Quite Scarce HIATTS Model 2020 British Chain Handcuffs With External Push Button Double Locks!

These are the HIATTS 2020 chain-link handcuffs with external push buttons for the double lock. They are very, very early 1990s, given that it is a classic HIATTS 2010 design with leftover swivels from the prior 1980 model.

It was a bold experiment, to increase the ability to double lock the cuffs in a hurry without having to use the back end of the key. But it had an unforeseen detrimental effect. The handcuffs could accidentally double lock while in the case on the officers belt or even while gripping the handcuffs to apply them. This means you pull the handcuffs out to secure a criminal... and they won't go around the wrist. Or as you are applying them, you get a couple of clicks or so around their wrist and your grip presses the double lock and they won't properly tighten. Very inconvenient when struggling with a criminal and you have to unexpectedly dig your key out, undo the double lock and re-single lock the cuffs without doing the same mistake again!

These are not a very common item, because they weren't deployed widely, after these issues were noted. Usually cost more than a regular surplus pair of HIATTS 2010, at least 2 or 3 times the cost. I got mine for less than half price of what I would pay for a 2010!

Also, this is the first appearance of my genuine US prison Bob Barker brand orange 2-piece prison scrubs in a video. Plain prison clothing like this in Khaki or orange, provide a nice plain background that is bright enough, with no distracting patterns or dark colours that reduce restraint visibility. This way, you can more easily see the handcuffs or leg irons that are being shown in a worn context, compared to back in the day when I wore my usual black clothing. After all, the items are the only star of my videos! Plus the clothing is a good match for the context of the usage of restraints.

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Enjoy!

Yuil H-3 Leg Iron To Fixed Point To Anchor Person @ Location For Hospital Escape Prevention etc

This is the Yuil H-3 leg irons. Though it is actually 1 leg iron, connected by a long chain to a lockable anchor on the other end. It's primary purpose is for use in hospitals to lock one ankle of the prisoner to the hospital bed to prevent them escaping. Less restrictive than handcuffs, but keeps them from running off.

The body of the leg iron and anchor are aluminium. The inner sandwich metal on the leg iron is aluminium, while on the anchor, the inner sandwich is steel. Both the moving bows (leg iron and anchor) are steel. The leg iron has a silicone internal lining to help protect the comfort of the wearer. They have the usual 2 pawls, but like most modern Yuil restraints, these work with standard keys, so they are not as high security as the old days when you had to use their special keys.

The chain is about 32 and a half inches long, making the locations of it's use flexible. Especially since you can wrap the chain around a fixed location to make it shorter.

This could be useful for transport situations, "booking" of suspects or prisoners at police stations and prisons on top of the intended hospital bed application. Also, if you're into the bedroom activities side of things, a couple of these could prove useful! Especially the ability to wrap the chain around as many times as needed to shorten the chain to the needed length.

All in all, it feels like a quality piece of Korean restraint gear.

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Enjoy!

Yuil H-1 Belly Chain With Padlock and Universal Black Box Transport Security from South Korea

This is the Yuil H-1. It is a black box system with a belly chain that further restricts the movement of the limbs, while also providing some more limitation of the hands, at the same time limiting access to the keyway to thwart picking the handcuffs open.

This is a South Korean take on a US design Blue Box system, which is very similar. Designed for transport situations where extra restriction is needed during transport to prevent escape or effective attacks of guards. The body of the box is made from plastic or polymer and the slide that goes over the top to hold the box closed and allow locking is made of strong aluminium. The chain is smooth with no harsh welds or any snagging on clothing. The design of the black box also has holes for the double lock, so once fitted, the handcuffs can be tightened to the adequate amount and then be double locked while the box is fully set up and secured. The padlock it comes with only locks on one side, but it uses a ball bearing mechanism which cannot be shimmed, which is a nice feature.

The black box works with several brands (I may do a simple video at some point showing which types of handcuffs fit this Yuil black box in the future). It adds more security to handcuffs. You can also forgo the belly chain and use the padlock directly on the black box, if all you care about is further adding security to the handcuffs but don't need such rigid restriction of the limbs!

A quite flexible system, really.

Also, this is the first appearance of my genuine US prison Bob Barker brand orange jumpsuit. I wanted orange alternatives to my khaki so I can alternate, based on what I want. I have the orange 2-piece scrubs version also, yet to be used. Plain prison clothing like this in Khaki or orange, provide a nice plain background that is bright enough, with no distracting patterns or dark colours that reduce restraint visibility. This way, you can more easily see the handcuffs or leg irons that are being shown in a worn context, compared to back in the day when I wore my usual black clothing. After all, the items are the only star of my videos! Plus the clothing is a good match for the context of the usage of restraints.

Enjoy!

Clejuso model 8 leg irons from Germany

These are German leg irons from Clejuso, model 8.

These are made from Zamak material rather than steel, similarly to their model 13 and 15 beefy handcuffs. It's a strong zinc alloy, but requires more bulk of the material to off-set it's lack of inherent strength that steel would have. This produces a strong restraint that is not as heavy as a solid steel one would be.

They have a steel chain and the internal mechanism, except the spring, are also Zamak alloy. The springs are presumably steel.

They are not swing-through, but they have a double lock, as you would expect for safety and security reasons. It's basically like a HIATT 115 Scotland Yard handcuff, made larger for legs, with a double lock added.

The chain is short (just slightly less than 30cm long, which means your walking stride has to be significantly shorter than normal a normal walking pace. Also, the design of them is not super comfortable and if you try to walk faster, the rotating of the shackles can cause discomfort. So walking in these is much slower than normal. British Darby leg irons are more comfortable because of the more rounded shape means they can turn naturally around your ankle without causing pinch points, whereas these German ones do cause discomfort IF you try to walk faster.

The cheek plate has a lip on the inside, acting as a ward that protects the double lock. You cannot use a Clejuso model 13 or 15 key to disengage the double lock because the lip blocks you. The double lock could be picked open with a long, strong and bent tool, but I have not experimented much, because I cannot simply replace these leg irons in the UK if I were to break them. The single lock is easy to pick using a parker jotter pen clip or similar strong bit of thin metal.

It is not apparent at first glance but there is a right and wrong way to apply these. The clasp that connects the chain to the shackle has a tilt. They need to be worn with the clasp on the front-facing side with the angle pointing inwards. If you try any other method, the chain is further shortened and trivially creates much more discomfort and awkwardness while walking.

The small length of the chain, like the British Darby leg irons, means than standing with your legs together does not drag the chain all over the floor or make loud clacking noises as you walk, since the chain does not touch the floor while walking. This helps protect the floor from having steel chains scraping across it as the person walks.

All in all, this is a high quality and effective leg iron walking restraint.

Enjoy!

Scarce SM Co Darby WW1 Great War British Military M&C 1917 LARGE Handcuffs with Broad Arrow

These are a pair of British MIlitary SM Co (Security Manufacturing Company) pair of HIATT 104 style non-adjustable Darby handcuffs From WW1.

SM Co are only known to have made handcuffs during the first world war, to fulfil government contracts when other manufacturers could not keep up with the demand. These are stamped with the official British military Broad Arrow or Crows Foot stamp, as well as M&C which was a military and government marking of the day. M&C likely stood for Ministry and Civil or Military and Civil. So to have M&C AND also the Broad Arrow is always cool! Dated 1917, as per the stamp. M&C 1917 is stamped very small!

They are a Size 3 large size... If I can spin my wrists around in them, they're big... ! 403 grams in weight. There would be many reasons for handcuffing during The Great War, such as internal soldier discipline if they had tried to desert, or got drunken or such things as well as for prisoner transport.

I had to do some usual maintenance on them. Using Autosol to remove the surface loose red rust to let the dark patina show through, blasting with fully evaporating brake and clutch cleaner, brushing, re-lubricating etc. But once I had finished (and waxed them of course!) they are a really nice pair of handcuffs. And they came with 2 keys! Fully, legitimate working keys. I am very impressed.

Have these been in the trenches subjected to gas attacks, apprehending German military officers? Have they been re-purposed during WW2 or given to reserve units like the Home Guard? Impossible to tell. I was unable to obtain their history because the seller had no direct ties to the original owner.

They work smoothly. This is the first SM Co brand of handcuffs in my collection.

Enjoy!

ASP model 100 Identifier Pink Police Handcuffs

This is the old polymer overmold ASP model 100 identifier handcuffs in pink.

They consist of a thin but strong steel skeleton with pink ordnance-grade strong polymer molded over them. They have the yellow single pawl mechanism.

Like all ASP handcuffs they have nice quality of life and safety features such as a flat wrist contact point for application, smooth operation, double locking via the window or the keyway, a single turn disengages the double lock and the single lock and all the surfaces are smooth to reduce the chance of injury.

This is an older model, which came out in the early 2000s and was eventually discontinued when they came out with their Ultra Cuffs, which were made of aluminium to address some issues.

What issues did the model 100 have? Well, because of their bendiness the bow could over-shoot the cuff body and not engage with the pawl, giving a false sense of having applied them to the wrist. Also of an officer fell over onto the cuffs during a struggle with a suspect, the double strand could crimp together and render the cuffs inoperable. The Ultra Cuffs addressed these issues by making the body from solid aluminium.

Being pink in this case, they are fitting for use during breast cancer awareness month (October) and coloured models like this also for officer personalisation, as well as correctional use to denote risk levels and health conditions of inmates etc.

