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

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

CTS-Thompson Hinged Yellow Handcuffs Model 1054

These are the CTS-Thompson Hinged Yellow Handcuffs Model 1054. NIJ rated.

These are bright yellow! Very nice, Hiatt-like design. Good strong hinges, 3 pawls, superior (larger) size like modern speedcuff sizes are.

They have a yellow coating which does not go all the way to the start of the bow. It's like they clicked them 1 click and baked the colour on. It's a shame, but this company is known for not always having full coverage of the colour coating over the entire surface.

All in all, I do like these and they have a very smooth mechanism.

Enjoy!

Somewhat rare TCH 860 Extended Length Hinged Handcuffs (for when comfort or size matters)

These are he somewhat rare TCH 860 extended length hinged handcuffs.

I have never seen any third party website selling these. I have seen one site selling some old Hiatt versions (they have been out of stock for years now...) but when I had the opportunity to acquire a pair of these, freshly made by TCH, I had to get a pair!

These are rock solid handcuffs, as you'd expect from TCH (Total Control Handcuffs). The TCH860 extended length makes them more suited for larger people when handcuffed in the rear, and they have been used by European courts to add some comfort for prisoners during long transport times.

They are very high quality and good secure, as you'd expect. A nice somewhat rare pair of handcuffs!

They have all the usual modern TCH capabilities like 3 pawls, back-loading. The font and technology for stamping the model number and serial appear to be different. Before it felt like it was stamped into the metal but this seems different, like it's made up of tiny dots which reflect light interestingly. Is it laser etched or something? I am not sure. But I like how it looks!

One thing I thought was odd was the actual branding was a bit inconsistent, not very deep at all on one side and one side was VERY faint and hard to see. But it's there decently on one side.

Over all, I really like them and I am happy to have a pair in my collection!

Enjoy.

ASP Model 200 Hinged Handcuffs with Yellow Polymer exterior. NIJ

These are the ASP model 200 hinged handcuffs. They are from their original line of handcuffs which had extremely strong "ordnance grade" polymer over-molded onto a steel skeleton. This reduced the weight while adding the required strength. These are NIJ rated.

The down sides of this design involve the flexibility of the body. They can withstand escape attempts, but they can get bent. The bow can get mis-aligned and scoot past the normal channel it has to travel and be on the outside of the handcuff, meaning officers think they might have secured the handcuff because it feels like it is snug around their wrists, while one of them may not have engaged and could be pulled open.

Also, during a scuffle, an officer could fall over onto their handcuffs and the double strand could pinch together, meaning the bow cannot move freely and cause problems when trying to handcuff someone. When this happens ASP recommends having a second pair of handcuffs on hand so you can use the solid bow of one to prise apart the double strand of the damaged handcuff. Not the best situation....

After these bendy problems, they came out with the newer Ultra cuffs, made with, as they state, forged aluminum. (Aluminium!) This means the structure is much more sturdy, as well as remaining light and strong. It takes MUCH more force to mis-align the bow and there's no way the double strand can pinch together (I think) on their newer designs.

I won these on eBay. The yellow polymer was a bit dirty, the hinge links were seized up, the key was rusted and there were rust spots on the bow. I spend probably half an hour with them in the kitchen, washing them in warm water, scrubbing with "The Pink Stuff" to clean them up, then using WD40 to remove the water, using PMA brake cleaner to remove the WD40, lubricating everything to allow free movement and I had to prise apart the double strand since the bows would not flow nicely and freely through the rotation. After I was done, they were a bit brighter colour and are all smooth in operation.They have since been polished with Peek metal polish and waxed with Renaissance wax.

Enjoy!

#handcuffs

ASP 575 Blue Line Hinged Ultra Handcuffs Ultra cuff chain (secure, restrictive, yet comfortable)

These are the newer model of ASP hinged handcuffs. The model 575 Blue Line model. This range is known as the Ultra Cuff or Ultra Handcuff because of the "Forged Aluminum" construction for strength.

