Never know what you'll find!

Hello fellow collectors.
I just sold my McKenzie Mitts,and have been depressed
at doing so. Well, while working at an estate sale of
a deceased friend who did machine work and gunsmithing,
as well as being a Civil War re-enactor, guess what I found?
NO, not another pair of mitts! But, a box with three handcuffs in it. One was a Very rusty single Rankin, and the
other two were two Darbies. One is an old Hiatt, and the
second an unmarked Darby. I emailed Joe and he has one but
does not know the maker either. Also bought many many many
small tools, and have been busy sorting 100's of taps and dies, as well as about 200 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum,
and other tools. Picked up four antique oak pieces of furniture, and a nice bandsaw. Of course, the cuffs were
the highlight for me.

Anyone have any neat stories of handcuffs coming from unusual
or surprising locations?

Best Wishes, John

Hi John,

While having a quick look around a local second hand store, that I had already decided was a waste of time to be searching through in the first place, I glanced at large glass cabinet almost completely filled with Coca Cola memorabillia, sitting right at the back behind some yo yo's, was this pair of Providence Tool Co. handcuffs.

Perhaps not so unusual in the U.S. but over here in Australia, they are a very rare find.

Justin.

Hello fellow collectors.
I just sold my McKenzie Mitts,and have been depressed
at doing so. Well, while working at an estate sale of
a deceased friend who did machine work and gunsmithing,
as well as being a Civil War re-enactor, guess what I found?
NO, not another pair of mitts! But, a box with three handcuffs in it. One was a Very rusty single Rankin, and the
other two were two Darbies. One is an old Hiatt, and the
second an unmarked Darby. I emailed Joe and he has one but
does not know the maker either. Also bought many many many
small tools, and have been busy sorting 100's of taps and dies, as well as about 200 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum,
and other tools. Picked up four antique oak pieces of furniture, and a nice bandsaw. Of course, the cuffs were
the highlight for me.

Anyone have any neat stories of handcuffs coming from unusual
or surprising locations?

Best Wishes, John

Click to expand...

Extremely nice condition and a very nice find indeed!
Lars

Hello fellow collectors.
I just sold my McKenzie Mitts,and have been depressed
at doing so. Well, while working at an estate sale of
a deceased friend who did machine work and gunsmithing,
as well as being a Civil War re-enactor, guess what I found?
NO, not another pair of mitts! But, a box with three handcuffs in it. One was a Very rusty single Rankin, and the
other two were two Darbies. One is an old Hiatt, and the
second an unmarked Darby. I emailed Joe and he has one but
does not know the maker either. Also bought many many many
small tools, and have been busy sorting 100's of taps and dies, as well as about 200 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum,
and other tools. Picked up four antique oak pieces of furniture, and a nice bandsaw. Of course, the cuffs were
the highlight for me.

Anyone have any neat stories of handcuffs coming from unusual
or surprising locations?

Best Wishes, John

Click to expand...

Nice original key too! good one Justin, it's great when dealers don't know what they actually have.

Ian

Hello fellow collectors.
I just sold my McKenzie Mitts,and have been depressed
at doing so. Well, while working at an estate sale of
a deceased friend who did machine work and gunsmithing,
as well as being a Civil War re-enactor, guess what I found?
NO, not another pair of mitts! But, a box with three handcuffs in it. One was a Very rusty single Rankin, and the
other two were two Darbies. One is an old Hiatt, and the
second an unmarked Darby. I emailed Joe and he has one but
does not know the maker either. Also bought many many many
small tools, and have been busy sorting 100's of taps and dies, as well as about 200 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum,
and other tools. Picked up four antique oak pieces of furniture, and a nice bandsaw. Of course, the cuffs were
the highlight for me.

Anyone have any neat stories of handcuffs coming from unusual
or surprising locations?

Best Wishes, John

Click to expand...

Hi John (and everyone else),

My unique handcuff find was while searching in this old barn that was used as a "slave prison" during the time of the civil war...


I'm sorry, but I still find that joke amusing...




Seriously though, When I was 14 years old I won an old BMX style bicycle at the local police property auction. Attatched to the seat support tube was firmly locked a pair of Hiatt 60 style cuffs. (Mind you, this was before the "Handcuff collecting bug" fully bit me). The auction attendant (in trying to be helpful, I'm sure) wanted to bolt cutter the cuffs off, and I pleaded with him to leave em' on the bike. Long story short, I took the bike home and tried to gingerly remove them, with no success. Long story shorter, I left the bike unchained in the yard one day and the bike was stolen, along with the cuffs. I now look back and miss them, cause they were the first "real" cuffs I ever owned, they only cost me $10 and they came with a free bike!

--Vince

Hello fellow collectors.
I just sold my McKenzie Mitts,and have been depressed
at doing so. Well, while working at an estate sale of
a deceased friend who did machine work and gunsmithing,
as well as being a Civil War re-enactor, guess what I found?
NO, not another pair of mitts! But, a box with three handcuffs in it. One was a Very rusty single Rankin, and the
other two were two Darbies. One is an old Hiatt, and the
second an unmarked Darby. I emailed Joe and he has one but
does not know the maker either. Also bought many many many
small tools, and have been busy sorting 100's of taps and dies, as well as about 200 pounds of steel, brass, aluminum,
and other tools. Picked up four antique oak pieces of furniture, and a nice bandsaw. Of course, the cuffs were
the highlight for me.

Anyone have any neat stories of handcuffs coming from unusual
or surprising locations?

Best Wishes, John

Click to expand...

Too bad you did not remove the seat and just slide the cuffs off of the tube at least a day before the bad guys made off with your free bike!

Ignaz