Collection of Russian/Ukraine Thumbcuffs

I have focused in Russian restraints for a while now and did as much research as I could on the subject.
Much of it appeared in one of the Handcuff annuals that was published better than a decade ago.
Gathering up any history of these cuffs, their inventors, factory locations, or agencies who issued them is very difficult.  Not much can be found on the internet and language difference compound the problem.
More recently, a seller from Russia has been listing these thumbcuffs with a tag line of their being made in prison facilities by inmates.  He also states that some of these were made in the 1970's or 80's.
I am not certain of this but this info does seem plausible. 
I am impressed with the workmanship even though they are on the crude side.  The keys are nicely made.
It seems that no two are of the same design.  
John Bushey made several mini cuffs for himself and I like these thumbcuffs as it reminds me of his creations.
Nothing earth shattering about these but I do recommend grabbing one or two as the price is reasonable, shipping from Russia is pretty quick and they don't take up much space.

I do not think the guy selling on Ebay currently, is telling the truth. He will always have examples to sell. I believe he is making them himself, as well as the handcuffs he sells from time to time. Some of them, I do believe are legitimate. But others that are really crude and look so much alike others he is currently selling, are made in his workshop. The black pair on the left you have, he recently sold as being from that area and being made in a prison. I bought one long ago from an Ebayer. Mine came with a box that is marked as "Made in India." I had also bought one of the Bean Giant looking sets like you have in your pic. He sent it and it vanished in shipping. Ive never seen it but was given a refund by Ebay. The Ebayer would not give me a refund for them, when I asked him to. Ebay had to step in. They are neat little pieces, but i dont think they have a lot of historical value, unfortunately. Buyers beware. Know that what you are buying may not be what the seller claims it is.
-Richard Knip-

Interesting story of woe, Richard.

I have bought a few things from him including a beautiful hand engraved pair of cuffs that we talked about on the forum a while ago.
I've never had a problem with him, his prices or his wares.  I'm sorry that your experience differed so much more than mine.
I wonder if he was making these, why he would not make more of the same model?  He could manufacture a greater quantity is less time.
Then again, people like me that desire some variety, would stop sending him money if he did make less models.
My hat is off to him if he is making these as they are very nicely done.

In Russia, thumbcuffs are mass-produced only by one manufacturer - the Moscow company Fornell. The rest are either single specimens of unknown craftsmen or products of small unknown industrial factories that existed in the 90s. A completely similar situation with handcuffs. Therefore, in Russia you can find more than 3 dozen different models of handcuffs, of which more than a half were never mass-produced and were not used by law enforcement agencies, at least they were used by employees of small security companies.

Rasberius wrote: ↑

Sep 12, 2021

In Russia, thumbcuffs are mass-produced only by one manufacturer - the Moscow company Fornell. The rest are either single specimens of unknown craftsmen or products of small unknown industrial factories that existed in the 90s. A completely similar situation with handcuffs. Therefore, in Russia you can find more than 3 dozen different models of handcuffs, of which more than a half were never mass-produced and were not used by law enforcement agencies, at least they were used by employees of small security companies.

Thank you for this information.
I am not familiar with Fornell.
Internet is not linking too much about this company.
Do you have links to more info?

You are correct, I have only found (and acquired) about 3 dozen handcuffs so far.
Having about 1/2 Russian DNA in me, I am a bit biased about these cuffs.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Sep 12, 2021

I am not familiar with Fornell.

Fornel site.
https://www.naruchnik.ru

Another Russian company that produces handcuffs and has its own website
https://npo-sm.ru/specialnye_sredstva/naruchniki/

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Sep 12, 2021

You are correct, I have only found (and acquired) about 3 dozen handcuffs so far.
Having about 1/2 Russian DNA in me, I am a bit biased about these cuffs.

It would be very interesting to look at the photo of the handcuffs that you believe are from Russia or the Ex-USSR, since I'm not sure that they are all known to me 
:-)

As I stated before, I do like the Russian/Ukraine cuffs, mostly because they are hard to find and mysterious.
The designs are not much to talk about as they are crude but they certainly do their job.
It is bad to be in handcuffs if arrested but the prisoners in these handcuffs had it beyond bad.