This forged aluminium construction is a vast step up from the old polymer over-mold "plastic" bendy models of days gone by. They are relatively light weight (230 grams) however are more bulky in size, so normal pouches might not fit.

All ASP handcuffs are designed to protect the officer/police force by protecting the person wearing the handcuffs. No sharp edges, ability to safely undo to loosen and quickly double lock again via the key, easy access to the keyholes no matter how they were applied to he person, a flat contact area on the bow which increases surface area when applying the cuff, minimising a pressure point which would normally happen when the curved edge would normally hit the wrist. Just well designed handcuffs for security and comfort.

This pair has the high security locking mechanisms, as indicated by the blue double lock indicator. Yellow is basic, green is medium (europe grade), blue is maximum security (normal keys do not work) and red are training models which can be pulled open without having to use the key.

When I received these they originally had the basic Yellow security installed. I changed this and put a set of Blue in for added security, since a hinged handcuff is more restrictive and therefore more secure anyway, so I figure I would put one of my sets of high security mechanisms in it.

Very very comfortable handcuffs.

ASP handcuffs are NOT CHEAP, however I wonder if police forces around the world might save more in the long run by using them, in the sense of not having to pay compensation for handcuff injuries, especially in the UK where rigid handcuffs are standard. It's easier to injure someone with rigid cuffs with angular edges than it is with hinged ones with nice rounded edges and easy adjustability options.

ASP handcuffs (other than the blue mechanism) are easy to pick, however all models of mechanisms of ASP handcuffs can have the double lock disengaged easily with a small paper clip and then be shimmed with a thin bit of metal. I feel they could improve this somehow. However police/military/security should be checking someone anyway, so if they do their job, it should minimise anyone having keys or tools on them to try and escape.

Hope you enjoy this!

Please like and subscribe and comment what you think and feel about these Ultra Handcuffs :)

Smith & Wesson M300-1 Black (blued) Hinged Handcuffs

These are Smith & Wesson M300-1 handcuffs in a Blued-black finish. They are the M300 model with external rivets, which is what the -1 means in the model number.

These are very very strong indeed. The centre links are thick steel and feel very secure. They offer only a very little amount of freedom of movement outside of the intended hinge direction.

They are identical in operation to the regular chain link version, just with a more restrictive connection between both bracelets.

Why would you want hinged cuffs? Well they offer even more restrictive movement for dangerous people and they can be easier to hold when applying since they do not flop around everywhere since they are connected so well. The downside of hinged handcuffs is they can be problematic to apply with a combative suspect because you have to get the person's other wrist into the right area to let the handcuff secure them, whereas a chain link handcuff can be manipulated in various angles to get the other wrist secured in the position it is at.

These are very nice. I have wanted to get a pair of these for years but never got around to getting one till now. I am able to do my little trick I came up with where I can put the keyholes facing my body and use the key and get it into the keyway and turn to get free, so if you do bets and things, it is possible with these cuffs!

Different handcuffs have varying tolerances. My pair have one side which is easy to pick and the other side has a very slightly mis-aligned keypost which does NOT hinder it's operation in any way. But this small mis-alignment reduces the space for tools to get into the keyway, so it is much harder for me to pick one side :D

All in all, Smith & Wesson handcuffs are top notch quality and do the job well. The blued finish is an oxidation which provides some protection from rusting as well as making them black. This finish wears over time and blued cuffs need a bit more frequent care to ensure they do not rust up when they get worn in. I prefer non-blued handcuffs where possible but these are the best, cheapest option I had available to get regular M300-1 cuffs and they are the genuine article as used by police in the US and elsewhere.

Enjoy.

🚨🇷🇺 Russian Police BRS-3 BK ( БРС-Ш ) Hinged Handcuffs in Black

These are the Russian BRS-3 handcuffs in black. Apparently in Russian they are called БРС-Ш and are apparently in current use by police and other law enforcement in Russia.

