The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Crockett & Kelly Cuffs

25 visible archived posts · 25 preserved total · topic ID 7109

ronspitz 23 Dec 2020

I was talking with Joe Fox the other day and the Crockett & Kelly cuffs came up. He sent me a picture of the instruction sheet with and address in Colorado. He tried look it up on one of the map apps but it was not showing any location in Colorado. I also tried to locate it and came up with same results, nothing in Colorado. So I searched again leaving the Weld off the address it came up. The location is about 4-5 miles south of Erie and is just west of the airport showed a large rental storage facility which looked fairly new. So the building that C & K had is no longer there.

Further internet searching I was able to piece together the following information:

Crockett & Kelly, Inc. filed as a Domestic For-Profit Corporation in the State of Texas and is no longer active. This corporate entity was filed approximately fifty years ago on Monday, May 18, 1970 , according to public records filed with Texas Secretary of State.

Several address in Bloomfield, CO were found.

Since the 1920’s Crockett Bit & Spur Company has been one of the most storied spurs manufacturers in the US and is noted as one of the “Big Three” finest bit and spur makers in the world. After Oscar Crockett’s death in 1949 the company was owned and operated by James Renalde under the name of Crockett-Renalde and later as Crockett and Kelly, Inc. Handcuffs were made in the late 70’s early 80’s.

There were three styles of the cuffs. The picture below was found on the internet and I labeled them with the information that Joe Lauher used on the pictures in his gallery.

I hope this adds to the information base for those of us who like history.

Ron

Joe Fox 23 Dec 2020

Ron: Thanks for the photo of the THREE models; I was aware of only the two.

As I stated in a Post earlier this year, the first time that I ever saw mention of "Crockett & Kelly Handcuffs" was in a January 1987 issue of the "American Lock Collector's Association Newsletter"...where is stated:

"The U.S. Defense Dept. has placed an order for a new manufactured handcuff. They are very hard to find at this time, and are marked "Crockett & Kelly, Inc." He (Don Hinz) might be able to secure some over-runs. He is offering them to collectors at $20.00 each."

I have seen these C&K handcuffs on auctions, described as being from the circa 1940's/1945 period.
That reasoning probably stems from the 1945 Patent, that is associated with these handcuffs.

As per the Don Stewart booklet: "Collector's Guide - Handcuffs & Restraints" (1st Ed. Jan. 1994):
On page 18, two models of the C&K handcuffs are shown...along with the patent date of Dec. 11, 1945.
On page 78, further clarification of the patent is given: #2,390,885: "F. G. Kelley - assigned to Peerless Handcuff Co."

Volume 1 of the Alex Nichols book also cites this 1945 Patent for the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs. (Page 182).

Of course, a "Patent Date" does not mean a "Manufacturing Date"!

I'm going to stick with my believe that these handcuffs first appeared in the 1980's era.

The nagging question that I have is:

Who manufactured these handcuffs?

Did C&K have their own manufacturing facilities?...or, more than likely, were the C&K handcuffs created for them - by one of the existing American handcuff companies at that time?
(Peerless; S&W; American Handcuff Co; Guardian-NJ)

Matt3114 23 Dec 2020

I am very sure that Peerless did not make these cuffs.

Matt

ronspitz 23 Dec 2020

I agree with Matt, the 1945 patent was for a anti shimming modification by Francis G. Kelly and was assigned to the Peerless Handcuff Company. The patent was applied for on February 16, 1944 and issued on December 11, 1945. Both Kelly and Peerless were located in Springfield, Mass.

I have not found any information on who made the cuffs. One thought is that they were made overseas and the location in Colorado was just a distribution facility being adjacent to a airport. Who knows?

