The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Bockin Leg Irons

21 visible archived posts · 21 preserved total · topic ID 1166

Mark Lyons 04 Mar 2006

Hi.

In the Dick Norman Book, page 66 the author writes a short history about the cuffs that were patented by William Bockin. He states that his cuffs were available "in handcuff as well as legiron sizes".
I have never seen nor heard of one. Have any of you?

mark
O------O

stan willis 04 Mar 2006

I've never seen one or a picture of one.
Stan

Charles 04 Mar 2006

This is probably a stupid question. I'm just getting into collecting, but what I am seeing is that, absent Hiatt, before 1850 there were not that many handcuffs. Before then, all you seem to see are leg irons.

Any comments?

Joe Lauher 05 Mar 2006

Not a stupid question. Leg irons were used more often because jails were either not available or not very secure. Thus you used leg irons to keep you prisoner secure.

Joe

Edgeplay_Cgo 06 Mar 2006

Another reason, I suspect, is that feet come in a smaller range of sizes than do hands. Adjustable cuffs came late in the game. A smaller assortment of leg irons will fit everyone, than would be the case for handcuffs.

Steve Santini 06 Mar 2006

If the patent states hand and leg irons, (I cannot remember), and it does not appear any leg irons were in fact made, one possible theory is that the inventor fully intended to issue the restraint in both cuff and leg iron forms and merely mentioned so as a sort of loose blanket protection to look out for his future plans.

Just an idea, Steve Santini

Tom 06 Mar 2006

I just bought these on ebay. They are rusty but in good shape. Anyone recognize them or know what they are worth?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %3AIT&rd=1

If they are worth much more than what I paid for them and someone seriously wants them I might sell them. If not, I may get them shot blasted and paint them with gray rust paint. They have a barely discernable name written on the plate, but impossible to read them. No key.
Anyone have a key?

larho01 06 Mar 2006

Hi Tom,

Crude leg irons, that's for sure. I'm afraid they are of Paki origin...
On the other hand, they were not too expensive. My piece of advice; just keep them as they are.

/Lars

Edgeplay_Cgo 06 Mar 2006

They're worth about what you paid for 'em. No bargain there, but you didn't get ripped off, either. There appears to be a whole industry for making them in Pakistan or India.

I think just about every handcuff collector bought a pair back before they discovered what they were.

Tom 07 Mar 2006

#10

Does anyone have a key that fits?
They do seem pretty old. Does anyone else have a pic of the Paki units with the same type of chain? If I saw a pic of the same ones that would confirm it. Of course I thought I bought something old and/or real.

If they are Paki, blasting/painting them wouldn't be destroying any collector value and it would make them a lot more pleasant to have around.

Lyle 07 Mar 2006

#11

Tom:

If your set uses an internal thread (female) key, Cannon's has a universal four-way darby key that might work.
http://www.cannonsgreatescapes.net/lockopen.html

Hey, whatever you do, don't feel badly about what you paid for these. They're rather neat. I'm thinking about adding such a set to my "collection."

I've been collecting old blacksmith/armourer made leg irons for some time (1800 back to Roman times, mostly European). I finally got fed up with seeing all the "slave shackle" nonsense floating around out there today, and seeing people ripped off. Starting a few months ago, I finally decided to start putting together a website regarding this type of antique restraints (pre-Industrial Revolution) that places them in an historical context, how to identify them, date them, a valuation method (I know I'll get into a lot of trouble there). Also, how to spot the reproductions/fakes. I expect in the next few months to be calling on folks around here for comments and additional photographs.

What you have is what I call a "vintage reproduction." These things are nothing new; folks in Africa, the Middle East and Indian subcontinent have been faking things for the tourist trade for over a century (just read Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad). Your set has the older straight, non-tapered lock barrel and wrapped or covered links. Hard to tell just from the picture, but probably made after World War II from wartime scrap metal. It seems that these were both used by police forces as well as being peddled to tourists in the 1960's when trips to the Holy Land were popular and cheap.

If you want to put a nicer finish on them, don't use paint or sandblast them. Just heat them up with an oxy-acetylene torch until the rust and oxide flakes off when you brush them with a steel bristle brush, then dip or brush them while hot with linseed oil. Gives a nice, black antique finish to them which, due to the rust pitting, will roughly simulate charcoal forged iron.

Due to their age, just try to think of them as an "antique fake" rather than a "fake antique." By analogy, in the early 1900's there was some guy who began forging old postage stamps and pawning them off to collectors. He was quite good, but got caught. Many stamp collectors then were disappointed. Today, however, those fakes are now worth more than the genuine articles.