These are really nice and sought after by people for less than law enforcement uses... because of how colourful they are. Since the whole body of the cuff is covered in the polymer, you get a nice brightly coloured handcuff that has less coldness to it, which is in particular more attractive for uses in the bedroom I would imagine!

All in all, they are great NIJ rated legitimate law enforcement handcuffs of the past. Very comfortable and secure when applied properly. All ASP handcuffs can be easily picked and shimmed, which means it's important for LEO use, that suspects are properly searched to deny them access to keys and picking tools.

Enjoy!

Japanese Masuri 1960s Brass Handcuffs (WW2 Design) with keyway curtain security & comparisons

This is a video primarily about the Brass Masuri Japanese 1960s police handcuffs. This design dates back to WW2 according to Alex Nichols' great books on handcuffs. These are not toys! , they are genuine police handcuffs.

The handcuffs shown in the video are 1960s Brass Masuri, 1980s Steel body Masuri, Steel body Takeda. The Brass Masuri are the main focus of this video and description. They are either nickel or chrome plated.

When you see these handcuffs, you probably think "They're toys" and that is because this style has been copied for years for the mass-produced toy market in China. These Masuri are the earliest brand known that made them and they are identical to a pair taken from a Japanese soldier in WW2.

This pair has "CHIEF OF POLICE" and "MONTE CARLO" stamping. It is not known if this means they were destined for Monaco police or if merely the association with the bustling rich casino locale was just a far-eastern marketing strategy to make them more appealing.

They have a pin wheel mechanism instead of pawls and are unshimmable. They do double lock with a stiff lever, which while provides no real liability protection for the user, it does serve the purpose of preventing accidental over-tightening better than any other version. Since this is the older brass model, it has a curtained keyway which is like a C shape cup, so you can insert the key and turn and the curtain / cup turns with it. This means picking them open is much harder because you cannot just shove a tool in and work with the mechanism, you need to precisely turn the curtain to the right position so that the opening would give you access to the keyway. And the keyway does not have much room to work with!

During Aparthide in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) they were under heavy sanctions and weren't able to get the latest and greatest security hardware from the west and elsewhere. So they used various handcuffs, including a steel version of these Masuri that I featured before and mistakenly referred to as Takeda. The steel model would have been cheaper because it uses stamped steel rather rather than all brass and is much cheaper and quicker to manufacturer. The steel versions are similarly great quality, though they lack the keyway curtain. But are still good quality handcuffs.

I concluded my previously featured steel pair and these Brass ones are both Masuri because of several factors. The quality is exceptional in both. Both have the same JAPAN stamp in the same location, with the same font, in the same size. On the back section, there is only one prominent artifact which is the base of the double lock lever's rotational pin. Both have 10 holes in the bow for sizing. Both have nicely welded chain links. On the other hand, the Takeda mentioned next have 9 holes, 4 prominent artifacts on the back, very shoddy construction, gaps between the body and cheek plate and a JAPAN stamp on the back, which is in a different font and different location, both matching what Alex's book shows for Takeda.

Then came along Takeda and copied the Masuri handcuffs and made them even more cheaply. Stamped steel bodies, still a brass bow, poorer construction, sloppy tolerances, thinner gauge material, poorly welded chain links (just on the corners of the poorly mated link ends) and the double lock levers have no stiffness, at least in my pair. These were later copied by China as toys. In fact in the 1990s I had such toy handcuffs as a kid, ones without the safety release on.

Weights:
Brass Masuri: 304 grams
Steel body Masuri: 278 grams
Steel body Takeda: 240 grams
And for comparison, modern decent quality toy versions, like Viper Tactical (in the UK) are 215 grams.

I believe the key I received is not the original key (I have seen several pictures to see the difference) but in fact is a Takeda key that works fine, slightly snug but works.

The on-body demonstration only shows these newly acquired Brass Masuri from the 1960s. I won't bother making a video on the actual Takeda since a) they are quite poor quality by comparison, look so similar to these and the previous Masuri and I have shown them at least in this video in the comparison.

Enjoy!

Thailand Super High single locking police handcuffs - Very shiny!

These are my first handcuffs from Thailand. They are marked Super High.

These are only single locking, they have no double lock at all. The mechanism is based on the Takeda / Masuri Japanese handcuffs, utilising a pin wheel mechanism with holes drilled into the thin edge of the bow.

These are all steel, likely plated with either nickel or chrome.

When I received them, the swivels were totally seized up. I had to use oil and pliers to work the oil in, to make them able to swivel. The swivels are not smooth but they do twist easily now!

The double lock on the Japanese Takeda etc models is almost pointless because of how easily both accidentally or intentionally, it is to disengage. So the fact that these Super High have no double lock, is a bit better than having one that is less useful than a chocolate fireguard lol.

Enjoy!

British HIATT Darby Leg Irons ~ 1975 Made from good quality alloy

These are HIATT Darby Leg Irons From 1974-1975 timeframe.

The chain and swivel are steel, but the body of the leg shackles are made from an alloy. Commonly referred to as "pot metal" although HIATT being a well known company of quality products, they used a particularly good alloy, perhaps Zamak 5 for strength. The construction is more bulky than the traditional all-steel versions and this is to accommodate for the alloy's properties to maintain the required levels of strength and security. Steel ones did not need to be bulked up.

They have the standard Darby locking mechanism, consisting of an internal sprung bolt which the key interacts with and on it's other end is the pawl that locks into the hole in the shackle to keep them securely closed. As you turn the key to undo them, eventually the collar on the key hits the resistance of the body of the shackle and from that point, the subsequent turns pull the bold outwards, freeing the shackle to open.

Because of the shape of the shackles, they are able to spin around quite well on the ankle, which aids in being able to walk in them better. They are actually quite comfortable.

These were made around 1974 to 1975. According to a reliable source in 1975 HIATT were just coming out with these Alloy models at that time. Being made of a quality "pot metal" alloy, they were cheaper and easier to manufacture. The rectangular and chunkier construction was almost certainly to counteract the shortcomings of the alloy to ensure they would meet security needs for real-world restraints while still reducing production costs and time.

Initially they were branded with the HIATT branding, but with rising tensions in the world about the use of leg irons and connections to slavery and degrading treatment of people, they stopped branding them.

Not too long afterwards of a year or two they stopped production. But the very latest ones they came out with prior to stopping seemed to have EVEN cheaper construction with rivets for the hinge pins and more sloppy tolerances as those were intended for markets other than genuine real security needs.

Given the history, the fact that mine are branded AND they have a number stamped on them and the key, coupled with the fact that the hinge pin is the classic steel type that is flush and the fact that the tolerances are nice and tight, these that I have are no doubt for actual real-world use, part of their initial line of Alloy leg irons.

Enjoy!

Peerless Pink 750C American Police Handcuffs Often used during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

These are the Peerless 750C or specifically 750CP handcuffs in Pink. Genuine USA all-American handcuffs that are used throughout the states as one of the top brands of NIJ certified law enforcement handcuffs.

These are a classic model 750C with pink colour finish. They have one pawl bar, peg and groove bow security, double locking, they backload (backloading is not that important and not a common feature).

Coloured handcuffs are often used in prisons and jails to coordinate with inmate uniforms or to classify someone with a health condition or a certain threat level etc. Also in some cases, non-masculine colour uniforms and handcuff colours have been used in prisons on overly aggressive prisoners as a punishment.

Another use for Pink, specifically, is during October which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. There was a US news story of Smith & Wesson and Peerless donating a bunch of pink handcuffs to a police department free and then the department let their officers BUY those handcuffs from the police department and then they gave that money they raised to the cancer charity.

Also some officers use different colour cuffs in the US as a way to personalise and get their own cuffs back so they don't get swapped around with other officers etc.

These Peerless model 750C are a high quality set of handcuffs. They can be found on Amazon. And in the US there's many places you might find them.

Enjoy!

Hiatt-Thompson 1010 Chain link Red Police Handcuffs

These are the Hiatt-Thompson 1010 chain link handcuffs in the colour RED. They are genuine US police handcuffs.

This company is no longer around but I have a feeling there is a connection to CTS Thompson because even the model number is the same as the CTS Thompson models. (Don't visit the website on the box. After the company was no more, they didn't renew the domain to keep control over it and so it has been acquired by people in China and is riddled with adverts and NSFW material)

These have 2 pawls and they also backload, which is nice. They also have a split double locking bar, which means if you are picking these open, you must pick both levers to disengage the double lock. It sounds like you unlocked it, it feels like you unlocked it, but they are still double locked until you pick the second lever! The ratchet is strong and loud.

Nice to add one of this brand to my collection, though it is a very typical handcuff but with twin double locking bars, and in a nice red colour.

Enjoy!

Czech RALKEM 9927 Hinged Black Secure Police Handcuffs (Looks very cool!) Identical to Alfa-Proj

These are the RALKEM or "RALK" 9927. They are still made today under the newer brand name Alfa-Proj and have the same model number. I am unaware of how old these handcuffs are but they had some rust on them that I had to contend with before they were properly functional. They were really so stiff I thought the double strand might have been pinched, ASP-style. But turns out it was just gunk and rust.

These are fantastic and very secure handcuffs. They use an abnormal flat key that has a split bit on it. The locking mechanism has 3 aspects that make this a particularly secure cuff in my opinion...

