Ohknowzimghosted wrote:
↑Dec 12, 2022
Forgive me for keeping it real but here's the bottom line..
The fact universal keys exist in the masses or that a subject is less likely to have escape tools on his or her person absolutely does not excuse uncorrected security flaws.
You do realize the SW window exploit is not that distant from having a safety release much like what is found on toy handcuffs?
What kind of product manager would allow this to continue with no correction?
It compromises the integrity of the brand and puts officer safety at stupid risk all day long. It is absolutely entry level to leave this flaw uncorrected and unimproved.
Why? Because they don't want to spend the money to fix it? Then eliminate the windowed model and just sell the push pin design.
If it's not broke don't fix it right? Well it is broke and they should fix it. In fact they should have been improving the other security aspects of their handcuff models all these years beyond just making melonite coatings and other bs universal size designs.
Sorry but I'm not buying the "it's ok because everyone has a key anyway" justification for a broken handcuff product. I bought a pair of windowed SW M100 more than fifteen years ago. I guarantee you the exploit existed then and it seems to exist now. That tells me SW could care less about the performance of their restraints and it's exactly why I won't buy handcuffs from them going forward.
I just hope their commitment to quality handcuffs is not shared with their commitment to quality firearms. I also wonder what happens the day a detainee with this knowledge releases SW windowed cuffs and then kills or seriously injures the detaining police officer.
Talk about a product liability lawsuit with many more to follow. Ridiculous product management here if you ask me.
The slot double lock flaw was just recently discovered by Dave Cox. He is an escape artist in the U.K. As far as I am aware, he is the first to have found the flaw. That being said, he did approach S&W with his findings, before he put his video on Youtube. They basically blew him off and said it wasnt a big deal. So, he decided to release the video. Now, we could go around and around on the topic of handcuff safety and flaws in design, all day long and get us absolutely no where. I feel the best recourse of action you could take would be to take it complaint directly to the people who can do something about it. Take it to the manufacturers. Send them letters, with evidence to back up what you are concerned with. Maybe they will respond, maybe they wont. If the respond, maybe they will consider fixing the flaw? If they say they arent going to do anything about it, stop supporting the company. Stop using their products.
One thing you could do if the company blows you off with your concerns would be to contact the people who regulate the N.I.J. standards. Im willing to bet that they have not seen this flaw yet? Perhaps if they were aware of it, they could force the company to fix it or even just have them discontinue the design of the double lock slot? Im curious as to if ASP has the same flaw in its design for the double lock slot? Take your concerns to the people who can do something about them. Here, there is nothing we can do. Most of us are not working professionals who use cuffs. We mainly just collect handcuffs and related restraints. It makes zero difference to me if the cuff is defeatable. If you want to get technical about it, thats why I collect most cuffs. I want to find their vulnerabilities and learn how to pick the locks open, similar to what Houdini would have done. I have found that almost all cuffs that use a standard key are very weak when it comes to security. The standard key being their main flaw, of course.
-Richard Knip-