These are really heavy duty handcuffs from Russia. They have great security features, a hinge to reduce freedom of movement but offer some comfort, double lock which can be activated by the push pin or by turning the key AND they unlock in a similar way that ASP does, where you keep turning in the same direction to both disengage the double lock and then keep turning to undo the single lock. They also have a ditch and peg system which grabs the handcuff arm when it is locked onto the wrist, so a strong person could not pull outwards to disengage the teeth, thus keeping them locked!

These are really cool and are relatively comfortable, actually. They are NOT a large wrist capacity, they are probably similar to what you'd expect from regular Smith & Wesson sizing. They do close pretty decently small though.

Being black, they are imbued with a tactical "These mean business!" look to them. I have heard that some serious air-soft people use these to add authenticity to their games. While the locking mechanism seems more complicated than a "normal" pair of handcuffs, whether you are into airsoft or not, the simplicity of a single direction turn to unlock them is a bonus.

Normal handcuff keys work well, including the #TOOOL​ ultimate handcuff key. You only get one key with them and it's a dumpy little key which I am not a fan of. The low height of the key makes it more difficult to use to unlock yourself.

Speaking of difficulty, when placed downwards onto the wrists with the keyholes facing the body, the keyholes are on the upper area of the cuff, making it probably almost impossible to use the key-balancing-on-finger technique to undo them. So you may have to experiment having them upside down where you press them on the wrist from the under-side of the wrist so that the single arm is on the top!

I am very very happy to have a pair of these in my collection.

Additional experience after making the video. The bracelets have a slight angle to them. So in a similar way as the Clejuso 13 are more comfortable when placed in a particular way up, these too also will provide a slightly more comfortable experience when placed on the wrists from one direction (wrists placed down and the bows swung over the top to close) vs pressed down onto the wrist as "normal" kind of thing. So you could experiment and figure out which is the best method of application for your goal.

Peerless 850C Hinged Handcuffs in Orange [NIJ]

These are Peerless 850C orange hinged handcuffs. As all Peerless products, they are excellent quality police handcuffs. But... Don't attach anyone to a fixed object, because a strong enough person can exert enough force to snap the links between the cuffs and escape. However, when Peerless hinged handcuffs are properly applied to the person with both wrists, they are secure and NIJ rated for actual police use. Never attach anyone to a fixed object using rigid or hinged handcuffs, it is a point of weakness that "could" be exploited to escape.

This model has a larger wrist size capacity, making them better suited to larger individuals. They do close decently small enough, but for any officers arresting minors or people with very thin wrists, you might also want a regular sized pair of chain cuffs. I am not sure if Peerless do a regular sized hinged cuff.


These are orange, though they are a somewhat dull orange. I was half-expecting a bright iridescent high-visibility orange colour, but in actual fact they are a darker orange colour. Still very nice though.

This is the second pair of Peerless hinged I have bought over the years, though I sold my red ones long ago. As with my last one I had to spray my PMA Brake & Clutch degreaser in and on them to wipe excess orange colour off. I have seen some reports on Amazon of people's skin being discoloured. It's not a big task to clean them up though, a quick few sprays, a bit of a wipe with some kitchen roll and you're good to go.

I doubt these hinge links are as strong as TCH or Hiatt hinged, but they are adequate to obtain NIJ rated status, so they should be more than enough, when used properly.

They are smooth in action, have decently strong springs and have a decently tight keyway to add a small amount of frustration to people trying to pick their way out of them.

These are not quite as comfortable as their regular sized handcuffs. I find standard Peerless very VERY comfortable, but these, perhaps due to the more round & larger shape, make them a bit less form-fitting to the wrist. They are not uncomfortable or painful, but just not quite as comfortable as their regular sized cuffs.

