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!

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!

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!

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!

🚨🔗 Model 1K70 Chubb Detainer British Prison High Security Chain Handcuffs [NIJ]

These came from the YouTuber called CoxysPicks who has a nice lock picking channel, covering various styles of locks including handcuffs. Check his channel out there!

These Chubb Detainer or Detainee handcuffs are used in British Prisons. They are model 1K70 and were created with 3 different key bittings depending on their usage location. I have the standard key bitting model. They may be phased out in favour of the TCH HSH1 but it is very possible these are still in use.

They use a very good security proper 3 lever Chubb lock which is hard to pick and round chain links that make binding and snapping attacks less likely. They feature both key and switch operated double locking mechanisms and all in all are high security. Normal handcuffs are relatively easy to pick with rudimentary improvised tools, and since these cannot be easily picked, that would explain why they were/are used by the prison service either internally in the prison or during transport between locations (such as between other prisons or court appearances etc.

They are reasonably comfortable and not too heavy but they are quite bulky.

Really nice handcuffs, with a robust and known secure locking mechanism. They can be picked if you know what you are doing and have the tools, but if you know how to pick normal handcuffs, you will never.... ever... pick these with that knowledge!

If you are interested in seeing these picked or opened without a key, check out CoxysPicks youtube channel.

Enjoy!

Peerless 730 (730C) Superlite Aluminium US Police Handcuffs [NIJ]

These Peerless 730 Superlite, are exactly that. SUPER light weight. They feel like toys, if it weren't for the cold feel of the metal.

These are very string, NIJ certified handcuffs which are used by US police personnel who want to lighten the load on their duty belts. I have seen forums where officers have swapped from carrying one pair of heavy handcuffs and instead carry 2 pairs of these due to their very low weight. They weigh 147 grams if I recall correctly, even lighter than the last Yuil handcuffs I overviewed.

These scream high quality from every angle. The finish is a nice grey matt (can come in black finish too). The fit and tolerances are perfect.

I would highly recommend these handcuffs if weight is an issue and you still need strong high quality chain-link handcuffs.