Human beings seemingly really enjoy getting creative with their cruelty, as these (mostly) out of fashion methods of execution illustrate, including the Spanish Tickler:

Used to tear open the victim's skin, this weapon could rip through anything, including muscle and bone. The victim was tied up naked, sometimes in public, and then the torturers begin mutilating them. Usually starting on the limbs and working inward, the neck and face were always saved for last.

Warning: the article may be is disturbing. Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by redsfaithful.