All,

Are there any good suggestions on how to disassemble and reassemble modern cuffs (S&W, Hiatt, etc.)?

Not everyone is Ian McColl

Thanks,

-Doc

I wouldn't try this on cuffs that are worth anything.

If the cuffs have raised head rivets, then you may be able to grind off the rivet heads and drive out the pins with a pin punch. If the rivets are a hard press fit or are bonded in place, then you may not be able to deliver enough driving force, and may have to drill out the pins. This calls for a drill press and very precise registration of the bit.

If the pins are flush, they may be hard to find under the plating. I suspect they will be hard to drive out, so may have to be drilled.

As far as reassembling them, you will need new rivets. You almost certainly can't buy rivets of the correct size or pattern, so you may need to make them.

None of this will work if the side plates are brazed or bonded to each other.

Modern handfuffs aren't designed to be serviced.

Uhh,

Duhhh,

WHY?

Hi,

In a nut shell it will be because one or all of these.

Cheapness and speed of production to manufacture using pressed parts and modern welding techniques.

Security, If they're easy to disassemble then the likelihood of been able to remove then by simply drifting a few pins out, would be a security issue.

It would cost more in man hours to disassemble, fault find, repair and re assemble a pair of cuffs than the cost to purchase or supply a new pair.


Mark (RMP)

Exactly. When you can buy a pair of S&Ws for twenty five bucks, you can't afford to have an armorer servicing them.

Interestingly, the ASP cuffs are serviceable. The lockset is designed to be removed. They have an armorer's lit with a set of replacement locksets and a removal tool. They're kinda neat. You can replace the lockset in seconds.

Hi Doc, to what degree of dismantling do you want to go to?
email me with what you would like to achieve.

Ian

Hi Dennis,

You're absolutely right. I was a qualified Smith & Wesson armourer during the late 1980's early 90's until the ownership of firearms was prohibited in the UK.

We certainly wouldn't have spent time trying to repair a fault with a pair of cuffs however......I probably would have, but the customer wouldn't have received that pair back.

Regards,

Mark (RMP)

Doc, most modern cuffs can be taken apart by my favorite non-destructive method. The method I refer to is "pin removal method". To accomplish this, first you have to press out the pin that the lock pick is pointing out in this photo:

How is this accomplished? I am glad you asked. I use a very short, very hard punch that is a little smaller than the pin to press it out (using a drill press as an arbor press). Once I have it pushed a little ways, I go to a longer punch of the same diamater to push it out the rest of the way. There will be spring tention, so be sure to not let the lock guts shoot out onto the floor. There are 3 componets inside of a S&W model 100 cuff.....a locking pawl, a spring (both are pictured in the following photo), and a very small tiny pin that rests under the spring. The pin sits in that little "cubby hole" in the spring, to keep the locking pawl from bending the spring when the cuff is double locked and the pawl is being forced down on the spring. (*the pin is not pictured)

The cuff body does not come apart on these handcuffs, but they don't really need to.....everything you need to service these cuffs is avalible by dumping the guts, fixing or replacing, and re-assembling.
Putting them back together can be tricky, if you are mechaniclly inclined, you will figure it out (there are only 3 componets for God's sake.....my kids could figure it out) lol. Press the pin (that holds everything in) back in the same way you got it out (make sure you have it reassembed the correct way and have the lock pawl pushed in far enough where the pin can go back in un-obstructed BEFORE you start to press it)! Also, you will have to manually keep the pawl pressed in until the pin is in far enough to hold it!!!! Remember the spring tension I mentioned earlier??? It will come back to haunt you during the re-assembly process! Also, remember to wear safety glasses when doing this! Things can fly out and you could loose an eye! Then you will have to call a Doc, Doc! lol! Hope this helps!

Cheers, Mike

Nice picture but I noticed something missing... The little round pin that goes where the hump in the spring is. Alot of times it gets stuck in the bottom because of the oil they use.

-Dorson

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Handcuffandrestraintcollectors/photos/view/9b44?b=6