Hiatt Reliant

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Wow, I've never seen those but like them alot. How long were they made?

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

What's an alot?

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Definition for alot:
Web definitions: Alot () is a town and nagar panchayat in the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, India..
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alot

I wonder if they sell cuff there?

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Never heard of alot but here is a good recipe for elote.
Perfect for summer too.

http://www.thekitchn.com/templatehow-to ... at-h-92592

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

How long were they made?

About 10 inches.

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

These were made for many generations and is a very old favorite here in Mexico.
I remember eating these when visiting my great grandmother many, many years ago.

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

And was she the one who was the mother of your uncle who was your first cousin on your father's side? The ones who didn't get married?

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Married?
Not familiar with that word.
What this mean?

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

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The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt
June 24 2007 at 9:03 AM
Joseph Lauher

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The picture below shows for versions of the Hiatt's Peerless handcuff. I just bought cuff C.

Who can put these four cuffs in order of age? And can anyone give me a definite date for any of them? In theory the first Hiatt Peerless cuffs came out in the late 1930s, but I don't know that any of these is that old.

Cuff D is thought to be latest and last model. It has the exposed rivets that became common with more modern Hiatt handcuffs. But note there is no groove on the bow. Normally one thinks of the groove as an addition. Here it is a deletion.

Cuff C also lacks the groove on the bow. Does that mean it is also a later model or is it the first?

Cuffs A and B only differ by the swivel. The swivel of A matchs C. So one possible ordering might be B-A-C-D.

Any information or good guesses would be welcome.
Joe




Respond to this message

Author Reply
Stan Willis
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 24 2007, 10:41 AM


Hi Joe:
You are missing what I think is the 1930's model. It is identical to the Peerless of the time, and the latest patent date is August, 1932. The later styles, with the DL on the rear, and the change from connecting links to swivel may have been to avoid paying Peerless for the rights to make a similar cuff. I have a "C" model that has no markings.






patrick-handboeienfreak
hiatts peerless June 24 2007, 12:20 PM


hi joe

I 've got model c and the model stan mentioned
I think the model stan mention is the first
hiatts peerless model but I can be wrong
the only thing I know that customs in Holland uses
this model
hope this helps a bit

best

patrick-handboeienfreak





Mikeintightpants
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 24 2007, 6:54 PM


It was a long time ago, but I guess round about the early-70's, I purchased a pair of Hiatt Peerless and the things I remember about them were that they had the chain connection (with swivel on each cuff), just like the ones in your pic Stan, and the quality was excellent. These were brand new, in the box, but I'm not saying they were then-current production, they could well have been old stock.
No, I don't still have them! Must have traded them for something or other - it must have been a good deal at the time but can't now remember where they went. But I definitely remember the swivel on each cuff.

Mike
a.k.a. Mikeintightpants
Birmingham, England





Joseph Lauher
Peerless by Hiatt June 25 2007, 4:53 PM


Stan
How close is you Hiatt Peerless to a real one? Is it different enough to think it was manufacutured by Hiatt or was it just a Peerless cuff with the Hiatt name?
Joe




Stan Willis
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 5:25 PM


I would say the Hiatt version was made in England. The shape and size of the Hiatt and Peerless cuffs are identical, but the workmanship on the Hiatt is not as finished as the US made cuff. The connecting links are larger and are poorly welded on the Hiatt. If you look at the edge of the lockcase on the US version, it is nicely finished. The edge of the Hiatt is not nicely finished, and it also appears that the lock case part between the cheek plates is a different material or has a slightly different finish. The keyhole on the Hiatt is larger. There is a casting mark (a circle) on both movable bows. it is visible in my photo on the left side of the picture where the movable bow goes into the cuff.
Stan





Joseph Lauher
Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 5:52 PM


Thanks go to Fred Pittella who just contributed this nice picture of a Hiatt Peerless box.


Joe






Stan Willis
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 6:24 PM


On the side of the box it states:
"Manufactured under Patent Royalties from the Peerless handcuff Co. of America." This would say to me that they were made in England.
Stan





Mikeintightpants
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 6:37 PM


Yep that's the same as the box that I had - and it clearly shows the 2 connecting links with a swivel on each cuff, rather than the centre swivel.

Mike
a.k.a. Mikeintightpants
Birmingham, England




Stan Willis
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 7:14 PM


Wasn't this also marketed in ads as the "Hiatt Reliant" cuff? I've never seen one marked "Hiatt Reliant". I have ads for it the 1960's somewhere.
Stan




Jack Tanis
The Box, and what is written on it June 25 2007, 7:31 PM


Dear Joe,

The text at the bottom of Fred's box reads, "THE ONLY HANDCUFF THAT CAN DEFINITELY BE 'FLICKED' ON A PRISONER'S WRIST".

Here is a Hiatt's 1960 Pattern handcuffs and box.