The keys are fairly unique to the area and if a cuff is said to be from Russia or satellite countries, the key (if original) may give credence to its claim of origin.
The Butirskaya handcuff is about my favorite of the Russians and is featured in Alex Nichols book. I've never seen another.
These swing thru Star Wheel cuffs operate like a Darby when the key is screwed in and the screw pulls back on the ratchet, releasing the bow.
I believe the brass tags are genuine, if not from the maker but at least to the prison.
This makes this cuff unique unless you count the fake Yuma, Anderson and Alcatraz cuffs with similar brass tags.  Most or all other cuffs will not need to have such ID.

I will add another cuff that is about the finest of all Russian cuffs.  Maybe by morning, I can post it here. 

This may be the rarest and most sought after Russian handcuff that was made in greater quantities.
Not very much is known about them.
These are known as the "Stalin" handcuffs and are very heavy.  They appear in the photograph to be swing throughs, but they are not.

Mark, these cuffs were given its name by the late Finnish escape artist Timo Tuomivaara (1938-2004). My set came from his collection and was named so on a piece of chamoise leather.

My guess to why Timo named them so was to give them a spectacular "badass name". However,  they are definitely of Finnish origin due to the high quality of manufacture.
Both your set and mine were found in Finland. These cuffs are very rare and I only know of four set in private collections but there are likely a few more.

Now you can put them together with your Kakola, Hugo Stanley and Konepaja. They are all Finnish compatriots.

Lars

I never met Timo myself but I bought a number of very rare Finnish restraints from his former collection. This was in 2007, three years after his passing.

Here is a video clip of an escape which is probably made not very long before his passing. The speaker is in Finnish and I also don't understand the language.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Sep 12, 2021

As I stated before, I do like the Russian/Ukraine cuffs, mostly because they are hard to find and mysterious.

A very impressive collection! There are several unusual models.
The plate about Butyrka is most likely not original. In the USSR and Russia, handcuffs were made as cheap as possible while maintaining their function, which is why they are rough and ugly. Soldering the plate is a labor-intensive operation, it is much easier to directly  engrave the desired text

Rasberius wrote: ↑

Sep 14, 2021

A very impressive collection! There are several unusual models.
The plate about Butyrka is most likely not original. In the USSR and Russia, handcuffs were made as cheap as possible while maintaining their function, which is why they are rough and ugly. Soldering the plate is a labor-intensive operation, it is much easier to directly  engrave the desired text

Many thanks for the nice words!

Yes, I know that adding a plate to handcuffs is counterproductive  to getting your products out to the end user.
I discussed expense this in my Fakes and Frauds article that appears elsewhere in this fine site.

Tags like this can often be more expensive to make than the cuffs themselves.

In this case, the tags seem soldered on and not glued on as is the case with Alcatraz cuffs and other junk.
These are hand engraved, so someone took the time and expense to add these to the cuffs.  Maybe inmate labor or maybe the seller to get an extra $ out of me.  I suppose I will never know.
I wish the engraving was done on the actual surface like you say, but at the very least, they got a spot in the Nichols book because of it.

Part of my collection.

StanfromWA I have two Ukraine swing thru cuffs that were sent to me to when this company just started making them. They are mint condition (about 2003 manufacture) photos to follow.

StanfromWA wrote: ↑

Jan 23, 2025

Part of my collection.

Ukrainian handcuffs in this photo are only #2 in the first top row. Thumbcuffs #1 are not factory-made - they are typical prison production of prisoners. The second ones are real factory thumbcuffs in Russia. This is the only model produced at the factory.

To Rasberus
"Thumbcuffs #1 are not factory"
For 1000%, i Agree with you.

"They are typical prison production of PRISONERS"
That part is a very questionable, here's why.
All parts are cut off from a steel plate by a water jet in a quick cut mode. They aren't stamped cut as a mass production. I can see it clearly. I highly doubt a prison can get that expensive equipment inside. The different thing is the quality of assembly and the general quality of the finish looks like a 5 years old boy did that in a fully dark room with a sledge hammer. In my opinion, it can be a small machine shop who makes them as an additional option for sale on Ebay.

