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.

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.....

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Come and take it!!

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.

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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Music/Sports/Beer fan

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 ….

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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.

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.

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Peerless was all I ever used and they worked fine.

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BCCI Life Member #2068

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.

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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Death? Smile back...

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).

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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.

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Bill

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.

Knew him well.

Thank you for your service!

,

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Death? Smile back...

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.

`i was a depty in the middle 70's and we all had the smith 90's. i still have a pair and the box. ahh the memories...

When I went to soft threads I packed
these....still have them (somewhere).

I once had a pair of Colt handcuffs. Gave 'em away. Now they are worth a bunch of money.

I used S&W cuffs during my years as a deputy, a correctional officer, as a police officer and as an armed security officer in a Federal office building. I owned both the pin type and the sliding bar type. Never had a problem with either kind.

I keep two pair of cuffs in my car. If I have to leave a firearm unattended for any length of time, I cuff it to one of the anchor points in the hatchback, covered of course.

BTW, S&W built Peerless cuffs in Springfield, Mass, but in a different factory.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

"Back in the olden days", I carried two sets of Peerless cuffs on my "Sam Brown". Also, in my duty bag, I had a couple sets of flex cuffs, a set of leg irons, for anyone who ran from me, and belly chain for the BIG boys/gals who were too wide for two sets of cuffs daisy chained together.

Peerless for 33 years. Click, click, click

Mostly Smiths, multiple sets. The one set I used most of the time have been engraved.
Keepsake.

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LEX ET ORDO

I was issued S&W 'cuffs in the military, but carried an old pair of Peerless from 1926 that my dad used.
I bought a pair of S&W aluminum 'cuffs in 1974 and carried them on and off for the next 25 years, mostly when I was a detective.

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John

I was issued a set of Peerless cuffs when I signed on. Later, I purchased second pair and a set of hinge cuffs, all Peerless.
I carried the chain cuffs in front of my handgun and the hinge cuffs behind.
I was able to access the front cuffs with both hands and reserved the hinge cuffs for non compliant suspects. The do have the advantage of leverage. The third set was in my go bag.
Later, flex cuffs became common for backup but I always carried two pair on my duty belt.
I observed that even cops usually placed little emphasis on carrying cuffs. Once, on a stakeout, I was in on the arrest of a robbery suspect with local detectives and federal agents. When the perp was face down on the pavement the call went out…who has cuffs?
I did. I reminded the arresting agent that I wanted them back.

Reading this post triggered some old memories and got me digging into a safe I seldom go into, I call it the "Queens Chambers".
Guns & such I do not shoot or consider selling but I was able to find these.
Pretty certain I have another pair or two buried in there.

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I got a used pair of nickel Jay Pees from an old hand when I started in 78. A couple years later I moved to a dept where SOP was to carry 2 pair, so I picked up a pair of the pin-locking S&Ws. I etched my SN into the S&Ws to make sure I got them back from the jail. Expected the Jay-Pee to break down or get lost, but they lasted my whole career.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

My agency used Peerless, and that is what we were taught on, but when I was hired back in the stone age, cuffs were not issued to every agent, after the Academy you had to give them back and buy your own.

Didn't care for the S&W design.

I looked at the Bianchi handcuffs, and the ratchet was actually several thinner sections designed to resist picking. I used them for about 12 years until the unique ratchet system wore out from use, and the teeth of the sections sort of fused together and were no longer independent.

After that I used Peerless. As DT instructor I taught with Peerless, and also a set of Hiatts chained cuffs with keyless release. Didn't care for hinged cuffs with the exception of a pair of aluminium Hiatts I used for off-duty.

Me too. Was issued Peerless serial # 940655 December 1979. Had to turn in cuffs when I retired in 2012, so I gave them a set of S&W cuffs I also had acquired and kept the peerless.

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Tony

I have a set of peerless that my grandfather used as a Chicago cop. My 3 sets I carry every day are all Smith and Wesson. Sometimes, for a special suspect, I dig out my grandfathers old cuffs and use them.

There is still a pair of Peerless on the seat frame of my pickup.

I use them to secure my pistol when I have to go to the Post Office or other restricted zone where CCW is prohibited.

Concealed under the front seat and locked to the floor/seat. I can live with that for 10 minutes at a time. Just pass a cuff through the trigger guard.

When we were just starting out and living in an apartment my revolver was secured to the P-trap, under the bathroom sink with my handcuffs. Not gun safe secure but it was the best work around I could come up with until our furniture budget had room for a safe.

When I first started we had to furnish our own cuffs. My first pair were Jay pees which worked just fine. I soon purchased a pair of Peerless. They became my main carry cuffs. The Jay pees were kept in my briefcase as extras. I kept one flex cuff cuff in my hat (When your foot hits the ground, the hat goes on your head.) and a few extras in my briefcase. I did try the hinged Peerless cuffs and they immediately broke. Peerless refused to do anything about it. So I advised them I would let every student know that when I taught DT in our basic police academy. I have my cuffs somewhere around my apartment. I would not want to have to explain to an officer why I would have cuffs in my car, sounds a little creepy?

Hinged or bust for the special folk

One of the things I stressed to the rookies when I taught at the Academy was that if you're going to carry gun off duty, make sure you carry a set of cuffs as well. That way when you take action off duty, you can cuff the suspect and put your gun away for when the on-duty guys (and gals) show up to the scene. Can be bad juju if you're standing around with your gun drawn.

