Just spotted this auction for a leather waist belt with current S&W handcuffs and leather belt. Nothing really special about it except the price tag... And I have serious doubts about it's providence too...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120454258841&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

The seller seems to be fixated on the $350.00 price tag.

He sold handcuffs in the past with texas rangers rubber stamped on the box also at this price.

The seller is a retired Texas Ranger and has connections. I don't know about the belt, but the Tower cuffs in the box are 100% authentic, as is the rubber stamped marking.

The price for the Tower cuff that I bought was $ 300.00, not $ 350.00

We do know that the cuffs will slip through the D loop and detach from the belt do we not?

I agree with you Lindsey, the handcuffs can be switched out with no trouble at all. Also the letter stamping dies are standard leather ones which can be bought anywhere. Why would Texas Rangers need to have it stamped on restraint belt? The belt is not of a standard pattern for restraint belts and the dee is one they use for saddles and tack hardware. The stitching was probably done with a Tippmann Boss.

re: The price for the Tower cuff that I bought was $ 300.00, not $ 350.00

Stan. I don't profess to having total recall but it seems that the starting price on the texas

ranger H&R super cuffs as well as your Towers was $350.00 or best offer.

As far as the ending price, well I don't follow every handcuff auction to its end and the only

reason I remember any particulars on this is because there were posts here about it.

Now we have a leather belt stamped with Texas Rangers on it and starting price,

$350.00 or best offer.

This belt is bogus.....it was hand made by a leather guy, plain and simple. The lettering was done with a standard Tandy Leather letter stamp set. The seller (or whoever made it) has some basic leather skills, copper rivit peening ability, heavy leather stiching knowledge (unless he used a Tippmann as someone else suggested) but he is full of shit clear up to his eyeballs in regards to this being a real Texas Rangers restraint belt. Everything on this belt (except the cuffs) can be bought at any local Tandy Leather and made right in there hands-on learning area in a couple of hours. BTW, look at the leather, it is brand new.....it has never been locked on an inmate. Look at the stiching......it's bright white for God's sake, it has never been used! It is fresh off of some guys basement assembly line.

This is about as real as the Harley Davidson restraint belt made from a Dick's Sporting Goods weight belt that was on eBay a while back.....but the TR fake belt looks secure and could actually be used as a restraint. Too bad this guy stamped it up with those cheesy letters.

I have made a lot of restraint belts similar to the one up for auction and I have spent a lot of time at my local Tandy Leather to obtain materials and guidence on making things......bottom line, anyone can make one of these belts and stamp whatever they want on it. I have about 4 of them in my workshop hanging up....I think I will stamp "Folsom Prison" on one and put it on eBay for $350.00. "Own a piece of history"? The only thing that will be history is the buyer's money and ass-cherry......I hope the seller kisses him first.

Cheers, Mike D~C/

Let's see, twenty bucks for the used Model 1s. They have no special markings, but appear in servicable condition. That's the bit that would have been stamped.

Another thirty or forty bucks for the belt. It is decently made and would be suitable as a restraint. I wish he had skivved the ends of the appliques where they meet the belt itself. As everyone else has said, the lettering is cheesy.

Stan, if I'm not wrong, isn't that seller David W. Alford, the manufacturer of the TR Anniversary badge? I also think he was in with another seller Mark Pyne selling TR badges with a Star Engraving hallmark and their was some funny business there as I recall.

Graham

I don't remember his name. Everything checked out at the time.

item is re-listed for anyone who cares.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TEXAS-RANGERS-PRISONER-TRANSPORT-BELT-WITH-HANDCUFFS_W0QQitemZ120464784677

no best offer or free shipping this time around.

finally,
,,,
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120502430108