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Is it easy to open handcuffs without a key? How to get rid of handcuffs without a key. How to open and remove handcuffs without a key

Handcuffs, representing a convenient and reliable way of fixing a person’s hands for any, even quite a long time, have become popular and in demand today. Surely each of us has thought about the need to ensure both our own safety and the safety of our loved ones.

And handcuffs have firmly taken one of the leading places among various means of self-defense (like, and), which make it possible to quickly neutralize the activity of an attacker, depriving him of his freedom and limiting his actions. And today we will learn how police handcuffs work, how to use, unfasten and free them without a key.

Previously, handcuffs were more like an ordinary piece of iron, which was attached to the wrists or ankles, limiting freedom and causing considerable inconvenience to the prisoner. And the lock was not used: the metal was simply welded at the place of fixation, and a hammer and chisel were required to open it.

Today, handcuffs have undergone changes not only in their design, but also in the method of their fastening. Since standard handcuffs consist of two stainless steel rings (eg.), connected to each other by a welded chain of one or two links, the specificity of their use lies in maximum simplicity.

The ability to change the diameter of the handcuff rings allows you to fix them on wrists of almost any thickness: even the most fragile hands can be enclosed in the handcuff rings without damaging the skin and without the possibility of opening them on their own.

So, to secure the attacker’s hands in handcuffs, you need to perform the following steps in the following sequence:

  1. Before putting on handcuffs, the rings should be fully opened so that your hands can fit into them.
  2. Often, when putting handcuffs on, it is necessary to neutralize the enemy or limit his freedom, since in order to securely fix the handcuff rings on the wrists, the attacker’s hands must be as close to one another as possible. It is recommended to place your hands behind your back - in this position there is the least opportunity for attempting to open the handcuffs yourself.
  3. When putting it on, you should tightly wrap the rings around your wrists: this will not cause harm to your hands, but the fixation will be the most reliable. Only after checking that the material of the handcuffs is tightly connected to the skin of your hands can you slam them shut.
  4. The device closes automatically, which ensures minimum costs time to neutralize the attacker. At the same time, when closing, the size of the handcuffs is also formed, which are mainly fixed according to the “shark tooth” principle: a special mechanism does not allow increasing the size of the rings to a larger one.

Now that the handcuffs are on and the hands are fixed, you can check the tightness of their girth and prevent pinching of the hands, however, in modern models of handcuffs this possibility is excluded: the arms can take an oval shape when compressed, which largely follows the shape of the wrists.

Most of modern models handcuffs can also be used to snap on ankles, which increases the possibilities of their use.

However, when using handcuffs, you should know that usually when an attacker is detained and until the freedom of his hands is limited with the help of handcuffs, he resists putting them on with all his might. Therefore, they should be used with a clear fixation of the hands; this can be the placement of the hands both in front (this is a less reliable method) and behind, when the hands are located one above the other or pressed back side brushes to each other.

This video will show you how to properly put on handcuffs:

How to open and remove handcuffs without a key

A lock built into the welded chain of links is responsible for opening the handcuffs. It may differ for similar models, but the main principle of its operation should be considered increased level secrecy: the possibility of its unauthorized opening largely depends on this. A key is usually included in the kit, but two keys may also be included. However, if you have only one key, you should make a duplicate of it: this will help avoid an unpleasant situation if the key is lost and difficulties arise in removing the handcuffs.

Most often, the design of handcuffs is such that the lock is located beyond the reach of the attacker’s hands while handcuffed. This is done from the point of view of protecting against the possibility of unauthorized opening of the handcuffs. If the lock is located in such a way that it can be accessed from both sides (through lock), then such a lock will have an increased degree of possibility of breaking.

The handcuffs are opened using a key. However, there are several ways to free yourself from handcuffs without using the included key. Let's consider the main stages of “liberation” from them.

  1. To make it more convenient to free yourself from handcuffs, you must first try to make sure that your hands are in front. Of course, doing special gymnastics or yoga will help in this case, but not everyone can have a special physical training for such exercises. And yet, to safely free yourself from handcuffs, you first need to place your hands in front.
  2. Now you need to find an available tool for picking the lock. This can be any fairly hard object pointed at one end: a paper clip, needles, a small sharp nail, or even a match. However, according to numerous surveys of those who have already had experience in opening the lock of handcuffs using improvised means, rigid thin wire is recognized as the most effective, since non-metallic objects can break when opening the lock if the skill is insufficient.
  3. Next, it is recommended to bend the wire at a right angle. This will allow you to penetrate into the lock mechanism without causing serious damage to it and at the same time ensuring the tightest possible grip. The bend of the wire should be done at a distance of approximately 4-5 mm from its end. Ideal option for such purposes can be considered flat metal plate: when exposed to the lock, it undergoes minimal deformation and is the most durable.
  4. Now, depending on the model of handcuffs, you can proceed to the main goal: opening the lock. Since they differ in the mechanism and fixation device, the opening method differs.