Security Point 1: The locking mechanism has 2 separated pawls. This inherently makes picking them much harder and at least more time consuming.

Security Point 2:  The keyway has a spinning one-way ward which must be aligned correctly and the key inserted correctly. If someone is handcuffed behind their back (or in the dark) the chances of unlocking the handcuffs even if they had a key would be very low, unless they had practised meticulously.

Security Point 3: In order to unlock the handcuffs single lock, while turning the key it tightens the handcuffs by 1 click before releasing. This means if someone is wearing the handcuffs and is struggling around, trying to pick them, they will have to fight the level of force they are putting on the bow (single strand) of the cuffs. Their own wrist position is actively working against their ability to pick the cuffs with flimsy tools and making it more difficult to use a key.

The hinge is very sturdy indeed, but has a degree of movement that can help with the comfort of the wearer, rather than them be too inflexible. This hinge also adds to the over all security by making it more difficult to manipulate the lock, since you have less ability to adjust your arms position for optimal picking.

A key thing to remember about all RALKEM / Alfa-Proj handcuffs like this is never apply them overly tight, because to unlock them, it needs to get tighter by one click!

They also feature the typical security feature you tend to find in most modern handcuffs of what I call "the peg and groove" system, whereby the body of the cuff has protrusions that mate with grooves in the bow, so that when the cuff is locked closed, if a very strong person were to pull outwards, those protrusions would grip the bow to add more strength to keep the bow in place and locked in with the pawls. There are few exceptions in the world that lack this feature and usually it's because they are constructed so stoutly that an incredibly strong person would not be able to deform the bow in those cases. Obviously most toy and "up-market professional-like" toys like Viper, Kombat, Vipertek lack this feature.

These handcuffs are my first full set of handcuffs of this kind. I have the briefcase handcuff from this company (the newer branding Alfa-Proj) and you can check my channel to see a video if you wish. These are very smooth in operation, after having cleaned them up to remove rust and lubricate them. All Alfa-Proj / Ralkem seem to be very very smooth in operation. And they easily lock closed with the lightest press on the wrist.

Some info from Google Gemini AI:
"RALKEM 9927 handcuffs marked for both the Prague Police (P.P.) and the Slovak Ministry of Interior (MVS), dating from the post-1993 era.

The Context: P.P. stands for "Policie Praha," which is Czech for the Prague Police. This marks the cuffs as property of the police force in the Czech capital. MVS stands for "Ministerstvo vnitra Slovenské republiky," which is the Czech name for the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. This indicates the cuffs were part of an order for a Slovak government agency.

Dating: The use of these specific national and city-level police markings places the handcuffs' manufacturing after the January 1, 1993, "Velvet Divorce," when Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries. The presence of both markings on one item makes it a unique piece of police equipment from that historical period."

These are pretty comfortable and very secure handcuffs from the Czech Republic.

Enjoy

DAMAGED (but basically functional) Italian Dollar Handcuff 1930s Also used by Germany and Austria

This is the Dollar handcuff. It is an Italian handcuff that was also used by Germany and Austria, in the shape of a dollar sign. I cannot know which country specifically used this particular example. Quite rare.

It is a rigid handcuff where a single closing action simultaneously secures both wrist apertures at the same time. Very interesting design.

My pair had it's internal locking mechanism gutted so a another better quality cuff could be made to be properly and fully functional. I did a small trade to acquire this as almost "scrap metal" with "minor functionality". I was expecting a cool paperweight, but I was very happily surprised that the basic mechanism to close the cuff, hold it closed and also selectively open the cuff was intact. It has no locking mechanism, so while it can close and stay closed, my pair is incapable of LOCKING closed, you'll see what I mean in the video.

The inventors added a rather nifty feature that authorities could securely attach a chain to the cuff, that when properly locked, would provide either the ability to hold on to the person to stop them running away (a lead chain) or attach them to a fixed location to prevent running away. Quite ingenious design I think.

These are quite rare and I am happy to have one even in this condition. Not sure how widespread their use would have been during WW2 but I imagine this model of cuff saw use.

I demonstrate them with my on-person demo while wearing some bright and plain Khaki US prison clothing so that the cuffs show up better. Normally I wear a lot of black or camo trousers and black shirt so cuffs don't show up that well. So having a plain and brighter background helps. Plus contextually it is more applicable.

Enjoy!

Smith & Wesson M100-1 WeatherShield (Blue) Handcuffs Overview (NIJ)

These are my new Smith & Wesson Model 100-1 WeatherShield handcuffs which come in Blue color. I sold my yellow ones years ago and regretted it ever since!

Very smooth, very high quality and internationally known handcuff that is NIJ certified for law enforcement use. But these particular ones are more resistant to water, supposedly, which is why they call these WeatherShield. They are powder-coated blue for extra durability and identification.

Comfortable both to apply to someone or the person with them on.

You can lubricate them with a light oil now and then to keep them nice and maintained (or use Dry PTFE spray as I do). Like usual, I waxed these with renaissance wax for extra smoothness and protection.

The WeatherShield or Weather Shield line did not last that long. I'm not completely clear why, I have seen some info suggesting they changed the methodology of their colouring, not sure. The yellow was wearing a bit on my old pair. But they are very very uncommon in the UK. I got my yellow pair years ago from some random US-based Amazon seller and never saw them since, until recently on eBay many years later! So I had to grab them immediately!!

I demonstrate them with my on-person demo while wearing some bright and plain Khaki US prison clothing so that the cuffs show up better. Normally I wear a lot of black or camo trousers and black shirt so cuffs don't show up that well. So having a plain and brighter background helps. Plus contextually it is more applicable.

Enjoy!

Coxyspicks custom GITD Glow in the dark grips for HIATT 2103 , 2105, TCH 840 handcuffs!

This is a little look at the custom grips that Coxyspicks made that are glow in the dark! Very cool indeed!!

Enjoy!

Polish Kel-met KM 1100 Single-locking Training Handcuffs

These are the Polish Kel-Met KM1100 training handcuffs. They are designed to aid in training officers/security/military on the application of handcuffs, with added safety in the training environment and with the increased speed of not having to deal with keys and double locks.

The fact that they have no double lock, makes this obvious to me that they are not for a complete training of complete standard operating procedure, despite how important double locking the cuffs is. This is clearly just about training people to apply the handcuffs onto the person successfully and then they will follow SOP after it's importance has been drilled into them over and over.

They are stainless steel (more skin-safe than typical plated handcuffs) and use only 1 pawl, since there's no need for multiple pawls for a training handcuff.

It's a nice handcuff and the slider buttons are fairly easy to operate on your own, for safety reasons.

One thing to be aware of is the slider buttons are actually screws. On my pair, one side was very loose and the other was super tight and I was unable to unscrew it even with pliers. But the other side was always loose so I just applied some blue Threadlocker and tightened with pliers and now it feels very secure from accidental unscrewing by hand contact. I would have used red permanent threadlocker but I have none. If buy buy a pair, ensure you check them to make sure they are tight!

I can imagine some people might use these within a bedroom context because of how real they feel (they are real cuffs...) but the fact that they have a super fast way to open them if need-be.

Enjoy!

Totally butchered HIATT Darby handcuffs - Salvaged & turned into a gimmicked set by CoxysPics

Just a quick look at this pair of HIATT darby handcuffs, which are likely from the very very early 1900s, given the font, shape of shackle and the clevis bulge. But they have been absolutely tortured and butchered by someone trying to make them work, because the bolts had been stripped of threading. It's a shame, because it is a nice pair of Darby handcuffs otherwise!

‪@CoxysPicks‬  got them cheap and was able to restore them to function (Video here:    • HIATT Darby - From Broken to functional   ) and turned them into a gimmicked pair for me (they pull open without needing a key), since with that level of butchering done to them in a former life, they are not really a collectors item any longer. He did a great job at getting them working again. Though because of the damage previously done to the end plug on one side, it kept trying to come back out. So I have twice applied some JB Weld MarineWeld, to try and help keep the plug in. It has not totally come out, but it doesn't like to stay perfectly in either. Hopefully this last application will do a better job at keeping the plug on one side properly installed.

This pair does not have WARRANTED WROUGHT on and neither is it a HIATT BEST, so I am wondering if perhaps these were not used by primary police, but by some other person like perhaps security, or something? Still, if you ignore the damaged plugs, they are a rather nice looking old Darby handcuff!

HIATTS 2103 British Police Handcuffs with Original Smooth Grip Design (Is old design worse? 🤔)

These are the HIATTS 2103 police Speedcuffs. They are British rigid handcuffs. Though this pair is an earlier pair which had the original smoother grip design. By smooth, I mean a nice flowing ergonomic design with no harsh steps.

These have the usual HIATT pin-push double lock, they have backloading capability and mechanically identical to all my British 2103 HIATTS.

I have 4 pairs of these now, though each one has differences. The grips on this early model are fantastic! The thumb naturally slides into the concave sections of the grips very nicely. Whereas the more modern (and even the new American HIATT ones) have the tear-drop shaped protrusions where the thumb goes. There may be some benefits to the tear-drop models but I find them not as comfortable to grip as this old pair with the nice ergonomic design. Very very nice indeed!

