New to handcuff.org removing tarnish from cuffs.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Hello,

cleaning is a problem. I seriously clean them only, no reparations of their surface, no re-making of their surface.

It depends on what material they are made of.

For rust you can use brass brush (like for teeth, but with brass hair), necessary to be made of brass!!! No steel, otherwise it will destroy the surface. Silky brass brush cannot destroy even nickel/chrome layer, causes no scratches. So I remove rust with this.
But I always buy cuffs without rust, only once I got RALK-SNB-49 very rusty, nothing deep, but rusty, so I had to use this brush. Now they are excellent. But this was more challenge to clean them, then serious pair for collection.

To clean old scratched nickel/chrome - I use some czech cleaners. They are something between very gentle sand/powder and paste. They are abrasive, but are exactly invented for nickel/chrome. They make even from very scratched surface (with ligh scratches, no deep) mirror surface. However they are abrasive they don´t cause scratches or they don´t destroy plating. This can be the proper way for you. In my country it is sold under name Silichrom.
Important thing - if you use this, you must caulk keyway and lock perfectly.

To clean oxyde from aluminium surfaces I use special cleaning paste for this. Result is excellent. I can recommend czech Neoxyd. They look like new.

And finally after each cleaning I use my special "washing machine" for cuffs. Special plastic barrel for cleaning and washing them in technical petrol. Technical, not normal petrol to cars!!! This is very important because this washes out all dust and dirt from lock and all slots. My cuffs are like mint after this.

After this I oil them with the help of czech lubricant Konkor, or MD spray with molybdene. I don´t use WD40, those prewiously named are better.

But all this advice is only amateur, there must be available some books for professional restores and conservators.

Cheers

Josef
http://cz-pouta.wz.cz

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Derek:

Okay, don't laugh. For light tarnishing/spotting on nickel plating, toothpaste and elbow grease works pretty darned good. Toothpaste contains a very light abrasive and works well for minor problems; just use a soft piece of cloth to rub the stuff around with rather than a paper towel. Also, depending on what the grunge is, soaking the things in naptha or kerosene for a day or so will help soften it up and make it easier to remove, as well as help clean out the lock mechanism.

Main thing: just take your time. It took years for the cuffs to get into that condition, so don't expect to get it fixed in three minutes.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

The best thing you can do is to just stand on one foot and always look at angle. <WHACK> Owww! I deserved that.

The answer depends a bit on the kind of tarnish you have, and the material.

For the oil stained cuffs, you may be able to restore the surface with simple cleaning. A gun cleaning solvent, or automotive brake cleaner will do a good job of removing petrified oil crud. Use the solvents outdoors, as the vapors are nasty. A thorough cleaning is always a good place to start, anyway.

For rust on a collectible, I try to use nothing more aggressive than a gun cleaning patch or rag, and oil. You can remove a helluva lot of rust that way, but you've gotta be patient. You don't want to clean the item to the point of damaging the patina, but the rust has already caused irreversible changes to the metal, so ya gotta do something.

For rusty junkers or barnyard junk, I use the wire wheel, but that's not what you're asking.

For plated goods, I'd start with the oily rag, and see how much you can restore. Then decide if you've done enough good vs. damage.

Mild abrasives can often restore the luster with a mild abrasive paste. Toothpaste has been mentioned. I've heard good things about cigarette ashes as an abrasive. I have some stuff called "Metal Glo" Polishing Paste, that isn't too bad. You can get it from Bud K Knives. But any abrasive is removing material. You need to decide how much damage you're doing vs. how much good you are doing.

Finally, never apologize about your collection. It suits your needs. Just about everyone here started out with a five dollar pair of junker party cuffs, and then decided that there was something incredibly neat about these crazy things.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Thanks guys! i appreciate the solid advice. I wrench on cars alot and luckily I have a cabinet full of solvents ,cleaners, etc. i tried alot of things i had lying around and nothing took off the tarnish. Any of them would have zapped the dirt , oil and grime right off. I appreciate everyones advice and I think all of you guys had very interesting information about the tricks of the trade.

I tried brake cleaner first. All of the dirt and grime came off the American Handcuff co. leg irons with a few simple sprays. It dissolved 90% of the grime and dirt instantly,no doubt.
In some ways i wish i didnt clean them and in some ways i wish i didnt even buy them. LoL I soaked them in gas for 12 hours and the gas was clear but turned real yellow like the neighbors cat might have mistaken it for a portable urinal in the middle of the night. It did clean the inside spotless and got the remaining 10% of the cuffs clean like in between the bows. The ratchet and insides look like new.

