Alrighty...LE, Retired LE and MP/SP....Let's talk handcuffs

I'm sure we all have opinions on handcuffs and what we prefer and I'd be curious to know what everyone's opinion is. I know there are a lot of LE or retired LE on here like myself.

Handcuffs....When I first started, the agency I was with issued us all S&W chain handcuffs...I know this is sacrilege, but I never like the cuffs because of the double lock design on the Smiths. When I started making rank, I was allowed to buy whatever I wanted, so I took my S&W cuffs and put them in a drawer and bought a set of Peerless...All my cuffs were chain and I didn't care for hinged.

I love Peerless cuffs and the indestructible nature of the way they were made as well as the double lock mechanism design. I always ALWAYS carried two sets as well. This was mainly because of restraining a large person and one set wouldn't fit behind their back.

Fast forward to about four years before I retired...I responded to a disturbance where an officer was attempting to restrain an individual. I got my Peerless cuffs out and put them on the guy and we proceeded to escort him. The other officer looked at me and wild eyed shook his head at me. The Peerless cuffs I put on him were freewheeling and not catching and the guy didn't even know it. I had another set, so I put them on and that was that.

Upon inspection, the teeth/gear mechanism was stripped and the cuffs would not catch. Long story short, I went to Peerless' website and sure enough, my serial number was in a batch that was recalled....When I explained in a letter what had happened, a brand new pair was on my doorstep in two days.

The other set I really like and was my back-up set was a 1950's set made by "Jay-Pee"....Absolutely solid as a rock...I like the Jay-Pee's as much as the Peerless.

What's everybody's opinion on handcuffs and any stories about breakage or anecdotes in general?

There is nothing on planet earth that sounds like handcuffs ratcheting closed.

Ingramite said:

There is nothing on planet earth that sounds like handcuffs ratcheting closed.

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One thing that might compare would be the last prison trapgate closing behind a new officer.

I'm not an LEO but many, MANY years ago I decided that one of the safety items that I should keep in my car was handcuffs, if for no other reason than in case I have to help a police officer in an emergency. We had a police supply store across from my office and I bought a set of Peerless handcuffs at the store owner's recommendation. Solid, one-piece, chained. I still have them.

One never knows when a police officer might need assistance from a citizen.....

I preferred Peerless chain myself. I liked the double-lock actuator and they were smooth. Early S&W's also had the pin double-lock actuator but went to the sliding actuator. I also carried two sets and more in my vehicle, and had them fail on suspects. The one I remember was back in the woods after a suspect fled on foot. I always checked for tightness and to insure the single bar was locked so I barely missed a beat applying the second set. Chain gave me flexibility when ground cuffing and we always were dealing with the "johnson wool jacket" guys...loggers and such with multiple layers of outer clothing. I was a DT Instructor for many years and always thought the chain were the best overall, for our use.

I once taught a group of instructors by having them handcuff their partner on the bottom of a swimming pool (with water). I held the partner down with my foot. You'd better know your stuff to do that.

Vtgw938 said:

I once taught a group of instructors by having them handcuff their partner on the bottom of a swimming pool (with water). I held the partner down with my foot. You'd better know your stuff to do that.

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Now that's some training I'd rather not be the picked-from-the-group "model" for....

I have done cell extraction training for new officers watching how arrested and incarcerated suspects can act... I was the to-be-handcuffed "dummy running his mouth" to the officers attempting to subdue me...Needless to say, their S&W cuffs worked well and my wrists took a week to heal.

In the army we were issued black finished S&W. At PD I carried both S&W and Peerless. Two sets on me more in cruiser. S&W double locked just like the Peerless never knew there was a difference. Aluminum S&W for off duty.
I bought some Hiatts hinged cuffs when Galls had a sale - but then we were told we couldn’t carry them cause we were not trained with them. Also had a set of lightweight Hiatts hinged for off duty. Really like those. Still carry cuffs in my car.
I maintained my cuffs. Cleaned them when I cleaned gun after qualifying. Never had any fail.
I did notice a unique use for Peerless cuffs last time I was at the PD SWAT range ….

MelvinWalker said:

Now that's some training I'd rather not be the picked-from-the-group "model" for....

I have done cell extraction training for new officers watching how arrested and incarcerated suspects can act... I was the to-be-handcuffed "dummy running his mouth" to the officers attempting to subdue me...Needless to say, their S&W cuffs worked well and my wrists took a week to heal.

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They all did it. Weeded out some of the nonsense techniques. Unfortunately? we didn't have a swimming pool at our academy so had to rely on blacked out goggles. Guys & gals, instructors & recruits had to be able to apply all skills without the aid of sight, even stand-off compliant cuffing.

Baxter6551 said:

I carried both S&W and Peerless. Two sets on me more in cruiser. S&W double locked just like the Peerless. Aluminum S&W for off duty. I bought some Haights hinged cuffs when Galls had a sale but then we were told we couldn’t carry them. Also had a set of lightweight Haights hinged for off duty. Really like those. I maintained my cuffs. Cleaned them when I cleaned gun after qualifying. Never had any fail.
I did notice a unique use for Peerless cuffs last time I was at the PD SWAT range ….

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Like Vtgw938 said, the S&W cuffs we had were apparently a later series... The earlier S&W handcuffs that you referred to looked identical to the Peerless ones I carried...I just looked on Ebay because I never knew the different models of handcuffs that S&W made.

The model 90 was the one you are probably referring to. The secondary lock on that S&W is identical to Peerless...However, we all had the Model 100 which had a sliding actuator on the front slab side of the cuff, which I did not like.

First pic is S&W Model 90 which I would probably like and you referred to.