These have 3 pawls, though like every other British HIATTS I have tested, there is no split-spring, meaning if you go to lockpick your way out of these, you only need to pick or shim one of the pawl bars and a tiny squeeze on the bow will make all the other pawls drop. Modern TCH have a split spring so that the only way this is possible is if you hit the exact middle pawl, making the TCH slightly more secure.

I have wanted a pair of these with this grip design for a long time and was lucky enough to find a pair being sold by rusthut2020 on eBay. I have bought several cuffs from them now and it's always been a pleasure. Very accommodating and decent people. Very recommended.

ASP model 300 Folding Rigid Handcuffs

These are the old polymer ovemold ASP Model 300 folding rigid handcuffs.

These are pretty decent, though they are not as solid as a TCH or HIATT folding rigid. They are fit for purpose, though a strong person when cuffed in a certain way may be able to snap them. I saw a video of this being done years ago, but I do not know if they had been modified or were genuinely as-purchased. If these are used in a stack position, they should be very secure.

These are the standard "yellow" pawl configuration, which means there is only a single pawl, like most American handcuffs.

I have wanted a pair of these for ages, but never found them at a good enough price. I planned on not buying any handcuffs this month because money is tight, but I could not pass up buying these and the red training ones while they were available. I am happy to have them in my collection.

Enjoy!

ASP model 100 Red Training Handcuffs with Slip Pawls (factory gimmicked)

However I found it odd that they would leave the double lock functionality intact...!?! Whenever I, myself, gimmick a handcuff, I always do my best to deactivate the double lock to ensure only the single lock functions. When people training to apply handcuffs, they have to learn to use the double lock and when they do during training, the wearer cannot pull the cuffs off. So... not sure why they wouldn't just simulate the double lock feature but just not have it actually double lock. But that's just me.

What I have done since recording, is take some JB Weld Steel Stik epoxy putty to make tiny "door stops" for the hidden section of the double lock. So once I re-insert the lock-sets, the double lock won't engage because the space it needs to move outwards into, has some shaped hard epoxy putty I can slip in or remove if I want to make the double lock work again. So now there is zero chance of them double locking. This is good if you want to put the training locks in a normal set of ASP for single lock picking or as a costume prop, because if anyone puts them on, nobody can troll the wearer by double locking them to get them "stuck". If you would like me to make a video demonstrating this double lock deactivation "door stop" let me know.

These are in pretty good condition, no obvious cracking in the polymer. They are basically a yellow security cuff but with the only difference that the pawl's teeth are angled on both sides to allow the bow to pull open rather than only push closed.

Enjoy!

An Early Smith & Wesson M100 (not 100-1) 1980 Police Handcuffs with PATS PENDING stamp!!!

These are the American Smith & Wesson model M100 handcuffs that came out about 1979. The patent wasn't granted until 1981, so the fact that these have PAT'S PENDING on means they are an early model, which is very cool to own!

These were the first time they had their new design of double lock whereby the internal spring also was the double-lock itself. These are stamped with their old Springfield location and soon after this they moved to Houlton.

Basically these are basically identical in function as the modern M100-1. The only real difference is the way the handcuffs are manufactured. Modern ones use rivets to hold everything together, whereas these old M100 have indents around the edge to help line the pieces up correctly and then heat, coupled with a special material added during construction sort of welds everything together. Apparently this older method was more secure of holding the handcuffs together. The modern rivet method is cheaper but still effective.

There was an revision of this M100 whereby the double locking window was not all the way through the cuff, but only was open on the front-facing cheek plate. But they quickly altered the design by having the hole go right through for easy double-locking from either side.

When I received them, the bow on one side was bent a bit and would not freely swing-through without being forced and the double strand was slightly bowed outwards. But I rectified this with a vise and a few bashes and bends by hand which gave these cuffs the chiropractic adjustment needed to function normally and healthily!! 😜

They seemed a bit hazy on the surface so I gave them a light once-over with some 0000 steel wool with some Autosol mixed into it and then after wiping the residue off I wax polished them, as is typical for me, with Renaissance wax. Of course I used some PMA Brake and clutch cleaner to blast out the internals before re-lubricating and cleaning them.

Lovely handcuffs! I wanted an M100 for years but when I found these and the fact they have PATS PENDING on them, since I found nothing else to buy I had to get these before anyone else.  About the only place I see these being used any more are on TV and movies, because the prop departments would have gimmicked them many years ago and never needed to throw them out with the little use they get.

Enjoy!

Crockett and Kelly Model 1 (Version 2) American DoD Military Police Handcuffs Mid 1980s

These are the Version 2 of the model 1 Crockett and Kelly handcuffs. It seems the US DoD (Department of Defence) placed an order for them because they were a lower cost handcuff. So these would have been destined for military police, most likely.

They are a spitting image of American Handcuff Co handcuffs, but with double strand designs that are similar to the South Korean company Kyung Chang. The bulge in the double strands gives them a unique look.

These have 1 pawl (as you would expect with most US handcuffs) and they double lock. There is no backloading feature for the single strand.

The build quality is quite decent, except that there is a bit of a gap between one of the cheek plate sides and the body of the handcuffs, reminiscent of how Russian handcuffs are very often. Like it was not quite riveted together as tightly as it should have been.

The branding looks nice on the single strand / bow.

I like them! Another American handcuff in my collection.

ASP 625 Ultra PLUS Cuff Hinged Pink Handcuffs w/ Keyless Double Lock & METAL mechanism!

These are ASP Ultra Cuff hinged Identifier pink police handcuffs. Model 625. But these are the new revised updated version. Based on feedback of the double locking button popping out if people abuse the cuffs, they have changed the locksets to include the double lock button permanently as part of the lockset!

These are a keyless double locking handcuff from ASP. The nice thing is you just need to press the button to double lock them. This makes it slightly safer for police to use because if they do not need to adjust the tightness, they can double lock them without having to bring the key near the suspect. Of course they still have the usual ability to double lock the handcuffs by using the key in the keyway.

These are an Identifier model, meaning they have a coloured band on them which can be used by police and prisons either just for a personal preference or as part of a code system to prisons know which prisoners are the most dangerous, or have certain health issues etc.

These are especially good... The reason I really like the new cheaper Sentry line, is that the internal mechanism parts that the key touches are all metal. Metal on metal will last longer than metal smacking into plastic, especially if you use non-ASP keys that are not as smooth! Well these new Ultra Plus handcuffs have the same type of all-metal contact points which MAJORLY impresses me! This should really improve the life of the locksets before they ever need to be replaced. If anyone knows if the original Ultra Plus with the separate plunger removal hole has metal contact points in the mechanism, I would love it if you could let me know!

My pair has a minor defect. These are the new revision of the Ultra Cuff, but the colour identifier band section is from old stock from back when there was a hole needed to remove the double lock button separately from the mechanism. You can see the hole in the pink area, but there is no actual hole in the body of the cuff. They were just using up old stock of the coloured parts.

One thing to note is, that all Ultra Plus cuffs require you to reverse your brain, if you are used to normal older ASP cuffs. The way you used to turn the key to undo the double lock and open the cuff is the other side now. Should not take too much getting used to for occupational users of this handcuff, but it is worth noting. Also double lock the cuffs before trying to remove the locksets, if you have this new revision of the ultra plus.

All in all a very comfortable and safer handcuff to use, with less chance of injuring people. I am really happy to have one in my collection now!

JG 1943 WW2 False Backstrap British Military Darby Handcuffs

These are JG (J.G) Handcuffs from World war 2 ( 1943 ). They are British Army issue and have the Broad Arrow (or crowsfoot as it's sometimes called) stamp very clearly on the lock tube.

These are really cool and heavy handcuffs (605 grams), though strangely are a bit on the small side. I can just about fit my wrists in them but they are certainly not comfortable at all, so I won't be doing an on-body demonstration.

These are a false backstrap, which means the hinge looks like a backstrap but it isn't. Imagine a backpack strap. You have the material end and the other end is a buckle kind of thing. The shackle of the cuff is longer and gets fed through a rectangular hole made in the lock tube and then the shackle tail bit is folded back on itself so that it is permanently linked to the lock tube.A FALSE-backstrap like on this handcuff is opposite. The lock tube does not have a solid rectangular hole made, it has pincers that are poking outwards and the shackle is meaty on the hinge side and has a hole drilled through it. The shackle is placed between the pincers that are part of the lock tube and then the pincers are crimped inwards into the hole that is on the shackle to create a permanent connection and form the hinge.

There is a little crack near the cap end of the lock tune on one of the cuffs that lets light shine through. Though there is more than enough integrity surrounding it so that it's not a security issue or any form of show-stopper. 00:43 shows the crack on the bottom shackle near the right side by the plug end.

All in all, very nice indeed! Very happy to have another world war 2 handcuff in my collection and a British Military one at that! The little nick on the key barrel and the crack in the lock tube leads me to believe these have likely seen some serious action.

Anyway, Enjoy!

South African Republic Arms Model 65 Hinged Handcuffs Aircraft Restraints from plane's lockbox

These are Republic Arms model 65 hinged handcuffs in a black oxide / blued finish. They are South African and were taken from a plane's lock box with an "in case of emergency break glass" access to the key. They are for use on unruly passengers who need restraining. I have an unboxing video on my techwg channel if you would like to see me take 5 minutes standing in an awkward angle to pick a simple lock to get into the box!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U75E_AV3AUQ&t=0s

These were rusty. When I opened the bag I thought they were a write-off. But luckily it was mostly just some surface rust and the front faces look great!

