ASP Handcuffs: Worth the Money?

ASP handcuffs had problems 10 years ago. I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. The design has changed several times since our last look though. Have the new designs made them worth the money today?
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[@unclefreedom213]

Just got started at the PD leave for the academy in January. I bought a set of the ultra cuff damn they are smooth. I don't think I've ever been this early on any video. I reference a lot of your work

[@JB-eo3zc]

I’ve always used Peerless hinged, after trying a few others. Might give these a try. Thanks for the review.

[@2KCamaroZ28SS]

Don't leave your Peerless. Lol

[@edstevens6839]

I only trained with and carried ASP hinged handcuffs, and this past Christmas, I received a pair of Chicago Hinged handcuffs. I was freaking out because of never using or training with any other brand. The biggest benefit I love about ASP is they are effective when speed-cuffing. And a lower amount of pressure to apply plays a nice role in that benefit. I purchased federal handcuff holsters from ebay. They are great for switching between different handcuffs (chain and hinged)

[@blackfalcon1324]

what do you think about speedcuffs?

[@garrettjaneski6209]

The intuitive features and increased rigidity of these ASP cuffs makes them much more appealing than previous designs. I would definitely opt for the all metal, steel cuffs for the most torque resistance.

[@ryebread105]

I have three sets of the ultra hinged cuffs. They are the best. But you have to keep a close eye on them. They tend to “disappear” if you don’t grab them right after bringing your suspect into booking.

[@JustinLaFleur1990]

I love my ASP ultra hinge plus aluminum cuffs they're light and sturdy

[@KellySmith4145]

Back in the 1980s, the handcuffs we carried were bulky and very heavy. I wish we had some like those in the video.

[@gaveintothedarkness]

Such a throwback video to your earlier days. love it

[@johnquinn4680]

I have asp rigid, hinged and chained and just ordered an ASP transport kit for my company today. I got the ultralight ones and I'm very happy with my purchase.

[@ZOMBIE-TORE]

Im not sure if you knew but with the old cuffs you can insert the key and turn it opposite of unlocking it and it will double lock it to.

[@dalemane2750]

Hey Tommy, great video! Im a cop (2 years almost) over in New Zealand. I was issued the ASP chain Ultra Cuffs with the aluminium strand (Model 450 im pretty sure) as my first pair of cuffs. These had the issue with the strand being pushed outside of locking mechanism, just as you demonstrated with the older pair of ASP cuffs. After this issue was discovered, new recruits were issued the Ultra Cuffs with the steel single strand and aluminium body. This helped with the flexing strand issue, but was still possible to flex it with enough force in some cases. I also heard of a few issues nationally overe here, of keys getting stuck in the locking mechanism when unlocking the cuffs, resulting in them having to be cut off. The combination of these issues meant all our ASP cuffs have been recalled by National HQ and large bow steel Smith & Wesson chain cuffs have been issued (cant remember the model no) with the push pin double lock. On the whole the ASP cuffs were alright to use, the twin sided double lock was great for training, but without the rivet facing up the right way, it was almost impossible to use pain compliance on the subject. So we were always taught to cuff the right way anyway. The weight of the aluminium ASP ultracuffs was nice, being lower than steel equivilants, but when our daily body armour weighs 15kg on average (with hard armour plates), ill take a 10-20 gram hit if it means more reliability. The latest ASP cuffs with the keyless double lock you demonstrated could be better, it will be interesting to see how the plastic mechanisms hold up in the field long term.

[@timoanez4668]

I bought a pair of ASP handcuffs back in 05 and they still going strong and haven't bought another pair.

[@security29]

Looks great brother, I finally got my security license, Can't wait for your next shieldbox video, stay safe out there bro

[@bdogg20101]

I am glad that they are fixing that double lock pin issue.

[@nickcostello2829]

I Carry the new chained ones for my loss prevention job. I don’t mind them I always have a set of smith and Wesson as my back up. The cops love the double sided keyholes makes switching them out easy. Never had a issue

[@traemcpherson7266]

How often do you need to cuff shoplifters? Just curious.

[@munkendals]

@@traemcpherson7266 easier to cuff them all

[@Jose-fc5yd]

​@@traemcpherson7266probably never as most companies would frown on that type of thing.

[@Darkpara1]

The double sided keyholes and the decent double locks really make these cuffs.

[@airborneinfantry23]

We are issued peerless hinged, which are great. I have a spare pair of peerless chain cuffs, but I’ve always wanted to grab a pair of ASP cuffs. I think I’m going to grab some now!