Im pretty sure my set is like your set. Using a flat key, etc. I too, believe that they are made in a small machine shop with access to a water jet cutter of some type. The pieces are nicely cut, but crudely assembled.
-Richard Knip-

Absolutely the same handcuffs, with the same key, but there're a couple of small differences . First of all, on your pair the links of the chain aren't welded. Second, the finish of the metal is better than on my pair. Links on my cuffs are welded. I'd say, they're not welded, the links are compromised by the welder. The finish of the metal on my pair is the ugliest for a brand new cuffs.

I found that brutality or a cruelty on Ebay. Just for fun about a USSR prison made stuff. https://www.ebay.com/itm/356500913150?m ... media=COPY
They look like a real prison made thing.
I'm not gonna buy them, I can make a super superior version of a something like that by myself. Only a single cool thing about them. They're totally hand made for a minimum of 85% or even 90%.

StanfromWA wrote: ↑

Jan 25, 2025

To Rasberus
"Thumbcuffs #1 are not factory"
For 1000%, i Agree with you.

"They are typical prison production of PRISONERS"
That part is a very questionable, here's why.
All parts are cut off from a steel plate by a water jet in a quick cut mode. They aren't stamped cut as a mass production. I can see it clearly. I highly doubt a prison can get that expensive equipment inside. The different thing is the quality of assembly and the general quality of the finish looks like a 5 years old boy did that in a fully dark room with a sledge hammer. In my opinion, it can be a small machine shop who makes them as an additional option for sale on Ebay.

Click to expand...

It is more correct to speak not about prisoners, but about inmates who serve their sentences in so-called correctional colonies. In such places  where there are metalworking, there may be hydro-jet cutting

Or prisoners of their own delusional religious beliefs. Look out O--O. God is nowhere.

Anyway... Bit of a strange thing to make as someone in prison or at some remote prisonesque location to make stuff. I heard of them making license plates but making handcuffs seems rather odd. If anything, people would learn how handcuffs work which could backfire??

"Knowing how handcuffs works could back fire?", are you serious? Even if they didn't have access to computers, the one person who may know would have drawn a picture and taught the rest. If it was deemed that important. As to making stuff, in the USA, the slave labour of those incarcerated make over $74 BILLION YEAR

But that is like saying "The internet is a wealth of information and there are banned books out there circulating digitally so lets teach people how to make poison from household items because they could probably get access to it anyway." Handcuffs are not complicated things in modern times. Some people would know how they work, and may even teach others how they work. But if you have inmates making handcuffs it ENSURES that those people do know how they work. Not just random chance, now they deffo do know. Well some places do have more complicated handcuffs, like that modern day free country where Bontany Bay was. Why would Australia need more secure handcuffs than most of the rest of the countries of the world? The US has it's share of evil convicts and the best they have is Smith & Wesson M104 from what I can tell.

silentbd wrote: ↑

Jan 27, 2025

But that is like saying "The internet is a wealth of information and there are banned books out there circulating digitally so lets teach people how to make poison from household items because they could probably get access to it anyway." Handcuffs are not complicated things in modern times. Some people would know how they work, and may even teach others how they work. But if you have inmates making handcuffs it ENSURES that those people do know how they work. Not just random chance, now they deffo do know. Well some places do have more complicated handcuffs, like that modern day free country where Bontany Bay was. Why would Australia need more secure handcuffs than most of the rest of the countries of the world? The US has it's share of evil convicts and the best they have is Smith & Wesson M104 from what I can tell.

Click to expand...

You are really making this topic a flight of fancy. I can play this game too. Here goes. In the Russian prisons where little thumbcuffs are made, maybe there is just one man sworn to secrecy who makes them, so the rest of the Prison population never knows. Botany Bay still is, not 'was' as you suggest and near there is where the best handcuff mechanism was invented. Why? who know. Design of handcuffs has no correlation  to the type of crime.  (Please describe what 'evil' convicts are? Are they the ones possessed by Satan or demons , Richard Alan, you might be able to assist here) The USA, economic drive the type of handcuff. Several time in my life time, some have aimed to increase security. Some have advertised cuffs with slogans like "What price an officers life" Only for these business' to fold because the cost for better security was not world saving an officers life. On the contrary, handcuffs are made with a keyhole on either side for the officers convenience. It now makes the cuffs easy to open by criminals. None of this manners when criminals can become President, and 53% support this. Why would anyone spend more than $40 buck for a cuff?