Knowing my luck it was probably the cats piss that cleaned em. just kidding.
seriously,
The 2 pair i am workin on are now squeaky clean. Not a speck of rust ever.
I agree 100% in trying an abrasive. Using toothpaste is interesting to say the least. Makes alot of sense and i cant hurt anything for trying. PUTTING SMALL DAB OF SILICONE CAULK COVERING THE HOLES IS AN AWESOME IDEA! I wish i knew that when i used the pencil eraser on my hiatt 2060's. I had to hold my fingers over the holes. Not very familiar with european metal cleaners but i would not doubt for a second their ability to work. I wish i had access to them. Ill try the toothpaste first and then ill have to search and see if I can buy the metal polishes online.
I used a gum eraser on my satin finish hiatt 2060 cuffs on a small stain and it worked miracles. Didnt help the american handcuff leg irons.
These might never be the same.

It did take years to get this way and only makes sense that im gonna have to scrub them forever to get them in presentable condition.
Thanks guys! I appreciate the advice and it is an honor to meet you.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

I too recently bought a pair of Sirchie's off eBay. The factory oil grunge came off perfectly with a good spray down with WD40 inside and out. Dried off, blown out, and re-lubed with a PTFE Super-Lube. Pefecto!

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

That apparently mil-spec preservative Sirchie used on those cuffs seemed particularly nasty. Used Goof-Off and it came right off, though. I use Simichrome to clean up nickel finishes.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

First, some prefer the patina that naturally occurs on handcuffs. I firmly agree - don't re-plate them. Cleaning off rust can be a good thing, to prevent further decay. Once rust is off (brass brush, 0000 steel wool & WD40 (used carefully), or even buffing rust off with jeweler's rouge.
Now, to help clean and shine, if you decide to do so, use
chrome polish, sold at most motorcycle shops. It comes in a tube, and a little of that can make your piece really shine.
IT doesn't destroy the plating since it's made for chrome plating. It removes dirt, tarnish, and polishes out minor scratches in plating, so long as they don't go through.
It works great.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Actually franklin I did find a way to get these shining flawlessly in less then 5 minutes!!! dremel tool makes a polishing kit.There are many things in there. One of much interest. Someone mentioned toothpaste, eraser, polishes and pastes,kerosene.

i used brake cleaner to remove grime.
cuffs looked ten times worse. I bought the dremel polishing kit. it came with many small wire wheels, felt or cotton pads etc. BUT...... there is a barrel shaped tool in it and it has the same texture of a art gum eraser.
The only one like it in the whole set.
The american leg irons on a scale of 1 to 10 were a 2 or 3.
cleaned them and removed dirt and grime with brake cleaner and they looked worse cause oxidation was more noticable. The dremel tool with that certain bit had them looking mint in less then 5 minutes.
Franklin.... i did it man!!!!! 20 years of stains and blemishes gone from both cuffs in 5 minutes! The sirchie too!

Very safe and effective! picture an art gum eraser spinning at 8000 rpms!!!!!
I wont ever try anything else ... Im sold! As long as plating is solid and not peeling like on antique cuffs this way worked awesome!!!!!!!! just if you try this method... plug key hole with silicone like someone above mentioned and move around from spot to spot cause they will warm up from friction!
but safe friction. non abrasive or very very very little.
You guys all kick ass and I love the way everyone helps eachother.
I will try and find a part # for this dremel bit. cause the cotton pads dont do anything but leave dust and grinding wheels??? , well ya know i dont even have to go there. very unique dremel bit!!!

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

All of the messages that I read had good ideas. I would like to add one other suggestion. Try Simechrome. Its a paste that is slightly abrasive. Its used for cleaning chrome motor cycle parts. You can get it at any Harley Davidson Dealer, and a small tube that lasts for years costs $9.00
Why do you want to clean old handcuffs? Too much cleaning can hurt the value. Cuffs that are almost new can be cleaned but older cuffs should be lubricated and basically left alone!

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

What the experts always leave out is that it is much easier to clean the handcuffs after you have got out of them.

Also, for real toothpaste find one not! reccomended by the American Dental Assoc. Quite a difference.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Dremel tool # 520

I tried this bit on my old clejuso and did very little to help. maybe they were too far gone. I heard the plating might be different. Makes sense to me. John mentioned not cleaning cuffs? I dont know why not. Different perspective and i respect the opinion. but personally in my opinion, to me, I dont like to see permanent fingerprint/sweat/salt/oil stains and oxidation on nearly mint cuffs. especially when thats all thats holding the cuffs back from being gems in the collection.
especially one or two little sections that just ruin the cuffs appearance.
It makes it all better when you fix it. Adds fun to collecting.plus.... How would anyone know?
Its undetectable? Its harmless? It works? Personally to me it adds value.
Would you pay more for cuffs that look like they have someones dirt,oil,semen and sweat stained on them,that havent shined for 20 years or cuffs that look almost mint/new?
I know which ones id rather have and which ones id be proud of showing off.


