About Handcuffs

Handcuffs, in their various and evolving forms, have been around for centuries. They are used by police and other law enforcement agencies a very effective and humane way of restraining someone who is being arrested or needs to be subdued for some other reason.. They go on easily as they are first placed as an open bracelet that then closed around a body part, usually the wrists or ankles, thus inhibiting  free movement. Thumb cuffs, as the name suggests, are a smaller form of the same device, for use around the thumbs. These devices are are an efficient way to detain someone as they go on quickly and can be be removed quickly as well rather than using materials like rope or twine. 

Common materials for handcuffs used today are metal springs, nickel plating and chrome steel replacing shackles  made from iron. Over time, there has been the ability to produce newer types and designs are that are inexpensive and much more lightweight and durable than the the older versions. 

History

Here is a brief handcuffs history: Up until the late 1800's, they basically came in only one size, which had the distinct disadvantage of  making them an unbearably uncomfortable device for those with thicker wrists and ankles and relatively ineffective on those with thinner wrists. This issue was solved by creating a ratcheting system which allowed for an adjustable fit. Most pairs today have a range of opening from about 2 inches to 9.4 inches to accommodate a wide variety of  wrist or  ankle thicknesses. The one major drawback to this single lock design was that in order for the ratchet to work, the handcuffs needed to be held in place by a spring inside the handcuff body. There was always the risk that his spring could be activated by someone who could then escape.

In 1879, an important step forward towards the the well designed style we are most familiar with today occurred-. the invention of the double lock handcuff. This was a major step forward. To put it simply, the double lock mechanism allows the flexibility of ratcheting the device once it is placed on the wrists, ankles or thumbs so that the desired tightness can be achieved, with the added ability to freeze that setting in place so it can't be adjusted looser, thus removing the risk of the person wearing them to be able to get out.

Alternative Restraint Devices

Nowadays, there are other forms of restraining someone what have become more popular. For example: plastic ties that slide down a small sized set of teeth to tighten are more often used today, they must be cut to release someone which means you can only be used once. Should a perpetrator have access to something sharp to cut on or very hot to melt it with, there is more possibility of escape. 

This is only one example, but no matter what else comes along, there will always be use for handcuffs as an effective, inexpensive and reliable form of restraint.