Interesting Hungarian handcuffs!

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

It would appear by the cuts in the keys, that they are reversed or mirror. Maybe they just flipped the locks upside down inside.

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

My pair is at my city's police museum, and not accessible to me now, however -

I have the KEY here. My key appears identical to the key pictured on the LEFT.

My KEY is stamped: "463".

But the HANDCUFFS are stamped: "259"

*What number is stamped on the above LEFT KEY?
*What number is stamped on the above handcuffs?

Let's compile a listing of the numbers stamped on the known handcuffs & keys.

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

My key is number 613.
The cuff is number 463.
Stan

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

That's interesting, I assumed the key and cuffs had to match to work but that's obviously wrong.
My sets have matching numbers; 137 and 259. The keys only operate the matching cuff.

Lars

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi Lars.

I am not home right now, but I believe my cuffs and 1 key is marked 613.

I hope this helps.

mark
O--O

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi Lars,
my cuffs are marked 613. As they didn't come with a key, I had to make one by myself.
What's really interesting is that the key numbered 613 from Stan's photo won't work with my cuffs.



Bjoern

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

What's really interesting is that the key numbered 613 from Stan's photo won't work with my cuffs.

Possibly, they made them up in lots, and matched the keys within each lot, then started at zero again.

- Dennis

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi Lars!

Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned?
Oh sure, that's one of my main interests in handcuffs for years now...

- Of course not only Peerless can be fitted with the Medeco/Assa Cuffmaxx. There are at least also S&Ws available as Cuffmaxx.
- And most known probably is the Hiatt HSS9. Uses a Manurhin waver lock, quite a lot combinations possible, but key-number is 3 digits so I expect not really more than 1000 combinations are used, possibly much less
- Several french models have similar locks. Most common one I guess are the Rivolier high security cuffs, also have 3 digit numbers for the key (but the key is shorther than the HSS9 one). And there are other cuff manufactures producing very similar cuffs with a high security cylinder, Manurhin (sometimes/always? marked Hiatt BTW) and GK for example.
- The Australian ADI Saf-Lok series of cuffs also have an individually keyed cylinder as their main feature
- S&W Model 94 had a 4 pin tubular lock allowing 16 (or so) different keys.
- The german Clejuso 101/102/103 have a special role: while they have a high security pin tumbler lock (very tight tolerances and keyway, I can pick it offhand but it's compareable to quite some better german housedoor locks!) they usually are all keyed alike. Special key variations are produced for official instituions though, for example the German prison Stadelheim in Munich has their own keyed version of Clejuso 101 Cuffs. Wasn't in the need to pick one of those so far, though.
- Some of the "Rigid Cuffs" have pin tumbler cylinders integrated. But those are no "real police cuffs" of course, so possibly don't really fit in here. Same goes for the Master Lock Streetcuff

And then there are some asian leg irons using pin tumbler cylinders. Several version exist of those heavy black leg irons having one- or four-way tumbler locks. And Victorworks is producing a replica of a bavarian leg iron which used modern german ASUS profile-cylinders - the replica is using cheap asian locks (much easier to pick) but still keyed differently.

Greetings from Munich, Germany
Martin

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi Mark, Björn and Martin,

Thanks for the information.
It seems like these cuffs work without matching numbers and 613 seem to be the most common version.

Martin, the cuffs you mentioned didn't cross my mind since I'm not very keen on modern restraints and forgot about them. I have no information about how old the Hungarian handcuffs are but I would guess they are from the 50's or 60's.

Lars

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

These cuffs come from the 70s and the 80s. Still used.

Cheers

Josef

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi,

@Lars: as you mentioned the Peerless ASSA, I expected you're also talking about modern models. But in my list are at least two models older or about the same age as the hungarian cuff: the french high security rivolier cuff exists from the 1950s(!) using basically the same lock as today, the australian ADI Saf-Lok exists at least since the 1970s. Of course both exist in newer models meanwhile, but the basic concept of the lock is the same as in the early models.

What I'd be interested in: has this hungarian cuff a multi-lever locking mechanism (or some other lock really testing for the key's shape) - or is there just a simple gate before the lock preventing wrong shaped keys to turn? In the last case it could be possible to create one or a set of few master-keys opening all cuffs...

Martin

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Hi Martin,

I guess it's just a simple gate preventing a wrongly shaped key to turn. The lock is not very sophisticated in that matter but the revolving wheel is pretty sturdy with a nice action.

You are of course right, there are a number of French cuffs with indivdual keying, even from the 50's.

Lars

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

What's the purpose of the additional plate on both sides of this cuffs' lockcase? Wouldn't a standard cheek plate do the trick?

Regards,
Piotr

I recently acquired a third set of the old style Hungarian handcuffs. According to my contact, a Czech police officer, the possession of handcuffs is forbidden in Hungary, therefore they are very hard to get for people outside law enforcement.

The action of these cuffs is very smooth due to the construction; a rotary gear instead of ratchets. They also present a very high quality of manufacture, unlike many models manufactured in former East Europe.

The most interesting part of these cuffs is that they are differently keyed. Every set has a matching number on key and cuffs. This is the only cuff, except for Chubb and Peerless Medeco/ASSA, I know about which is keyed unlike. On the picture you can see two different key patterns. Stan bought one set from me and his set has another key pattern. Does anyone know about other cuffs that have different keying except for the models mentioned? It's said that Tower DL have different key cuttings but I have only come across one pattern and I have had a great number of them.


Mark, can you post a picture of your key?


Lars

www.holstcollection.com

Click to expand...

Just grabbed a set of these off of Ebay. Mine came direct from Hungary and are now in my collection. The keys to mine are both #613 and both cuffs are numbered #137. Mine are keyed the same from side to side. One key, opens both sides.
-Richard Knip-