Richard Alan? You can't help yourself but lash out and be as frictional against as many people as possible. I mean the vicious no-morales killers who would kill you interviewing them as a sympathetic reporter just because it would elate them for a few moments. That is what I mean by evil. They are in prisons where M104-1 are used. Not exactly stellar security but definitely better than the very base model usual models. TCH HSH1 and SAF-LOC are far more advanced and the French ones I forget the name of with separate keys for double lock but those are not used in the US, despite the viciousness and evil nature of some of the worst of the worst. But yet the free country of Australia has one of the most restricted and advanced cuffs in the world as a standard cuff. But then again Australia had cops choking out young women and pepper spraying old women in the face for refusing to wear a health-impacting face mask when alone with nobody around them during covid so that doesn't surprise me I guess. Such a free country.

Wesley, you , it was YOU, that used the word EVIL. That is a religious inspired word invoking acts cast by Satan. I don't follow such fallacies, I thought someone who does might help with a definition of the word you used. I personally would have described the crimes by what people are charged with eg, rape, murder, terrorist and not used an emotional word like 'evil'.  What you think is evil will get some marytred and a place in "heaven". In our free country, we took Covid seriously and masks reduced spreading the virus to others.  We also didn't drink horse drench or pray not to get it.  I do like you are having a dig and poking with the stick. I love seeing hypocrites at work.

From what I see you thrive on friction. I use evil as a term of showing their depravity and lack of humanity and you take it to extremes as if I'm a religious person. Despite that I already told you my stance on religion, so you "seeming confused" is not accidental. It is on purpose. I get as frustrated with you as others and since seemingly there is no moderation on this forum, you either get a free pass or someone says something. But whether someone says something or not, you don't learn from it, you just concoct a carefully crafted response to further tensions and aggravations in a calculated way. I have seen it. In my opinion, you have been a benefit to the community with your mechanical skills and making things, whether keys or reproduction cuffs. But you as a person and your interactions are a toxic blight on this forum, in my opinion. I have tested the waters myself communicating with you to see how you respond and it confirms it for me. This forum needs moderation. There's been enough years of decent people with valid contributions and displays of personality and knowledge that there should easily be 3 people off the bat who could be promoted to moderator to keep the forum flowing nice without the frictional toxicity which causes people to lash out, much to your delight. It's sad. This is a great place for knowledge.

I guess you would promote the person here that discovered " Chinesium" the metal and named it so because it was not meant as a racist? term?

Wes, If someone came to my mothers place during Covid and wan't wearing a mask, I would have caused them serious injury. I hope if and when you might require surgery, that your surgeon and staff wear masks dispite your lack of knowledge. 

Episcopalogist wrote: ↑

Jan 27, 2025

Or prisoners of their own delusional religious beliefs. Look out O--O. God is nowhere.

Thanks, that made my day .

Wesley, for your info.  Note : 'supernatural'  the claim that no ever, has shown objective evidence for.

In my humble opinion about the high end machinery and some inmates inside the prison work shop in some former Soviet Commy areas. First of all, who will buy a very expensive and a very precision equipment for a prison? Second, who will service that, who will make a regular maintenance and buy some parts??? Third, I can not imagine what kind of stuff you can create inside the correctional institution to deserve that equipment. The last and the main thing, who will operate that equipment? An armed robbery guy or a cocane dealer?I have my own industrial laser cutting machine and a small CNC machine for over a decade. I'm fully trained with that from the manufacturers. An extra trainings, i have a very good machinists and guess what. Sometimes we got Fu.... Kt because it's kinda not a barbecue. In my opinion, no one will buy that equipment because of high rotation personal. You can't just inprison a machinist because you need one. You can't give an access to inmates to that machines, they will make weapons IF THEY CAN OPERATE THAT . As an example, in Japan there's the correctional prison institution as a labor of inmates . That not a stupid contry in the world. Guess what?  Inmates make only shoes, license plates and prison uniform ONLY. A super easy and a super quick adjucation process.
I'm not trying to bully or disrespect any of opinions. That just are my opinions about that. At least we have something to collect.

