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Peerless Markiings

35 visible archived posts · 35 preserved total · topic ID 3681

Ron Spitz 02 Sep 2010

I just received a set of Peerless Model 2 cuffs. They have no markings except for X's in the area where the Peerless name on the keyhole side and where the patent dates would be stamped on the back side.

The X's look like they were placed there at the factory. They are not stamped over any other stampings but are cleanly stamped.

The other difference is the length of the links which are longer than others I have. The length of each link is 7/8" and the distance between cuffs is 2 1/4". Everything else looks "normal" including the double lock pushpin.

Could these be a prototype or sample of the Model 2? Has anyone seen this type of markings on early Peerless cuffs without any other markings?

Ron

Steve Santini 02 Sep 2010

I bought a group of cuffs that were being sold by a major L.A. prop house.

In this grouping was a set of Peerless 2nd model with the same XXXX stamping.

The only thing I can imagine is that the film industry at one point ordered cuffs from Peerless and Peerless did not want to put their name on them and so stamped them with the XXXX.

I will hunt around and see if I still have my one pair with the same stamping and if I can find it I will post pics.

Steve Santini

Vince 02 Sep 2010

Hi Ron,

Did you get a chance to fully inspect them yet, in the sense that if they were used in a movie/prop purposes, they may have been made by an outside company as a 'clone' of a genuine cuff, as so many products were made for movies when the real deal was difficult/impossible to obtain. Just a thought.

In other words, are the tolerances any sloppier than a known factory #M2?

--Vince

Houdini's Ghost 02 Sep 2010

In 35 years in the movie business, I often came in contact with handcuffs because I played cops almost 200 times.
Every set of cuffs I was ever given to work with had been filed or otherwise modified to pull open.
I think movie companies, at least back then, were reluctant to put an actor in cuffs with the possibility he might, for some silly reason, get stuck.
I am sure, though, that there are directors who would want the real thing, in which case the prop man would have an unmodified cuff and several actual keys.

Steve Santini 02 Sep 2010

I do not think these cuffs were made specifically for the movie industry.

They are no sloppier in tollerances, etc, (at least my pair are not), than a regular Peerless.

In the cases of handcuffs used as movie props, usually, in 99% of the cases, real name brand or vintage cuffs are used and just altered by the prop dept to make them easy to come off without keys.

The rare occassions where unusual and custom made cuffs are used, as in sci fi movies or period films usually see resin, plastic, or lightweight metal non locking custon designs made up specially for the film.

No one would go to the trouble to make such a real and fine quality cuff as pictured just for movie use.

However, it is higly possible that Peerless sold to the movies and did not mark such cuffs with the usual factory stamping.

Steve Santini

Steve Santini 02 Sep 2010

Actually, only half. I must have used the other side for something over the years.

Steve Santini 02 Sep 2010

Is that Peerless made them but they were intended for export to a country, and perhaps even a regime, that Peerless did not want their name associated with.

I have seen and previously versions of the old S&W model 90 with 100% no markings at all on them that were intended for such "non identifying" export.

Obviously made by S&W but not bearing their factory stampings.

Steve Santini

Steve Santini 02 Sep 2010

My single half is "shaved" for use in the film industry. Meaning, the cuffs were altered by the prop department to come off with just a pull.

The other half, now missing, was also thusly altered.

BTW, if anyone is interested in this half, I no longer want it and am interested in trading it.

Steve Santini

bookings@thedarkmaster.com

Ron Spitz 02 Sep 2010

I do have the cuffs and the quality is the same as a marked Peerless cuff. They are tight and everything works as it should. The only physical difference I could find is the length of the links and the separation of the two cuffs. The seller said he had them for 30 years and got them from a California Highway Patrol Officer.

Steve--They are just like the ones you have posted but with only one hole on the back side for the key. I don't think they were for movie use. They are real, just no markings or serial numbers. Just another mystery?

Ron

Steve Santini 03 Sep 2010

#10

In the backside of mine is not factory made but was likely added later by the prop dept in an attempt to gaff the cuffs for screen use.

Steve

IKMurray 03 Sep 2010

#11

Ron; Why they were stamped like that we may never know. But I have to agree the stampings are a "Factory" applied marking. All those neat little perfectly spaced X's look like they were formed by a ROLL STAMP...a very common tool in the Firearms Industry, and they would have to be applied before assembly. Note that All examples have 2 parallel rows of 11 neatly spaced X's, extremely hard to do freehand, even with a guide bar, so Peerless had more than a couple of pairs to do, and had a set-up made to do a proper job!

Ron Spitz 03 Sep 2010

#12

Ian--I agree with you about the quality of the markings and that they were not hand made. I have sent the pictures to Peerless and hopefully we can get some information about them. If I get anything I will post it.

One great thing about The Forum is that we hear from a lot of people with various backgrounds and good information.