Ron

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 23 Dec 2020

I also was unaware that 3 models exist.
I will now need to add the missing cuff to the collection.
I have an original box for one in the collection and it has a paper sticker on it with a bar code printed across it.
This reinforces the thought that that pair was made in the 80's or so. I am not sure when bar coding first was available for retail packaging.

holstcollection 23 Dec 2020

Very interesting information! I've always thought of Crocket & Kelly as a "cheap" handcuff compared to the major brands.
However, I've had these three versions for many years.

Lars

ronspitz 23 Dec 2020

Mark, here is some info on bar codes.

The barcode was invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver and patented in the US in 1951. The invention was based on Morse code that was extended to thin and thick bars. However, it took over twenty years before this invention became commercially successful. An early use of one type of barcode in an industrial context was sponsored by the Association of American Railroads in the late 1960s.

Ron

Mo's Restraints Museum 24 Dec 2020

The shape of those cuff look like the American Munition, so maybe they made them?

Joe Fox 24 Dec 2020

Yes, the "AHC" handcuffs certainly DID resemble the "C&K" handcuffs (see Attached photo):

Raised rivets, and their locations; Raised hinge-pin; Raised notch at the clevises; and shape of lock body...Plus, the majority of the "AHC" company business was with the Defense Department - up through the 1980's.

However, I believe that I now finally have some answers regarding the manufacturing of the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs...

In my files, is an excerpt of a 1995 letter, written by Tom Tobin - owner of the American Handcuff Company.
I will quote the parts of the letter that most likely pertain to the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs, circa 1980's.
(Note: the words within the parentheses are mine - for clarification):

"We controlled most of that market (Defense Department) until the recent defense cutbacks...except for the Gary Hart period (Senator Gary Hart -from Colorado, 1975 - 1987). During the Gary Hart period, a manufacturer in Colorado (as in "Erie, Colorado"?--as per the Crocket & Kelly instruction sheet) won the bid, even though he had never made cuffs before. He bid approx. $8/pr. to the Feds., while we were at $9.35, and he got the order. We know his first contract was all late, and lots of pairs had 2 left hands (this accounts for there being a total of 3 models. The "2 left-hand models" are a sign of a novice company who never made handcuffs before). I believe they went out of business or just gave up the work...too cheap a price."

Tom then goes on to say that American Handcuff Co. totally revamped their sales strategy, and entered the commercial civilian & law enforcement sales market (early 1990s) . They introduced their Model #100 in the Fall of 1994.

My Conclusions:

The 3 models of Crockett & Kelly handcuffs were manufactured in the 1980's - Colorado (Erie, Colorado) - by an independent manufacturing company, who outbid the American Handcuff Co. for this Defense Contract.

If anyone here still has a relationship with Tom or Linda Tobin...I'm sure that more specific information about which company actually made the C&K handcuffs can be obtained.

Surprisingly, a website for the American Handcuff Company is still online:
http://www.americuf.com/profile.htm

Search Results 28 Dec 2020

#10

https://www.freepatentsonline.com/D281811.pdf

I found some vague info about Crockett & Kelly Inc. in Erie CO. and it pertains to several patents
(None are for handcuffs, all are for space heater designs)

Joe Fox 28 Dec 2020

#11

Thanks.

That seems to reinforce the idea that the so-called "Crockett & Kelly" company in Erie, Colorado...was an independent "machine shop" or "metal fabrication shop" - that manufactured whatever products it had a contract for.

PaulReardon 01 Jan 2021

#12

Great discussion Happy New Year Gents!

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 23 May 2021

#13

So we left this topic in January and at that time, I knew of only 2 versions of this cuff.
I hope everyone's year is getting along fine!

I am happy to report that of this day, I have secured 1 of each of the 3 versions and as a bonus, mint condition and in their original boxes.
My lighting was not as good as it should have been but to explain, Model 1 version 1 has both cuffs being the same so the keyholes are opposite each other. Version 2 has a right and a left cuff so that the keyholes are facing the same way.
Model 2 has the keyholes off to the side.

Being that these are in their boxes (the middle one was still sealed- I had to cut the banding) the manufacturing dates of each is printed on the box.
This should clarify exactly when the different models were made.