The text at the bottom of it reads, "THIS HANDCUFF CAN DEFINITELY BE 'FLICKED' ON A PRISONER'S WRIST".

Possibly illuminating; probably interesting; certainly repetitious.

Cheers,

Jack
http://www.editing.org.uk/tanis/collectibles.htm





Joseph Lauher
Hiatt Reliant June 25 2007, 7:38 PM


The Hiatt Reliant is a real odd ball handcuff. It has a star wheel mechanism and double locks through the key hole like a Tower handcuff.

The reliant looks rather like a Hiatt Peerless on the outside, but its workings are completely different.

As I understand the story, the cuff is rare because Hiatt sold few and recalled most of the ones they did sell. I don't know if this is true, but they are rare. The one I have is truly mint and does not look as if it were ever used.

Joe






Fred
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 9:48 PM


Here is an ad for the Reliant's








Stan Willis
Re: The Peerless Handcuff by Hiatt June 25 2007, 10:16 PM


The Hiatt Peerless and Hiatt 1970 have the keyhole facing down when viewed with the movable bows down. The Hiatt Reliant has the keyhole facing up. The Hiatt Peerless double locks with a button on the edge, the same as the Peerless cuff. The Hiatt 1970 double locks with a hole on the back of the cuff or on both the back and the front. How does the Hiatt Reliant double lock ?




Joe Lauher
Hiatt Reliant June 26 2007, 7:24 AM


Stan
The Reliant double locks by turning the key in the direction opposite of the way you normally unlock the cuff. Similar to the first model Peerless.

The action on my Reliant is very poor even though the cuff is essentially mint. It is difficult to push the bow through the wheel. It certainly could not be flicked on to a wrist. So much for advertising.

Joe






Lars Holst
Double locking...? August 16 2012, 3:29 PM



Joe,

This is an old thread but a recent post about the Hiatt Reliant brought up my interest
for these cuffs as I haven't played with them for quite some time.

I have never thought about the double locking until I tried my own set and realized
they don't have this feature. We don't have to forget these cuffs are of very poor design and quality
and my cuffs might have lost the original double locking feature.

Are you really sure your cuffs are double locking? Eihter my cuffs are broken or the cuffs came in two
versions; with and without double locking.

Except for the missing double locking, my cuffs are working perfectly and lock properly.

Any ideas? How does other Reliant cuffs out there work??


Lars


www.holstcollection.com




Joseph Fox
Hiatt Reliant: Double locking? August 16 2012, 4:40 PM


Good question, Lars...I'd like to know myself.

(George B. says his doesn't double-lock, but Joe L. says that his does).
___________________________________________________________________________

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Sorry for the delay, but I just returned from a vacation. I was sailing up in Maine in Casco Bay with a friend.

The Reliant cuffs definitely double lock, but poorly. If you put the key into the key hole and turn it about 260 degrees toward the bow they will open. If you turn them the other direction about 90 degrees they will double lock.

The mechanism works poorly on one side of my cuffs and very poorly on the other side. By this I means you have to fiddle with the key to get it to work. You also have to use a larger than normal key to make it work. A standard modern key will open them, but the bit does not seem to be long enough to put on the double lock.

On the poorly working side just wiggling the bow a bit will release the double lock. On the better side a more vigorous wiggling of the bow might release it as well, but I have not tried because I don't want to break it completely.

It is my guess that this poorly designed double locking mechanism is the reason why the cuffs were a failure. Although the action is very rough the cuffs are secure enough for normal use, but the double lock mechanism is not at all reliable, or should we say reliant.

Joe

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Re: Hiatt Reliant
August 16 2012, 8:08 PM

Sorry for the delay, but I just returned from a vacation. I was sailing up in Maine in Casco Bay with a friend.

The Reliant cuffs definitely double lock, but poorly. If you put the key into the key hole and turn it about 260 degrees toward the bow they will open. If you turn the key the other direction about 90 degrees they will double lock.

The mechanism works poorly on one side of my cuffs and very poorly on the other side. By this I means you have to fiddle with the key to get it to work. You also have to use a larger than normal key to make it work. A standard modern key will open them, but the bit does not seem to be long enough to put on the double lock.

On the poorly working side just wiggling the bow a bit will release the double lock. On the better side a more vigorous wiggling of the bow might release it as well, but I have not tried because I don't want to break it completely.

It is my guess that this poorly designed double locking mechanism is the reason why the cuffs were a failure. Although the action is very rough the cuffs are secure enough for normal use, but the double lock mechanism is not at all reliable, or should we say reliant.

Joe

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Re: Hiatt Reliant
August 16 2012, 8:08 PM

Sorry for the delay, but I just returned from a vacation. I was sailing up in Maine in Casco Bay with a friend.

The Reliant cuffs definitely double lock, but poorly. If you put the key into the key hole and turn it about 260 degrees toward the bow they will open. If you turn the key the other direction about 90 degrees they will double lock.

