Tower Bean Pattern Cuffs - 1910 with 99% nickel plating -- what to do?

Hi all, lots of fascinating discussion i've found here about a subject matter i had never thought about until this morning. Visiting my in-laws on the ranch for the holiday weekend and they dragged out a couple of 1800's antique trunks to give to me to do something with. I asked them if they had any old keys that might fit and so they bring me a box full of old keys, a few padlocks, and a set of handcuffs. They've asked me to do something with these handcuffs too, so now i need to figure out what to do with them.

these cuffs have really all of their nickel plating, not really sure how to quantify percentages... but i can't find any missing or worn areas, just a few spots of pin-point pitting.

while we did discover the keys to the old trunks, we couldn't find the key to this handcuff, upon closer inspection it looks like the key or a key, has been broken off inside one of the locks.

because we don't have a key, we can't tell if those lock release buttons work, but they don't seem stiff or locked up, they do press slightly, i presume if we had a replacement key we'd get one cuff to work just fine.

provenance: can trace the keys back some... my mother-in law has had for about 30 years, before that they belonged to her uncle, who was a deputy in Wamego County, Kansas. No telling if he got them on the job, or collected them somehow... however he would have been just a child of about 7-9 years old when these were made in 1910.

big questions i have are...
1. do we try and repair the broken lock, or leave alone? if try and repair, how do you get an old broke off barrel key out of the lock, or is there someone who can do this?
2. do we try and get ahold of a replacement key.. or just let whomever the new owner is get one themselves?
3. do we sell as-is, or try and get key to determine if things works, and repair broken lock, etc, to help the resell value? i hate to just be all about the money... but my in-laws are nearing 80 and have barns, closets, sheds, and rooms full of antiques they've been trying to find new homes for over the last decade (anyone want a trunk or 3? lol?).

thanks all!

fyi, i'm trying to post images... found a free photo hosting website... but i'm still at the ranch, and dial-up internet is THE WORST! i may have to wait until later tonight or this week when i get home to post up images. thanks,

Hi I have had good luck using strong magnet to remove key , no need to get into lock case, works best if turned keyhole facing down with magnet at keyhole and draw broke key out, might take a while, also small pick or toothpick might help alien the broke key to keyhole!
yes if u want better price then sell with key, also will sell better although people do sell them without!
are the cuffs in the open position or are  they locked ?

they are locked. we did briefly try with a brick sized magnet that for some reason god-only knows my mother in-law had on hand... but no luck. i'll try some more. i posted pics in another post because i couldn't figure out how to add them here.

ok!  yes try moving key and free it so magnet can pull it out  !
once it is loose around post it should fall out hold upside (keyhole) down above head so u can see !
key has 2 lock bit's on it ,tweezers or fore snips also might be useful !

ya  I saw pic's  definitely Broke off key !

hi again, thought some more about your situation and it might help to explain what key looks like,
it is a hollow tube with 2 bit's starting from the end of the key is one bit 1/16th inch wide then 1/8th inch empty space,
then another bit 1/16th inch wide, both in a straight line, those bits need to be In line with the square slot below the round post for it to come out!
Also yes when they are locked the button will not move  very much!
Looks like a nice set other then broken key and no other key!
try to line up the bit's in the slot, maybe with needle, ect.

LK, is correct on how to remove the key. If that doesnt work, you can consider taking it to a lock smith who can use a broken key extractor to remove it. Or, may be cheaper to buy a broken key extractor from Amazon or similar and yank the key out, yourself. Either way, it should come out. Can be a tight fit though. So, it will probably take some work to get it out. In this pic, key #3 is what you are working with. You can see how the key's two small bits will have to be lined up with the slot in the keyway to allow the removal. Hope this helps to give you an idea on what needs to happen to get the key stub out.   

key 3 looks spot on from what i've seen in photo's for this set of cuffs. after rummaging through my mother in-laws box of antique keys i definitely do not have that key. however i think she has key #2. i wonder if this is another key that was acquired from the deputy uncle? what set of cuffs is that key for? maybe someone out there is looking for one?

thanks everyone for advice on getting that broken key out, i'll work on it with a magnet and needle first, then try the locksmith. After that i'll see if i can locate an existing key, or get one made, then put up for sale for my in-laws.

thanks!

key # 2 is for marlin's

Ok. Interesting development here. I am willing to admit when i am wrong. I was contacted by a fellow collector last night. We chatted a bit about the situation you are in. He strongly suggests to abandon the magnet use on the lock. His thoughts make good sense when you stand back and look at them. The repeated turning or swiping/moving of the magnet over the keyhole, could lead to magnetizing all of the metal, in the cuffs and the cuffs themselves! Making it almost impossible to remove the stuck key. I never even thought of that scenario, but i could see what he is talking about. Dont use the magnet.