Tom 07 Mar 2006

#12

Thanks for your post! That is interesting.
The ebay ad said they might be blacksmith made or prison made, but people think the likelihood is overseas made. I had kind of hoped they were American. At any rate, they've got to be worth $25 plus shipping, not too heavy a bite.

They do need a Darby style female key, I see the little screw heads in there. That Cannon 4 way key would work, but I won't be paying $50 for it.

Interesting insight re the reproduction stamps being worth more than the real ones!

Lyle 07 Mar 2006

#13

Tom:

Ohhhhh, c'mon. You need to learn the rationale behind collecting.

You paid $25.00 for a set of restraints with no key. A key costs $50.00. If you buy the key, you then have the justification to buy more Darby style cuffs so the key won't be a waste of money.

See how easy this is?

In the meantime, if you have a machine shop in your area, they might be able to help you out with a thread chaser.

Tom 07 Mar 2006

#14

Thread chaser? Are they in the long, skinny tube shaped form that might fit in there and go around the stem? If I knew what thread that is they could make a custom key out of a coupling(long) nut being turned down.
The other thing is, I like to have keys for things, but it's not like I'm actually in need of being able to operate these. They'll look good hung on the wall

Lyle 07 Mar 2006

#15

Tom:

A thread chaser is a tool used to clean up buggered threads. Unlike taps and dies used to cut threads, thread chasers come in all shapes and sizes.

After the last post, it dawned on me that the cheapest solution for you might be to simply have a machinist recut the threads to match any existing key you already have. Won't hurt the value any. My experience has been that since these guys already have the correct tools, and it's simple for them to do, they usually do little stuff like this for free.

Anonymous 07 Mar 2006

#16

How are these dissassembled? I suspect the end cap is pressed on, then peened in place. Way too much trouble to dissassemble I'd guess.
I'm not near them now, but I think there is a cross pin in these, possibly holding the mechanism in. I'll have a look at them.
Dissassembled they'd be easy to make a key for. I have a set of taps and dies.

Steve Santini 07 Mar 2006

#17

Hi,

Your tap and die set will probably not work for these.

This is because the thread pitch on these types of irons is usuall VERY coarse and crude.

In fact, quite often the key is nothing more that a tube of tin that has wire wrapped around a braized inside it to make threads.

Threads are often not standard and in fact similiar looking sets will have different threads all depending on that the maker did that day by hand.

To find out the thread pitch one neat little trick I have used in the past is to take a plastic tube, like a ballpoint pen body and put it on a tray in the oven and heat it until it becomes pliable.

While in this state force it to thread onto the bolt.

Pour water on it to cool it and then withdraw it.

You will have a good idea of the threads of the bolt.

To make a "quick get them open makeshift" key, you could force thread onto the bolt a section of copper or brass thin walled tube or pipe.

Once threaded on, pull it back to apply leverage against the spring and open the manacle.

With neither of these methods is the way to make a proper durable key, they will work to open the cuff and also get the thread pitch.

Cheers, Steve Santini www.thedarkmaster.com

Dorson 07 Mar 2006

#18

For real antique darbies a standard tap and die set is useless. They are not like modern threads at all. They are either square which the Hiatts currently produce or they are rough and rounded with course threading. As Santini mentioned for making a key is what I did some 30 plus years ago as a early teen of brazing or solding in place a coiled piece of wire inside a tube. What I have found that works is taking piano/music wire and basically making a cork screw with it with the spacing close to what is inside the lock. I would show a picture of mine that I have used for years but don't have that anymore.

-Dorson

Tom 07 Mar 2006

#19

Thanks Steve! Good ideas...I'll try the copper tube idea, that's good. No doubt you've used that one in the past more than once. Once the threads are cut into the copper, it might work as a makeshift key, worth a try.
Once open, how to dissassemble the mechanism? I think these have a cross pin that could be driven out. My new Hiatt Darby cuffs look to be peened, I wouldn't try taking the end plug out.
Or would it be best to leave well enough alone?

Every time I look at those things, I picture the local shop with a giant metal shot-peening Wheelabrator machine, they do anything for me for $5, and it would look better than new in 10 minutes. Sacrilege???

Steve Santini 07 Mar 2006

#20

I have always been of the opinion that it is best to repair a vintage lock or or set of restraints using the most least invasive techniques possible.

Taking apart a vintage lock just to key it is 100% wrong in my book and alters the appearance and inherant value of the device.

If there are other ways a key can be made for a collectible restraint or lock that do not require it to be taken apart, I go for these first and disassembly as a very last resort.

Steve Santini

Tom 07 Mar 2006

#21

Okay, I'll leave the mechanism alone, and try to make a makeshift key using the copper tubing method. I'll let you know how that works out. Tom