[@moose9410]

I love your content. I just got hired at my local sheriff office as a Deputy. Been looking for a good pair of cuss (they issue old Peerless brand). I was thinking smith & Wesson m&p…but these asp look good too.

[@matthewwest7906]

So I just got certified for ASP Handcuffs and I'm a security officer and I used the ASP Handcuff I had a real easy time with the chain link then the closed hinged it was a bit difficult

[@deputyl9139]

Looks good man, I finally got into a municipal law enforcement. Stay safe out there!

[@wolfpacak47]

I'm retired now but I was a jailer for 21 years the administrator bought asp cuffs and shackles n belly chains for jail and transport use ..iv saw a pair of asp cuffs broken I'll still with good ole smiths ..ps I saw a inmate strip the teeth on a pair of smith's once he was wearing also lol I was gifted a pair of smith's and I bought a hinged pair of smith's also let me tell you slap on the hinged they ain't coming out lol

[@georgetinc9578]

Hinged can be defeated as well. I've seen the results of hinged being busted not fun, apparently happened during a riot.

[@wolfpacak47]

@@georgetinc9578 dam

[@slipstream7733]

The lockset is one piece now and is not a separate tab.

[@mgallager1449]

Peerless hinged handcuffs are my primary.

[@scotthockenberry3085]

You’re right. Those old ones were not good. I remember the polymer cracking over time too. But I do like the new ones

[@johnpfau2918]

Check with ASP…. I got warranty replacement on mine that cracked out. It only cost $5.00 to upgrade to the ultra plus from the older model 100’s. They were great to deal with.

[@brianleabo6295]

In a pinch they make good brass knuckles

[@bpcummings17]

Love the videos… love the channel.. been around a while but I swear to GOD you sip your coffee obnoxiously to annoy people and it works lmfao

[@doc1time75]

Yeah the main issue with the old ones was the flex. That was the reason I never purchased them.

[@davinmcdonald3989]

Those are my most favorite kind of handcuffs.

[@kapatsutelefonu4983]

I've been using it for 12 years. Very high quality. It sounds like bank vault gears cit cit cit cit:)

[@kdw75]

I would love to see a strain test. I have a feeling cuffs could take a tremendous amount of weight before coming loose, but it would be fun to see. If a person is exerting say 500 pounds and torquing them would you feel confident leaving them unattended? In other words, if you used standard cuffs to chain a gorilla that wanted to kill you to a solid object could you sleep soundly near by? I would want them to hold up to around 800 to 1,000 pounds as a safety factor. When you start twisting and throwing your weight against it the forces can really add up.

[@scoti6263]

Great video thanks Tommy

[@user-ch7kb7pe5r]

Ive had mine for a little over a year and haven’t had any issues.

[@chrislinder7558]

I work security in Kansas city and alot of the officers are switching to asp cuffs. I'm thinking about the switch from Smith and Wesson cuffs.

[@TheDukeofDoog]

So uh...you gonna tell us about that white powder there on the scale? Little off duty work maybe? ;)

[@MarcoCapponi79]

Good analysis about those handcuffs. I like your Watch (G-shock?).

[@TheDarkBurrow]

The ASP handcuffs can be easy to put on a resisting suspect by the smooth and locking. But they can be broken by bigger and tougher suspects which is disappointing. But i would say they are not worth the money. I would rather Smith & Wesson as they have more durability and not more to break when cuffing your tougher suspects.

[@DarkFire515]

Looks like a really nice upgrade to the old cuffs. I hated the old ones because they were dangerous for new & inexperienced officer: they worked... right up to the point where they didn't, which usually happened with someone who was trying to fight or was struggling. Exactly the situation when you really need the cuffs to work. If that's been fixed then these are a great upgrade.

[@richy224]

Just picked up a pair of the 56076 because of your video. Do you know if that update to the double lock happened? We have some pretty big dudes we deal with regularly I am kinda worried could get that double lock to pop out.

[@doorman2207]

I could never justify the price for asp cuffs. My peerless never let me down and the titanium ones look interesting. The asp ridged ones do look nice but seem to to take a lot of belt or vest space.

[@aandyherr817]

Working private security, we rarely have a reason to use handcuffs if ever. But when you do, you need them to work and able to cuff them without it failing or not closing right. Still using peerless, no reason to change. I heard about the plastic cuff with ASP And kind of laughed. Glad to see they’ve updated.

[@Jose-fc5yd]

That all depends where you work.