Second pic is S&W Model 100 which we were issued and I do not like...Note the sliding double lock on the Model 100 that differs from the S&W Model 90 and the Peerless and Jay-Pee.

Peerless was all I ever used and they worked fine.

I run S&W across the board… 2 on my belt (rob one for off duty when needed), spares on my truck bag/vest.

My front cuff is standard chained one (as are the others in my truck/vest), rear one is hinged. Idea being, compliant person being cuffed, I grab the front one which requires a little forward movement when I grab for them. This means person is being decent. If they become a jerk… can still pull on the other cuff for some instruction.

Person being combative or riling up… instinctively grab the hinged cuff. Get one on, more leverage to make them comply… if need be.

I do have access to other tie downs… I have a few bootlace ones in my MP5 chest rig (think one or two in the center console lockbox). And I have some of the plastic zip ones in my truck bag. Idea with those, if I’m employing either… likely going to be a serious incident. Might need more than a cuff or two.

Think S&W is the only one approved with the agency, maybe seen one issue in the past 5 years. Graphite, run the cuffs thru and fixed it.

Baxter6551 said:

I carried both S&W and Peerless. Two sets on me more in cruiser. S&W double locked just like the Peerless never knew there was a difference.

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Here's the crazy thing....I never knew there was a similarity between the two until this thread. If I had known there was a S&W handcuff beyond the M100 that we were apparently issued, I would have bought the S&W Model 90 out of brand loyalty. It looks identical to the Peerless..

I prefer Smith & Wesson and they offer both dbl lock mechanisms. Sadly cuffs are only good as the officer that installed them.

We carried S&W Model 104 cuffs. Nickel plated carbon steel with that slide lock. IIRC their chain was rated at 350 pounds. They also use a different (troublesome) maximum security key.

We were taught to always cuff from the rear. I saw why in 1988 when a big boy popped the chain as he was cuffed from the front. Turns out he was an old hand at this and had done it often, the older officers laughingly told me.

I knew of this occurring a few other times over the years. For those civilians reading here. A perp handcuffed from the front can quickly choke somebody out with the cuffs. He is also much stronger in the front. Hard to choke from the back.

I was also trained to transport maximum security inmates. We cuffed from the front and added a black box over the cuffs and it was secured with a padlock and ran the cuffs through a belly chain that was also padlocked.

I was pretty good at speed cuffing. Even as an old man. At a meeting, I was with some young special ops officers. The guys were talking cuff techniques. I quietly grabbed a pair, cocked them, hit a guy's right wrist, cranked on it, spun him around, slapped his left wrist and had him restrained.

"Woah! Where'd you learn to do that? You still got it!" If they only knew how many times I had done that over the years.

I guess flex cuffs have become prevalent nowadays?


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Here are two sets of early (mid-late 1970's) S&W's and a set of "newer" S&W. You can see the pin actuator of the early smiths and Peerless and the slide on the stainless S&W's. Also note the additional thumb release on the stainless. That allows for removing the handcuffs without the need for a key (for training).

I bought my first set of S&W Model 926 air weight handcuffs in 1978. I have obtained several additional sets of the same over the years. All I ever carried and I like how light they are.

I "Googled" them and found a set of new old stock for $445. Had no idea they were that sought after.

WardenRoss said:

We carried S&W Model 104 cuffs. Nickel plated carbon steel with that slide lock. IIRC their chain was rated at 350 pounds. They also use a different (troublesome) maximum security key.

We were taught to always cuff from the rear. I saw why in 1988 when a big boy popped the chain as he was cuffed from the front. Turns out he was an old hand at this and had done it often, the older officers laughingly told me.

I knew of this occurring a few other times over the years. For those civilians reading here. A perp handcuffed from the front can quickly choke somebody out with the cuffs. He is also much stronger in the front. Hard to choke from the back.

I was also trained to transport maximum security inmates. We cuffed from the front and added a black box over the cuffs and it was secured with a padlock and ran the cuffs through a belly chain that was also padlocked.

I was pretty good at speed cuffing. Even as an old man. At a meeting, I was with some young special ops officers. The guys were talking cuff techniques. I quietly grabbed a pair, cocked them, hit a guy's right wrist, cranked on it, spun him around, slapped his left wrist and had him restrained.

"Woah! Where'd you learn to do that? You still got it!"

I guess flex cuffs have become prevalent nowadays?


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Great post~....While with the State of Tennessee, I graduated from a brand new Cadre type program that was instituted by our new Commissioner at the time that was from Georgia...It was called "The Sergeant's Academy" and I think it's in its 50th class now? Our Commissioner's name was Derrick Schofield. I think he had been the Warden at Hayes State Prison in North Georgia.

Having done both patrol and corrections and finally juvenile probation, the handcuffing techniques are all different between them and then even different depending on circumstances.

The "black box" you mentioned we used almost exclusively. It was always rumored that a Tennessee inmate designed it. I need to dig into that to see if it is true.

MelvinWalker said:

Great post~....While with the State of Tennessee, I graduated from a brand new Cadre type program that was instituted by our new Commissioner at the time that was from Georgia...It was called "The Sergeant's Academy" and I think it's in its 50th class now? Our Commissioner's name was Derrick Schofield. I think he had been the Warden at Hayes State Prison in North Georgia.

Having done both patrol and corrections and finally juvenile probation, the handcuffing techniques are all different between them and then even different depending on circumstances.

The "black box" you mentioned we used almost exclusively. It was always rumored that a Tennessee inmate designed it. I need to dig into that to see if it is true.

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Knew him well.

Thank you for your service!

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WardenRoss said:

Knew him well.

Thank you for your service!

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Very good and you as well...He and I discussed the early problem with cell phones in the system and what could be done this side of an FCC fine for the state...3G was brand new at the time.