Sorry about the misspelling of Markings. I should have used two X's instead of two i's.

Ron

Ron Spitz 03 Sep 2010

#13

I received the following email this morning from Peerless:

"Unfortunately without a serial number I cannot give you an accurate manufacture date or any information on who we sold the cuffs to. The xs are interesting and my guess is that they cuffs were rejected for some reason, maybe its because the finish is poor. There seem to be some flaws in plating, but this is only a guess. I wish I could give you more information but our records are limited."

Sincerely,

Chris Gill
Peerless Handcuff Company

There are flaws in the plating but are the markings put on before or after the plating is applied?

Ron

Ian McColl 03 Sep 2010

#14

Hi Ron, I would agree with you on the stamping before plating. I guess the idea of poor plating would mean, crossing out the name with 'XXXXs' but you would see the actual name having been over stamped and as an assembled cuff, it wouldn't be able to pass thru the machine again. I also agree with the other Ian who suggests it's a rolling stamp and a twin frame assembled cuff just wouldn't do.
Back to the drawing board. I tend to go with selling to a regime and not wanting to be indentified, but still why mark them with anything.
Ian

Ron Spitz 03 Sep 2010

#15

I received the additional information from Peerless"

"I really wish I could be more informative. They could have been a sample or a prototype or an R&D set."

"Today we laser etch the markings into the cuffs after plating but back then I believe the cuffs were marked first and then plated later."

Ron

Steve Santini 03 Sep 2010

#16

Ian wondered,

"I tend to go with selling to a regime and not wanting to be indentified, but still why mark them with anything. "

A good theory is that they were marked so as workers in the factory would know that they were a special order that may very well have been shipped in unmarked boxes as well.

The xxxx stamping would designate them for the factory workers as a special unmarked shipment not to be confused with the regular sales.

I have to disagree with Peerless that they were marked this way to denote shabby plating.

My one half is plated very well.

Steve

IKMurray 03 Sep 2010

#17

Gentlemen; Perhaps we're not looking at the "wrong" thing. The chain links! Most S&W and Peerless cuffs seem to have settled on 2 chain links with 2 +-" between cuffs. Ron's cuffs have been stretched, with longer links, out to 2-1/4". Maybe part of a trial run, or prototypes for a "new" improved model. They obviously got out to the public, so they must have been O.K. quality wise. Just another mystery without a paper trail to guide us!

Oly83 03 Sep 2010

#18

I would also have to disagree with the rep from Peerless. Years ago I use to work for a company welding commercial mailbox units primarily for government use but sometimes large companies. When an item went through QC for inspection and failed...they put it in the recycle pile/bin. Now I work as an engineer for bridges and roadway construction and have been to a handfull of factories that produce our re-steel and/or nuts and bolts etc... Each time they make it a point to show us the discard/scrap pile. In all cases these were rejected prior to placing serial or lot numbers on the items. It would not be logical that if they were rejected for poor plating or any other reason.... that they would continue to waste any further time and effort placing a series of X's on cuffs that were rejected.

Ian McColl 03 Sep 2010

#19

"A good theory is that they were marked so as workers in the factory would know that they were a special order that may very well have been shipped in unmarked boxes as well. "
And I suspect all the workers were blindfolded while making them and the cuff's marked xxxxxxxxxx had the microchips in them. May we never know but it's better than the davinci code .

Ron Spitz 03 Sep 2010

#20

Here is a theory that I have come up with:

This cuff was part of a production of pre issue Model 2's. Peerless produced a limited number and sent them for evaluation to law enforcement agencies for trial evaluation. Since Steve's cuff and mine came out of California they all might have been shipped to the State or directly to the CHP. The X's were used in place of the Peerless name and patent information and there were no serial numbers, since this was a trial for the cuff and it was not available for general sale this makes sense.

After evaluation the only noticeable change was the spacing between the cuffs and a shorter link was used for final production. This all took place in the 1920's.

Sounds good to me????

Ron

Paul Davies 03 Sep 2010

#21

I guess none of you play golf.
The reject golf balls are overstamped with x's and sold as practice balls.
Slightly different in that the x's are stamped over the golf ball brand name but I guess it depends when you intercept the rejects.
Something to think about.

Ian McColl 04 Sep 2010

#22

Golf interupts a good walk.

Joshua 04 Sep 2010

#23

Very good point Paul! However with golf balls...once the rubber slugs are molded and covered with melted plastic you can't recycle the rejected golf balls nor would they hold any value whatsoever unless sold as rejects. With most metals they can easily be recyled and as such hold value in even just being scrap. Imagine trying to market a pair of cuffs that could hold the worst of the worst at some point in time...while explaining that they did not pass inspection. No thanks Ill take the perfectly good relatively inexpensive pair that has passed all inspections

Ron Spitz 04 Sep 2010

#24

When I bought the cuff on eBay, I thought they might be over-stamped. Now that I have them they are not over-stamped.

