What did I buy on eBay?

Looking as some gun parts the other day on eBay and saw this metal plate being sold as a S&W trigger guard.

I am sure all of you will know pretty easily and fast too.

I identified the shape which took me about 3 milliseconds to know what it is and that it is not a trigger guard.  I will match it up to identify what model it was used on.

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Nov 10, 2022

Looking as some gun parts the other day on eBay and saw this metal plate being sold as a S&W trigger guard.

I am sure all of you will know pretty easily and fast too.

I identified the shape which took me about 3 milliseconds to know what it is and that it is not a trigger guard.  I will match it up to identify what model it was used on.

Are they actually handcuff bows?

Sorta/kinda

The metal piece or blank comes off a huge metal coiled roll and stops at the die machine.
In this case, the die punches the handcuff bows out and proceeds down the line to get their teeth cut out, the security ditch gets milled and the hinge pin hole gets punched or drilled just before assembly.
This left-over scrap metal piece (without the bows) is called the slug and usually gets recycled or melted down to form new blanks.  In my case, it goes into my collection.  The punched-out bows get to adorn those wearing jail jewelry.



https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ho ... &FORM=VIRE

Mark, have I got a deal for you, buddy! I just happen to have a box full of uncut/unplated swing arm blanks from S&W. $40 plus shipping and you can own them. Would make a cool display!
-Richard Knip-

Thank you Richard Knip.

Since I have most of the cuffs that I ever wanted, I am now starting to collect uncompleted handcuffs.
Anyone have a partially made Houston for sale?

Mark Lyons O--O Cuffs wrote: ↑

Nov 17, 2022

Thank you Richard Knip.

Since I have most of the cuffs that I ever wanted, I am now starting to collect uncompleted handcuffs.
Anyone have a partially made Houston for sale?

Glad to get some of the unused parts into a great collection! If anyone else is interested in unplated S&W Pre-production parts, get a hold of me. Im sure we can work out a deal or two? Mark, do the extra swing arms fit into the plate you bought?
-Richard Knip-

About 95%.
They don't just drop in, but they are very close.
I am not sure if all of the cuffs use the same die when pinched, if the 100 series bow is slightly different from another or old model, or if they expanded in some heat treating process.

Would have been nice to have them fit, but I am happy just the same.

Not quite perfect but they look great and help to show what they plates were for. I really like the way it came together. I wonder if your plates were from the older Model 90 cuffs, maybe? Ive never had a single swing arm from a Model 90 to compare to one of my swing arms, which would have been from the model 100, 103, 104, from around 1991, time frame, since my parts also came with the M200/M210 hinges.
-Richard Knip-

If they dropped inside, it would be the ultimate goal to get one without the hinge hole and bow ditch. Then one with the teeth and another with all the plating and totally finished.
A display to show the manufacturing process.