clover clamp
butterfly_clamp Japanese_clamp bird_clamp
A more extreme variant of nipple clamps, especially suited to predicament bondage and nipple torture. A clover clamp is not limited to clamping nipples, although this is the most commonly drawn use in art.
Note: tag uses the singular "clamp" instead of plural form "clamps", since using a single clamp is seen frequently as well. Single clamps are typically for more extreme predicament and humiliation than for nipple play in BDSM.
(Full entry below includes text originally adapted from Wikipedia. Providing this note for reference to borrowed definition text from the article Nipple clamp, under the 'Clover clamp' section)
The clover clamp, also referred to as "butterfly clamp" or "bird clamp" is of Japanese origin and was designed for clamping sails or sewing fabric. The clamp is flat, about 4 inches (10 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide, and has an eyelet to which a chain or cord can be attached. If this is pulled a mechanism inside the clamp moves the jaws closer together and provides increasing tension. When they are applied to the nipples a spring hinge holds them in place under tension and provides a very high pain level.They are used for nipple torture in the BDSM community.
To increase the tension on the nipples, small weights are sometimes attached to the clamps or the chain. These can be weights designed specifically for this purpose or weights such as fishing sinkers can be used.
Another use for the clamps is to keep a person in one place. If a cord is tied from the clamp to a fixed place, the wearer of the clamps cannot move away because the clamps will tighten as they move.
This technique can be used for predicament bondage. The removal of the clamps is also painful and different methods of removal can increase or decrease this pain.
These clamps have small points of contact and hence their pinch is usually painful, especially on people with larger nipples. They are usually only used by more experienced users for the purposes of edging, orgasm denial or nipple torture.