Interesting "Home Office" Key

A Prison handcuff bought from South Wales.
Can anyone tell me if this key is original. It is not stamped Hiatt.
PP is stamped on them. Not sure which prison that would be.
Nickel plated and very small. Very tight squeeze on my small wrists.
Barrel ends have been pinned in at 3 points and the screw mechanism has been pinned in place through the barrel sides about half way up. The "lug" inside the key which slots into the groove in the bolt is also a pin put through the key.


phohttp://i675.obucket.com/albums/vv111/bi ... ficePP.jpg

A Prison handcuff bought from South Wales.
Can anyone tell me if this key is original. It is not stamped Hiatt.
PP is stamped on them. Not sure which prison that would be.
Nickel plated and very small. Very tight squeeze on my small wrists.
Barrel ends have been pinned in at 3 points and the screw mechanism has been pinned in place through the barrel sides about half way up. The "lug" inside the key which slots into the groove in the bolt is also a pin put through the key.


phohttp://i675.obucket.com/albums/vv111/bi ... ficePP.jpg

Do you have more pictures to show what you are talking about. What I see that is not common is the hole where the bolt goes through is not square but round with a indent that matches a groove in the bolt to stop it from rotating. You say these are smaller than the average cuffs and Hiatt might have done this to deal with a problem of the lock case being shorter and spring pressure. I have an old pair that fits smaller wrists and have noted that problem with mine having too much spring pressure. The soft steel they have used in some older models(20th century) causes issues with the key and threads wearing out at a high rate causing failure. I noticed on yours that there is no shoulder on the outside where the edge of the key would rest as it is turned. From the picture you posted, I don't see that much threading showing on the inside. From this I think they created a bigger space for the spring and using the divider inside as the rest for the key as you turn it to unlock. I can't see this pinning you speak of from the photo and maybe put some ruler or like scale as it is too hard to tell from this picture.

A Prison handcuff bought from South Wales.
Can anyone tell me if this key is original. It is not stamped Hiatt.
PP is stamped on them. Not sure which prison that would be.
Nickel plated and very small. Very tight squeeze on my small wrists.
Barrel ends have been pinned in at 3 points and the screw mechanism has been pinned in place through the barrel sides about half way up. The "lug" inside the key which slots into the groove in the bolt is also a pin put through the key.


phohttp://i675.obucket.com/albums/vv111/bi ... ficePP.jpg

The H.O. lock does not use a threaded key that fits over a threaded post. The key has a nub in the barrel that fits over the bolt in the lock and turns it.

The key must be used to both lock and unlock this type of mechanism. Screwing it shut or screwing it open.

Steve

A Prison handcuff bought from South Wales.
Can anyone tell me if this key is original. It is not stamped Hiatt.
PP is stamped on them. Not sure which prison that would be.
Nickel plated and very small. Very tight squeeze on my small wrists.
Barrel ends have been pinned in at 3 points and the screw mechanism has been pinned in place through the barrel sides about half way up. The "lug" inside the key which slots into the groove in the bolt is also a pin put through the key.


phohttp://i675.obucket.com/albums/vv111/bi ... ficePP.jpg

Hi Paul, the end cap in the barrel is normally held by peining the outer tube inward with shaped stamps. In other cases it is held with two or three pins drilling in thru the circumference.

Any pin thru the middle maybe the pin to hold the threaded bush within the lock tube, in which the locking bolt screw runs.

Ian

A Prison handcuff bought from South Wales.
Can anyone tell me if this key is original. It is not stamped Hiatt.
PP is stamped on them. Not sure which prison that would be.
Nickel plated and very small. Very tight squeeze on my small wrists.
Barrel ends have been pinned in at 3 points and the screw mechanism has been pinned in place through the barrel sides about half way up. The "lug" inside the key which slots into the groove in the bolt is also a pin put through the key.


phohttp://i675.obucket.com/albums/vv111/bi ... ficePP.jpg

The H.O. locks have no spring and do not snap shut. The bolt screws up and down. The key is very low security BUT is different to standard keys. I believe they come in an oval shape key as well.
One pic attached shows the "standard" HO Key which mine is not.
I have also attached a pic of the pins I was talking about. While they are not unique to Home Office cuffs they do make it harder to force out the end caps and in this case holds the mechanism in place as well.