Model 1 Version 1 = March 1985
Model 1 Version 2 = May 1985
Model 2 = May 1986

Model 1 Version 1 may have been around for a while and ended at least until February or part of March 1985 when the version 2 came out. I appears that version 2 was short lived, about a year, when Model 2 was released. It is not known when Model 2's production ended.

If any of you have a box with the date upon it, please post what model is in the box. I would like to find out which of these C&K's had the least amount made or had the shortest run. That model would be assumed to be the rarest of the 3.

On eBay right now is another pair of Model 1 Version 1 made in the same month as mine (below) the DLA number (above the date) is identical to mine as well.
One would have to assume that this is an order number that Crockett and Kelly used when shipping out to their customer.
If enough boxes show up, we might be able to determine what month the different versions were made or at least shipped.

Joe Fox 24 May 2021

#14

Good to see that the information above on the C&K handcuffs - matches my findings from my earlier post in Dec. 2020. (see below).

Most importantly - its good to see definitive PROOF that the C&K cuffs were made in the mid-1980's (as per the dates on Mark's boxes).

And as I 've mentioned before - in the Jan. 1987 issue of the "American Lock Collector's Newsletter"...Don Hinz wrote:

"The U.S. Defense Department has placed an order for a new manufactured handcuff. They are very hard to find at this time, and are marked "Crockett & Kelly, Inc.".......$20 + $2 shipping.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
However, I believe that I now finally have some answers regarding the manufacturing of the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs...

In my files, is an excerpt of a 1995 letter, written by Tom Tobin - owner of the American Handcuff Company.
I will quote the parts of the letter that most likely pertain to the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs, circa 1980's.
(Note: the words within the parentheses are mine - for clarification):

"We controlled most of that market (Defense Department) until the recent defense cutbacks...except for the Gary Hart period (Senator Gary Hart -from Colorado, 1975 - 1987). During the Gary Hart period, a manufacturer in Colorado (as in "Erie, Colorado"?--as per the Crocket & Kelly instruction sheet) won the bid, even though he had never made cuffs before. He bid approx. $8/pr. to the Feds., while we were at $9.35, and he got the order. We know his first contract was all late, and lots of pairs had 2 left hands (this accounts for there being a total of 3 models. The "2 left-hand models" are a sign of a novice company who never made handcuffs before). I believe they went out of business or just gave up the work...too cheap a price."

My Conclusions:

The 3 models of Crockett & Kelly handcuffs were manufactured in the 1980's - Colorado (Erie, Colorado) - by an independent manufacturing company, who outbid the American Handcuff Co. for this Defense Contract.

If anyone here still has a relationship with Tom or Linda Tobin...I'm sure that more specific information about which company actually made the C&K handcuffs can be obtained.

CuffedUpInIrish 19 Sep 2022

#15

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334478721954?h ... R5L0xbHqYA

Maybe someone here will find this interesting

sddutch 21 May 2023

#16

A coworker found a pair of Crockett and Kelley Inc., Model 2, handcuffs in a bag containing a bunch of other stuff such as notepads, loupes, pens, etc. There was also some substance that leaked all over the handcuffs and created a hard shell. He didn't want any of the stuff, so I took the handcuffs with the intent of engraving my name on them and keeping them as a souvenir. I have had them soaking in solvent for about a month now, and I was able to get most of the, now gooey, shell off. I am still in the process of getting them cleaned up and I decided to do some online research to see what information I could find and I found this forum. Thanks to the pictures posted above, I was able to determine that mine are the Model 2 version.

james.slips 21 May 2023

#17

Joe Fox wrote:Yes, the "AHC" handcuffs certainly DID resemble the "C&K" handcuffs (see Attached photo):

Raised rivets, and their locations; Raised hinge-pin; Raised notch at the clevises; and shape of lock body...Plus, the majority of the "AHC" company business was with the Defense Department - up through the 1980's.

