The victim, always naked, was strapped within the chair using tight leather straps. The initial pain of hundreds of sharp rusty spikes penetrating the flesh could always be increased by the torturer forcibly pressing the prisoner down or back against the spikes. Variations (without spikes) were used to bind the victim so that the torturer could easily baste his or her feet with lard or oil heated by nearby braziers.
A modern 'improvement' features sending an electric current through the chair.
'.