A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Chhhhhhop!

I love that you can see Marco’s tools in the background after his DIY thumb removal… It’s something I’ve always been interested in, but since the surgery on my leg I’ve been wanting to do a minor amputation more and more — my surgery caused some nerve damage so I have no feeling in part of my lower leg, and observing the different ways that my brain interprets it is just fascinating. I guess sometimes one is driven by fetishism, and sometimes by curiosity.

That said, I like having long opposable thumbs, so for me I think I’d go with a finger, probably the ring finger (I think Steve Haworth told me some time ago, when we were implanting the magnets, that if you’re going to mess with a finger, that’s the one to do because it’s the weakest, and even if you lose it completely it does not have a major impact on your ability to use your hand).

Comments

217 responses to “Chhhhhhop!”

  1. severed Avatar

    now i know what it would look like if a zombie bit a thumb off… a would be a more ragged version of this.

  2. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    Perfect username for the first post in this entry!

  3. SnaiLuv Avatar

    Wow. You finally did it….you finally grossed me out. Congratulations!!!! Just when I’d thought it was impossible.

  4. SnaiLuv Avatar

    Wow. You finally did it….you finally grossed me out. Congratulations!!!! Just when I’d thought it was impossible.

  5. LittleJohn Avatar
    LittleJohn

    thats incredible. i love it. i want my ring finger off all over again!

  6. Herwitz Avatar

    Anyone ever see that episode of Aeon Flux in which amputating certain fingers becomes the fashion du jour? This totally reminds me of that.

  7. Beeker Avatar
    Beeker

    Oh… my… Guiness…
    Why the thumb?! It’s the one you need the most. And how is he going to sew that?

  8. Warren Avatar

    “it does not have a major impact on your ability to use your hand).”

    lil bit corny response but what happens if you want to wear a ring? You go to put on a ring on your ring finger and OOOPS No finger to put the ring on, DOH!

    This also gives Nine Inch Nail’s song Ringfinger a WHOLE different view lol

  9. Anthony Avatar

    wow. wheres the blood?

  10. House frau Avatar

    It’s amazing what the mentally ill will do to themselves. I guess sad is more like it, or amazingly stupid.

  11. ÈMþRê§§ Avatar
    ÈMþRê§§

    Seriously, this just reduced me to tears. I can imagine the personal mental torture to make someone do something like this…so so sad.

  12. Cere Avatar

    I cant imagine the hypocritical idiocy that creates comments like the ones above.

  13. TzanhZsu Avatar

    I would not do this. But if marco likes it… I’m okay with it. Looks very creepy for me.

    And incredibly cool by the way. 🙂

  14. Jedi Kim Avatar

    So true, Shannon! My left ring finger is still fucked up from that dog walking incident, and I have to say, I never really need it anyways… 🙂

  15. squiggles Avatar
    squiggles

    For some reason this doesn’t gross me out at all. I think it’s the lack of any excess blood and the way he is apparently just calmly holding his hand up for the picture.

  16. deathbybus Avatar
    deathbybus

    I knew a guy who worked on a drill rig who was missing a bunch of finger parts. At least this is sanitary.

  17. wiggledance Avatar
    wiggledance

    this looks so damn clean cut, it’s amazing. Almost doesn’t look real.

  18. Fifia Avatar

    i thought you’d been at your photoediting again shannon!!

  19. Em Avatar
    Em

    #9, you know that until just a few decades ago, being gay was counted as a mental illness, and was completely incomprehensible to most people? Oh wait, you probably still think it is an illness. Gotta love America.
    #10, you wouldn’t be saying that if the mod was a “nice” “feminine” tattoo. Can you explain why one is a positive thing and the other a negative thing, WITHOUT referring to your own aesthetic preferences?
    By all means discuss those preferences, just don’t conceal them behind a wall of wilful misunderstanding.
    I personally find getting tattooed extremely painful. I guess this would be painful too. Having kids in the future will fuck up my body far more than an amputation (having kids being a selfish decision however it’s dressed up – the world is overpopulated already).
    I guess Cere put it more succinctly.