Alcyon 5005-X Black Hinged Handcuffs with doublesided keyholes

These Alcyon handcuffs are the hinged 5005 with keyholes on both sides. Model 5005-X.

These are very nice Spanish handcuffs, with a good quality black finish and 2 pawl bars.

Since these have keyholes on both sides, it simplified the application by the user, while slightly reducing security because there are keyholes always within reach of the fingers. However different methods of application can minimise easy access to keyholes in some cases.

These are good quality handcuffs

British TCH HSH1 Maximum Security Hinged Transport Handcuffs

This is the high security or maximum security HSH1 handcuffs from TCH or Total Control Handcuffs. Cylinder lock for double locking.

The same as the Hiatt HSS-9 model, these are truly high security. They use the same standard single lock key as most other handcuffs, but the double lock is operated with a separate wafer lock key. As shown you can operate the handcuffs fully while wearing them in the way I have shown, although trying to pick the wafer lock open without having the key will likely prove totally fruitless.

As I understand it, these handcuffs are only used mainly for transport of maximum risk prisoners, the kind of prisoners that have a high probability of being an imminent threat to the public if they were to escape.

They have the usual 3 pawl bars and high over all quality, fit and finish. The differences are the double lock being operated by a separate key type and the backloading is only 1 click, as the pawl teeth are all uniform, rather than being staggered depths as on their normal models. So to double lock you have to give it a good slap from the inside to double lock.

From http://www.thehandcuffshop.com

Don't get your new hinged or folding rigid handcuffs stuck on your arm like this!

Many people this Christmas will have gotten handcuffs. Hinged? Folding Rigid? Handcuffs stuck on one arm ? You may not have the tool to save both you and the cuffs!

In order to not have to resort to cutting the handcuffs off and destroying them, you will need a handcuff shim, which you may not have. It is a strong but thin piece of metal that you force into the pawl area, tighten the cuff one or two clicks while pushing in the shim further, in order to hold the shim in while pulling open the arm of the handcuff.

Best thing is to never ever prank anyone by locking a pair of hinged handcuffs on one person's single arm unless you are sure the keyholes are facing on the outside. Folding rigid handcuffs like Hiatt speedcuffs or TCH 850 only can fold with the keyholes facing inwards.

Be careful.

You could try cutting up a beer can and folding a thin strip in half to double the thickness and try and use that as a shim but there's no guarantees it will be strong enough to not get dented by the pawl bars teeth.

Yuil M-11-1 Korean (GOOD) Hinged Handcuffs With Anti-shim & NIJ Certified

Welcome to a new handcuff video on Yuil M-11-1 These handcuffs are very good, although not without an issue I have found...

These have shim protection that makes them more secure when single locked, they are hinged which provides a greater degree of control over a violent subject and they take a non-standard key*.

The downside is that I believe quality control is lower in this brand of handcuffs. I believe that the silicone lined models that are NOT light-weight aluminum models will be perfectly fine. But these older models and light-weight models tend to work sometimes with standard keys, which is frustrating. Their leg irons do it, the previous Yuil hinged model I reviewed (and threw away in a few months later) also had that problem. So, they are more secure than regular standard handcuffs but if the quality control was higher, they would be perfect and high security by requiring their special double bitted key.

Yuil, if you make a handcuff that uses a non-standard handcuff key then please make sure it ONLY works with that non-standard handcuff key, else you are not providing any extra security with that key, you would be providing 'security theatre' As Bruce Schneier describes it. Please fix this issue, this is not the first time I have seen this happen.

All in all, good, higher than usual security handcuffs. I just wish Yuil would put more care into their work these days. I would still recommend them though.

Thanks for watching.


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USA Police - ASP Hinged Handcuffs Model 200 NIJ Certified So smooth operation!

These are the ASP model 200 hinged handcuffs. An NIJ certified handcuff for law enforcement. They have exceptionally smooth operation, not a hint of stuttering or harshness just perfect.