Lock without active latch

The presence of a locking device is determined by visual inspection of the handcuffs. Usually on a flat surface bottom side The lock mechanism has a lever that is recessed into a hole. If the latch is not observed in the hole, it means that it is not active. In a number of models in this case it is completely absent.

And in order to be able to open handcuffs of this model using improvised means, you should imagine the mechanism for burying the handcuffs when they are fixed on the hand. The teeth located on the lower moving part, when they come into contact with the grip, set the lock pawl in motion, it falls and closes the handcuffs. When the key is used, the teeth are caught and raised, allowing the lock to be opened.

A homemade grip works in the same way: with its help, the teeth are grabbed and the lock is opened.

This video will show you how to open and remove handcuffs without a key using a paper clip:

Availability of active latch

To open such models, you must first disable the latch, otherwise the lock will slip and will not open. To do this, when the wire penetrates the lock, feel it and turn it counterclockwise. You must act as carefully as possible, otherwise there is a high probability that the latch will operate.

After the latch is neutralized, you can begin to open the lock. To do this, in the clockwise direction you need to move the lock tongue, lift it and you can open the handcuffs.

Complex models

There are a number of models of handcuffs, which are characterized by increased complexity of the lock design. Example - . In such models, the lock is similar to door locks, and working with them is more painstaking.

Opening such a lock will require the use of two pieces of wire increased strength. Both pieces should be bent at a right angle at a distance of 3-4 mm from the end. Having inserted them from different sides of the lock, you need to be able to feel inside the plate that holds the lock, and use one part of the wire to move the latch to the left side, and to the right - both parts of the lock plate.

It should be noted that opening this type of handcuffs is extremely difficult, especially if the handcuffs secure the hands. Opening such a lock will require several hours of hard work.

How to make a device with your own hands

There are several options for making handcuffs from materials on hand. To understand the manufacturing principle, you should consider the most popular ones. These are improvised handcuffs made from ordinary trouser belt and clothesline: these are the materials that should be considered the most durable and affordable.

From a trouser belt

The most popular option for making handcuffs yourself is the option from a regular trouser belt. To do this, use a belt that is wide enough to provide necessary fixation on the hands. It is recommended to use a belt that is not smooth or varnished to prevent your hands from slipping into the loops.

The main idea of ​​the technique is to fix the hands as rigidly as possible. According to reviews from those who have tried this technique, creating two loops that cross each other, this type of homemade handcuffs is not considered reliable: with narrow hands, with some effort, simply widen the loops to the required width and free your hands.

A more effective method is to position the belt in such a way that the hands are placed inside two belt loops, which are located one inside the other. In this case, after placing the hands inside these loops, the belt is fastened with a buckle, which gives the greatest rigidity to the resulting connection.

From a clothesline

To make handcuffs you will need about 60 cm of rope, which you can buy at a hardware store. They have a high degree of strength, are durable and affordable.

The scheme for making homemade handcuffs is as follows:

  • make two adjacent loops in the central part of the handcuffs;
  • Now you should thread the second one into one of the loops - this will create a knot in the middle of the rope and two loops at the edges, which will become handcuffs in the final version;
  • The attacker's hands are inserted into both loops, which are then tightened, and the ends of the rope secure the handcuffs around the hands and forearms.

Now the ends of the rope are tied into a strong knot. It is quite difficult to untie it when your hands are fixed in one position and there is no possibility to use cutting objects.

The video below will help you make handcuffs:

Sever79-8 14-05-2012 07:23

Good afternoon, Colleagues! I think that there are no potential criminals and repeat offenders in this thread... Therefore, I propose to share secrets - how to open various handcuffs without keys!?
For example, when I open the BR-S system handcuffs and the finger locks from the side of the shackle, any thin, strong object (paper clip, pin, wire) pushes out the ratchet... But what if they are locked? How do other handcuff systems open?

Amur73 14-05-2012 12:20

if without a stopper, then the BRS-2 and others with separated latches will not open very well.
and the rest, only if you can put a paperclip or other object in there.
br-s and ours have an enlarged gap on the side of the bow, so similar tricks are possible.


And in general, American ones in particular have minimal gaps and backlashes to make it so easy to get in and stuff something in.
Maybe, The best way“not with keys” to open, after all, make something like a key.

