I do not know where to post this so I am sorry if it is in the wrong Sub Forum. I went to an estate sale found these handcuffs in a Black Bikini belt carrier I believed it is called. No key with it. They look like they are made very well. Can’t find much information on them. Found one on EBay post that said final price $9.00. I found some pictures of them on an antique photo site.

All I know is the gentleman was 87 years old and was a Marine and served in the Korean War. After that he was a Deputy Sherriff, Marine Division in the county I live in. He won many Revolver Matches. There were also 4 framed targets with many LEO patches around the outside border of the target. One patch was even from the Secret Service. I wish the person that was selling the stuff could have told me more about this Man.

Back to my question about the cuffs. I bought them and belt carrier for $30.00. If they sold on Ebay as the post I found for $9.00 I way overpaid for them. They sure look to be made very well. No exposed rivets on the side plates. Why I bought them? Just something to add to my gun collection.

Methinks those Bianchi Model 500 handcuffs might be a rebranded Peerless 500 series handcuffs.

Jelly for the win. If those are not Peerless,I'll kiss a duck.

I have a bunch of old Bianchi catalogs. If I can find time, I'll see if I can find them pictured and get back to you.

quote:

Originally posted by ragman:
Jelly for the win. If those are not Peerless,I'll kiss a duck.

Prepare.

Not Peerless. Brief run in the 80s (my academy class had a bunch of Bianchi castoffs from a department who got tired of them.)

With Peerless, each cuff is a "mirror image" of the other so that if the double bars are both facing up, both keyholes are facing the same way... either in or out. Same with the double lock. Bianchis are two of the same "side," if you will, just joined with a chain. Quickest way to tell them from Peerless, S&W, Hiatts, AHC, etc.

I’ve got a set, they were my first cuffs, I used them for many many years, used them to arrest the first guy I ever hooked up.

There is a flaw in their manufacturing. The hinge pin where the single bail and double bail swivel. Since the hinge pin is flush, they can be pried open with a seatbelt connector. When I was showed that, I retired them, but all my other cuffs were welded so they couldn’t be pried open.

When I showed my department, they replaced all the cuffs with smith and Wesson’s handcuffs and they had us turn in any peerless or bianchi cuffs we had.

Cool buy, but to your question, a pair of handcuffs goes for about $35 a set(new) .

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,

I can't recall how long they offered these but I have a broken pair. One of the Deputies I used to work with tossed them in the trash one night. Lock broke and I kept them for the heck of it. I did some research in the 2000's and like MikeinNC said they were not the best made handcuffs.

A standard sized handcuff key will fit them.

Hit it with a little WD40, work them for about 5 minutes, wipe them off, they'll last another 25 years.

Considering the cuff case was included in the buy, I dont think you paid too much.