I've always had an active interest in mechanical items and, until now, it has mostly been confined to antique firearms. I have only recently found an interest in restraints.
I'm not wealthy and I'm not entirely sure an interest in restraints will stay with me. That being said, I would love to hear some advice for a beginning collector. I've read a few books and looked at a few articles, but I am a strong believer in personal advice.
What would be some nice, inexpensive quality examples of american handcuffs that would make a good investment for a beginning collector? I'd hate to discourage myself by buying junk right at the start of my restraint collecting career.
Any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks
Hello & welcome, from another newbie collector.
A lot of good advice so far. One of the best points brought up is to have a focus when you start out. Personally, my handcuffs are an extension of my interest in Smith & Wesson firearms. That was my focus, and so far my purchases have been confined to that niche.
Like you, I don't have an enormous sum to spend, but while keeping within my meager budget I have managed to acquire some nice specimens. See my "new (old) S&W" post for an example. I have also had to let some really desireable items pass, because the price was just too high. Hey, that's life, and there will be another day.
EBay is a good source of used & vintage handcuffs, but know what you want and what you should reasonably expect to pay before you bid. Here is where the 'focus' will really help. There will be so many items, and you can't bid on them all. Keeping to your search focused will allow you to get familiar with the items you want to buy and their usual price ranges.
One thing to avoid, if possible, is buying NEW cuffs on eBay. More often than not, you end up paying more for a new handcuff on eBay than you would pay from a distributor. You can luck up on a deal now & then, but once the price hits about 75-80% of what the cuff sells for at a distributor, it's time to bail. It's not worth it unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as living in an area where it is difficult to get certain items.
If you are in the USA or Canada, then Discount Handcuff Warehouse is the place to go for new cuffs. I have dealt with them and highly recommend them. But as it was pointed out, they won't export.
Www.thehandcuffshop.com was mentioned. I checked them out, and they have a huge selection of foreign handcuffs, but little US made. Even though there is clearly a S&W box in the photo one the home page, there was not a single S&W cuff listed for sale. Bummer.
Good luck!
