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Clejuso 11 or Ralkem / Afa Proj 9900

29 visible archived posts · 29 preserved total · topic ID 199

Chris100575 11 Jun 2004

Hi,

I'm about to buy my first pair of handcuffs, and have narrowed the options down to two. Either the Clejuso 11, or the Ralkem / Alfa Proj 9900. As I'm buying online I've not been able to handle either pair, and was hoping that somebody who had might be able to give me an idea as to which was better in terms of finish and build quality / durability.

I've heard that the Ralkem cuffs are very good, but Clejuso seem to have an excellent reputation. Also, are Yuil any good?

Thanks in advance, Chris

Joe Lauher 11 Jun 2004

When people ask me this question, I recommend a standard pair of Smith & Wesson Model 100s. They are not expensive and they are of very high quality. They are also much more comfortable than either the Clujso or Ralkem cuffs.

Joe

Chris100575 11 Jun 2004

Hi Joe,

I should have mentioned that I live in the UK, and have not seen Smith & Wesson cuffs for sale for a reasonable price. Am I correct in thinking that the model 100 are similar to the Hiatts 2003?

Chris

Joe Lauher 11 Jun 2004

The Smith & Wesson 100s are similar to a standard Hiatt, but have less of a sharp edge, so they are more comfortable. S&W and Peerless are the two American standard handcuffs. Standard Hiatt cuffs are also used here.

All three are good cuffs, I just like the S&W ones the best. Others may differ.

Joe

Jack Tanis 11 Jun 2004

Dear Chris,

Discount Handcuff Warehouse, http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/, sells the S&W 100 for US$21.94 and will ship abroad. The cuffs weigh 10 ounces. Depending on what they weigh packed, shipping will be either US$9.00 (up to 12 ounces) or US$11.00 (up to 20 ounces).

Details of this handcuff are at http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/smwemo100san.html.

Even with shipping, the price is lower than price of the Clejuso 11 or the Alfa Proj 9900 in the UK.

What Joe states is correct. The Hiatts 2010, Smith & Wesson 100 and Peerless 700 are comparable, having no material qualitative differences. Although the US cuffs do not back-load, like Hiatts, neither do the Clejuso or Alfa Proj models.

Cheers,

Jack

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

Thanks for the replies, Handcuff Warehouse definitely looks like the place to go for the Smiths. Bizzarrely enough, if I wanted a pair of Hiatts it would be cheaper to buy them from there and pay shipping from the States than to buy them here where they're made! Shame it'll take two weeks for them to arrive though.

There would be little point in getting the Ralkems as they appear to be a copy of the S&W 100 anyway. Are the Clejuso 11's any good? I want a pair of S&W, but will have to wait a few weeks to order them as I'll be away from home for three weeks right about when they'd turn up!

Chris

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

Hi,

In my humble opinion, I consider the Ralkem, or Alpha Project cuffs, to be FAR better quality restraints than Smith and Wesson in the security area.

Unlike the S&W's, the Ralkem cuffs are equipped with a more secure lock that cannot be easilly picked by something as simple as a single bit of wire like the S&W's can. It is a warded lock with two independant spring loaded ratchet teeth while the S&W's only have one.

The design and placement of the ratchet teeth also make shimming the lock when the cuffs are on single lock rather difficult. On the S&W's, shimming the cuff open on single lock is not that hard at all.

As far as I am concerned the S&W is about a 3 on the one to ten level of handcuff security while the Ralkem cuffs are about a 5 or even 6.

Just my thoughts. Steve Santini

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

Hi again,

I forgot to mention that as far as security goes the Ralkems are not only better quality and design than a common S&W model #100, but they are better than the Clejuso model #11 as well.

The Clejuso cuffs, while well made, have a simple barrel key lock like the S&W's and are VERY easy to pick with a single bent wire, etc.

They are also VERY easy to shim open on single lock. Actually, one does not even need a tool to open them on either single or double lock! This is something I discovered and published once and I am not willing to get into here again.

If you are concerned with security and quality then go hands down with the Ralkems. You will not be disappointed.