yes id be proud of the semen soaked ones if it were my semen. but unfortunately when i get used cuffs and you never know what the hell is actually on them. Could be some junkies blood when a cop busted his skull open in a bar room brawl. ya never know and in this day in age why take a chance? All dirt,grime and blemishes must go!! I clean and disinfect mine the second they arrive just incase. You wouldnt play with a hypodermic needle at the local parks sandbox would ya? Unless i buy brand new I disinfect and remove all the germs/scum i can. cause ya never know! Some freaky people out there! I know what my cuffs been through. I have cuffs for play and cuffs for display. Most people only have one pair including cops so you can just imagine the germs being transfered.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Even with the cleanest cuffs i take a qtip and some brake cleaner and zap the inside of the double bows. You would be surprised what comes out of there. Almost looks like human excrement 9 outta 10 times. Alot of cuffs look awesome outside but whats inside???? rust and dirt usually.
I zap the rivet where the locking jaw pivots and usually a bunch of crap comes out of there too.
I keep cleaning till my q tips dont get dirty anymore. Thats when you know you did a decent job.
Just remember to oil them suckers up with some rem oil. Any gun shop has it and it works great.
sprays like wd40 but works better. doesnt have wax in it. doesnt attract dirt like wd40 or 3n1 multi purpose oil. I also went to staples which is an office supply store and bought a bag of zip lock bags perfect size for cuffs. 4x6 i believe. anyways for $2.00 they keep out moisture,dirt and prevent scratches when storing. really sucks digging through my (recent count 74) pairs of handcuffs and fingerprinting them all up just to find the one im looking for.
knowing salt from sweat stains them almost permanently i wised up.
The zip bags are the way to go and a hell of alot cheaper then buying 74 handcuff cases. plus with handcuff cases you cant see through them so they are impractical. My zip bags also have a white section on front for labeling. I was thinking of buying post cards and cutting them to fit,and inserting inbetween cuffs so raised rivets dont scratch lock cases when they are in bags.

just a few ideas im using. maybe someone mentioned this before?
I got the idea from the yuil and kyoung chang companies. They use plastic bags and ill be damned if it isnt ten times better and more practical then wax paper.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

> John mentioned not cleaning cuffs? I dont know why not.

Personally, I can find no fault with cleaning cuffs, provided they are not antiques of such vintage and condition thet the cleaning alters the cuffs. The dirt does nothing to enhance the cuffs.

I draw the line at altering them. Gently removing rust is probably OK. Removing metal is not OK, so I try to minimize that. Even cleaning with a lab wipe and Miracle Handcuff Oil(tm) removes some metal, polishing with toothpaste, Simichrome, Unobtanium, etc. remove more metal. So that's a tradeoff, but I don't want to alter the basic item any more than I can get away with.

Your mileage may vary.

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either. nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle. But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

Miracle Handcuff Oil is fantastic stuff. I use it all the time. It's like boiling in hot water, spraying with WD40 and adding REM OIL all rolled into one can. Absolutely the best treatment available. But since it does remove metal, one must be careful not to spray too much, as it will disolve the lock mechanism rendering the handcuff useless and always open. I carry a small vial with me at all times so I might get out of any situation.

I get mine from Fred's hardware store downtown. Very expensive though.

MHO is the best IMHO.

Derek72 wrote: ↑

Jul 14, 2006

I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Derek Hoffman and i am new to handcuff.org.
Ive been reading old posts and have been doing my best to not have to ask the same questions other people asked a million and one times.
Ive tried methods listed and still cant remove the tarnish.

I only own 55 pair of handcuffs. All modern. probably considered junk by most of the serious collectors. Anyways i recently purchased sirchie finger print lab handcuffs from a guy on e bay. They were coated with factory oil and it tarnished the cuffs in spots badly.  

I also picked up a pair of American Handcuff co. leg irons with no model number,no serial number either.  nickle plated. written in cursive. Thicker and made alot better then my n-200 or my l-100's  They were crusty when i got them. Extremely dirty and grimy but all plating is intact. No rust and all plating seems intact.

Just looks grey in spots. What works best for restoring tarnished cuffs?
In certain light they look evenly shiny. If i look on an angle they look great.
If i look directly at them they look like crap.

I know as a newbie ill probably get an answer like just stand on one foot and always look at angle.  But seriously.... Any one have the right solution?

Click to expand...

have you ever triedn renaissance wax on any of your handcuffs?

No but I’ve heard good things about it and supposedly the British Museum uses this to protect metal artifacts.

Spencer

ssbaldwin wrote: ↑

Aug 17, 2024

No but I’ve heard good things about it and supposedly the British Museum uses this to protect metal artifacts.

Spencer

I use this on all my handcuffs. Gives them a nice sheen and a nice feel. Won't really remove tarnish though. For best effect you need to treat the surface and remove all tarnish and finger smears etc (wear gloves) and then wax with a clean rag. I don't normally get too crazy with it but I do wax 99% of my cuffs. If you youtube renaissance wax peerless handcuffs you will probably find my video of me waxing my 95th anniversary gold cuffs with 3 coats.