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Bottom lock Tower handcuffs or leg irons.

9 visible archived posts · 9 preserved total · topic ID 6885
Original topic ↗Recovered images
ken10road 20 Mar 2020
#1
Hello,
Does anyone have either a bottom lock pair of Tower handcuffs or leg irons for sale? I already have a well functioning bottom lock pair of Tower leg irons. They were modified by the jailer/cop to make them easier to release by cutting off about 3 inches of the bow. I sort of would like an original unmodified set.
Mike
djhalfdead 20 Mar 2020
#2
Dont forget, there is an early and a later model. The early model has the key hole, right next to where the swing arm exits out of the bottom of the lock case. Th later model, the key hole was moved further away from the swing arm. I dont have any for sale, at the moment, but i will keep an eye out and ask my sources.  Good luck on the hunt, and thank you for the Leg Iron purchase today! I deeply appreciate it!
-Richard Knip-
Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 20 Mar 2020
#3
These are among the earliest Towers that I know of.
Original Keys
djhalfdead 20 Mar 2020
#4
Mark, am I wrong in the placement of the key holes on the leg irons? I know i had a pair at one time, that they had bent the key, to make it easier to insert, since it was so close to the swing arm? All of them I have now, have the key moved away from the swing arm. Am i remembering incorrectly? Tends to happen after you have had a stroke.
-Richard Knip-
Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 20 Mar 2020
#5
I was interested in your comment on the subject of keyhole placement and I will look at some of the examples in my collection to explore the possibility of this.
I never paid attention to this nor do Io recall a discussion about this.
I do know that the very first model had a "9" looking key where the blade is offset from the post.  Later keys featured the more symmetrical shape with the blade centered.
The rivets in the cuff body are in different positions so it makes sense to me that there is some kind of change with the lock and spring assembly.
lauher 20 Mar 2020
#6
Richard and Mark   --  Nice cuffs!
Ian McColl 20 Mar 2020
#7
The closeness for the keyhole to the protruding bow on the leg iron, (as I haven't ever had a H/C). does make the handling and obvious length of the key an issue. If the keyhole position was moved in later models, that would be interesting to see in photographic evidence. Old and newer side by side.
BTW and FYI. I currently have two Tower bottom/edge keys available. 
Handcuff keys group 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/274871910110997/
djhalfdead 24 Mar 2020
#8
I just wanted to report back that I have gone through all of my books, and the websites I could think of. I cannot find anywhere, where they made a "Model 1" that had the key hole closer to the swing arm's exit hole in the lock case. I cannot remember where that information came to me from? So, I will retract my previous statement on the subject. I apologize for any confusion, but wanted to set the facts straight, for history's sake.
-Richard Knip-
Ian McColl 25 Mar 2020
#9
Thanks for the adjustment to the information. Rarely is someone willing to keep knowledge as factual as possible. To often misinformation is left unchallenged or corrected and then repeated to further muddy the waters. Thank you again as information and education is paramount in a niche hobby like this.