The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Perverted?

17 visible archived posts · 17 preserved total · topic ID 837

Rick 03 Aug 2005

I have a general question,

I always found handcuffs interesting things already from my younger years.
When i bought a pair of Taiwans stainless cuffs at about 12 years old and showed them at home, my parents immediately thought i had a screw lose!
And till the day of today they occasionally come back to that subject and make me feel like a pervert.
Are there under you collector guys similar feelings on this subject?
Although the things are used to restrain somebody, i find them more interesting to study on how they are made, type of material,strength,construction,development,novities,specials,weak points, etc.
I even hate restraining people!

Rick.

Jack Tanis 04 Aug 2005

Dear Rick,

I am amongst perhaps the few collectors who knows exactly why he began collecting restraints, i.e., what the initial appeal was. It has nothing whatever to do with restraining somebody or anybody or anything related to that.

The initial appeal was sustained by discovering this is a truly fascinating field. It includes devices, particularly nippers, that were ubiquitous for an entire century, only to disappear almost overnight from popular memory. That is intriguing to me. The history of restraints is linked intimately with social history. It is full of twist(er)s and turns, which are fun and sometimes enlightening to follow. More than a few mysteries arise at times. These present interesting challenges. Solving them, which sometimes does occur, is a gratifying pursuit. It entails as much serious, dedicated research as does any other, more traditional subject.

The collectors with whom I am friends or just am friendly are a very diverse group. Apart from our common interest, I can not categorise them, much less categorise them with a single word, much less with a pejorative, derogatory word like perverse.

What I find perverse are persons who pass judgement upon others -- especially upon one's child -- from a solid foundation of pure ignorance. (Maybe not so pure.)

Take it in stride. Rock and Roll once was an instrument of the devil, who was personified by Elvis's pelvic gyrations. Senator Joseph McCarthy was a national hero engaged in the patriotic role of saving the US by purging it of the Red Menace. Richard Nixon was, and let me make this perfectly clear, not a crook. Restraint collecting perverse? The assertion pales by comparison!

Visit some of the Web sites to which the site hosting this Forum, Joe Lauher's Handcuffs.org, links. Perhaps that will help you feel less like a stranger in a strange land.

Cheers,

Jack

Dorson 04 Aug 2005

Rick et al,
It is not perverted at all... Just ignorance of others... I have been collecting handcuffs since an early age... I too enjoy studying the different types and the intricate mechanisms of the locks. I have even worked on some lock designs of my own but need to build prototypes before I apply for a patent. I also like using them in play too... Who hasn't at one time or another played in the bedroom with some sort of restraint. Although, not for everyone since people's brains are wired differently. I can't give you exact numbers, but I know many serious people into collecting restraints and also use them in play. They are even here on this forum and I am one of the few that admits to playing with them.

-Dorson

josef5 04 Aug 2005

Yes, that´s it. It is very interesting to study on how handcuffs are constructed, it is great to see, how constructors inplemented very strong locking mechanism into small lock case...I like various types of handcuffs designs. From the technical point of view handcuffs are very interesting. And if somebody uses them for restraining another person during the adult games, it is their stuff...(under the condition both agree with it).

Josef

Ian McColl 04 Aug 2005

Hi, I collect handcuffs due to their mechanisms and learning how to escape from them, nothing wrong with that.

It's only perverted if you are required to go to bed wearing boxing gloves after playing with your handcuffs.

I would be more worried about the company you keep, those who have it in their mind, that anything you do different to them is what they would perverted.

Ian

Rothen 04 Aug 2005

By dictionary definition I suppose you could argue it, but how is an interest in how handcuffs work, how they're designed, how you defeat them, how you design better ones any different from collecting models of fighter aircraft, or gathering every scrap of information you can on the latest tanks used by your country's army? Sure so handcuffs can be used to restrain people, and some people use them for pleasure. Tanks blow people up! I know which one I'd rather be subjected to.

Some people I know jump immediately to the bondage connection, others (police, mostly) see them simply as tools of their job. There are, however, plenty of people who share an interest in the engineering aspects of restraints. And a surprising number who are interested in how to get out of them.

Or maybe that's not so surprising. Not that they get anything out of me of course, I still haven't worked that one out myself.

Don't worry about it.

Steve Santini 04 Aug 2005

Hi all...

As I once heard in the form of a joke;

"Perverted in when you use a sinlge feather,"

"Kinky is when you use the entire chicken!"

I am not really sure where handcuffs really come into the above but I suppose in a pinch you could use a pair of thumbcuffs to restrain a struggling and kicking chicken.

(just a theory here folks...)

