Tag Archives: handcuffs

Daily Thread

Guest Author: Mikeintightpants on Getting cuffed in the UK

8 Comments

Getting cuffed in the UK

By Mikeintightpants

If you ever get apprehended here in the UK in circumstances where the officer deems it necessary to apply handcuffs (or better still, if you meet up with a friendly cop!), you’ll find yourself wearing one of the sets of cuffs shown in this photo that I’ve assembled from items in my collection.

Cuffs currently in use by UK police and Prison Services - assembled from my collectionClockwise from the top, the cuffs are: Hiatt Speedcuffs, Hiatt chain cuffs, Chubb Escort cuffs, Chubb Arrest cuffs, ASP chain cuffs.

Hiatt Speedcuffs (model 2103) are the cuffs used by most of our uniformed cops here in the UK. They’re rigid cuffs resulting in considerable restriction of arm movement and allow for easy “stacking” of the hands either in front or behind the back. There are several different designs of carrying  pouch which fit onto a duty belt. Most universal cuff keys are suitable.

Hiatt chain cuffs (model 2010) are similar to regular chain cuffs, the main difference being that they’re slightly smaller than standard swing-through cuffs such as Smith & Wesson 100’s and they keep the hands considerably closer together. These have effectively been superseded by the Hiatt Speedcuffs, though many officers still carry a pair as back-up. There are several different designs of carrying pouch which fit onto a duty belt, although some officers carry them loose in their back pocket. Most universal cuff keys are suitable.

Chubb Escort cuffs (model 1K52) – a.k.a. Chubb Transport cuffs. These cuffs are used by the UK prison service for transporting prisoners and are extremely expensive. They are not issued to police patrol officers and not used by any of our police forces.  I am not aware of any carrying pouches for these as they are not carried on duty as a matter of course but applied in prisons and courts for prisoner transportation to another secure area where they are removed. The cuffs are not swing-through and have 3 locking positions to accommodate smaller wrists. In addition, sets of metal inserts are available that further restrict the internal diameter of the bracelets; the inserts come in 3 different sizes, thus giving overall the possibility of 9 different internal diameters for each cuff. High security cuffs with either 9 or 10 lever locks requiring keys cut from restricted blanks. Cuffs can be keyed individually for each pair (there are millions of possible combinations) or they can be keyed in batches to suit individual departments.

Chubb Arrest cuffs (model 1K70) – a.k.a. Chubb Detainer cuffs. Secure swing-through cuffs but very expensive and allow the hands to be much further apart than standard cuffs such as Smith & Wesson 100’s. Until recently they were standard issue to police officers in our Sussex police force but because of cost, new entrants are now issued with ASP chain cuffs (see below). Universal cuff key does not work with these cuffs which require a special key. The keys can be coded to any one of approximately 20 different combinations. Carried on duty belt in leather or nylon pouch.

ASP chain cuffs – these cuffs are now very much in evidence as being used by law enforcement agencies worldwide and, yes, here in England too. Our Sussex police have now moved their allegiance from Chubb Arrest cuffs (see above) to these ASP chain cuffs, purely for reasons of cost. These cuffs are applied in exactly the same way as other standard chain cuffs, work with a universal cuff key and are usually carried on the duty belt in a suitable pouch or on a cuff strap.

Hiatt hinged cuffs (model 2050) – when I assembled the cuffs for the above photo I forgot to include the Hiatt hinged cuffs that are used by just one of our UK police forces – Northamptonshire – who prefer to use these hinged beauties instead of rigid Speedcuffs. Officers are issued with 2 pairs that are carried in pouches in their hi-viz jacket. Universal key, once again.

Incidentally, since the demise of Hiatt as a handcuff manufacturer a few years ago, their premises and manufacturing facilities were taken over by TCH who now market virtually identical products under their own name, albeit with different model numbers. Therefore, references above to Hiatt should also be read as including TCH.

 

Thanks, Mikeintightpants for the picture and information!

Daily Thread

Mikeintightpants assesses TuffKuffs

4 Comments

This “handcuff review” is from Mikeintightpants:

I recently had the opportunity to wear and assess the new TuffKuffs, with the aid of my buddy Chris G, who applied the cuffs and acted as photographer.

It has to be said that the cuffs are of extremely good quality, though expensive at around US$90 a pair. They are effective and reasonably “comfortable” when worn in front, though they can be extremely uncomfortable when worn behind the back. However, there is a design fault because although the cuffs can be rotated in one direction only, there is nothing to prevent them being turned more than the 90 degrees demonstrated in the manufacturer’s video, resulting in the hands and arms being held in a position that cannot have been intended by the manufacturer. If the over-rotating is done when the cuffs are applied in front, the result is somewhat akin to having the arms folded and is not uncomfortable — but over-rotate when they’re on behind the back, and they are extremely (and I mean extremely!) uncomfortable.