[@bdogg20101]

There is a reason why the other handcuff companies put the keyhole only on one side. When you handcuff the suspect correctly, it makes the keyhole on one side so it makes it harder for the suspect to get to the keyhole.

[@Truthbomb918]

Exactly, it's a safety feature if the cuffs are applied properly

[@slipstream7733]

This is an archaic concept that rarely is done in the field. The better part about ASP cuffs is if your key is broken or jammed in the cuff, you can flip it over and use the other keyhole without cutting them off your subject.

[@Truthbomb918]

@@slipstream7733 never once have I seen a situation u just described. The single hole was always a safety thing

[@slipstream7733]

@@Truthbomb918 Well, we just saw it happen with the NYPD. Turned the cuff over and removed it. Just because you haven't seen it does not make it true. I have never seen someone in custody pick my cuffs because I watch them. It happens evidently though to some officers.

[@Truthbomb918]

@@slipstream7733 how exactly did the suspect get the cuffs off

[@mattandrade30]

I think they would benefit to have another key set with only one key hole. So yes the body would have a keyhole but the lock body wouldn’t.

[@haywoodjablome9642]

We got issued smith and Wesson black lever locks. They are nice but the size of the bracket was an issue on my first off FTO arrest. The guy was really fat and approximately 6’2”. He complied but, I had to use peerless leg shackles on him as handcuffs. Could you do a video on the smith and Wesson universal handcuffs?

[@Lilyyyyyy2244]

I usually carry 2 sets and that fixes most problems if that helps

[@sethduzan4441]

I love my asp ultra’s

[@here2rock988]

How does the exo cuff case pair with the ultra cuffs? Does it take a lot of practice as opposed to dropping them in a pouch? and do the cuffs stay in place well ?

[@agoogleaccount2861]

Asp is nice soley because lightweight they don't go in all cuff holders because the plastic makes em bulky my quick release holder won't use em. . Peerless for the win still American made. ..smith and Wesson if you prefer but i don't like the bulky new MIM keys not that anyone uses the stock keys much except for backup keys . tbh i like peerless better.

[@Truthbomb918]

Was issued the hinged set. They were terrible. There was enough movement that when closing the locking bar would go either side of the frame and so not lock. They were very dangerous and I swapped mine for proven cuffs from other manufacturers

[@freefieldtraining]

Those were the old polymer framed cuffs.

[@Truthbomb918]

@@freefieldtraining true, I've no idea how they passed safety standards at asp or my pd. They were dangerous

[@blackfalcon1324]

slick as snot, interesting.

[@Barbarous_Wretch]

Anyone find the key extremely difficult they get out?

[@outdoormadness9042]

I start as a campus safety officer in 3 days just trying to figure out what cuffs I should invest in after training is over

[@nyherpergear2246]

Personally to each their own but for the money I dont see the need to spend 2 or 3xs for an asp set when a peerless or S&W set will do the job just as well if not better. Ive done security for nearly a decade and have used both peerless and SW cuff with out issue and trust them. The biggest debate is chain vs hinged and most cops carry one set of both. I always just carried 2 sets of chain. Comes down to personal preference and your comfort in training with them.

[@slipstream7733]

If you want ASP quality, but must go for a lower cost on the pocketbook, you should check out the Sentry Cuff by ASP

[@georgetinc9578]

Gotta call bullshit on hinged cuffs not getting busted. I worked Corrections for a few years, in the early 2000's, they stopped using them when an inmate popped the hinges by twisting them. Granted he was a big SOB but still they are capable of being defeated as are any handcuff.

[@brushemteeth9159]

How about a give away of your old handcuffs?

[@alexkyte4093]

Love ASPs

[@mdixon26288]

Oh Basketweave. One of those things cops either love or hate.

[@Unknown_Paramedic]

We ain’t gonna talk about the white stuff on your scale? Lol. Love the video brother. Another great one. Great to see ASP made a better quality pair.

[@letsgobrandon2246]

Probably from either powdered doughnuts or from being out weighing drugs

[@Unknown_Paramedic]

@@letsgobrandon2246 Doubt he’s taking a scale that large to weigh drugs but I suppose it’s a possibility.

[@letsgobrandon2246]

Paramedic054 who knows 😆

[@here2rock988]

Lol 😂

[@nathan55000]

I cannot find these anywhere. Can you update your link?

[@brenttully839]

Hi tommy, Do you work for RCPD??

[@bdogg20101]

I hate ASP. The double sided key holes. It gives the suspect an option to get out lf they have a hidden key. People can say search the suspect good. Yeah, but with suspects, they can find 100+ different places to hide the key.