StanfromWA, wise words. Facts, knowledge and experience should dictate comments and not emotional thoughts of what might or could be. In regard to these thumbuffs , if people think prisoners has access to plasma or water cutters, why wouldn't they have access to better welding technques? 

Thank you Ian McColl. On the top of that, where's a quality control of the welding. A good cut, a good key, but the welding. That part I've lost .

I made lots of these thumbcuffs in die cast alloy back in the late 1990's, Chrome or nickle plated. My design based on the Manilla police issue thumbcuffs.

To discharge the atmosphere of this topic, I'll revile a secret. I've been waiting for a couple of rare handcuffs. My lovely wife ordered them to me from a post Soviet area , secretly. Right now, she confessed to me about that. They are on the way to me. Let's face them. The big cuffs , look like a factory made. Maybe in small quantities.The key is a cruelty of a hand made, probably an aftermarket . The small cuffs , look like a specific production of the factory who makes AK rifles. The rivets look like the same shape with the AK. It means a factory machinery. What are you opinions of them? Let's jump on them.

StanfromWA wrote: ↑

Jan 28, 2025

To discharge the atmosphere of this topic, I'll revile a secret. I've been waiting for a couple of rare handcuffs. My lovely wife ordered them to me from a post Soviet area , secretly. Right now, she convinced to me about that. They are on the way to me. Let's face them. The big cuffs , looks like a factory made. Maybe in small quantities.The key is a cruelty of a hand made, probably an aftermarket . The small cuffs , looks like a specific production of the factory who makes AK rifles. The rivets look like the same shape with the AK. It means a factory machinery. What are you opinions of them? Let's jump on them.

The big cuffs are Soviet made and probably was early version of Russian BRS-1. On some samples of a such cuffs the triangular stamp OTK (Russian analog of Quality Pass Control). Soviet (not Russian)  Handcuffs are relatively rare because in USSR handcuffs was not in free market . Exists in two modification - flat and round key.

A few of mine that may not have been on this site before

These were an eBay win and were listed in the Alex Nichols book
Butisrkaya Prison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butyrka_prison

I guess the spelling got changed when they were listed on eBay

Hello there. My personal thoughts on the Mark's handcuffs. The Butisrkaya Prison is an upgraded by the brass plate a real prison work. Easy and very cheap to produce. Only simple machines are involved. Obviously, the "factory" couldn't make the most popular type of swim bar and a pawl with teeth engagement. They just did a star and they drill holes. The key is an evidence of a simple machinery. Just drill a hole and thread a stem of the key. I can't deny ower a small work shop out of the prison, but we'll never know the truth. Just one of a nifty things in the collection.
The second picture, is a very expensive to make because of a huge time consuming finish. That finish is called a frost finish. It made by a rubber piece which attached to a drill press. Then you just touch the surface with a low speed. Can't exclude a prison, but mostly can be just some factory side job. The third is the same with all of us. Also, can't proof or disprove it was made for Law enforcement in former USSR areas. Just some of handcuffs are meant to target foreign collectors. Unfortunately, we'll never get the truth but they're still are some collectable values.

Stanfrom. WA, the finish is also known as Engine turning or Jeweling 

A different name, but the same ending. I like to do so for some knifes or some of my hand tools. Also, to make it more fine a polishing compound can be used.

Yes, it's so easy but time consuming. It can make a simple object look great.

Definitely, specially for a knife blade or even handcuffs. For a non collectibles items it's like a second life. I do prefer some old school mechanical tools and some plumbing tools. A Good Will store is a perfect place to get them. A pencil eraser or a piece of a high pressure hose that the way to go.

StanfromWA wrote: ↑

Jan 30, 2025

Hello there. My personal thoughts on the Mark's handcuffs. The Butisrkaya Prison is an upgraded by the brass plate a real prison work. Easy and very cheap to produce. Only simple machines are involved. Obviously, the "factory" couldn't make the most popular type of swim bar and a pawl with teeth engagement. They just did a star and they drill holes.

This type of screw lock handcuffs does not use a star as a locking device. It uses two pins as a locking device. By the way, there are very similar screw type handcuffs with a traditional teeth bar