However, I believe that I now finally have some answers regarding the manufacturing of the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs...

In my files, is an excerpt of a 1995 letter, written by Tom Tobin - owner of the American Handcuff Company.
I will quote the parts of the letter that most likely pertain to the Crockett & Kelly handcuffs, circa 1980's.
(Note: the words within the parentheses are mine - for clarification):

"We controlled most of that market (Defense Department) until the recent defense cutbacks...except for the Gary Hart period (Senator Gary Hart -from Colorado, 1975 - 1987). During the Gary Hart period, a manufacturer in Colorado (as in "Erie, Colorado"?--as per the Crocket & Kelly instruction sheet) won the bid, even though he had never made cuffs before. He bid approx. $8/pr. to the Feds., while we were at $9.35, and he got the order. We know his first contract was all late, and lots of pairs had 2 left hands (this accounts for there being a total of 3 models. The "2 left-hand models" are a sign of a novice company who never made handcuffs before). I believe they went out of business or just gave up the work...too cheap a price."

Tom then goes on to say that American Handcuff Co. totally revamped their sales strategy, and entered the commercial civilian & law enforcement sales market (early 1990s) . They introduced their Model #100 in the Fall of 1994.

My Conclusions:

The 3 models of Crockett & Kelly handcuffs were manufactured in the 1980's - Colorado (Erie, Colorado) - by an independent manufacturing company, who outbid the American Handcuff Co. for this Defense Contract.

If anyone here still has a relationship with Tom or Linda Tobin...I'm sure that more specific information about which company actually made the C&K handcuffs can be obtained.

Surprisingly, a website for the American Handcuff Company is still online:
http://www.americuf.com/profile.htm
Click to expand...

The website was recreated from internet Archives by a fan. I did contact him and he’s responsive but has nothing to do with the company he just wanted to preserve the site. Seems like a cool guy :)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

holstcollection 22 May 2023

#18

If anybody is interested, I have three C&K from the Tom Gross collection for sale at a very decent price. All three versions in a batch.

https://sales.holstcollection.com/produ ... ket-kelly/

Lars

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 12 Feb 2024

#19

Here is the drawing that Kelly submitted when he applied for his patent.
I am not sure what makes his patent design any different than other cuffs at the time, but it seems that the Patent Office granted it.

chris 12 Feb 2024

#20

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑
Feb 12, 2024
Here is the drawing that Kelly submitted when he applied for his patent.
I am not sure what makes his patent design any different than other cuffs at the time, but it seems that the Patent Office granted it.

Seems to be an anti-shimming blocker on the first pawl and a grooved swinging bow for clearance.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 13 Feb 2024

#21

chris wrote: ↑
Feb 12, 2024
Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑
Feb 12, 2024
Here is the drawing that Kelly submitted when he applied for his patent.
I am not sure what makes his patent design any different than other cuffs at the time, but it seems that the Patent Office granted it.
Seems to be an anti-shimming blocker on the first pawl and a grooved swinging bow for clearance.

I am not seeing an anti-shim feature in the drawing, nor have I noticed one in any of the 3 models that I have,

Figures 10 and 11 show the pawl and there is a dot on top of the first notch, but I see nothing there to prevent a shim from riding up the ramp to release the cuff.
Figure 9a is an interesting item and I do not know what it is.
If a spring-loaded pin was inserted in a drilled hole where I highlighted the first notch, this could feasibly block a shim and still allow the bow to glide past it. Figure 9a does show a curved top to whatever this is (could be part of what holds the double lock plate in place). It looks like 15 is a spot where a spring would go.
Maybe the additional patent papers address this.

As this is a much older patent (1945) and if I am correct, a patent is only good for 17 years, when they finally manufactured these cuffs (1980's), the patent was already expired.
As far as the groove in the bow, I would have to look up to see who patented it. Most likely Peerless or S&W OR maybe this design goes back to when S&W was making the cuffs for Peerless. It is doubtful that C&K came up with the idea.