[@bdogg20101]

If I could I would want a handcuff with no key holes. Lol. Once they are on, its permanently on. Lol

[@bdogg20101]

@@johnquinn4680 But for police officers that just arrest people from the street, they can have anything on them. And until they do the strip search, suspects find new hiding places every day to hide cuff keys.

[@bdogg20101]

@@johnquinn4680 All it takes is a little twist of the wrist to get to that key hole. The way you describe it, sounds like they need to bend and twist like a pretzel. All it takes is one little twist and a key, and there goes the handcuff.

[@bdogg20101]

@@johnquinn4680 all I said was officer safety. That's typical bounty hunters for you. And it shows that you have no manners and you are a bully.

[@slipstream7733]

@@bdogg20101 Any cuff can be removed if someone has a hidden key.

[@SilentButDescriptive]

Why did they alter the key direction? People have trained for years to unlock one way and double lock the other way, but now they totally reversed it?!?!?!

[@slipstream7733]

it allows for the cuff to have an alternate double locking method. You can turn the key one way and engage the double locks. If you go the opposite direction, the first click is the double lock disengaging and the second is the bow swinging freely.

[@SilentButDescriptive]

@@slipstream7733 I have ASP handcuffs in my collection. I know how they work but it looks like on his demo that you turn the key the opposite direction than normal to unlock them.

[@slipstream7733]

@@SilentButDescriptive my apologies. It was in the internal construction of the two stage lock set. With a keyless double locking system, it had to be reversed from the way ASP cuffs have unlocked in the past to make the lock function correctly.

[@SilentButDescriptive]

@@slipstream7733 I see now. I had to grab a pair to check. I understand now. Before, you had to slide the double lock outwards (which no other brand I can recall off the top of my head works like that for double locking, normally it's always pushed inward), but these new new ones would have to be opposite to ASP's "normal" way by using the more normal pushing "inward" motion to double lock. That new way of turning will catch people out quite a bit I think. They'll be so patterened to turning the usual ASP way that they'll keep smacking into the double lock activation area when they are intending to unlock the cuff lol.

[@slipstream7733]

It still does me after 15 years of habit.

[@MaharlikaAWA]

Well guess what? There is an official ASP handcuffing course that the security industry and cops and the state of Oregon recognize and you HAVE to buy ASP handcuffs, ASP case, and ASP key to complete the course. You get a certification card after you complete it which looks good on a resume for private security. I guess they have some flaws. Soooo oh well....

[@traemcpherson7266]

How much does the course itself cost, and what about other states?

[@MaharlikaAWA]

@@traemcpherson7266 100 bucks for each course. At the place I did them at anyway.

[@R60llxn]

How can I find the watch you have on in this video is it a g shock?

[@freefieldtraining]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5CZmmOFqtaWo6M

[@todd2962]

Peerless or nothing! 💪🏻

[@crotomek1]

How can i get them in europe?

[@thehouseofrestorationminis1522]

The thing that I don't like about ASP cuffs is they are easy to be broken by prisoners. There is a few videos that a corrections officer showed of a real prisoner breaking them at the link. And my biddy who is a deputy aaid he has seen it himself!

[@freefieldtraining]

I would bet money those are the older mostly polymer style of asp cuffs. Regardless though, I've seen the same thing with Smith and wesson, Peerless, and hiat cuffs. Handcuffs are for temporary supervised detention and the ability of career criminals to break, shim, and pick them is mostly dependent on being left unsupervised or the cuffs being improperly applied (ie cuffed in front and/or not double locked). If you are using restraints for mid term and not 100% supervised transport purposes boxes and belly chains should be the bare minimum.

[@kimberlytaylor4054]

😮

[@Bulldog2824]

Cocaine on your scale there, bud? Love your videos, I work in security.

[@dhsonsoutdoors5940]

Your scale is messed up lol

[@kenofken9458]

If you need cuffs this strong, you need a better-trained submissive! :)

[@freefieldtraining]

If I had to make a recommendation of cuffs for recreational purposes asp cuffs would be it. They have a lower risk of injury due to the more rounded edges.. Though I think handcuffs are technical enough and have risks which make them a bad decision for such things. You are probably better off with soft restraints.

[@2KCamaroZ28SS]

Peerless or nothing.

[@dob3079]

no they’re junk

[@ryden_jasso]

Sup.

[@marcogenovesi8570]

ummmmmm

[@nathalyreyes570]

Arlyfreefieldtraining