Instead, he suggests using a small needle or two to poke and push the top of the broken key shaft to line up the key bits with slots for extraction. If the key's bits are turned toward the lock, you may also be able to turn the key a bit more and actually unlock the cuffs to open them. You can see in the pics with the keys, just how little the key has to be turned to open the lock. When looking at the lock, the way it is in the pic, its just a slight turn in the clockwise position. Turning from 6 o'clock to about 7 o'clock will open them. They key cannot turnthe other way, so you dont hav to worry about going the wrong way.

-Richard Knip-Once opened, you can see inside the cuff and access the key through the hole the cuff's arm enters the cuff to lock. You could also try to "shim" the pawls. There are two separate pawls that lock the cuff. Using a small piece of thin clock spring or spring steel, you can slide the shim into the lock casing, where the cuff arm enters the lock. Using the thin shim, you can push back the locking pawls. The pieces within the cuff that grab the notches on the cuff arms when closed. Since there are 2 pawls, you have to determine if you need to push them back Right Side or Left Side, first. Once the order is figured out, if you push the pawl back far enough with the spring steel, the pawl will click into the hold "unlocked" position. If you do the wrong side first, the pawl will not click and will not go to the hold position. After playing with my Tower Beans last night, i figured out the my unlock goes, left pawl, then right pawl. Sounds complicated in writing, not complicated in practice. The hardest part is getting the thin spring steel shim to slide between the cuff arm and the lock body. You can see in the pics, wha i am talking about. A spare shim is laying on the desk, under the cuff. That gives you an idea of what i am using.

Also, when you get the key out, you can get a replacement key from Australia from Ian McColl. $42, shipped to you. Contact him at  imccoll@dcsi.net.au  
-Richard Knip-

Wow guys, thanks for the excellent responses and assistance. I sat down last weekend with a few thin flat head screw drivers to try and see if i could get the broke off key to rotate or move, but couldn't even get that to happen. I think when the key was broke off, the round hollow barrel part of the key got bent or distorted, and jammed itself in the lock.

i'm thinking i'd like to see if i can find some shims like you show to see if i can get the cuffs open, but i'm starting to have my doubts about the broke key. i'll call a few local locksmiths and see what they'd charge to get it out, i'm worried if i buy that key extractor kit i'll spend forever fiddling with it when a pro could have it out in no time.

thanks guys!

Well, my wife told me I have to move on from this project. I'm refinished a mission book case and 3 steamer trunks and she says I just have to put this up for sale as is with the key in the lock. I figured I'd post it here that I just listed it on eBay.

Here's a link to it, you can also do a search on eBay for 1910 tower beam handcuffs. Thanks everyone, wished I had the time and resources to get these open.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2920828744

Very interesting to see people sharing problems with cuffs and solutions. I was recently able to bring my Bean  Cobb handcuffs back into working order through advice and motivation of sharing on the forum. I don't have Towers Bean cuffs, but maybe one day.
djhalfdead, you mentioned Ian as a source of replacement keys; I have one of his replacement keys for my Bean Cobbs, and sent an email three weeks ago but have not heard back. Does anyone know if Ian may be out of town or unavailable at this time? I realize he is a working locksmith and may be quite busy; I don't want to unduly bother him, but I really hope to buy a couple keys for my Towers items.

Yes, Ian is still around. The email, could have gotten lost? I would try to contact him again. Im sure he wont see it as bothersome. He is trying to sell out his remaining keys. Good luck! I can take a few days for him to get back to you.

-Richard Knip-

Shim them open. I use the spring from one of those dollar store tape measures, or a wind up clock. FYI. The tape measure is way easier to get your hands on than a clock. Once joy get them open, if you are careful it’s not hard to get a brass rod (hardware store, or use the brass rod from an old toilet float), and punch the lock cover out.  

Put tape over the lock cover to minimize further nickel chipping around the pins. Be very careful not to distort, or bend the pins or cover. If you do a good job you can make repairs, then tap it back together with a vinyl hammer, and no one will ever know you were there.