TOPIC =
EFFICIENCY OF SOLID-CENTRED HANDCUFFS

Excerpt from the original 46000 word fiction-based-on-fact story titled
'HOUDINI CONNECTIONS'
by Jim Stewart

(For introduction to the character and situation see MORE)

   


SOLID CENTRE CUFFS

(EXCERPT 1130 words)

The likely lad at 'The Inner Man' is happy to demonstrate as well as explain the differences between several handcuffing techniques ...

... The young salesman returned the rattling combined wrist-ankle manacles he'd been demonstrating back onto the metal display frame, leaving the older man even hotter under the collar than ever, his imagination racing.
"You've had a lot of experience using this sort of stuff?" hazarded Chunky.
"A lot" came the confident reply.
"On women?" risked the older man?
"Some," said the salesman evenly "but usually teaching them how to handle their men. A lot of the Mistresses, the Professional Dominatrix shop here. They need to know how to take control and keep it. The new police handcuffs are a God-send for that. Like I said, they're a serious control device."
He reached for a solid centred handcuff and held it out for inspection. "This little beauty is what all the coppers are carrying now. Bulky on a waist belt but as a control device, it's a bitch."
Chunks had seen the strange new device on policeman's belts and noticed the solid rigid black connector between the two metal loops. "What do you mean, control device?" he invited.

The younger man shrugged. "Want to take your jacket off, you're sweating?"
"No, that's OK. It's a cuff they use in street arrests, isn't it?"
"All the time now and believe me when these are used, you know they're being used and very soon co-operate. Sure you're up for this?"
asked the kid but it was a rhetorical question. The older man was obviously preparing himself for action. "I'll do it gently just to give you an idea ... but once someone gets the knack of putting them on right ... this is something you don't fight against."
Closing one end of the solid-looking cuff around the wrist Chunky was offering, the younger man then gripped the cuff by the solid moulded plastic centre and twisted it very very slightly. Chunky immediately allowed his hand and arm to be guided by the surprising pressure the gentle movement exerted.

"You can put up a bit of resistance" said a reassuring voice, but as the metallic pressure on his wrist increased Chunky allowed his hand and arm to be twisted slowly down and under and up behind his back.
"Fancy offering a bit more of a struggle?" invited the soothing voice but the irresistible twist of the changing angle of the locked cuff took the heavier man's mind off serious resistance. Suddenly his face and chest were pushed against a nearby wall and a foot was urging Chunky's legs further apart. The older man wanted to halt the proceedings but an elbow was now keeping his neck and face against the wall and he was off balance with one wrist clamped painfully up behind his back. His free hand was groping around somewhere up against the wall but as it was gripped by a firm hand, pressure applied to his already locked wrist took his mind off the fact that his free hand was being guided around behind his back to where the waiting ratchet was ready to close. The clicking of the ratchet signalled the end of the painful pressure on his right wrist and he was about to regain his balance when an unexpected foot moved one of his boots and then the other further apart and the continuing pressure on his spine persuaded him to stay put.

"See what I mean, they're bastards. Even when you really put up a struggle, if the person using the cuffs knows a few simple techniques it evens up the odds no end. I'm just applying the dead-locks. That's so the cuffs can't close too tight once they're locked on. Never use ratchet cuffs unless they have dead-locks." advised the salesman, "If you roll on them accidentally in bed and haven't got access to a key it can cause serious nerve damage. Now, they're dead-locked. Want to put up a bit of a struggle?"
Chunky didn't want to do any damage so he was embarrassed to exert any force. Suddenly the light-weight young athlete had grabbed a fistful of his raincoat collar and was propelling the bigger man across the shop towards the metal grille of the security door. Chunky decided that some resistance was becoming necessary but as he tried to halt the travel across the shop the hand grip between his wrists twisted only slightly and his wrists felt as if they were going to break.

An abrupt reverse of direction and he was being pulled backwards, unable to see where he was going. A sudden stop and he was bending forward over a counter, his wrists pulled high behind him, unable to move. "You could bring her here and I could teach her how to deal with you!" said the younger man into his ear. "She could learn to make you do whatever she wanted you to do ... or do I mean she could make you do all the things you want her to make you do?" urged the voice which now had a tough, questioning edge to it.
Suddenly, another twist and an abrupt pull and the bigger man was travelling blindly backwards again. Swung around unexpectedly, his feet collided with the metal chair which had a high narrow back almost like a small ladder. The strong and usually in-control older man yelped as his wrists were yanked unstoppably high in the air again and he was forced to bend forward. He decided to put up a more determined fight but, off balance, he could only back against the chair, his legs now astride it. Suddenly his arms were even higher ... and then being lowered, but now behind the other side of the ladder back ... and a downward pressure on his wrists urged him to sit on the seat which was lower than it looked. His elbows twisted tightly around the metal ladder.

"You see," said the calm voice behind his ear "I'm holding you here with one hand ... one finger almost. A slight twist and I could persuade you to keep still ... or open your mouth ... if I wanted to put a gag in it. Could I?" almost purred the confident voice.
Chunky was about to disagree but a painful twist of the solid handle between his wrists made him yelp ... and a handkerchief wadded into his mouth. It was immediately pulled out again and the kid who no longer looked so lightweight walked around to the front of the chair, smiling but keeping well out of range of his captive's feet. "Don't worry, it's perfectly clean," he said pocketing the hanki "I just wanted you to know that these cuffs are an efficient control device." .......

END EXCERPT 4 - next Chunky learns about group game-playing
TEAMWORK
(5)

 


Other excerpts from the same story
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1 - INTRODUCING LEADING FIRE-FIGHTER PROCTOR = where he is 'at'
2 -
HANDCUFFS AND MORE = a range of cuffs described and demonstrated
3 -
HANDCUFF EXPERIENCE = first time into a pair of handcuffs

6 - MANACLED = metal and chain in the hands of an expert
7 -
Q & A SESSION = getting to know you
8 - SHOWTIME = video footage of games men play at 'The Inner Man'
9 - SECOND SITTING = continuation of 'Showtime' - self-applied restraint sequence.
10 - ARRIVALS = different folks / different strokes
11 - ARMY GAMES = heavy action in army gear
12 -
BAGGED = an efficient restraint sack efficiently applied
13 - DE-BRIEFING = as far as the story goes (or is it?)

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