  20. JenO33 Avatar
    JenO33

    I’m really interested on how he did it… it’s such a clean cut and I’m amazed at the lack of blood.

  21. thatolcountryguy Avatar
    thatolcountryguy

    Ugly.

  22. veronica Avatar

    i’m not disgusted by it, & i’m not amazed by it … it just has me in wonder. i know this is probably the worst question to ask here … but i really don’t understand sometimes the urges that drive human beings to perform certain mods.

    *shrugs*

    like, why would you want to cut one of your body parts off?
    but then again, my mother asks me why i want to get tattoos .. so who the hell am i to talk.

  23. Zar Avatar
    Zar

    what happens to the tendon when an at home amputation is performed? my brother’s tendon once snapped and ended up curled up in his wrist, and he had to get it re attached. now assuming this person doesn’t desire mobility of their stump, can they just leave the tendon wherever it ends up?

  24. Pigmeu Avatar

    I’m really impressed at the clean cut.

    Personaly, I wouldn’t have taken my thumb I think I would miss that too much.

  25. Lunar Avatar
    Lunar

    Wow the cut is so clean… Like, you know, the prisoner who was cut into small slices to be studied by scientists. Looks surrealistic.
    I just wonder how it will heal, and if he did something else (like going to the hospital so they can clean this up).

  26. Squibbles Avatar
    Squibbles

    I always wanted to know what inside a finger/ thumb looked like…and now I do.
    Somehow it’s not quite what I expected…
    Amazingly clean looking cut, though it’s made me wonder if there’ll ever be Strawberry or Cherry aeros 🙂

  27. Pigmeu Avatar

    Well, now that I look at the thumb I can see it’s not entirely gone, I could live with a mobile nub…

  28. neat Avatar
    neat

    The inside of the thumb looks so amazing. What a cool shot, and a neat Modblog post. Too bad there isn’t a video of the process to go along with it.

    Yet again, I’m amazed at the utter obnoxiousness and ignorance of Empress.

    What is so sad about something that makes someone happy, just because it disturbs you or because you can’t seem to comprehend something beyond your standards of normalcy?

  29. painted lady Avatar

    holy crap, i just gasped for like thirty seconds.

  30. ÈMþRê§§ Avatar
    ÈMþRê§§

    Comment to Em.
    I will explain to you just cannot right now.
    Hugz.

  31. bena Avatar

    congrats!

  32. goodnade Avatar
    goodnade

    thats pimp. on another note i love going to #9′s blog and laughing at what tool she is.

  33. painted lady Avatar

    @ #19, i think it’s the LACK of blood that squidges me out the most. if it was covered with blood, i think i would be more inclined to look at it in awe. it’s a great job, it just creeps me out to look at all fresh-like.

  34. fearandloathing Avatar
    fearandloathing

    chiselled maybe? the finger chiselling on bmevideo trailor #3 i believe looks just as clean

  35. kuroneko711 Avatar

    #10, assuming the person’s personal modivation behind it isnt really right, is it? Not without talking to them first and seeing their reasoning, I’m sure its something they put a lot of thought into.

  36. tashuh Avatar
    tashuh

    I so cannot stop starring at it.
    too cool.

  37. polly Avatar

    Repeating the above post: I would be shocked if the pictured person did not consider this procedure lightly in light of some the comments made. I am sure they did in view of shannon’s comment (although never believe what you read- and i mean that more in terms of newspapers than anything). The reasons why i view body modification sites (amongst others) is mainly:

    a) to learn and enlighten myself to other people’s views and perceptions of the body and

    b) to see (sometimes) groundbreaking modifications which all interest me.

    I always pertain (to public images etc) that if you cant be nice don’t say anything, although i agree that everyone should have their own views.

    I suppose what i’m trying to say is that we should be here to look/discuss and learn rather than judge people when we don’t know them.

