Hand cuffs

L

LONE WOLF

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I am interested in buying a real pair of hand cuffs. I see them for sale for 5-20 dollars. I would not want to go over 20 dollars.
 
You're better off going a _little_ bit over $20.00 (like, a few bucks over), and getting a good brand name pair. Don't even think of buying $5.00 cuffs.

I highly recommend the standard Peerless model 700. IMO, they're better made and better finished than Smith & Wesson. Find 'em here:

http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/

For $21.94, they can't be beat. You can go lower with Chicago cuffs, and lower still with Fury or Noname, but when the very best standard cuffs are available for twenty-two bucks, why would you want to?
 
We use Peerless at my store, though I'm not sure of the exact model. A friend of mine bought a set of Walther (S&W) handcuffs, and the finish on the Peerless appears to be slightly superior. He had some rust issues with the Walther (S&W) cuffs when he first bought them, but he's since taken care of it.
 
Chris Mapp said:
We use Peerless at my store, though I'm not sure of the exact model. A friend of mine bought a set of Walther (S&W) handcuffs, and the finish on the Peerless appears to be slightly superior.
Click to expand...

The main benefit of Peerless cuffs is their beveled inner edges, as opposed to the sharp edges on S&W and Hiatts. Even more important if you're doing something fun :D

Peerless cuffs've gone through a few variations lately. The model 500 was discontinued last year to make way for the current model 700. The biggest difference is the exposed rivet heads on the 700. The rivets on the 500 were ground flat to the face of the lockcase. The older ones are prettier, and carry _very_ slightly easier (more of an issue in a back pocket than it'd be in a cuff case), and the new ones are supposedly stronger. I haven't had a chance to see the 700s up close, so I don't know for sure that the fit and finish is as good (I could see the exposed rivet heads being part of a general cost-ctting campaign--the same economic pressures that recently killed the American Handcuff Co. might be weighing heavily on the other major manufacturers, too).

The 500s (along with the even older 300s) are also available, for the time being, from http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/

As for rust, AFAIK all flagship-model cuffs are made out of nickel-plated carbon steel, so they'll rust if water gets into the mechanism, or if the finish is damaged. Stainless cuffs _are_ available for more hostile environments, but they generally cost more.
 
Frank,

Not sure if you were talking to me or Lone Wolf..but where I work in assets protection, there's a slight chance I may have to assist with an apprehension. The handcuffs are there in case the person may pose a threat to us or the customers.

Grover,

I think we use the Peerless 500 going from your description. I seem to remember them being completely smooth, without the exposed rivets. You are right, they do carry well in a pocket, though they are a bit heavy for that.
 
I carry peerless at work. They are my choice in cuffs. I also prefer hinge cuffs.
 
Chris Mapp said:
Grover,
I think we use the Peerless 500 going from your description. I seem to remember them being completely smooth, without the exposed rivets. You are right, they do carry well in a pocket, though they are a bit heavy for that.
Click to expand...

Hangonnasecond... [checks collection]

It's easy to tell. The model 500 has an interesting dot-matrix engraving system to mark the cuffs. Under the keyways on the faces of the cuffs, one will have he serial number, and the other will say "Model 500". Easy enough, right? :D

I _think_ the 300s have an actual company logo, too, while the 500s just have the words "PEERLESS HANDCUFF CO. / SPRINGFIELD, MA" engraved on one of the bows. Not certain of that, though. It's been a while since I was close to the handcuff collecting community.

The only cuffs I know of that _are_ comfortable for pocket carry are the ones made out of aircraft aluminum. S&W made a pair decades ago, and American Handcuff Co picked up the slack after that (American survived by filling niche markets the big guys didn't, like leg irons that fit over work boots, and juvenile cuffs). Unfortunately, AHC's gone the way of the dodo.

My personal favorites are my Clejuso no.12's. Clejuso (CLEmen and JUng of SOlingen) makes the issue cuffs of the German police. They're very large by American standards, but they're designed to close down pretty far. They were worth tracking down because:
A-They use a non-standard key, and
B-They have a very entertaining design flaw... When not double-locked, they can be manipulated open without any tools at all. Amaze your friends! :D

So yeah... I'm a handcuff geek. I can go on and on like this about Star Wars and the Bible, too. ;)
 
Our department issues Peerless, and they're fine. I went through the PPCT instructor's course, where you spend two days on speed-cuffing. My "partner" had a pair of S&Ws that she would not relinquish ("I wanna use what I carry!") and as a result my wrists looked like hamburger....

Do not buy the cheap stuff! They are unreliable, fragile, and frequently use non-standard keys.
 
Chris Mapp said:
Frank,

Not sure if you were talking to me or Lone Wolf..
Click to expand...

I was asking LW. I figure if you need a pair for work you should go out and buy the best available or the best you can afford. If they're just for having or for playing around with then you probably don't need to make that kind of investment.
 
I want them as a sort of novelty item. I'm not an LEO, nor do I have a Girlfriend/Wife/Spouse :( .For now I think I'll get those BudK ones.
 
Sorry, LONE WOLF, I'm pretty sure there is not any quality (or even mediocre) handcuffs under $20. But, the BIG zip ties work just as well, with the exception that they are more easily cut.
 
I will let you know that every handcuff I have tried that has the chain on it, can be easily broken, (by me and others). The handcuffs with the hinges on the other hand don't leave themselves open to the flaw found in normal handcuffs. I have not tried the models made for stronger wrists but they seem to have the same flaw as the normal handcuffs.
 
Be warned, more than a few folks experimenting with a bit of bondage fun (and cheap handcuffs) have had the unpleasant esperience of calling the FD for the bolt-cutters....

One of our sergeants got a call from home one night; seems his daughter's dorky boyfriend was playing with his spare cuffs and put them both on one wrist, with the keyholes facing together!
 
I've done that before with a pair i had (these had the hinge instead of chain) :p i made a lock pick on 90 degree's though...most of the standard key cuffs are a piece of piss to pick open. thats my ultimate blonde moment :p
 
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