Regards, Steve Santini

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

Hi Steve,

Does this apply to the Ralkem 9900 as well as the others in their range? The 9900 uses a standard-looking key, while other Ralkem cuffs have one with two "tongues". As I said earlier, I've not seen a pair first hand, so I've not been able to look at the lock. Not that I'd really know what to look for anyway!

What is the general finish and quality of the Ralkems like?

Chris

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

#10

Hi again Steve, I guess you must have posted while I was writing my last reply! I've just looked up what a warded lock is and answered my own question. The Ralkem 9900's use a standard barrel key.

To be honest, at the moment quality is more important than security, I don't even know what shimming is let alone how to do it!

Chris

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

#11

Hi Chris,

I was meaning the flat key Ralkem with the warded lock (two bits on the key).

I really did not know if you were interested in good security or not but in my way of thinking good security in a handcuff generally means superior quality.

Legendary is my personal dislike the the very poor security afforded by the "Universal key" barrel key type cuffs and leg irons!

If I were a cop or a prison guard and had my choice, I would NEVER shackle any prisoner with anything so simple to pick or optain a duplicate key for.

It is sheer madness.

Anyway, I just wanted to offer some opinons on security in case this mattered to you as a purchaser.

Cheers, Steve Santini

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

#12

Hi Steve,

I know the ones you mean. I'd wondered myself about the wisdom of all handcuffs being keyed alike. I guess it's less of a problem with the rigid cuffs, as they're very hard to get out of even with the key if they're put on with the keyholes away from the hands. Not that I'm speaking as an escape artist of course!

At least in Britain police guidelines state that handcuffed prisoners shouldn't be left unattended, so presumably the manufacturers assume that the prisoner won't be able to get out of them while he or she's being watched.

Chris

Jack Tanis 12 Jun 2004

#13

Dear Chris,

The issue of security having been raised, let me state I am not qualified to address it. The three handcuff models I mentioned all use the universal handcuff key, so presumably have comparable locking mechanisms. I imagine this standardisation emerged to facilitate convenience and economy, not security. For what it is worth, all three pairs -- Hiatts 2010, Peerless 700 and Smith & Wesson 100 -- meet the US National Institute of Justice Standard for Metallic Handcuffs, NIJ Standard-0307.01. In absolute terms, perhaps commonly keyed handcuffs leave something to be desired. Relatively, though, there may be some comfort in knowing a police officer does not have the only key in the world that fits his handcuffs.

Cheers,

Jack

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

#14

Hi Jack,

I think it's probably as you say a matter of convenience and economy. Police handcuffs are only intended for use as a temporary restraint, and , as I said earlier, prisoners are not supposed to be left alone to work on them. It would certainly be inconvenient when handing over custody of a prisoner to another officer to have to change their handcuffs as well. I know that several manufacturers produce high security cuffs with Yale-type locks, but I don't know where they're used.

The Alfa Project cuffs I'm looking at also conform to NIJ standard. Clejuso don't mention it, but that might well just mean that they didn't submit them for testing. Given the German reputation for engineering, I imagine that they're well made.

I guess that the manufacturers are aiming to strike a balance between security and ease of use.

Chris

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

#15

Hi Jack,

Indeed there is some currency in more than one officer having the same key to numerous cuffs. But, for gosh sake, does it have to be as simple a mechanism as the Universal keyed cuffs?

I mean, I imagine a force being outfitted with a type of handcuff which takes a slightly more controlled key would not be a bad thing at all.

Just take a look online and you can see Universal keys being sold by the ton to whomever is willing to bid.

This is a bad thing which could, and has, cost officers thier very lives.

Not only are duplicate keys an issue but the mechanisms these operate are so simple almost any small metal object capable of entering the keyway and turning will spring them.

At least with the Ralkem flat warded key cuff the keys are not readilly available for sale and the cuff does have one ward to foil most picking attacks.

I see this as heightened security at only a slightly higher cost and certainly not as high as resorting to high security pin tumbler cuffs.

I imagine this sort of case could also be made for the S&W model 104 but even these keys are starting to become available in online auctions.

Another option are the retrofit security kits like those made by the BOA Cuff Maxx folks. A good item to increase security at a cost that is not going to break the bank.

Regards, Steve Santini

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

#16

Steve, speaking as one who'd know, does double locking the cuffs have any bearing on how easy they are to pick?