  38. polly Avatar

    i forgot to say that i’m impressed by the surgical cleanliness and neatness of this procedure especially as it is D.I.Y 🙂

  39. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    #9: if the only comments you plan to make are negative and shitty, I’de say stop making them but it’s your right to make yourself look like an asshole so go for it, as far as the things mentally ill people do to themselves, shit atleast he did’nt come over and cut off your thumbs

  40. TOB Avatar

    I like it. I would never do it personally (I’m a musician I need all my fingers) but i think that it is really interesting. Keeping with the theme of this website, if it makes the person happy then they should go for it.

  41. trinityknot Avatar
    trinityknot

    Ahh! My first reaction, because most times these things are blurred. There is a chisel in the background so I assume that is what was used.

    I have no problems with people wanting to amputate, but as a curious person I would like to know the story behind each one. Too bad there is no story to go with.

  42. House frau Avatar

    Re: #18

    Uh, no I have gay friends and relatives, and being gay is not a mental illness, I believe it is how you are born. I support gay rights and I vote! Don’t assume you know me because I am expressing an opinion here. I look at tattooing, piercings as an art forms, a way to express yourself. Chopping off body parts that you need to function every day is just stupid, sorry. If suddenly the “mod” community said it was cool to chop off your arm would you think that was a good thing too? I am not a hypocrite, I have *zero* mods. I am a gawker here.

    Since you don’t want kids, maybe you could start a trend in this community and do an at home hysterectomy or tubal ligation. Hey, you could put your uterus in resin and wear it around your neck! Or make bracelets out of your preserved fallopian tubes! You could start a reproductive part jewelry trend. Better yet, cut off your head, it would be so neat! Shannon could post the pics and we could all marvel at your severed spine!

  43. B Squared Avatar
    B Squared

    How is he going to play video games?

  44. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    House frau – Look, I realize you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about and haven’t bothered to research your incorrect insults and I have no idea why you’re even bothering with these posts, but… Yes, there are people who are getting hyserectomies on a voluntary basis in NO ANESTHESIA RITUALS. If you think the stuff on BME is intense, don’t ever ever ever ever ever try and meet fetishist doctors. They are way way way farther out there than anything I’ve ever posted here.

  45. Malice Alice Avatar
    Malice Alice

    #18 Are you serious? You actually expect to look reasoned and intelligent by spewing some mindless vitriol about how having kids is selfish? I’m just… shocked, utterly shocked that anyone would say that. I just cannot wrap my brain around how much disgust it would take to maintain that point of view. Isn’t it exhausting? Have you ever watched someone play with their kids? That is not selfish.
    And what, because someone disagrees with what they are seeing, that justifies you making snide little comments about their own personal view points? I would be so deeply offended if you implied I was homophobic because I think it takes a very warped mind to inflict this kind of damage to yourself (which I do). Not much different than Ann Coulter implying people ARE gay because they disagree with her. Now look, I ranted all over my computer.
    Unpleasantness aside, I am mesmerized by this photo. Haunting, interesting and totally makes my stomach roll. Would never do it to myself, but I respect his right to do it. Still. Ew.

  46. painted lady Avatar

    ditto.

    and learn something before you make generalizing comments.

  47. CreativeNonFiction Avatar

    I think B Squared has the best point. I hope Marco took that into consideration. But presuming he did, House frau, I’m sure he didn’t remove something he needs for everyday life.

  48. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    Honestly, you can lose the end joint of your thumb without serious impact to the functionality of your hand. Same goes for the end joint of all the fingers, going with the assumption there are no complications — which are definitely possible!!!

  49. JH Avatar
    JH

    Don’t feel strongly one way or the other here but… had to respond to #19.

    “you know that until just a few decades ago, being gay was counted as a mental illness, and was completely incomprehensible to most people? Oh wait, you probably still think it is an illness. Gotta love America.”

    I feel I have to point out here that just because people once miscategorized certain tendencies as mental illnesses does not mean no one is crazy. Seriously.

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