Sever79-8 14-05-2012 17:26

Thank you! about the "star" - a good move! But still? Is it possible to open through a keyhole?
In general, how, for example, can you remove the BR-S from the lock (without a key, of course...)?

Amur73 15-05-2012 11:23

no way to remove it.
The good thing about the latch is that there is a “hole” for activation, and you can only remove it with a key. This means that access to the latch is only through the keyhole.
And the thinner and smaller the hole, especially like in foreign ones, with a central key pin, the less the paperclip will fit in there.
Unfortunately, BOS and BCS are generally unrivaled in terms of size and ease of digging in the well, due to their design.

I have bicycles in the corridor, almost common, on high security Smith Wesson 104. I think that without a key you can only break it. The breaking force promised by Smith Wesson is 750 kg. our standard is 150.

v0vaN 23-05-2012 14:26

Some handcuffs can be broken in the area where the chain link is attached to the bracelet by inserting the fasteners for the chain of another bracelet into it and using the lever to break it. I did this once, it worked. You need strength, the ability to strengthen the action on the lever by pressing the handcuffs to some stationary surface and using your entire body weight, and the condition that the handcuffs are not worn behind your back.

Sever79-8 24-05-2012 09:58

Also a good way... I saw this! But they break, and they still hang on the wrists... I would like to open the MECHANISM ITSELF, without breaking...
If the handcuffs are fastened behind your back, then it is not a problem to move them forward under your feet! [not all models, but only with chain!]

Amur73 26-05-2012 17:42

:-) depends on the constitution of the body :-)

Susliks 29-05-2012 17:17



It’s not a problem to move them forward under your feet!


Therefore, the correct SM handcuffs are threaded through the belt from behind.

Amur73 01-06-2012 05:53

Amers have a wonderful "martin belt". chain for a belt, with a block at the end and large chain links. the block is threaded into the chain link, fixed on the belt, and the handcuffs are threaded into the block. So a man walks with his hands to his belt. And in front of you are your hands, you can sit and not wave them. often shown in movies. In general, amers have the largest arsenal of handcuffs and variety. A person must not cause harm to himself or others before the trial :-) with us, handcuffs and the guard’s baton-boot complement each other. An “organizational” method that complements the imperfection of the material base :-)

Dmitry_S 05-06-2012 12:58

I opened the BRS-2 with a paper clip through the key. a section of approximately 6 mm is bent at the paper clip, then you can act on both clamps. BUT! - all this was done with two hands and on the table. handcuffs correctly placed behind your back, even with a key, take about 15 minutes to open on your own. And “move forward under your feet” and other film tricks only work if the handcuffs are on the hands, below the joint.

Naturist 06-09-2013 18:26

He chewed the match until it was flexible, stuck it in his neck and pressed the latches. The “file” on the movable part of the handcuffs slides along the flexible match wet with saliva. Demonstrated by the detainee, fastened with one hand to the battery.

Leonid Ilyich 07-09-2013 15:31

quote: Originally posted by Sever79-8:
If the handcuffs are fastened behind your back, then it is not a problem to move them forward under your feet! [not all models, but only with chain!]

Blind fury. Have you tried this method or have you only seen it in movies?

an0805 08-09-2013 16:46

quote: Blind fury. Have you tried this method or have you only seen it in movies?

Yes Easy. Even with articulated ones. The main thing is that it is fastened at the wrist, and not above the bone. Above the bone and if with a chain (BRS-1, BRS-2) - this is also possible, but it will hurt and marks will remain. It all depends on the build.

an0805 08-09-2013 16:49

quote: Originally posted by Amur73:

By the way, on one Korean model, especially for such clever people, there is a small asterisk that simply blocks this loophole.

Yuil M-11-1-K? They don't put it on anymore.

Norge 13-03-2014 16:13

In general, if you don’t bother too much, the same Smith and Wesson opens through the key hole with an ordinary hook-shaped master key.. For gourmets, you can try a paper clip, but I would flatten it first..

an0805 13-03-2014 17:16

quote: Originally posted by Norge:
In general, if you don’t bother too much, the same Smith and Wesson opens through the key hole with an ordinary hook-shaped master key.. For gourmets, you can try a paper clip, but I would flatten it first..

Almost all handcuffs with a non-split pawl are opened with a scraper. Some Peerless modifications are somewhat difficult - the lever is small and therefore requires quite a lot of force. Americans do not hold a dog divided into three parts in high esteem - only Safariland (formerly Hiatt, although now they will again be Hiatt) and CTS Thompson make a dog divided into three parts. And so we can recommend that you definitely do not open these with a scraper.