Steve Santini

Rick 04 Aug 2005

Thanks for the reactions,

I (personally) think it has something to do with their fear of loosing freedom to somebody beeing in total control over them.
And for that fact hating everybody and anything that has anything to do with restraints.
(example)
I once took the things with me to school and immediately the plan in a certain group was born to tigh up a mathteacher, the cuffs were taken from me and within a second 3 guys in my class were strugeling with the mathguy.
The guy went completely bizerk, like a bom with a tomatohead.
I had the unthankfull job of freeing the exploding guy.(stil owning the keys)
First question asked by the m.d. was: who do these things belong to!!!
.........
So my parents (informed by letter) were very shocked to again hear from the hated objects.
Since then this mathteacher realy hates my guts, i can feel him think it when i meet him in the street, supermarket or anywere.
With cuffs certainly you don't make friends.
Also most people are a slight bit claustrofobic and cuffs bring them closer to that fear (i think).
Basicly seen nobody needs cuffs in the day to day life, so its seen as strange if you owe a pair of them (or more) just because of the fact that nobody needs them, and they CAN be used for .... (a lot but nothing positiv)
I am stil figuring out what positiv thing cuffs can bring besides locking your bike? (not talking about policework)
Personally i give a sh.. about what people think, but when it concerns your parents you feel a bit mmm funny?

Anyway, i want TITANIUM Handcuffs, who makes those?, there is certainly folks here which can tell me!
Once some guy posted a simmilar question and till the day of today it is not answered.

Rick.

p.s. people who use them in bed i can not understand, i don't call it sick, i
just can't cope, i like my girlfriend to be dooing things with her
hands.
I saw a small movie on the net about a guy who cuffed 2 girls in his
shed and left them there for a long.... time totally unable to move a
finger, lying on their bellys hands and feet locked together and then
locked to each other. (webcam pointed at them)
they thought first it was a joke until the guy left, then they slowly
paniced and started crying. probably this gave him a kick??
I call this sick.

Steve Santini 04 Aug 2005

To my knowledge,

The only handcuffs with this property are the FN magnetic cuffs from Belgium (the lock bodies and one cheek plate, not the bow arm).

FYI, I have a spare pair for sale if you want.

Email me at [email protected]

Cheers, Steve Santini

JDB1979 25 Mar 2006

#10

Ok, I have to tell you guys a story:

Awhile back I bought a pair of FUZZY brand, not fuzzy type handcuffs. Most of you will know the brand I'm talking about.

Well, the story goes like this. I am a handcuff collector and a cop. So when I came across this pair of Fuzzy brand handcuffs, which were very cheap, on Ebay I had to buy them. As a cop I decided since they don't have a huge value a collection piece I would carry them for awhile as off duty cuffs. Me my fiancée and her mother all decide to go to the local Casino for a few hours since my fiancée just turned 21. (In our State thats the legal age for Casino) Well is was cold outside but hot inside so I decided to check my coat at the door. Never going to the casino before or checking my coat I didn't think twice when the lady took my coat and forgot to hand me a check slip.

Hours later I went back for my coat, now just realizing you know she should have giving me a slip". I had to give several forms of ID, fill out a form and describe the contents of my coat in order to get my coat back. I was just about halfway thru the painstaking process when the manager looked at the forth item on the list: "One Par of FUZZY Brand Handcuffs". The manager look at the lady next to him in wonder grabbed my coat, said well just forget about it, thru all the paper work in the trash and handed me my coat. There was no doubt in any of our minds that night, that the Manager thought I was a pervert.

Just thought I'd share that one

James B.

Edri 26 Mar 2006

#11

I can relate to your feelings, but I also see it from the other side. If by meaning you are a pervert, that you practise consentual sadomasochism, well then I'm certainly guilty as charged. And I don't make any secret of it, never have and I'm not likely to. That said that's not what this board is for, so I tend to shy from conversations regarding it. But since you look at the horror of being accused of being, what I am, I'll comment on it this one time.

First, handcuffs have limited use in bdsm. That's because they are made to, in most cases, subdue a struggling suspect. They often have too thin a contact area to be used in SM...where a locked up individual may struggle involuntarily and hurt themselves. That's why restraints with wide contact ares with the wrist are used in SM. That said many SM'ers do ownhandcuffs, and use them for realism in scenes where a submissive is unlikely to struggle. Also people who engage in self-bondage often use their locking ability for self bondage scenes because they can control key access.

And if your question is can there be crossover interest, the answer is absolutely. In my case I come from a long family history of law enforcement. There were more handcuffs in the house than I could shake a stick at, and so it was a natural item to have an interest in. Add to that an interest in different types of handcuffs, and a natural interest in collecting them and I can think you can see where I am coming from.

Frankly, either you have an SM interest or you don't, but I don't think handcuff collecting in any way stigmatizes you as an SM'er...most people here don't have the least interest in SM. You'll find magicians, and policemaen, and escape artists, etc .