They have 2 hinges which each consist of 2 sandwiched pieces of metal. They are very nice quality handcuffs. They have a Smith & Wesson style double lock, but you activate the double lock by moving the bar in the opposite direction than you would on most other window double lock cuffs.

The double lock and single lock are disengaged with the same turning motion, similar to how ASP handcuffs work.

They are non-mirrored, meaning they use the same cuff piece for both sides, so as both keyways are facing outwards, one of the bows closes over the top and the other closes at the bottom. I prefer mirrored cuffs but this is an interesting design. I mainly like mirrored for having the keyholes facing out in the same direction. This keeps that aspect, while just alternating the direction the bows move. Not bad.

The keyway is at an odd angle, which makes it more troublesome to get out of the handcuffs on your own. They are not perfectly horizontal like Peerless, nor are they vertical like Smith & Wesson. So that could throw off someone trying to escape from these!

Given that these are black and I recently bought some orange scrubs to make an image without using copyrighted material, I decided to wear them for the on-person demo. They are a bright redy-orange and plain, so no camo patterns or dark colours to blend in with how the cuffs look. Also I have done some closer views to add clarity. If you think this bright orange would be advantageous in more demos, let me know and I may do it more often when it's convenient.

I like these handcuffs a lot. I did some work to fix up and restore the finish, since they were a bit hideous looking. This is the first actual South African handcuff in my collection. I do have the Takeda Japanese ones that were used in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Africa but they are still Japanese handcuffs. These Republic Arms are legitimately South African, which is a cool addition to my collection.

They have been cleaned, oiled, PTFE lubricated and waxed with my usual Renaissance Wax polish.

Enjoy! Please like and subscribe.

Limited Edition Peerless 95th Anniversary Gold Handcuffs! Model 700L only 400 were made in 2009!

Many thanks to the Doncaster Restraint Museum DRM for helping me acquire these. These are the, now, hard to find Peerless 95th Anniversary golden handcuffs. They were made to commemorate their pride in having made great quality handcuffs from 1914 to 2009 at that point. Well done Peerless!

I wore white nitrile gloves for this video because I did not want to get finger smears on them on the video lol!

These handcuffs are not a genuine gold plate, but they are a nicely golden coloured type of nickel finish. I have been informed that the golden finish on these 95th anniversary cuffs is more hard wearing and long lasting compared to a 24 carat gold plated handcuff.

I have serial number 111 of 400 which is a cool number, I think! These all sold out years and years ago, since they were only manufactured in 2009 and only 400 pairs were made. So the only way to get a pair is to find a collector somewhere who is willing to part with them.

It is a typical Peerless model 700 handcuff (700L), with all the same design and features, just with the lovely shiny gold colour to them. I have not done an on-person demo of them because it was too difficult to try and get the gold to come out right on the video when I tried. But in person to the naked eye they look really nice indeed!

Enjoy, like and subscribe! 😁👍🏻

Japanese Takeda Police Handcuffs - Comparing the REAL police ones to modern toy copy versions

These are Japanese Takeda police handcuffs likely from the 1970s. The design is familiar to many, as a toy handcuff. This design was a genuine police handcuff, long before it was copied by toy manufacturers. There were solid brass ones and steel ones with brass bows. This is the latter.

The design of these handcuffs is very basic and to be honest not that great. It has a nice pin-wheel design that cannot be shimmed, but the double lock is merely a switch which easily and trivially can be switched one way to double lock and the other way to undo the double lock, making them not very safe from police liability.

These have welded chains, no rivets on the back and only 2 rivets or protrusions on the front to prevent the double lock switch going too far.

This design of handcuff is best known as being toy handcuffs and are sold all over the world, using lesser quality parts and lacking security considerations. For example the toy versions are made of more flimsy metal, they have exposed rivets to try and keep the things together and their chains are not welded, which means a strong person could pull or twist on the chains to get out of them. Also often the swivels on the modern toy versions are longer, which makes them more likely to snap.

This pair of actual Takeda handcuffs was used by someone in the Rhodesian BSAP police force. However it is a Japanese handcuff and even has JAPAN stamped on it near the swivels (not sure if I got this on video).

I thought this would be a somewhat interesting video to show you a pair of "toy" handcuffs that are actually not toys and were officially used by police forces and compare them to actual modern day toy versions.

Enjoy!

A quick comparison of Victorian HIATT 1800s Backstrap Darby handcuffs to my previous ones.

Since these handcuffs are essentially identical to my previous ones, except where the number is stamped and the fact that the key doesn't work in my existing ones, I decided to make a comparison video rather than a full video overview.

These handcuffs were scheduled for recycling at a place that deals with metals, but someone spotted them in a pile of junk metal from a house clearance and decided to list them on eBay. I asked the seller what brand they were and he said they had no brand, only having "HARD" stamped on both shackles. Well he was incorrect. They are HIATT. I was kind of hoping they would be a different brand. But I feel like I have helped rescue them from becoming part of a electric vehicle engine block or something lol.

They are nice, though generally speaking not as nice external quality as my existing ones. The stamping is ok but the HIATT is not quite as deeply stamped as the one side on my existing ones. In person they look not too bad after I did some work to get rid of rust. But on camera here they look a bit dreadful. Weird they look so bad on camera but not too bad in person.

HIATT 104 Approx mid 1800s Genuine Backstrap Darby Victorian Police Handcuffs in GREAT condition

Happy Handcuffs day! (Feb 20th) These are a Victorian pair of HIATT 104 Darby Backstrap handcuffs from the mid - late 1800s.

These differ from my other HIATT 104 handcuffs, in that these are a genuine backstrap or back strap. This means, instead of having a more modern hinge style where the two sections mate and a pin is pushed in to keep them connected, these instead have an elongated tongue at the end of the shackle which is fed through a specially made gap in the lock tube and folded back on itself to create a sturdy hinge. It is quite an elegant system, really.

In the early 1800s, Darby handcuffs had various hinge styles, including backstrap and pinned hinge. There are also later hinges called False backstraps, like on my JG Army handcuffs which was a somewhat similar visual style but instead of folding a tongue over to create the hinge, the shackle was made more chunky and a hole drilled through it, at which point the lock tube would be permanently connected through the hole in the shackle.

I am incredibly happy to have an actual backstrap handcuff in my collection! They had been in the original owner's family for many many years. Handed down. The seller's Granddad had them since before WW2 and I would imagine his dad gave them to him since these are from the 1800s, given this old hinge design. I got a great deal on them. I could not fully tell from the images but once I got them, I knew for sure what I had! They had some surface rust but were in amazing working order. I used a bit of super fine wire wool, some peek metal cleaner, Autosol polish and Renaissance wax polish and now they look a million miles better.

They are less heavy than my other 1800s pair of HIATT, by about 100 grams lighter (these are 397g, whereas my more bulky 1800s pair weigh 496g. They are what I would call a large size. I have somewhat large wrists and there's decent room left when wearing them.

Best estimates I have seen from people with more experience of varying models, are that mine are an early Hiatt backstrap pair from approx 1850 ish (mid 19th century) So at the time of making this video, they are probably 160 years old and still work smoothly!

Enjoy!

Victor Works Model 1035 Irish 8 Rigid Handcuffs with Hamburg 8 Locking Mechanism

These are the Victor Works model 1035 Irish 8 style handcuffs with a Hamburg 8 locking mechanism. I am unsure of the age of these, but I do not see VW often at all.

These are a solid, rigid handcuff that have a somewhat simplistic locking mechanism. The key is basically a shim by any other name. The key is pressed into the keyway and this is enough to unlock them. So if you have a flat-head screwdriver, you can also disengage the lock. So, not very high security UNLESS they are applied adequately. If these are placed on someone in a rear stack position with the keyhole facing downwards, it would make escaping very difficult. The key is hard to insert by hand and the more outward force is placed on the cuffs, the harder the key is to press into the mechanism to unlock them. So the best way to unlock these yourself is to get the key into the hole and then relax all force on the cuffs and press the key down inside using your chin or a pushing up under a tale top etc so that you're not struggling against the cuffs while pressing the key in.

For a larger person like me, if you put rigid cuffs like these on with your palms facing each other, it is very restrictive because the more you pull your arms in towards you, the more your arms need to separate, which the cuffs won't allow. So it can be painful and maybe even snap bones if you try too quick or fall down while wearing the in such a position. SO be warned! Stack positions are most advisable. I demo a front stack but if you do the same thing behind the back that should also be safe.

This is the first example in my collection of Victor Works, which is nice. Also the first Hamburg 8 mechanism that I have. They are made in Pakistan, similarly to KUB or KUBIND handcuffs and leg irons etc.

A very restrictive handcuff, like the two KUB rigid ones I did videos on prior.

Enjoy!

ASP S100 Sentry Chain Police Handcuffs In All Stainless Steel ~ ASP Features at Lower Cost

These are the ASP Sentry model S100 chain-linked handcuffs. These are the first in a lower cost or budget line of restraints that provide some nice ASP safety and quality of life features, at a lower price point. VERY worth the purchase for LEO officers and security etc. They weigh 348 grams, which is more heavy than the 288 grams statistical average weight of handcuffs of this style in my collection. But they are robust and have features that are worth it, in my opinion...

