Hi,

I bought a S&W Model 90 from a UK cop-stuff-seller, but it had no markings at all, also no serial number. The shape really is a perfect match, but the overall quality looks a bit below S&W standard. And the most important thing: it has three ratchets. I don't think any S&W ever had that?

Nothing special so far. Some asian copy or something. So I contacted the seller, mainly to ask him why he thinks those are S&Ws (didn't want money back or something, they weren't too expensive and I consider this copy a nice addition to my collection), but he replied he got them from some UK police unit who told they got them from S&W and he claims to have even seen the invoice...

Atame has on his website a Model 90 without logo (but with some markings, my have none at all) of which he writes it also has lower quality and he was told that in the 70s S&W sold some misproduction(?) "B-Quality" M90s instead of destroying them. If it wasn't for the three ratches I could believe mine are something like that, but so? I doubt it...

However. Here some pictures (top is the copy, below a real M90) - note also the small difference in the swivel. On the last picture it looks like the size also differs, but the top cuff just shiftet a bit while photographing, the shape really is almost exact M90 - including every tooth of the bow.


(Click image to enlarge)

So - any hints on this? My only explanation so far is that the seller saw an invoice for other S&W cuffs (he also had some 100s, obviously from the same source, which were real). Or could it really be S&W sold those cuffs to the UK?

Greetings,
Martin

did the invoice have a price on it or was it just a shipping invoice, could have been a promotion thing,that way s&w not out anything if they didn't want more and s&w were gunna throw um out anyway! just a thought!

I have never seen a model 90 like that before. My guess is that these are just knock offs of the S&W model 90 made by God knows who. However, you mentioned the "3-ratchets" and asked if any S&W's had them.....the model 94 high security cuffs have 3 ratchets in each cuff very similar to your's.

Cheers, Mike

Hi,

oh, indeed, even though I don't have them myself (yet) I had various Model 94 in my hands so far - but never looked at the ratchets. Still, very unusual for a Model 90... So does anybody here think they might indeed be made by S&W? Without any markings?!

Martin

I wonder if these were some prototypes or very early versions of Hiatts when they were copying S&W's. Guess will have to hacve them in hand and compare the shape, etc. to known cuffs.

The ratchets in this cuff do resemble the ones in the Hiatt 2010's.....you might be on to something.

Cheers, Mike

Hello,
i have a S&W model 94 and i think there is one single latch inside. Now i am not at home until friday so i cannot look in cuff itself to verify this. Also my S&W103 (stainless steel) has only one single latch, i have never seen a S&W with 3 latches.

Best regards
Andy-58

Both of my S&W model 94's have triple ratchets, but none of my other S&W's do.

Cheers, Mike

To the best of my knowledge and experience, the S&W Mod 94's are all triple ratchets. And I have quite a few of them from over the years.

Yep 3 ratches, with an anti-shim grove in the end, however only one spring for the three, so when you press or shim down one the others tend to free float.

Howy
Cincy

Greetings!

The Peerless 10 oz. Handcuffs were copied in large numbers in the ‘50s through the ‘70s.
One notable exception that I recall was the Italian made “New Police” handcuff – which was an early, faithful S&W model 90 clone.

Capitalizing on the success and reputation of Smith & Wesson, clone manufacturers began copying the model 90 design in the early ‘80s. Even dedicated police and corrections uniform suppliers started carrying them as a low cost alternative to the brand name cuffs. While I’ve never actually owned a set of these clones, I understand that the keys are a tad shorter than their S&W/Peerless counterparts.

Perhaps comparing the keys from your cuffs with those of a pair Smith & Wesson cuffs will help determine their origin.

Regards,
Jason

Hello,
now i am at home and i had a look on my S&W94: they have triple latches - not one like S&W103.

Best regards
Andy-58

these cuffs are listed on ebay as S&W
do they look like genuine S&W or some el-cheapo knockoff?

I sent the seller a message asking about them as the
title said S&W. I asked if the handcuffs were genuine
Smith and Wesson manufacture and his reply was that he
bought them from a catalog and that they were advertised
as S&W. He has since changed the auction title.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250210663474&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

Are all Smith & Wesson handcuffs marked?

My experience is that all S&W cuffs are marked. There are some that were made on contract for the US military that only have the S&W logo and no other markings. The only S&W made cuffs that I have seen that are marked with another name are the Walther gun co. cuffs. The picture on many of the Walther cuff boxes even shows the S&W cuff.
Stan

I see he hasn't taken better pictures yet and I would like to see more detailed both front and side views as these may actually be thinner than the normal thicknesses that we are used to seeing on legit ones. The riveting doesn't look right to me either...

-Dorson

the rivets was what stood right out to me also..

These are Tiawanese piece of junk cuffs. All the rivits are in the right spots, the chain links are a 100% match, and they are r/h only......Tiawan 123 Super Junk handcuffs. They go for $12.00, brand new in the box, around my parts. This guy probably caught a gander at a real pair of S&W's and assumed that these were S&W's as well.

Cheers, Mike