Edri

axylon 26 Mar 2006

#12

Perversion is a pejorative word, usually used by ignorant people. As an example, people vary in height, some are average height, some are shorter, some are taller. It's a 'bell curve'. It's completely normal to be taller or shorter than the average. The shorter and taller people are not 'perverted', and the people who happen to be close to the average height are not 'better' in some way. In the same way, some people may find handcuffs uninteresting, and some people may find handcuffs beautiful, and some people may not like them. All opinions are equally valid, none are perverted.

michael griffin 26 Mar 2006

#13

Steve Santini, hit it on the head with his definition of pervert.
But, actually if you are under 50 you can only be a pre-vert
you have to be over 50 to be a pervert- of course thats just my opinion
i may have another muhlenfeld for sale if anyone has an interest

Edgeplay_Cgo 26 Mar 2006

#14

> When i bought a pair of Taiwans stainless cuffs at about 12 years old and > showed them at home, my parents immediately thought i had a screw lose!
> And till the day of today they occasionally come back to that subject and > make me feel like a pervert.

They can only make you feel like a pervert if you let them do so. Anyone who would keep beating that dead horse years later, probably has a screw or two loose, themselves. Considering that something between 10% and 50% of the adult population practices or has experimented with some form of BDSM (Bondage, Dominance & submission, SasoMasochism), it's not all that unusual a hobby.

As others have pointed out, handcuffs have a limited role in BDSM, but are widely owned. It was probably the trigger to my interest in handcuff collecting, but the wide variation of makes, models, styles, and their infinite variations makes it the ideal medium to separate a collector from his bankroll. You only need to read these messages for a half hour to see what lunatics we collectors are. (Who me? 8-0 )

> I once took the things with me to school and immediately the plan in a
> certain group was born to tigh up a mathteacher, the cuffs were taken
> from me and within a second 3 guys in my class were strugeling with the
> mathguy.

I'm surprised the lot of you weren't charged with felony assault and as a minimum expelled from school. That was a situation where a deadly force defense by the teacher would have been justified. I don't blame your math teacher for being wary of you. It might help to make contact with him through official channels, and on school property, formally apologise and try to smooth over the rough bits. If you can get him laughing about the whole fiasco, you're halfway home.

> I saw a small movie on the net about a guy who cuffed 2 girls in his
> shed and left them there for a long.... time totally unable to move a
> finger, lying on their bellys hands and feet locked together and then
> locked to each other. (webcam pointed at them)
> they thought first it was a joke until the guy left, then they slowly
> paniced and started crying. probably this gave him a kick??
> I call this sick.

That's dangerous; potentially criminally negligent. Leaving people alone and helpless is pretty irresponsible. It may be an interesting fantasy, but good fantasies seldom make good reality. Movies are often faked, though, (Really? Gambling in this casino? I'm shocked!) so who know what really happened.

Anyway, there's plenty of vanilla reasons to collect handcuffs and similar iron mongery. The bembers of this forum have laid out many of them. It's a much more approachable collection activity than, say, gun collecting, or collecting vintage automobiles. And the collection is much more portable.

Enjoy!

Bruce Thomson 26 Mar 2006

#15

I think that when people insist on rehashing tired jokes when you mention handcuff collecting really shows that people like to say things to embarrass others. Yet, there have been a few occasions when someone had freaked out at the sight of some of my handcuffs sitting on the shelf, only to ask later to try one on.
The recent newspaper article on my collection prompted several contacts of an uninteresting nature and my response is the same as always - no thanks, not my thing.
Do what thou wilt save harm none.

Crux 27 Mar 2006

#16

Do no harm. No harm, no foul.

"Perversion" is a rather mild term (often used in jest) compared to what can be used to describe the sickeningly harmful possibilities engendered by a poisoned soul. If you call me a pervert for collecting, escaping or playing, I'm not bothered in the least as I have done no harm. You can look at them, hold them or try them on - and here is the key.

Margarette 27 Mar 2006

#17

I will admit that my handcuff collection is in its infant stage, but I did have an occurence that had me realize it's not your typical item to collect. I was interviewing for a job. No, not the church secretary job. I was asked by the interview-ers (a man and a woman) to tell them something about myself that was not contained on the job application - something unique. I mentioned that I collect handcuffs. The man in the interview looked at me and without hesitation said, "If you were a man, I'd be all over you right now!" Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't get that job.
Then, there was the time I was working on an escape routine and had all my "performance" cuffs laid out trying to decide which ones I wanted to use. My younger son walked into the room and picked up a pair of cuffs. My response to his actions...."No sweetie, don't play with those cuffs...Mommy is working with those....play with these cuffs!" Somehow, I don't think that's a typical conversation in a middle-class American household! Then again, most people say I am anything but typical!

Margarette