The mechanism works poorly on one side of my cuffs and very poorly on the other side. By this I mean you have to fiddle with the key to get it to work. You also have to use a larger than normal key to make it work. A standard modern key will open them, but the bit does not seem to be long enough to put on the double lock.

On the poorly working side just wiggling the bow a bit will release the double lock. On the better side a more vigorous wiggling of the bow might release it as well, but I have not tried because I don't want to break it completely.

It is my guess that this poorly designed double locking mechanism is the reason why the cuffs were a failure. Although the action is very rough the cuffs are secure enough for normal use, but the double lock mechanism is not at all reliable, or should we say reliant.

Joe

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Joseph i have tryed everything to get these to double lock and tryed a few hundred keys form other cuffs i have and still the flag post on the key does not even touch anything inside except the latch to release them?? Could there be 2 different cuffs made one with and one with out double locking? Does yours have the pats pend on the reverse side like mine.? I have to say this is a intresting hiatt cuff

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Mine says Patent Pending like yours, but it does have a different swivel. I think the only moving parts are the latch and the star wheel. Without taking it apart I can't say how it works, but I think the double lock pushes the latch further in toward the star wheel where it prevents the wheel and the bow from moving either direction. In normal position the latch allows movement in one direction, tightening the cuff. Unlocked the latch is moved completely back and the star wheel and the bow turn in either direction.

My Reliant looks like it was never used and it does not work very well, one side works so poorly I would say it is broken. I think yours is like mine, but the double locked latch simply won't catch anymore.

Joe

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Hi Joe, There is a Hiatt Reliant in the collection of Corporate locksmiths, Melbourne Australia. Alex is the owner. 20 years ago I had the chance to handle it. It also didn't work well. The problem was that the pawl held the cog wheel in such a position, that when the bow was closed, the apex of the first tooth collided with the apex of the teeth of the internal wheel. I had to move the bow in and out until the touching of the bow on the wheel would shack it enough to allow the wheel to mesh with the bow.
I cannot remember the keys operation.

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Firstly well done George on getting the Hiatt Reliants (think I came 2nd on the bidding and you recognised them and got a good deal). We know that the patent was applied for by Hiatt & Co Ltd on May 16th 1953 and the patent was granted on Nov. 23rd 1955 (pat. number 741000).
My first dealing with Hiatt was in 1968 and the Reliants were well out of production by then. Speaking to Harry LaTrobe he told me about 1000 were produced but over half were returned due to them breaking. Well 44 years latter I have probably come across about 6 sets 3 of which have had a broken star wheel which seems to have been cast in a brittle steel so when the bow is flicked through it would/could easily break one of the teeth on the star wheel.
The original advert from about 1955 makes no mention of them double locking and certainly none of the pairs I have had do double lock! The pair in Lars Collection is one of the best I have ever seen and has the original key. Seem to remember they are reasonably smooth in operation and can be flicked onto the wrists. The Patent drawing do not say anything about double locking and states that the object of the invention is to provide handcuffs with a simple and inexpensive mechanism which prevents or makes it much more difficult to pick the lock.
With my set in my hands, a standard 'Peerless' key will open them. For some unknown reason Hiatt decided to make the outside diameter of the key slightly larger and hence the keyway is quite large. All I can say Joe is that if the key is inserted and turned 90 degrees towards the chain the bows will not swing through, however once the key is removed they operate normally.
Just one other point of interest is that Hiatt did make at least two sets of Double weight 1960 pattern handcuffs (see Alex Nichols Book Vol. 1). I do have a pair of these and they appear to be two sets of 1960 pattern cuffs rivetted together but for some really strange reason have a Hiatt Reliant Bow to them, take a large barrel key and weigh 660gms.

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Well thanks chris I really had to look to see what was written on the cuffs and even though it was hard to tell i took a big chance.The other 1970s that came with them are worth a big 9 dollars so this cuff still cost me 170us not sure it was a great deal but i am glad they work.

I thought i would revise this post and see what other information people over the past few years have been able to find.I just aquired a set of the rare Hiatt Reliant handcuffs and i have to say it is very intresting handcuff almost like a Hiatt Peerless but with out any ratching paws only a star wheel.Mine has a different swivel then josephs and mine has the Pats Pend on one side of the double bow,it also has a briish made stamped on the outside and inside of one of the double bows.I also noticed this handcuff does not double lock but wil still take a reg handcuff key and the teeth on the swing arm are beviled and pointy.Mine swing through nicely (years of use i guess)but still have that cheap Takeda ratch feel.[/IMG] [/IMG]

Thanks for all additional information on these cuffs!

They are for sure very rare and I'm happy to have a set in good shape and
in good working condition. My cuffs have an original key which is slightly larger than
a standard Hiatt key.

Best wishes,

Lars