You can double lock the same way you would a smith and wesson pair, using the window, but also you can double lock using the key as I show you in the video. They are very sturdy cuffs although a little lighter than I first imagined they would be.  The locking mechanism can be removed and replaced (if you can acquire more... I cannot in the UK) or removed for easy cleaning and maintenance. These are designed to be shim resistant and I would guess they are somewhat pick resistant due to the design but I have not tested either.

Now comes the down side. The locking unit has plastic parts internally. The double lock window and indeed the entire double locking mechanism is plastic. To engage the double lock the key needs to interact with plastic, to disengage the double lock the key also needs to interact with plastic. About the only part I presume is metal is the pawl spring and the pawl it's self, meaning the key will touch metal to perform a normal single lock unlock. What does this mean? It means that over time (or no time as I will come to..) it is possible that the plastic areas can wear out at which point you will be left with either the inability to double lock the cuffs via using the key turn method, the cuffs will be permanently stuck in the double lock position due to the plastic being worn where the key needs to travel to unset the double lock, or a combination of both issues. However a prominent member of the open organisation of lockpickers has said he has never heard ASP cuffs having a weakpoint in the key area. So below is my freak small percentage case where you get something that is not working from the start:

Over all, the feel and function of these handcuffs are extremely nice, everything is smooth, no rough or sharp edges, just perfect.

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USA Police & Prison ~ Peerless 850C Red Hinged Handcuffs NIJ Certified

These are all American Peerless model 850C hinged handcuffs in red colour or color if you're from the US :).

Typically coloured handcuffs such as these are less used by police, although do get used from time to time, but usually a prison or court will colour code the clothing issued to prisoners with the handcuffs and everything else (shoes etc), so if someone dressed in all red tries to leave the building, for example, then everyone knows to apprehend them immediately.

These are really high quality handcuffs, I have to say. The tolerances are really low and everything fits just perfectly. The hinge connector design provides a slightly higher degree of movement rather than a more constricted design. Although they are a similar wrist size capacity as TCH/HIATT Superior size, such that the UK Police use.

One thing to note, these are NIJ certified for legitimate law enforcement use but do not secure a prisoner to an immovable object by one wrist cuffed and one attached to the object. This hinge design can be snapped if a strong prisoner puts their full force and strength into snapping them. This is ONLY possible because of the excessive force that can be applied without crippling pain. If both wrists are cuffed with these handcuffs, the force the person can apply is really low and would end up snapping their wrists, orders of magnitudes before they would ever break the hinge. Here is a video of someone breaking a pair of Peerless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1ccAwIJmos

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Alcyon 5005 Hinged Handcuffs [ Made in Spain ] NIJ certified

This is the latest hinged handcuffs from Alcyon. The Alcyon hinged handcuffs model 5005.

These are a high quality handcuff. They are Spanish and have a very smooth operation and the double locking mechanism is very stiff meaning there is no chance of accidental engaging and mechanism to disengage it is very smooth, as with the black chained ones I overviewed early on this channel.

EDIT:
I have since learned that both pairs of my Alcyon handcuffs have sloppy tolerances with regard to double locking. This came to my attention when I gimmicked my TCH800 cuffs to allow them to pull open. Yet when I double lock them they are seemingly as secure as if I had not gimmicked them and refuse to open without using the key. I also did this gimmicking process to these Alcyon hinged handcuffs. However I noticed when I double locked them, they would still pull open to a large degree, not fully but they were no longer "secure". So I opened them, double locked them and then pressed down on the pawl bars. There was a lot of downward movement. So, while new, non-worn out cuffs are secure when double locked (Alcyon), if the teeth get worn down a bit they may slip and pull open or close further accidentally because the pawl bars are NOT statically unable to move. TCH, for example, will not move at all. Nor will Peerless. Alcyon should, in my opinion, improve and tighten the tolerances so that when the double lock is set, the pawl bars have zero movement potential.

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