Bethie and I haven’t had a chance to “play” with it very much, but I think she’s of the opinion it’s too severe. I’m not much worried about that — heh — but I think the leather cords are indeed heavier and less flexible than in the traditional “French Domestic Discipline” style martinet. They tend to lay together and land like a bundle of rods, where I think lighter cords would spread out a bit and lash a broader area. More experimentation needed.