For a movie character, it’s like two fingers: he took the wire, moved the lock for two seconds - and the handcuffs are open. So you look around and in your pockets for an ordinary paper clip. In the end, call for help from at least someone who can bring it.

To check whether this scheme works at all, we took a standard police special equipment BRS-2, put it on and went in search of paper clips. And we succeeded.

1. Get your bearings. The BRS-2 has a through lock, so the “key” can be inserted from any side. It opens by moving towards the far edge of the lock block.

2. Found a big thick paper clip? Its advantage is that it bends less and does not break during the opening process. Make one end like a key tongue, insert it and twist it in right side. It may take 10-15 minutes before you fool the mechanism, but freedom is close.

3. Found a small thin paper clip? Great, you can make an almost duplicate of your original key from it. In the BRS-2 there is not one plate that fixes the teeth of the bracelet, but two - that is why the keys have a double tongue. Something similar needs to be built from a paper clip. Opening handcuffs with such a master key will not be difficult.

Handcuff Lock Lock

If it is activated (the lever is deeply recessed into the hole), then you first need to open the lock (one movement of the paper clip in the direction opposite to opening), and then take hold of the lock itself.


The lock design allows you to open the handcuffs with a master key. Handcuff locks, with rare exceptions, are quite simply designed and do not have individual keys. This is understandable - imagine that each pair of handcuffs has its own unique key and only the one who put them on can remove the handcuffs all over the world. Therefore, without individual keys, handcuffs cannot have reliable locks.

A thin key will serve as a master key for handcuffs. steel wire, curved with the letter G to fit the lock of a particular model, or two such wires. Two - since in specific models the impact can be exerted on two plates at once.

A curved hairpin, an “invisible” hairpin, which is a flat plate, will also work. Due to this shape, it is easy to bend a straightened hairpin, and in a lock it will strongly resist deformation, since it is flat and the force will go along the edge.

Russian law enforcement agencies mainly use the classic BRS-1 and BRS-2 handcuffs. These are quite simple and loose bracelets, connected by a chain of two links, which gives some freedom to the hands. They differ only in the locking mechanism, which is quite easy to open using improvised means.

In the case of BRS-1, to open it, you need to move the lock tongue clockwise, and to remove the lock, counterclockwise.

The opening diagram of the BRS-1 is as follows: The part that must be acted upon in the direction of the green arrow is marked with a red line. The dotted line marks the final position of the part at which the latch will be open - if the lock is not turned on. To remove the blocker, it is enough to perform the same action, but in full rotation.

BRS-2 is more complicated, since it uses a flat key with a complex pattern (as in most door locks). Such handcuffs are opened with two pieces of wire: they must be inserted from different sides of the hole and pressed on two plates, turning counterclockwise (to remove the blocker - counterclockwise).

The scheme in the case of BRS-2 has next view: The blocker is marked with a red rectangle; it must be moved in the direction of the arrow (if it is turned on). Two red lines mark two plates that must be acted upon in the direction of the arrow until they are in the place marked with dotted lines. These plates are the latch. Since there are two plates, you will have to use two pieces of wire at once.


All knowledge is important, all knowledge is needed. You never know what information will come in handy one day and, moreover, can save a life. We are confident that novate readers are law-abiding people who respect the law and avoid trouble. But no one is immune from extreme situations. So today you will find out how to free yourself from handcuffs. Yes, just in case.


These tips can help if a person is in trouble and attackers try to immobilize him with handcuffs or a plastic zip tie. Let’s highlight rule number one separately: always carry a paperclip, hairpin, or similar thin device in your pocket metal object . Make this your habit. One day, it might come in handy.

Method 1: getting rid of handcuffs using the “key”



Carefully remove a paperclip, hairpin, bobby pin, piece of wire, or other thin metal object. Bend it at a right angle.



Place the “key” into the keyhole a few millimeters and turn it a little. Then in the other direction. As a result, the tip of the pick should acquire wavy shape.



The "key" is ready. Place the master key in the lock so that its bent end rests against the latch and turn.

See how to do this at video.


Method 2: getting rid of handcuffs using a pad lever


We will need a plate of thin metal, tin, or even very thick foil. About the thickness of a plastic card.


We bend the lining and place it between the teeth of the handcuffs and the locking mechanism, as shown in the photo.


With effort press in handcuff into plate.


Press the plate itself like a lever. The handcuffs should unlock.

Method 3: free yourself from the plastic tie


The weak point of the plastic tie is its lock. It cannot withstand overloads. So step number 1 - tighten the handcuffs as much as possible.


A similar method works if hands tied behind back.

We hope you find these tips helpful when entertaining your guests with Houdini-style tricks. Then it would be useful to find out.