I spent 48 years on the job and was director of the Flint Michigan Police Academy (LERTA) for 2 years. Never liked the hinged, hard to apply especially when your prisoner was struggling and more than once I saw prisoners injured by them when used.
Peerless, established in 1914 in Springfield Mass., contracted with Smith & Wesson in 1920 to produce 1000 pairs of their handcuffs. Roy Jinks. stated Smith & Wesson was clearly working on the design and early patents for various upgrades to the early Peerless handcuffs. S&W produced their cuffs up until 1940, some sources say. Now in its fourth generation, Peerless® Handcuff Company remains a family business. S&W started producing handcuffs in 1960. I got my first set issued to me in 1969, along with a 5" M-10, another great S&W product!
I've used both and had no problems with either.

Procedures.

While we're reminiscing here. Did any agency or department allow you to handcuff the individual to a stationary object?

It was strictly forbidden where I worked.

.

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Death? Smile back...

I don't actually remember if it was in our policy manual when we finally got one but it's been know to happen on occassion.

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I think I was only ever issued Peerless cuffs although I did buy a couple of pairs of the stainless Smiths with the slide double lock. I actually liked the slide lock.

I was issued a pair of hinged one time but I never got it back after one of those group arrests where they were hauled away by someone else. I don't know if I ended my career with any cuffs I was issued and only one pair of my Smiths. Even the marked ones tended to get mixed up.

I generally carried two sets of cuffs on my belt and two more on the spotlight handle.

I believe my leg chains were Hiatts.

I have one old pair an old widdow gave me her husband had carried up north somewhere. I need to give them to some young cop now.

I used S&Ws chained and peerless cuffs.

Also used Peerless high security hinged
with cut keys for transports w/waist chains.
Peerless leg irons.


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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Yes, but only two ways allowed...If the arrestee/inmate was an arm amputee, Then it was the other arm to a stationary object or belly chain.

The other way would be if a inmate was on a hospital trip...If the Doctor needed to see/xray/examine a portion of the body that the handcuff was obscuring, then the handcuff was removed and he/she could be handcuffed to the metal hospital bed.

Had Hiatt and S&W. Two on belt and one more set in bag.

That's an interesting train of thought that I never considered till I read your post. Once I retired with 20 from state, I went county as Deputy for a year ending with juvenile probation for the last year. Since I am in Florida now, I just carry a J frame when out and about. I have a retired badge and I still have my county and juvenile probation badges and ID's, but I don't carry any badge with me.

However, there was a time within the last 16 months that the wife and I were at a rural county park in the middle of nowhere wooded Polk Co. Florida fishing... These dudes rolled up in a junky car and all they could see was my wife. I heard one of them say to the other one, "you better think hard about it". Other guy gets out of car and walks toward wife and then sees me. I can tell he can see a hatchet on my belt in the front...He then makes small talk and leaves after I explain that he wasn't really welcome any closer. I told my wife that she would have been raped or worse had I not been there...I know it... Handcuffs may have been handy had the situation gotten worse. My wife wasn't armed....I was.

Great thing is that Grady Judd is the Sheriff in Polk County and I doubt that any altercation would have amounted to anything but arrests for the bozos I mentioned.

My first department didn’t issue cuffs so purchased Pearless in 1968 and carried/used them for the next 30 years. They’re now in a drawer w/my blackjack and a few J Frame leftie holsters.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

My department was very poor when I first began my career. We had one room to process prisoners. At one point they put a ring on the wall to cuff prisoners. This was only used when someone wanted to cause problems or when multiple people were being processed.

I remember once we had a particularly belligerent prisoner arrested for assault and DUI. He peed his pants while waiting for a BAC test. I took some paper towels to dry the floor and he tried to kick me. I grabbed his one leg and swept the other. He laid in his own pee until taken to county jail. He later had his parole revoked due to his DUI and domestic assault and went back to prison.

Now the PD has a two story building and proper detention room.

I think the ring on the wall was pretty common. I suspect some police supply made and sold some for that purpose.

S&W chain cuffs are all I've ever used, and they serve their purpose well enough. I like the Model 100P with the push-pin double-locking mechanism on the side as opposed to the slide-lock mechanism on the standard 100s. I prefer nickel over black coatings; the former is easier to find if dropped at night.

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AKA SixToEight

Cuffs are the unsung heroes of law enforcement. Guns get all the glory.

Maybe it is because they are fickle things. If you get both on, you are golden. If you only get one on and the guy gets up, you may have to schedule reconstructive surgery.



I got these S&W blues in 1983 and used them until 2015. Non-cops might not realize how difficult that is. Many times in multi-jurisdictional goat ropes you may cuff some dude and that's the last you see of your stuff. You might get somebody else's cuffs back, if you're lucky.

I contend the most realistic cop dialog in any movie ever comes from Lethal Weapon 1 when Riggs does his crazy act with the jumper and tells the uniform leading him away: "Those are my cuffs. I want them back".



I gave my Smith blues to my son, who carries them to this day.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

[QUOTE=sigp220.45;141972363]Cuffs are the unsung heroes of law enforcement. Guns get all the glory.





Interesting pic...