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Any tips on how these work? Are they a sprung latch or a proper bolt?
How does the key work? Does it unscrew or pull a pin?

They need opening and restoring with a new key but they are so corroded inside they are solid.
The pins/shafts have no shapes or markings on their ends so either a shape the key fitted has worn or snapped off or they work some other way.

I don't normally come across these, in fact it's my first time having to work with handcuffs, I've had them since November last year and need to get them out the shop.

Any pointers?

Are the shafts/pins in the keyway threaded? If so, an internally threaded key likely screwed onto the shaft, whilst bearing upon the face of the keyway, thus pulling the shaft towards the mouth of the keyway.

Edit to add : upon closer inspection they look like cuffs made by Hiatt, which do indeed operate as described above. They could be the Hiatt 101 or Hiatt Best Darby model as depicted here : http://www.ushandcuffs.com/files/Hiatt_Best.jpg

Here is a video of slightly different Hiatt handcuffs that operate in the same manner, showing the action of the key at about 1:45 onwards https://youtu.be/TFG6BunbnYk

Hope that helps,

...mercurial

Cheers for your reply. Unfortunately the shafts are all smooth, I thought they may be the threaded kind but couldnt see evidence of any threads having being there but I will have another better look. Shafts are around 4mm diameter.

I did try to see if the locking part was moveable like a latch, I could get a thin wire down but I couldn't get anything to move. I suspect they've been in a garden for the last 40 years.

I'll have another good look for any evidence of threads.

Nope, no threads or any evidence of threads.

Maybe just a nose to grab the threading of the key?

I've made a mistake, with a better light and scope there is threading visible, it's badly corroded but its there.
I've tried a few methods of grabbing the rod but I can't get the pin to move at all.
Now i know its threaded I'm going to make a tip with an alloy end I can wind down then hopefully pull on the pin while I adjust the cuff body with a tapometer.
I really don't want to heat them at this stage but a night in the freezer might not do any harm.

Not sure if it pulls out or if you thread the key on then continue turning to unscrew the latch.

I think as mercurial suggested it possibly just bottoms out then further screwing pulls the pin out as you suggest also but they are solid with corrosion.
I can however move the latch from the other end on one of them with a small wire but I can't retract it much I'm wondering if the latch and pin are no longer joined, moving the latch doesn't move the pin.

Late to the party, but two possible things to try are rust penetrant to free things up inside, and making a hook of some decent music wire or windshield wiper blade inserts to grab the spring that pushes the screw/plunger in the middle of the lock away from the keyway, hook that spring, and pull it outwards. You may also be able to do a combination of the above and shim the shackle while pulling the spring.

Those handcuffs work pretty much the same way as the locks in this post.

Gordon