Posted by Chris Gower on February 08, 2001 at 13:53:29:
In Reply to: McKenzie Mitts - The Ultimate Collectors Dream? posted by Chris Gower on February 06, 2001 at 11:58:29:
: At last I have a set of McKenzie Mitts. Have waited over 30 years to get them! They are in superb condition and are nickel plated. They are one of the 20 already known and I believe the first pair to find their way out of America.
: So are they the ultimate? Well they are certainly not the rarest handcuffs that exist. For example the Delestatius are probably 4 times rarer, the Spanish Death Penalty cuffs, Old Tower of London Pattern Wedge Lock legirons both 10 times rarer and the Hiatt Plug '8' legirons with 3 start left hand threaded key which Houdini failed to escape from 20 times rarer.
: Well I now think the Mitts are the ultimate - the only pair of handcuffs ever patented and produced which were too good. Their design is unique and unlike any other pattern restraint in existance.
: Would dearly love to hear from some of our newer collectors what they consider the ultimate addition to their collection would be.
: Chris Gower
In reply to Stans question about the Hiatt Plug '8' legirons. They have a left hand threaded key. Most plug cuffs keys are cut with about 8 teeth per inch(tpi). This pair if different because there are 3 independant left hand threads that have been cut (positionned at 120 and 240 degrees from the first thread). This means that the actual pitch of each thread is not 8tpi but 8 divided by 3 (2.67 tpi).
I had this set for over 15 years and gave up trying to cut a key, Ian McColl in Australia who always likes a challange made me the superb working key that is shown in the photo. Thanks Ian for enabling the cuffs to be displayed in full working order.