With ASP you get smooth edges, double locking via the slot window and via the keyholes, keyholes on both sides and these Sentry handcuffs also have these features.

You get very smooth action which is almost guaranteed every time to engage the bow when applying the handcuffs, even when not much force is applied, making manual tightening easier.

They have a single pawl, like the yellow double lock window models of their higher end and previous models. Another plus about modern ASP handcuffs (I think the more expensive Ultracuffs have this too) is these chain cuffs are more resistant to chain-binding attacks. Chain binding attacks are where someone in handcuffs can literally snap the handcuffs and escape by binding the chain on its self and applying force with their arms and snap them. These Sentry (and as I said, I think the others too) have a special system which reduces (or maybe prevents) this from happening... Something to consider.

There is a downside to Sentry models, which is almost a non-issue due to their construction! With Sentry models, you cannot replace the locking mechanisms or "lock-sets" as they call them. However... These Sentry are all steel, like any other police / regulation pair of handcuffs, whereas every other ASP metal handcuff, including the high end Ultracuffs have plastic internal parts which can break. So it makes total sense for the ultracuffs to have the facility for owners to buy and replace their lock-sets at will, to reduce costs and prolong the life of their handcuffs. Since these are all steel, there is no plastic to wear out or get damaged any faster than any other totally metal handcuff like Smith & Wesson or Peerless.

So, why bother with Sentry if you have a profession where you already have handcuffs? Lower chance of injuring someone, easier size adjustment since you can re-double-lock the cuffs via the keyway instead of having to remove the key and re-locate the DL slot window and these cuffs engage quicker and easier than almost any other brand. The only brands I know that can rival the smoothness on these are Alfa-Proj (which have the flat keys) and Kel-Met.

These are very worthy to be purchased by any and all LEO police or security personnel who want a really good quality handcuff, with additional safety and convenience features at a more affordable price.

These will fit in more cases than the more expensive Ultracuffs from ASP since they are a tad thinner.

Designed by ASP in America, these are manufactured in Taiwan, but by a company who does a FANTASTIC job of manufacturing handcuffs, clearly. These are not cheap rubbish, these are the real deal.

Enjoy!

ASP S200 Sentry Hinged Police (all steel) Handcuffs Latest Model! More robust & more affordable.

I think I have the world's first YT video overview of these Hinged model! I have searched and found no videos on the hinged version at this point. These are the hinged Sentry S200 handcuffs from ASP. They are designed by ASP in the USA and are built in Taiwan to exacting US standards. It is a high quality handcuff, not unlike Chicago brand handcuffs which are also police-grade and made in Taiwan. Not all Taiwan handcuffs are great, but ASP and Chicago most certainly are VERY good quality indeed. These weigh 393 grams, which is a tad above the statistical average of 347 grams weight for other hinged handcuffs in my collection. However the features you get are worth the extra weight in my opinion...

These are made from all steel construction and are a more cost-effective cheaper way for police and security etc to get some of ASP's really nice features, instead of having to fork out for the more expensive models. They are basically the same as the yellow double-lock window handcuffs. They have only 1 pawl, like Smith & Wesson or Peerless do.

These have the smooth surfaces to reduce injuries, double locking via both the slot window and also the keyway. This keyway double lock access makes it quick and easy to adjust handcuffs that are too tight and quickly double lock them again once adjusted. They also are exceptionally smooth in operation, meaning that even if minimal force is applied, the chances are almost guaranteed that the bow will engage, making it easy for you to then tighten by hand. They are really nice, as you would expect from any ASP handcuff. As usual they have keyways on both sides of the handcuffs, so you can always easily get at keyholes.

They are slightly thinner than the Ultracuff, more expensive models, which means you have a better chance of fitting them into a regular pouch or holder than you would with the chunkier ultracuffs.

I really, REALLY like these. Nice weight to them and they feel great quality. I can speak from experience of having ultracuffs to compare to and I can honestly say that if I were in an occupation where handcuffs were a required tool, I would at minimum want a pair of these on hand because of the minimised chances or injuring someone and the other conveniences.

One downside to this more budget range of ASP handcuffs, is that you cannot replace the lock-sets. These are like any typical Smith & Wesson or Peerless handcuffs etc, where you cannot disassemble them. The more expensive Ultracuffs and UltraPlus Cuffs can be disassembled to replace the locking mechanisms if they get worn out. This is important with ultracuffs, as they use plastic parts inside the mechanism. These Sentry are all steel, so it makes sense that you wouldn't even need to replace locks on these anyway!

An excellent, high quality budget ASP handcuff that has a lot to offer.

Enjoy!

HIATT 115 Scotland Yard Adjustable Darby Handcuffs - A Later Alloy Version?!

These are the Hiatt 115 "Scotland Yard" adjustable darby handcuffs. My existing pair is gimmicked, meaning they pull open. So now I have a non-modified original pair to put in my collection so that I can pull my gimmicked ones out and keep them separate with the rest of my gimmicked cuffs.

I have not done an on-person demo of these because the springs are very strong and hard to operate with one hand.  

They are basically a darby style handcuff which has a ratchet so that they can close smaller and smaller to fit the wrist size of the wearer. It was a great idea, but since the mechanism has to be exposed by the open hole at the bottom, it is possible to stick thin objects in and release the handcuffs without having to use the key. They were not super popular from what I have heard. Standard Darby non-adjustables were preferred for a very long time.

This pair is from perhaps the 1970s or 1980s, as they are not steel. They aren't the grey ones which were more cheaply constructed, but a better version. Non-magnetic essentially (very very slight attraction, maybe from the plating). Almost as heavy as my all-steel ones.

I was hoping to get a pair from the early 1900s to go into my British Police Cuff Lineage box, but these are legit and will serve the purpose of filling a gap in my collection.

I'm glad to have a non-gimmicked pair in my collection!

Enjoy

A quick look at some cheap eBay HIATTS 2050 Hinged Handcuffs that I gimmicked / tricked out

This is just a quick look at a pair of Hiatts 2050 hinged handcuffs that are gimmicked. Basically they are identical to the recent TCH hinged handcuffs I did a full overview on. I got them cheap off eBay for the purpose of having a look-alike hinged handcuff which is gimmicked. The only real differences are the edges are slightly less harsh and the branding stamp says TCH instead of HIATTS, but aside from that they are identical.

Gimmicking is a modification process that means you can pull the handcuffs open without having to use the key. This gimmick is sometimes referred to as "Bridge Jumpers" after this style was used when people jumped off a bridge and escape handcuffs in the water. It's a really, really stupid simple gimmick. It would not pass inspection in close up magic. Not only are the teeth filed at a non-normal angle (which only a pro would notice) but you always hear the cuffs open with a Zzzziiiipppp when you pull them open. So not very covert.

Gimmicked handcuffs are routinely used on TV and in the movies, for health and safety reasons. This way if there is an emergency on set when actors and extras are handcuffed or leg cuffed, they can get them self free in an instant. They can also be used as safe props for stage work, used for costume and related cosplay, pranks etc.

I go one step further and modify the double locking push-pin activator to ensure if someone were to borrow them and use them, the wearer cannot get "trolled" by someone jabbing a paper clip into the double lock activator and get the person stuck in them. To do this I use a rotary tool with a conical grinding bit to widen the hole at the exterior side. Then I clear the hole using PMA brake cleaner to ensure it's free from oil/debris etc and I plug the hole with Steel-Stik, which is an epoxy putty. Once it cures hard, you cannot push the pin to double lock them. Imagine trying to push an avocado through a little kitchen funnel. It won't press in any deeper. You can visually see this at this timecode on the video 00:24 and 01:11

Making these gimmicks is a pain, because you need to repeatedly test each tooth over and over again after grinding and make sure every tooth is decently enough perfect so that random rare hang-ups where they glitch out and stop pulling open at some point are prevented. If a glitch like that were to happen you'd have to jostle them about and try again or tighten by one click and then try to pull open etc. So perfecting the grinding or filing of the teeth is very important.

I always like to have some gimmicked handcuffs on hand because they come in handy for experimenting picking or using keys in various cuff positions, knowing that if you screw up,  you can get yourself free. Also friends/family/colleagues around here could borrow a pair if they were going to some fancy dress thing and wanted some more legit handcuffs for their costume that look and feel real but are safer to mess about with lol. Never happened yet, but always nice to have!

Enjoy!

J.G 1950s KE 2770 British Military Darby Handcuffs (stamping ground off 😭)

I had a pair of these J.G British Military handcuffs a while back but sold them because they were too small for me to comfortably demonstrate for people.

I was holding out that a larger size would be available but they seem to be always small. Since I had no other false back-strap handcuffs, I decided to get another pair. But unfortunately some military jobsworth ground all the branding and military signage off the cuffs before parting with them. They even ground off the contract number and broad arrow off the keys!!?! 🤬 There are tell-tail traces enough that based on my prior experience I can tell they are J.G and the same KE 2770 contract, however other than detecting that they are from the 1950s (like most I have seen) I cannot tell which specific year in the 50s they come from. It is just loopy beyond comprehension looking at.... well lets call it what it is DEFACEMENT of these really nice handcuffs. You'll see me make a curly gesture going off screen lol. My god. I just can't believe someone would do that. They aren't even personally identifiable markings to any individual. Anyway..