Chris

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

#17

Hi Chris,

It really depends on the handcuff but double locking can make some cuffs harder to pick.

Cheers, Steve

Chris100575 12 Jun 2004

#18

Well, although I want a pair of S&W cuffs I'll have to wait a while before I can order them. The place I'm thinking of ordering the Ralkem / Clejuso cuffs from has a really good returns policy, so I think I'll see if I can order both and then return one pair. That way I can compare them and decide which I like best.

I already have a pair of el cheapo cuffs that I may start trying to pick just for the hell of it. I know that I said I was deciding on my first pair, but despite the "designed for official police use" printed on the box, I'm not convinced that the Taiwanese pair I have already count as real handcuffs. They do double lock, but seem to be quite thin compared to the standard Hiatt which are the only other "real" pair I've experienced. For you afficionados, they come in a pale green box and weigh about 225g.

If I order on Monday I should receive the cuffs on Tuesday, so I'll post back and let you know what I thought.

BTW, Steve, I found an article on lockpicking101 that explained how to open the Clejuso cuffs when single locked, without the use of tools. I'll have a try and let you know if I manage it.

Chris

Steve Santini 12 Jun 2004

#19

Hi Chris,

I had actually discovered the method of doing this and wrote about it sometime before it was figured out by others and published on the net.

Perhaps they read or heard of my original article on this which I wrote up in a now defunct escape artist newsletter and merely re released parts of it.

Or, perhaps someone or various people figured it out on thier own.

In any event, one thing the online article does not tell you is that you can do this even when the cuffs are double locked.

Point the edge with the double lock buttons downwards towards the floor. Strike the cuffs hard on a table on this edge and the double locks will pop to the open position!

Cheers, Steve Santini

Chris100575 13 Jun 2004

#20

Hi Steve,

I was curious when you said earlier that you could open the Clejusos even when double locked, but didn't ask in case it was a trade secret. Don't think I'll try it at home though, my wife would kill me for bashing holes in her table!

Chris

Unimuc 15 Jun 2004

#21

Hi,

@Steve: I think the mentioned posting on lockpicking101 is mine (I postet a longer article about opening handcuffs there), I can't exactly tell where I know this method from, but definitly not from an escape artist newsletter...

About the original topic:
I would not buy the Ralkem 9900, it doesn't have the interesting lock mentioned by Steve other Ralkem models have, and for a cuff with standard-key I'd prefer a S&W or Hiatts. My first cuff was a clejuso, their advantage is the double lock which can be applied without a key, but as mentioned this also is their big security problem. Some new Ralkems also have this possibility without having that security problem (as far as I can tell), so if you want a finger appliable double lock go for one of those, in all other cases go get a S&W or Hiatts.

Oh, and @Steve again: I managed to open the Ralkem 9924 with a simple double-l-shaped piece of wire (actually a thin tension tool), by operating both tooth of the lock after each other, by doing so the cuff can be widened one click at a time, takes quite a while but after a few minutes you're out For security I'd take a Kyong Chang 701, it has three SEPERATED (unlike the three from the Hiatts) toothrows and is the hardest to open cuff I had in my hands so far. In fact the only one I couldn't open without the correct key so far...

Unimuc

Steve Santini 15 Jun 2004

#22

Hi,

Yes, the Ralkems can be picked as almost any cuff can. You mentioned you used a double toothed tension tool to accomplish this.

The odds that a prisoner is going to have a device like this on them let alone know how to use it is questionable.

However, on the Clejuso, the mechanism is even more simple and all one needs is no tool at all or a simple section of bent wire with a single hook at one end.

There is weak security in the Clejuso cuff and this is why I chose the Ralkem flat key cuffs out of the initial choices.

If the security and qualiity of manufacture are primary, I would choose Ralkem over the Clejuso models 11,12 anyday.

Of course if I had my choice about a VERY secure handcuff my choice would be very different again!

I certainly agree with you that three independant ratchets are harder to pick then two!

Regards, Steve Santini

Chris100575 15 Jun 2004

#23

Hi,

A quick hunt around on eBay turned up a pair of S&W M300's, so bearing in mind everything that had been said about build quality and comfort I went for those. They seem to be very well built, and have nicely smoothed off edges so they're quite comfortable.

