runs a bit too long for me. I always need to use a q-tip and keep both shaft and head lubricated so I can position things correctly when using the bathroom. I think if you are more of a show-er, the Steelheart is likely the better choice from that standpoint. My primary reason for sticking with MM is that Bill will customize it to be as short as I need.

I was considering the steelworxx Braveheart but ended up going with a jailbird instead. I have to say Mature Metal’s customer service is excellent; they will get you sorted out no matter what you need. The jailbird also seems lighter than the steelheart, which swayed my decision along with its easier cleaning profile. Also, I’m not entirely sure how secure the Steelheart stays without a PA piercing—I’d love to hear others' thoughts on that. I imagine smooth steel might back-pull-out quite easily.

> member_4a6f85f8a1 wrote:It *would* be my first choice except for the fact that I am rather short in my flaccid state. I am too, definitely a grower. My jailbird was 1 1/8 inch diameter and 2 1/4 inches long. When fully erect, I measure 1 3/4 by 6 inches. Steelworxx can make devices shorter than their listed sizes online. Mine is 31mm in diameter with a tube length of 57mm. It’s nearly identical to the jailbird dimensions. Talk (email) Dietmar directly; he can likely build what you need. -A

> member_42fe04cb55 wrote:The jailbird is also supposedly lighter than the steelheart which influenced by decision as well as the JB's ability to stay clean. Also, I'm not sure how secure a steelheart is without a PA piercing. I'd love to hear about that. I'd immagine the smooth steel would back pull-out pretty easy. I don’t see any real difference in security. If anything, getting my Steelheart back on might be slightly trickier if it does slip out—it won't just fall off by itself though. My Steelheart is almost exactly the same size as my jailbird and actually weighs a bit less: 170 grams with the integrated lock versus the jailbird’s 175g with the padlock. -A

Also, I almost forgot—customer service has been wonderful at both Mature Metal and steelworxx. Since I’m in the US, sending items back is faster (and a bit cheaper) with MM. I certainly don’t mean to undervalue MM; I really like the devices from him. Each device so far seems designed to prepare me for the next one. I might have skipped some of them along the way but couldn't go straight off to the steelheart initially. Maybe I should list some in the classifieds; it could help someone else out too. -A

> Atone wrote:My steelheart is almost exactly the same size as my jailbird. It actually weighs a little less. 170 grams with the integrated lock. The jailbird is 175g with the padlock. That's interesting. I would have expected the SH to be heavier. I should weigh mine and see how they compare..that is, if the SH ever comes off again.:?

I didn’t realize the Steelheart came in a shorter cage option even so. Does one still need to lube the head and/or use qtips for bathroom duties with it?

I don't lube inside the tube nor do I use q-tips. In the morning I rinse with antibacterial soap and water, then just plain water in the PM, shaking out excess fluid throughout the day. It stays drip-dry at all times.

> Atone wrote:I would have expected the SH to be heavier. me too, I was surprised. It looks heavier. > member_efaaeaef99 wrote:if the SH ever comes off again.:? like

> member_4a6f85f8a1 wrote:does one still have to lube the head and/or use qtips to use the bathroom? I don't do either. Sometimes I'll use a q-tip in the morning just to dry out the end interior, but not always. When peeing, I usually grab some TP or paper towel to wipe the tip off, though that isn’t something I stress over too much. ETA: I follow the routine thumper outlines on his blog; it works pretty well. -A

Meaning, life isn't all daisies and rainbows in there. Some days are worse than others, but it remains a tube you pee into that can get slightly ranky (I think this depends on how well I shake it out and even what I eat). All I know is, when I go to bed at night, it doesn't stink. Nineteen days out of twenty, it's pretty innocuous.

Thanks for the replies. Knowing they offer a shorter tube has made me quite interested in the Steelheart now. The integrated lock is definitely a plus point. I'll let you know what comes (bad pun) of it.

> member_4a6f85f8a1 wrote:The integrated lock is a definite bonus. The integrated lock is really nice. It’s still the one thing that protrudes slightly, but not by much. When wearing just underwear (boxer briefs), it pokes out and looks a bit unnatural, but I don't think it ever shows through normal street clothes. The tube behaves similarly. On rare occasions when my pants pull tight around the tube, the slight bulge actually looks natural enough. With the Jailbird though, I noticed a couple of times that you could see the impression of the bars through the fabric. Only way someone else would notice is if they were staring intently; even then, they probably wouldn't know why. -A