On that topic, the groove is a novel idea, but the cost to machine this adds to the labor cost to produce them.
Without the groove it might be possible to reach the internal pawl, with a shim from either side of the cuff and push down to release the bow, if it were not double locked. The grove may help to prevent this from happening.
If one were to saw/cut the bow closest to the hinge, the groove would still allow the bow to be locked to the cuff body and offer protection.
By cutting the bow at the bottom or closest to the cuff body, the bow would then be free to swing and release the wrist.
Any benefit of the groove design is predicated on where the bow was severed.

chris 13 Feb 2024

#22

figure 9 A is a cross section of the bow at the point where it is marked on the side on view of the drawing. it shows the two ditches 17 and a groove for the anti shimming pawl 15.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 14 Feb 2024

#23

chris wrote: ↑
Feb 13, 2024
figure 9 A is a cross section of the bow at the point where it is marked on the side on view of the drawing. it shows the two ditches 17 and a groove for the anti shimming pawl 15.

Yes, Figure 9A is exactly a cross section of the bow.
I was reading into it, way too much.
On my first attempt to figure this out, I thought it looked like a spring-loaded pin that rides up and down like a piston in a drilled out hole in the 1st notch, (see my drawing) even though the Patent paper would have shown a spring.
I thought Figure 16 was the pocket or drill hole to keep the pin. The small pin would need to be staked in somehow and it would have to be strong enough to prevent wear and/or fall out.

This pin would need to have a rounded or beveled top so that it allows the bow teeth to glide over it.
An attempt to use a shim in the front of the cuff, would be prevented by the pin and its forward travel when trying to depress the pawl.

This might be a good idea for a manufacturer to implement, but the machining would be costly, and I am not sure that many suspects have a shim on them that would prevent their escape in this scenario.
Double locking the cuff would take of this problem, anyway.

If the pawl in Fig. 10 and 11 had a length long cut along the middle of it, and the bow had a rail to slide inside that cut, some protection could be had unless a shim was small in width and depressed the left or right side of the pawl. The shim would be weaker than one with full width.

Another problem with this design is that if the suspect had tiny wrists, the spring shim blocker would not be inside the cuff body since it would extent through the body and appear out the front. A couple or three of these blockers would be needed and difficult to do.

Good call on identifying the correct description on Fig. 9A!

I over though this a bit too much.

Chris 19 Feb 2024

#24

Hi Mark,

We all go off on the overthinking it route sometimes. As a self taught machinist and mechanic I look at patent drawings for fun a lot. The scale of the drawings and the often thick lines make some tiny details hard to figure sometimes, I totally see your thoughts on a spring loaded anti shim feature, perhaps you should patent that?.... : )

Chris.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs 01 Nov 2024

#25

Joe Fox wrote: ↑
May 24, 2021
Good to see that the information above on the C&K handcuffs - matches my findings from my earlier post in Dec. 2020. (see below).

Most importantly - its good to see definitive PROOF that the C&K cuffs were made in the mid-1980's (as per the dates on Mark's boxes).

And as I 've mentioned before - in the Jan. 1987 issue of the "American Lock Collector's Newsletter"...Don Hinz wrote:

"The U.S. Defense Department has placed an order for a new manufactured handcuff. They are very hard to find at this time, and are marked "Crockett & Kelly, Inc."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In revisiting this older blog about Crockett cuffs, we were trying to establish a timeline of when the 3 various models were manufactured.
Each time that I see a boxed pair, I try to match the date with its version.
This time I find the same date but different versions.

This pair of cuffs is on eBay and the box indicates that they are from May 1986. Model 1 Version 2
_______________
In my mint box of cuffs below, the box has the identical date, description and bar code. The difference being that my keyhole is off to the side (Model 2)

Either the boxes got mixed up or they offered both versions at the same time.

Click to expand...