I really like the design of false back-strap because I feel like they are more rugged than a riveted design. Shockingly these are heavy! They weigh 617 grams! The typical darby style handcuff is about 400 on the top end, so these are up there in the meaty category, especially considering I can barely close them on my smaller wrist. It's a lot of metal for a small-medium wrist size cuff...

Over all I am really, really happy to have a pair back in my collection. I will put up with them being small, just to have this design back in my collection. Though, if I find a better looking pair at a decent price in the future, I may swap them out for a better looking pair with stampings intact.

Enjoy!

TCH 810 Hinged British Police Handcuffs

These are model TCH 810 hinged handcuffs from Total Control Handcuffs (TCH).

As I understand it, these are sometimes carried as an additional or backup set of handcuffs by police. They are more restrictive than the older style chain handcuffs but not as restrictive as rigid handcuffs. They have the usual 3 pawl bar system and push-pin double locking.

This is the standard size, so they can close to a smaller size and won't accommodate very very large people. Modern speedcuffs have the larger "superior" size. So I got these to have the comparison.

They have a very, incredibly strong, 3 bar hinge system. This provides, in my opinion, SO much more strength and mechanical security against brute-force escape attempts. There is a video of someone snapping a peerless hinged handcuff in half that he was cuffed to an interrogation table at the police station in the US. I do not think that would ever work with these TCH hinges.

They are very nice, a matt less reflective nickel finish. Older models of TCH tended to be very very shiny, but I have noticed as time has moved on, they seem to be doing everything in a matt, almost "Smith & Wesson" style nickel finish.

Very high quality. Though unfortunately in my case the brand stamping is not properly formed.

A really nice addition to my collection. I have not had a standard-length TCH hinged in a long time. Perhaps one day I will get a HIATT version. That would be nice! I do have the extended hinged model though, that you may like to check out.    • 🇬🇧 Somewhat rare TCH 860 Extended Len...  

Enjoy!

Indian ' Hiatt 115 style ' Adjustable Darby handcuffs 1950s 1960s

This is a pair of old Indian Adjustable Darby handcuffs, that I would guess based on the craftsmanship and styling would be around the 1950s ish but I am not 100% sure.

They are fashioned after the Hiatt 115 style of adjustable handcuffs. These handcuffs are easy to open using a bobby pin or hair grip by pressing the pawl back inside the lock tube and thus allowing you to pull them open. So these were not as secure as the one-size classic Darby style of handcuffs.

They are sized for a quite large wrist. I take large gloves and I can shut these all the way to the tightest setting and it not be uncomfortable, so these would fit someone of very large hands.

Based on comparing the design and craftsmanship of this pair, my WW2 Indian Darby pair and numerous modern Indian darby handcuffs that are characteristically lower quality than their older counterparts, I would say they are 1950s. The swivel is fashioned nicely with a ovular or tear drop hole, of similar shape as the Hiatt models, whereas the modern ones tend to be hastily constructed and shaped more circular and less refined in appearance. Generally less care tends to be put into making modern Indian handcuffs from what I can tell. Of course there may be some manufacturers which put care in but I have not seen them.

I like these, but it is a shame that the clevis (part with the eyelet that attach the ring to the shackle) is not constructed as nicely as it could have been and one is loose. Now it appears that the rectangular hole in the shackle narrows as it reaches the outside of the shackle, so even though I have really put a lot of force to pull them apart, the clevis does not pull all the way out and has still a good chunk of distance it would need to go to free that shackle and thus destroy the security of this pair. So at least that is something, but still, this could have been done better. There is quite a bit of room in the hole and the clevis can rattle around. That could easily have been prevented I think during manufacturing.

I got these from someone who claims to have had them for 40+ years in a display case..., so with that, the construction/styling/craftsmanship and the comparison between my WW2 Indian darby and modern ones, leads me to believe they may be 50s or 60s.

Enjoy!

KUB Kubind KB-917 Large Irish 8 Handcuffs A Recreation Of Old UK Design.

These are a rigid handcuff from Kub in Pakistan, based off the classic Irish 8 with Darby locking mechanism. Prior to the invention of the Darby locking mechanism, they used a special nut and key in the Plug 8 model.

Though this has a classic style of Darby locking mechanism, no other Darby key I have will fit. It will bite a very slight bit, that in an emergency if you lost your one key you might be able to pull against the spring and get them open. But only Kub keys will fit this handcuff, based on my experience.

The spring is not too strong, which is nice. There are 2 hinges, because not only does the main part of the shackle need to fold down over the wrists, but then the other hinge is so that the locking tube can swing into position and lock. They snap shut and are locked without having to use the key, like most Darby handcuffs.

Very restrictive! I have a pair in the Large Men size (according to the official box). I have somewhat large hands and take a large or extra large Nitrile glove. My right hand & wrist are larger than my left and in the largest side of the handcuffs (closest to the locking tube), I can spin either of my wrists around in that side, which helps to use the key to get out of them without needing help! But if you have a more snug fit, you might struggle to get out of these handcuffs without having another pair of hands to help out...

I do not have any genuine old Plug 8 or Irish 8, but at least I have modern, good quality representations of these two styles of handcuffs from this Pakistan company Kub aka Kubind. Genuine old ones, such as by Hiatt, tend to be quite expensive.

Enjoy!

Smith & Wesson M100P-1 Long Chain Police Handcuffs ~ (Tested behind back also)

These are the Smith & Wesson M100P-1 handcuffs which have a longer chain for use on longer individuals.

Instead of the window design, they use the older push-pin style of double lock. I feel this is more secure because of the many and various attacks on the mechanism that are possible via the window style.

They have a single pawl mechanism like all their other cuffs, but given that suspects/criminals should be searched and not left unattended, it's not normally a major problem that a cuff doesn't have more fancy security measures.

The added chain length is useful for use on larger individuals that might otherwise require 2 pairs of handcuffs to be linked to extend the length. I tested them behind my back and they are more comfortable! However, this length also lends themselves to being used for carrying important and expensive goods in cases, to ensure that merely snatching a bag or case from someone would not liberate it from the owner. But in this situation it would be of basic grab & run protection, since anyone with a standard key could take the handcuffs off the bag or case if they had the time or threat of violence etc.

Of course some people use these in the bedroom, since they are longer, they adapt well for use on bed headboards and posts etc, as seen in the Stephen King movie "Geralds's Game". The ones used in the movie were the version that used smaller chain links (so there were more chain links) but the same 6 inch length. It probably should go without saying, but if you use handcuffs in the bedroom, always use them safely and verify the cuffs work and that you have more than 1 key around!

As you would expect from S&W these are great quality handcuffs and feel very smooth to the hand. Very shiny too. Not mirror shiny but they reflect light in a nice way (especially when you wax polish them as I do most my handcuff collection)

Enjoy!

Algemas Brazil AB304 CONSTRICTOR Bright Green Handcuffs ~ Limited Edition for DRM

These are a very special limited edition pair of Algemas Brazil AB304 "CONSTRICTOR" police handcuffs. This pair is in an extremely bright and shiny green colour and is exclusive only for the Doncaster Restraint Museum (DRM).

I got the one in all green, but there is also a model where the bows are black. If you want to see that one I would point you to @CoxysPicks who has a video that shows both models. Only 50 of each was made and apparently this colour is only for DRM.

These are a single pawl, double locking handcuff that have some nice features. They have flat contact points, similar to ASP, which makes it less likely to damage the wrist when pressed on, since the force is spread evenly over a wider area. They also feature twin keyholes, meaning no matter which way the handcuffs are put on, the officer always has access to the keyholes.

The chain links are longer than typical police handcuffs, meaning they could be used to secure someone who is on the larger side. Not only this, they have quite a wide maximum wrist size (though not as large as TCH maximum size) and they close quite small. So over all, these are quite a capable pair of NIJ rated police handcuffs.

They are smooth in operation and the colour is particularly interesting, as it seems to change depending on the light and viewing directions. As shown in the latter part of the first section of this video, it goes from a goldy bright sparkly green, down to a matt darker lime green. Very cool and interesting to see in person. I think my video displays this quite well.

I would say this is a very nice pair of handcuffs. You can buy this model (though not in green) direct from the manufacturer Algemas Brazil. They also sell other models and also leg irons.

I would be shocked if I ever saw another green handcuff as green as this ever again. It's truly astonishing how bright green these are! They make the zombie green Peerless 730C look like it has a second hand paint-job while out in a sand storm lol. Just so nice.

I did notice there is a bit of the coating chipped off on one chain link, but it is common for chain links to get colours worn off since they are always clinking about freely. A couple of small blemishes here and there from manufacturing but all in all I absolutely love these. Good quality amazing looking handcuffs with since nice features. If they changed to a 3 pawl design with a split spring, double locking bar activator and some anti-shim, I would say it's one of the best on the market. But as it stands it is already good when you compare these Brazilian handcuffs to any typical police handcuff used in North America. It does everything Smith & Wesson and Peerless standard models can do, only better.

These weigh 338 grams
S&W weigh 289 grams
Peerless weigh 279 grams

So they are slightly on the heavier side but it's not too bad.

Enjoy!

Smith & Wesson Model 90 Police Handcuffs From Late 1970's / Early 1980's

This is a pair of Smith & Wesson Model 90 handcuffs. They were used in the US by police (probably military police as well). I am not sure when this model was first manufactured but it would have been probably early 1970's or perhaps earlier. The airweight model 925 was modelled on these and I believe 925's were around in the late 50's so... chicken or egg. Not sure which came first but I do like these model 90.

