Small Clejuso adjustables

I recently bought what I thought was a pair of Clejuso leg irons. There was nothing in the picture to indicate size or scale however when I received them I found to my surprise that they were rather small adjustable handcuffs.

Standard Hiatt adjustable and unkown


From the smooth tapered barrel of the lock tube I had thought Clejuso leg irons as I had never seen another Darby style cuff that didn't have the characteristic widening where the lock case is plugged. In fact the Clejuso leg iron and handcuff combo's I've seen have the leg irons with the tapering lock tube and the handcuffs have the stepped conventional style lock casing.

The centre swivel also makes me think Clejuso however they are unnamed and without a key. I have managed to open them and found it impossible to insert my wrist into the opening as it's considerably to small.

The only thing similar is on Stan’s c.d but without a scale it's very hard to be sure.

Does anyone have any ideas who the manufacture may be? They were bought in the UK and the previous owner had no knowledge of their history.

Thanks,

RMP (Mark)

super cool handcuffs.

Thanks for sharing a
photo of them.

I recently bought what I thought was a pair of Clejuso leg irons. There was nothing in the picture to indicate size or scale however when I received them I found to my surprise that they were rather small adjustable handcuffs.

Standard Hiatt adjustable and unkown


From the smooth tapered barrel of the lock tube I had thought Clejuso leg irons as I had never seen another Darby style cuff that didn't have the characteristic widening where the lock case is plugged. In fact the Clejuso leg iron and handcuff combo's I've seen have the leg irons with the tapering lock tube and the handcuffs have the stepped conventional style lock casing.

The centre swivel also makes me think Clejuso however they are unnamed and without a key. I have managed to open them and found it impossible to insert my wrist into the opening as it's considerably to small.

The only thing similar is on Stan’s c.d but without a scale it's very hard to be sure.

Does anyone have any ideas who the manufacture may be? They were bought in the UK and the previous owner had no knowledge of their history.

Thanks,

RMP (Mark)

Click to expand...

Hello RMP,

I would say that these are Clejuso long chain Darby handcuffs from pre WWII. It seems that they have 7 locking positions. This, the shape of the swivel, the chain (like at Clejuso chain nippers) and the tubes (which are very similar to Clejuso Darby leg irons) make them look like a product from Clemen & Jung, Solingen.

Best regards,
Guenter

I have also acquired one of these long chain handcuffs. I do not have an original key, but i have been able to get them open with a test darby key tube, i received from Ian. It barely fits, but will open them. I also believe they are made by Clejuso. Not sure what their intended purpose was? They are tiny! I have read on the forum that they were made to be used on undersized, malnourished people. I dont know if that is true or not. They are identical to my Clejuso Leg Irons that are normal sized. Could these have been a salesman's sample? Easier to carry in the pocket of a sport coat and show the construction to prospective customers? I cant find much information on these? The 2nd pic shows them next to a standard Smith & Wesson Model 90 handcuff.
-Richard Knip-

They look like they could be German, Kayser long chain handcuffs from the early 1900's.  Ian made a nice key for me.

Ron

Ron, I respectfully disagree on the Kayser idea. I did some searching for images of Kayser darbys. None of them used this style of swivel. They had tapered swivels, similar to Hiatt.  While researching Clejuso, i turned up these two images. One is a full sized Leg Iron. Very similar in shape and same design to the swivel. The other pic is of Clejuso Lightweight darbys from Stan's CD. It has them listed in the leg iron section under German Clejuso. But it only refers to them as Long Chain? I still think they are made by Clejuso. What led you to think they may be Kayser, if I may ask?
-Richard Knip-

Hi Ron, The key I made for your cuff is not the same as required for Richard's cuff.  I don't think it is a Kayser. 

Hi Richard,  here is a picture of my cuffs.  All the British keys I tried on them would not work.  Ian found the thread pattern and we tried two samples.  One worked.  Yours might not be a Kayser but that's the fun of collecting, trying to figure out what you have.

Ron

Very similar! Thanks for sharing! Same swivel, but your lock cases are stepped at the ends where mine are smooth tapered. Yours also looks to use a fullsize darby key, as the hole for the key is pretty big. Mine use a smaller than regular Hiatt Darby key. The threads on mine are a match for one of my Sm Co. Darbys, Dowler Super Intendent one of my Hiatt super intendent cuffs. Are your roughly the same size as mine? Just curious.
-Richard Knip-

The Length of the chain is 18 inches.  The inside measurements of the cuff is about 2 1/4 X 2 inches with the bow closed to the third notch.  The lock tube end to end is 2 1/4 inches and the diameter of the center of the tube is 5/8 of an inch.  The chain links are also smaller than they look in the photo.    
They are quite small.  They are listed in the Nichols book along with the Clejuso long chain cuffs

Ron

Well that threw a spanner into the works.  That swivels says Clejuso to me. I wish I had have kept full detail 30 years ago on the thread I used to make the key for your cuff but memory says it was for a Kayser. I have no idea why your cuff has a very German thread and Richard's cuff has a very typical English key. The joys of sharing information.