Any over-stamping would not completely cover a previously stamped cuff. Using a good magnifier, it is very clearly not an over-stamp.

Ron

Paul Davies 04 Sep 2010

#25

Okay, one more theory.
In the printing industry, a small percentage of what is printed is pulped because they are correcting the colors before final approval or there is a problem with the printing press.
If the cuff stamping machine was being repaired or had problems wouldn't you do small run to make sure it was working or fixed and wouldn't you stamp x's to show that these are not for sale because they may be badly stamped. Then they may have been souvenired like a pair of Mckenzie Mitts from a scrap heap.
Paul

Ian McColl 04 Sep 2010

#26

How about this idea?
A number of cuffs were sent off to a stamp making or marking business. This business built the machine and or tooling for stamping said cuffs by using them as samples.
In order to show what their machine would produce, they marked all xxxxxxs ( as they did for every new customer?) and presented these xxxxxx cuffs as a sample of the work.
Once they got the job to either make the tooling or if they did it in house, then they when about the high cost of the Peerless name etc.
Ian

LK 04 Sep 2010

#27

THERY: THEY ARE NOT PEERLESS AT AL BUT A CO. NAMED 22 X'S, HAHAHAHAH JUST JOKING LOL

I WOULD GO WITH THE PROTO TYPE THERY
TO SHOW PEERLESS WHAT THEY MIGHT LOOK LIKE BY THE THEN MFG.SMITH & WESSON !
MY OLDEST PAIR BARE NO SERIAL NUMBER;
HAVE THE PEERLESS HANDCUFF CO.SPRINGFIELD MASS. MARKINGS ON KEYHOLE ENTERANCE SIDE (BOTH FEMALE BOWS OF CUFFS);
PAT.FEB. 20.1912 SAME KEYHOLE ENTRANCE SIDE (BOTH MALE BOWS OF CUFFS);
AND MFGD BY SMITH & WESSON ON OBVERSE SIDE (FEMALE BOWS,BOTH CUFFS);
THEY HAVE ONE OBLONG CHAIN LINK 1& 1/4 " INSTEAD OF TWO CHAIN LENGTHS LIKE MY OTHERS. IS THIS CHAIN LENGTH COMMON ON THE FIRST VERSION?

LK D~D

John Bushey 10 Sep 2010

#28

A friend has one stamped with all "X's" too. So, there must have been several, but for what
reason I have no idea.
John

el-gavilan 24 Feb 2011

#29

Ron,

The pictures you have posted are of the same handcuffs I inherited from my deceased father-in-law. I have been searching the internet, police departments, locksmiths etc trying to get info on them for years.

My father-in-law was a Ft. Worth Tx. police officer beginning in the late 40s and retired in the early 80s. The cuffs have the x's and are stainless, not plated. The quality is excellent and seem heavier then the present day S&W.

Friends of mine are current police officers in a small town west of Ft. Worth and use S&W cuffs, hence my comparison. I apologize for the long post but was very excited when I saw your pictures. As others have posted, my guess is that they are Peerless.

Thank you,

Wil

grenchat 24 Feb 2011

#30

Interesting variant, Wil.

If your father's cuffs were indeed made by Peerless, this will be the first stainless steel example that I know of.

I'm sure that Joe (the org's owner) would like a picture for the Peerless gallery.
Please post a high resolution photo for us.

Thanks for the info, etc.

Jason

el-gavilan 25 Feb 2011

#31

Jason,

Since I dont know how to post pics on this forum, I sent several to Ron. He sez he will post them. Thanks for any info on these cuffs. Ron did say to try a magnet on them and the magnet did stick.

Ron Spitz 25 Feb 2011

#32

Wil sent me these pictures I am posting three of them since two were the same showing the backside of the cuffs. The measurements are the same as mine stated at the start of this thread. I do not think they are stainless but the "normal" material that Peerless used in those days.

This makes a total of four sets that are mentioned in this thread.

Ron

grenchat 25 Feb 2011

#33

Nice pics, but now I'm befuddled.

A magnet will adhere to stainless steel, as there is a high percentage of carbon steel in its composition.

Could they be made of aluminum? How much do these weigh?

Jason

Wil 26 Feb 2011

#34

Jason,

Dont have the best scales but on mine they weigh 11.8 ounces. Not sure if its just my scales but they seem to weigh more.

Ron, have you weighed yours?

Wil

grenchat 26 Feb 2011

#35

Wil:

I must concur with Ron. These are standard nickel plated steel cuffs.

The confusion may be due to the fact that Peerless used a shiny silver-nickel plating as opposed to the satin-nickel plating used on modern Smith & Wesson cuffs.

In any case, they are in very nice condition and definitely worthy of display.

Enjoy!
Jason