 

The first 6 pics show me wearing the TuffKuffs and the final 2, taken during a different assesment session, show the effect of over-rotating, which is clearly demonstrated by another buddy, Chris F, when I was cuffer and photographer.

Mikeintightpants assesses TuffKuffsTuffKuffs from behindIncidentally, in the promotional video produced by TuffKuff, they say that you put the cuffs on “the same as every [other] set of cuffs you’ve used.” But in my view, if these cuffs are applied in the conventional way (from the top with the bows locked under the wrists), they don’t work in the way that’s intended — and if this was done when they are behind the back the result can be very painful and no prisoner could be escorted in a cruiser whilst wearing them in that position.

If you can get hold of a pair of TuffKuffs, get somebody to help and try ’em yourself, you’ll see what I mean. It would be good to hear from anybody else who’s already had the chance to assess this latest addition to the restraints market.

Great to have the cuffs in my collection, but I can’t see them catching on for use as a street arrest cuff.

—Mikeintightpants

Thanks, Mike, for the information and pictures!

Daily Thread

Mikeintightpants claims a world handcuff record

3 Comments

Hey guys, Mikeintightpants is claiming the world handcuff record for wearing the most pairs of Chubb “Escort” handcuffs. Check this out:

Mikeintightpants claims a world handcuff record Mikeintightpants writes:

Some of you will never even have heard of Chubb’s “Escort” model of handcuffs, made here in the Midlands of England, used by law enforcement agencies in many parts of the world and a favourite with collectors. But let me assure you that they are one of the most secure (and expensive!) cuffs around. Those of you who are aware of them might have seen a pair or even handled a pair – or better still might have worn a pair. But how many guys have worn more than one pair at a time?

Mikeintightpants claims a world handcuff record 02Well, I have worn eight pairs at once – 4 from my own collection (of 6) and 4 from the collection of one of my cuff buddies.

These cuffs contain 10-lever locks and are used principally for the transport of high-risk prisoners and they even come with sets of metal inserts that can be used to restrict the internal circumference of the cuffs when used on prisoners with small wrists. The 10-lever locks make them virtually unpickable, athough I have seen it done, but normally they’re an escapologist’s nightmare! And let’s be honest guys, most of us would prefer to be in these cuffs rather then trying to get out of ’em!

Thanks, Mikeintightpants, for sharing this!  Now we just need to figure out how to get you in the Guinness Book!

Does anyone know how to officially claim a world record? If so, please let us know! Also, is there anybody who might want to challenge Mikeintightpants for this record?

Daily Thread

We are going for the world handcuff record

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Hey guys, this is important, listen up!  We’re going to go for some sort of handcuff world record. That’s right fuckers, I want one Metalbond reader to get in the Guinness Book. I am totally fucking serious about this.

This endeavor was inspired by longtime Metalbond reader and contributor Chuck:

handcuffs workd record

… and it is being instigated by none other than Mikeintightpants.

Mikeintightpants writes:

Well done Chuck, that’s a great pic and it undoubtedly gave you a “hard” time when that lot was locked on – I’ve counted 20 pairs.

No, there’s nothing in the Guinness book of records to show the most handcuffs worn at one time, the nearest they get to it is to record the largest handcuff collection, but the collection that’s featured is no longer in existence as it’s had to be sold as the owner got into trouble and no doubt found himself wearing cuffs involuntarily, together with a spell in prison.

However, the UK publication “The Book of Alternative Records” deals with a number of records set for the most people handcuffed together – not quite what was meant by the question posed but it’s still an interesting theme.

In January 2007, 305 Metropolitan police officers and Special Constables were handcuffed together (with their own cuffs, of course) in London. In May 2009, 430 police recruits locked themselves together in Scotland and their record was beaten in February 2010 when 562 Mounties were locked together in Saskatchewan, Canada. All the above events were organized for the benefit of various charities.

Following a recent meeting with a couple of my cuff buddies (and with the approval of Metal) it’s my intention to claim (informally on this site) a new world record for a handcuffing experience — don’t worry Chuck, I’m not planning to challenge your record (yet!), mine is something a bit different.

Hopefully Metal will agree to post my claim as a separate current thread on the new site?

 

You got it. Mikeintightpants! Let’s see what you got buddy!

 

Meanwhile, I want every reader to start brainstorming ideas NOW on how at least one of us can get into the Guinness book for some sort of handcuffs record.

This is a serious challenge, and it is an order!

Get to it, prisoners!

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