Lily Irons

Hello everyone,

I recently purchase a large collection of handcuffs & in there was a crome lily iron. Anyone seen one of these before?? Is this a repro from the 80s??
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bob K




a href="http://s1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc5 ... irons1.jpg" target="_blank">

Unfortunately not a reproduction. It looks like it's legitimate, or was. A real shame. This reminds me of a couple of Lugers I've seen over the years, which their good-ol'-boy owners thought would look much more cool if they were chrome plated.

On the bright side, a good plating shop (NOT your local bumper repair shop) can remove plating. But you would be left with bare metal and would have to cultivate a new patina.

Hello everyone,

I recently purchase a large collection of handcuffs & in there was a crome lily iron. Anyone seen one of these before?? Is this a repro from the 80s??
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bob K




a href="http://s1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc5 ... irons1.jpg" target="_blank">

Click to expand...

Tom,

Thanks for the info!

Bob K

Hello everyone,

I recently purchase a large collection of handcuffs & in there was a crome lily iron. Anyone seen one of these before?? Is this a repro from the 80s??
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bob K




a href="http://s1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc5 ... irons1.jpg" target="_blank">

Click to expand...

These are a replica and were made by blacksmith Don Pell of Hillsdale Iron Works in Hillsdale, Ontario, Canada. (his forge has been closed for over 20 years now)

I know because I spent a summer working for the man and watched him make these personally using an original owned by Canadian escape artist James Todd as his template.

If you look closely, you will see small pits from electric weld where he joined the wrist cuff sections to the flat bar stock.

These passed from my hands in a trade and were later plated by the person that got them from me before going to the guy you got them from Bob.

S.S.