What Is a St. Andrew's Cross?
A St. Andrew's Cross (also called a saltire cross or bondage cross) is an X-shaped piece of BDSM furniture used for standing restraint. The person being restrained stands with their back or face against the X-frame, with arms and legs spread to the four points of the X and secured with restraints at the wrists and ankles.
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The X Design
The X shape distributes the restrained person's weight evenly across the frame without requiring a horizontal crosspiece at head height. The angle of the arms (typically 45 degrees from vertical) places wrists at a comfortable elevated position without overhead stress — a position sustainable for extended periods without nerve compression or circulation issues when properly used.
History
The X-cross in BDSM takes its name from the cross of Saint Andrew, on which the apostle Andrew was reportedly martyred. The shape appeared in kink contexts well before it had a standardized name. As dedicated BDSM furniture began to be commercially produced in the 1990s, the St. Andrew's Cross became one of the first standardized designs.
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