They stopped manufacturing these in 1979, I believe. Based on the design nuances and serial number of mine, it would track with the original sellers claims that these were bought in the US 40+ years ago.

This pair has some interesting professional stamping of DFC and A / A which I do not know the meaning of. But there is also a owner-engraved number on there which fits the format of a US Social Security number. Apparently the US military used SS numbers for identity for a long time, so it makes me think these were possibly owned by someone in the US military. Given this context, if you know what DFC or A / A means, please comment below.

The mechanism is very strong and in amazing condition. I did have to use some 0000 steel wool to get some gunk off and then do my usual cleaning and maintenance steps to ensure proper working order.

I really like these! Very smooth feeling and yet have all the required modern features you would want, including the indent system for the bow which bites and holds the bow in place in case a very strong person tries to escape by pulling outwards.

Enjoy!

Scarce / Rare Smith & Wesson 926 Airweight Lightweight Aluminium 1970s / 1980s Handcuffs

These a pair of lightweight (known as airweight due to the extreme lack of weight) Smith & Wesson 926 chain link handcuffs. They are made from aluminium or aluminum and are exceptionally, extremely, ultimately, ludicrously light at 100 grams!

These have a single pawl like most S&W handcuffs and has the usual double locking. This is an old pair, likely from the 1970s or 1980s but in excellent like-new condition, pretty much. The bow teeth are still fully intact and sharp!

To see them, you might think they were a model 90 basic old S&W handcuff, but the rarity of handcuffs in this weight-class is where they stand out. These are so light, lighter than even Peerless 730 Superlite. They are so light people would swear they are toys. They weigh absolutely nothing. If you put some fur on these from a toy set of handcuffs and warm the handcuffs in your pocket to body temperature and hand them to someone, they would absolutely believe they were toys, not a hard to find expensive pair of handcuffs from one of the world's best known gun manufacturers!

I got a great price on these from @MrHandcuff . Normally these can be anywhere around £150 / $200 etc. While not strictly "rare" they are very 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 hard to find. This model was manufactured somewhere between the years of 1958 to 1979, though not in as large batches as the regular steel handcuffs, making them harder to find.

HIATT in the UK made a similar extremely lightweight handcuff, based on the 1980 pattern handcuff, but due to the larger costs to make them, they opted for less and less aluminium and more of a steel alloy which is lighter than normal handcuffs but not as RIDICULOUSLY lightweight as their early models, like this Smith & Wesson pair.

I used some very fine wire wool to clean some tarnish from the top side near the swivels and I polished with Peek cleaner and Renaissance wax, as well as lubricating with WD40 Specialist Dry PTFE (do not ever use graphite on aluminium handcuffs!) They are amazing!

At this moment they are not featured in my collage/tower image of my handcuff collection, but I shall be doing that as my next task once I get some time to set everything up.

Enjoy!

HACKETTS Nipper or Come Along from early 1900s or perhaps late 1800s

This is a one-handed restraint known as a "come along" or "nipper", which is a type of device to restrain one arm and maintain control over someone to guide them to where you want them to go, but having the ability to apply pain or break the wrist or forearm if they struggle. It was an alternative to using handcuffs, when people were less likely to be violent and need fully restraining.

This particular one is referred to by Hiatt as a Snap, because it closes with a "snap!" However this does not appear to be made by Hiatt, it has HACKETTS stamped on the top of it. Basically nothing is known about this manufacturer or brand, but this particular Come-along I have was owned by the great grandfather of the seller, who was a policeman in Cheshire, England at the turn of the 20th century (very early 1900s, probably a bit before too, since we are talking about the father of the seller's grandfather being the original owner..)

A nice interesting alternative to handcuffs, that I thought I would share with you.

𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 to @CoxysPicks for acquiring this nice and unique addition online, to add to my collection. I am not sure if I will include it on my handcuff collection images, because strictly-speaking it is not in anyway a handcuff, as far as I am aware. But I am 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 happy to have this 😁 .

Enjoy! 🍻

HIATT 104 (basic) 1949 British Military ᗑ Darby Handcuffs

These are a pair of Hiatt 104 Darby handcuffs. They are from 1949 and are British Military issue, 4 years after WW2.

The mechanism uses a screw key, as most Darby handcuffs. However, the internal bolts' threading is worn/abused and while one cuff (with the crows foot / Broad arrow stamp) works decently enough, the other only works with 1 key out of all keys I have and only if I am careful, slow and lose while initially turning. So, I will not be doing an on-person demo of them because I do not want to have to destroy them to get them off me or anyone else.

They do not have any markings like BEST, WARRANTED WROUGHT or HARD. So, these are likely a more budget model of lesser quality/ruggedness after the war when things were tight due to the country trying to rebuild. The damage on the threading makes sense to me in light of the presumed lower-grade quality & strength, because if they were hardened, they would have been stamped HARD and the fact it has no such stamp means they are made (likely) of softer more wear-prone steel.

They are size 1. I did try them on initially. On my wrists they are snug and fit ok, but if I flex out my hands to separate my fingers the max distance, I can feel the discomfort on my wrists.

They have a very nice Broad Arrow or Crows foot stamp on the hinge of one bracelet. Not obscured or worn, still very easily visible! I like this.

It is a pity they are not in better-working condition, but due to a poll I posted, 75% of people said they would keep them regardless of their lack of ability to function properly, so I have decided to officially welcome them into my collection 😀

Enjoy!

TCH 840 Blue Rigid Speedcuffs Northern Ireland Police Handcuffs

These are the familiar TCH 840 rigid speedcuffs, which have the Northern Ireland blue coloured gripping area.

I have not seen these handcuffs in photos very often but it's a known thing that these were for Northern Ireland. I have seen video footage where they were worn on officers belts, but I was never able to find this again on YouTube.

They have 3 pawl bars and all the other usual TCH features like back-loading and double locking.

The number of colours that TCH 840 speedcuffs come in are black, red, blue and yellow. Black are standard, as used by most police forces. Red are used during training which clearly identify the person in them is not actually under arrest. Yellow have been used by private security, to signify they are not impersonating a police officer, since they do not have the typical black colour. Blue is for Northern Ireland police.

Enjoy!

🧒 Viper Classic Handcuffs - Metal toy cuffs which are "not bad" for what they are

These are "cheapo" handcuffs made by Viper. They are sold as their "Classic" model. Let's face it, they're toys. They are made of decently solid and weighty steel and are very smooth in their action. I had these as a kid, sold under generic no-name brands. They used to cost about £5 from the joke shop in town. They used to make models like this with the lever on the side. But I was always the kid with this version that had no safety lever to open them.

Now, these do feel perhaps slightly better quality than the ones I had back in the day. But the chains are still non-welded and they are not the best for large wrists. Instead of having teeth and a pawl, they have holes in the bow and a wheel with spikes on which act as the closing mechanism.

They have large open keyways that you can drive a truck into, in case you lose the key, so you can jab many potential things in there to get them open.

Very weirdly, this particular design is based off of a REAL Japanese police handcuff. You can tell the old "real" ones apart because they have a pretty solid casing and have no visible rivets. If you want to see what REAL original actual police version of these handcuffs looked like, have a look at these two images: https://i.imgur.com/Hh9ezqt.png

All in all, they are not bad toys. Amongst the most budget handcuffs, they are decent quality. But if you can spring for the more modern style of police handcuff they would be better quality and more secure.

I am not adding these to my collection image or lists, as I only bought these mainly as a "stroll down memory lane", to see from my modern perspective, what I think about these handcuffs. There are even lower budget versions of this which are GARBAGE. I had a pair of black low budget ones I will try and add a card link near the end of the video if you want to see rubbish versions.

Enjoy!

Quik-Kuf Pre-assembled HIATTS 2003 handcuffs with Bolt-on Hard QK Grips. Strong pseudo-rigid

This is the original Quik-Kuf. It was initially trialled by the British MET Police in London in late 1992 for 3 months, to see if having a rigid handcuff would provide an advantage for officers in terms of restricting arm movement as well as offering more control over suspects.

This pair of cuffs consisted of a pair of HIATTS 2003 chain-link handcuffs, which are the 17% larger wrist size model (same size used today on modern British rigid cuffs) and special hand grips, designed by Quik-Kuf were then bolted on over the top, encasing the chain-link handcuffs in hard polymer or FRN type material. This made a pseudo-rigid handcuff. It is not a true rigid, because if someone could use leverage or extreme strength they "might" be able to snap the casing and gain more movement. Maybe... But they are very strong and a decent rigid handcuff.

So as you would expect, using a pair of standard HIATTS chain handcuffs, they have all the usual features, 3 pawls, back-loading, double locking.

After the trial, it was determined that this rigid style was excellent at helping control dangerous individuals as well as performing the typical functionality of securing arms. Later in 1994 a specific rigid handcuff was made from the ground up and manufactured by HIATT in partnership with Quik-Kuf which had a rigid steel bar connecting the bracelets and then a similar set of grips (though different style) bolted over the top to make handling of the handcuffs ergonomic and easy.

So this is pair is a nice (and as-is complete) pair of handcuffs to add to my British Police history of handcuff usage box, because it represents a turning point, going to rigid as standard instead of chain-link.

I hope you enjoy the video 😀