Having had a play with them, I was surprised just how much the hinged design restricts movement! The only slight snag is that the double locking mechanism is awkward to engage while wearing them because of its position. Push pin double locks would be easier, which I notice the newer version has. Probably not to make it easier for prisoners to lock themselves into them though! Getting out of them even with the key is much harder than chain-linked cuffs because of the restricted movement.

They were cheaper than the Clejuso 11's too!

Chris

Unimuc 16 Jun 2004

#24

Hi,

@Chris: as I said, the only advantage of the clejusos is the finger-activateable double lock which also can be found in the newest Ralkem models, for a "standard-key" cuff I'd chose a S&W or Hiatts, for a more secure model a Ralkem 9924 (which also has the finger activateable doublelock opposed to the older 9921), chances someone you cuff has the Ralkem key are very odd

@Steve: I didn't use a two-toothed tool, the second part of the "L" is just used as handle. My technique can theoretically be used with any L-shaped piece of metal as I only manipulate one of the two lockings at a time, but I must admit I horribly failed last weekend when trying it locked into a Ralkem 9930 using a bent keyring

About which handcuff to chose for maximum security I think I'll start a new thread...

Unimuc

Chris100575 16 Jun 2004

#25

While I still like the Clejuso aesthetically, it sounds like they're not very good at all. Just goes to show, you don't always get what you pay for! It's a while since I handled a pair of Hiatts cuffs, so I'll bow to superior knowledge on the sharp edges.

My next pair? I'm not going to bother with the Ralkem 9900, as they're pretty much a copy of the S&W M100 but more expensive. I think I'll wait a few weeks and order a pair of S&W M100's from Handcuff Warehouse. My M300's are the satin nickel finish, so I'm thinking of getting a blued pair.

Chris

Noah Harbinger 21 Jul 2004

#26

If a handcuff with a nonstandard key were adopted by a force, all that would mean is the criminal element in the area who wanted to escape such handcuffs would carry that key, instead of the universal key.

Security by obscurity is inherently flawed. It might make things marginally more difficult, but in the long run it is no more secure.

Matt 22 Jul 2004

#27

Regarding handcuff security, there is one British police force who don't use the standard rigid cuffs (which are either Hiatts Speedcuffs or the Kwik-Kuf things that are similar but don't appear to be of the same quality at all) or the Hiatts 2050s as at least one force do. That's Sussex Police, and they carry Chubb Detainers, which although being chain link cuffs and thus less restrictive than the rigid or hinged cuffs almost everyone else uses, do have what can only be described as a nonstandard key.

Not requiring a key to activate the double locks also strikes me as a good idea, as I've heard numerous complaints from my friends in the police about double locking cuffs and how fiddly it can be, especially with a struggling prisoner, which is when you most want to do it as they're more likely to accidentally or deliberately tighten the cuffs, and the drawback (i.e. the risk of engaging the double lock while removing them from their pouch to use them) seems fairly minimal in practice. Although that said, I have to say I've never talked to a Sussex officer about how the cuffs pan out on duty, so that's just speculation.

Dennis 12 Sep 2005

#28

We have not had very good experiences with our Hiatt's and as a result, have stopped using them. We had a prisoner break out of the Hiatt leg irons during an altercation (bad timing). Additionally, the Hiatt's appear to be more vulnerable to "splitting" using the following arm of the cuff.

For what it's worth, we also use both S/W and Peerless. Both are good, but the S/W are easier to find the double lock mechanism.

josef5 13 Sep 2005

#29

Hi Chris,

I´m from the Czech Republic, so I know RALKEM cuffs very well. To be frank they are perfect. To tell the truth their edges are little bit sharper than in case of SMITH-WESSON, but are as sharp as in case of CLEJUSO.

In terms of their finish model 9900 is available in nickel only, all other models are available in nickel or in black version - it´s up to you.

I have all their cuffs and I am extremely satisfied, I can not compare with SMITH-WESSON, because I was unable to obtain them here for a normal price, but I have PEERLESS and I find them more robust. I would choose RALKEMs.

Is it right that Discount Handcuff Warehouse will ship abroad the USA?

Josef, Czech Republic