Keys

I have these Strauss handcuffs that were my grandfather's . I didn't see a reference to Strauss In the gallery. Can anyone help me with information about them? I do not have a key for them and would like to locate one.

Thanks for bringing your question to the members of the forum! Its always great to help someone identify a cuff that belong to and was once used by a family member. If these relics of the past could talk, imagine the stories they could share!

Strauss is a company that was best known for making cuffs that were used by the Military, during the WWII period. Was your grandfather in the military? The style of cuff you have is known as the Model 2 and also has a matching leg iron that was made(pic 2). Strauss made cuffs, as far back as the very late 1930s (model 1), but your cuff would be made closer to the early 1940s. Whenever I dig my pair out again, i need to change the date on my tag. It was written long ago, when i acquired this set. I had the model 1 and the model 2 cuffs mixed up, when i filled the tag out.

Unfortunately, these cuffs were mass produced and made from cheap materials and made as cheaply as they could, to fit the contract they had to fill. They are not known to be a very secure handcuff, as far as the locking mechanism goes. They are made of an odd metal compound known as ' Cadmium." The only cuffs that are made from this metal. The Model 1 cuffs (pic 3), had a different look with a more elongated, rounded lock body. But, all of the models, used the same key. The leg irons in my pic, have a factory key with them. Its a simple key to make or to find a key that will fit and operate them, at a flea market or at an antique mall. The pic of my handcuffs, have a key i bought from an antiques shop. It fits and opens the cuffs with no issues. I want to make the key more stable in the lock, by putting a small post in the barrel of the key to allow it to stay steady in the hole that is drilled in the back of the cuff's body for this post to sit in. You could also use a flat piece of metal and a Dremmel tool to make the needed key. Hope this helps!
-Richard Knip-

Thank you Richard! I was told my Grandfather was in the police Department in Chicago for a short time and got the cuffs there. He was in the navy in WW2 so I will have to dig in on his history to see if he was actually an MP. I have with to do! Thank you for the explanation!
-Dave

Youre welcome, Dave! I wouldnt doubt that they may have been issued through the Police Department, as well. Im sure they were also used by Police Departments. Since their cost was low to buy them, I could see Police Departments trying to save a few bucks, when buying equipment that would be issued to their officers.

The Navy could have also used Strauss cuffs, though their main contracts for restraints during WWII was with the Harvard Lock Co. The Harvard cuffs and the Strauss cuffs are very similar in design. One drawback to the Harvard cuffs is that most came in a flat black oxide (blued) type coating that tended to rust very easily, when constantly exposed to the salty air of the seas. A nickel plated version came out, later in the production run, but ive never seen one that was stamped as U.S. Navy issue. Harvard cuffs are also much easier to come across, even as "New Old Stock", than a Strauss Cuff is. If you are lucky enough to find a Harvard cuff with its original box, the boxes are quite often stamped with "USN" to designate their original use was meant to be for the U.S. Navy.
-Richard Knip-

djhalfdead wrote: ↑

Jan 14, 2021

Unfortunately, these cuffs were mass produced and made from cheap materials and made as cheaply as they could, to fit the contract they had to fill. They are not known to be a very secure handcuff, as far as the locking mechanism goes.  They are made of an odd metal compound known as ' Cadmium." The only cuffs that are made from this metal. 

I am in a corrective/argumentative mood today.

I can recall from my days in chemistry class that Cadmium is NOT a compound and is an element.
Joe L. will certainly know for sure, but I am willing to place a bet on it.
I believe the cuff was not made of Cadmium but of steel and Cadmium plated to reduce the rust exposure.

They were a cheap cuff but still better than many of today's imported junk which are made of Chineseium.

Ah. Thank you for pointing that out, Mark! Yes, you are correct. Cadmium, is a Chemical Element listed as Atomic number 48. It would make sense why the cuffs are steel, then coated with cadmium. When i saw them described as having cadmium in their construction, i guess i never questioned it or looked much further into it? They are definitely made better than a lot of the cheap "Chineseium" cuffs we see today. The lock, in my eyes was their weak part, however. The solid post key just made for a wide open entry into the internals of the locking mechanism and allowed for too many objects to be used to release the pawl. At least Harvard went the extra step to include the centering posts in their lock, to restrict what could be used as a pick. I would think a standard Strauss cuff would have been a huge escape risk. Even just using a split pawl, would have at least offered some protection. Cadmium did do a better job at resisting rust on the cuffs. Makes you wonder why it was never used by any other companies, that would have cuffs used in similar situations? Just my two cents.
-Richard Knip-

I had to look up Cadmium and learned that it is a known carcinogen.
I am not sure when they realized that this material is toxic but at some point, they stopped using it.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Jan 16, 2021

 imported junk which are made of Chineseium.

ya'll make me a proud boy with that slur, that will teach em' pal.