Handcuffs by Pipedream

A couple of years ago, I bought these at a store near me since they were on shelf for Halloween. For me, these aren't really a "costume-y" sort of addition to my toy box—they're an essential, and at the price they were ($12 there, $10 at Edenfantasys) I thought that they'd be a pretty good buy that would be worth it. Since I've had them for a long time and they've survived quite a few rough sessions—alright, more than a few—I'm pleased with them, but I don't feel that they're the best out there. When wanting a simple, cheap pair of cuffs for either costume or bedroom use, these are perfect; for something more substantial, look elsewhere on Edenfantasys.

Using the handcuffs
Cop scenarios truly do not interest me. I'm not one for roleplay, unless it's dark, mysterious, vampire roleplay (I'm the vampire, not my partner), and even then, it's not too much different from regular personalities. With these cuffs, even though I personally don't like the roleplay usage, they work perfectly for cop scenes or Halloween parties where you plan to dress up as a cop. They're cheap, and if you're only using them for costume reasons, they're great. For bedroom use, they do work well at a low price, but they're not exactly the most attractive or well-made pair of cuffs. If you're a more visual person, a more expensive, higher quality pair of handcuffs would be better.

To use cuffs, out of costume mode and in bedroom/roleplay mode, you put them around your partner's wrists, adjusting each cuff one by one. Hold the cuff open, and tighten it around your partner's wrist, making sure that the cuff slides onto the gear wheel—you should hear a "clicking" noise. Now, use the stop lever to keep the cuffs in place when you're playing with your partner. The basic way to use the lever is, when perfectly adjusted on a partner, move the lever so that it's closest to the STOP—this should keep the cuffs from getting any tighter (or looser for those "Houdini"s out there). Now, enjoy the sensations that handcuffs bring, and when finished, switch off of the stop position and unlock your partner.

Remember to be careful, as handcuffs can become painful after a lot of friction and have been known to cause scarring on particularly fidgety submissives.

Design/Craftmanship
There were some design flaws, however, that lead me to believe that these aren't for use in the bedroom. One is that one of the cuffs does not adjust correctly—you know how handcuffs click into place? Well, one of the toothed gears that makes the cuffs "click" is off track, and every time I've used them, I've had to focus on making sure that the cuff doesn't slide to the side of the gear, because when it does, I cannot open them. I've had to take some tools and readjust the little gear so that it would stay properly centered in the cuffs.

Another is the use of the "STOP" lever on the side of the handcuffs (it's placed right near the keyholes). The stop lever allows the cuffs to stay in place and not become further tightened or adjusted when in use, but this completely contradicts the costume-only idea that I had. And sometimes...it just doesn't work. I don't know if it's something that I've been doing incorrectly for the past few years, but it truly does not work. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. It almost has a mind of its own...scary. When it has worked, I've found it hard to take it out of the STOP position (when in the STOP position, the cuffs cannot be opened).

My last problem with the cuffs are the links connecting them and how they're connected to the cuffs. There are three links between the two handcuffs, but they're not smelted and the edges can easily scratch and catch on skin. They are very strong, but smelted metal is much better, and looks better too. The links are connected to the cuffs by this odd piece that sort of sits on a ball so that the handcuffs can move in any which way the wearer moves. It sort of reminds me of Barbie dolls' heads, where they connect to the neck. Though nothing has happened in my experience with the ball popping out (like I've done on many occasions when I was younger to Barbie dolls) the opening where it sits is just small enough for the ball to fit and not fall out—even so, it worries me a bit.

The handcuffs come with a set of two very pretty keys, each same in design. One of them stays in the drawer with the handcuffs, and the other stays on my keyring with my other keys. They're made of the same metal that the handcuffs are made of (which I'm not sure what metal that is—possibly nickel—but whatever it is, it's very strong and heavy duty and hasn't rusted since I've had them) and are very nice looking; their design is more interesting than what most handcuffs come with.

To end on a good note, let's talk about the overall design of the cuffs, without tearing apart each individual flaw. Though they're not polish-finished, they are very clean and smooth and, quite honestly, look pretty damn good when they're on someone. They are not an easy-on, easy-off style and they don't have the safety feature, which might be a bit scary for beginners, but for the experienced users, it's a joy (and an excitement!). Even without the smelting of some of the metal (and some rough edges here and there), their price really does outdo their flaws.

Size/Fit
Metal handcuffs, I've noticed, don't really come in a "one size fits all" package. This pair of handcuffs has eight different adjustments that can be used, but they really don't fit very large wrist sizes (and when they do, they're a bit uncomfortable because of the shape).

Keeping them in good shape
If they become dirty, wipe them down with a soapy towel and dry. This should clean them thoroughly. Though I'm not sure what type of metal this is, I do know that it's sturdy and doesn't rust! This does not mean, however, that these can be sterilized—I'm honestly not sure if they can be, and I wouldn't take my chances thinking that they could. To keep from the worry, make sure to not cause any cuts when wearing this and do be careful; even though they are costume use and are not the best out there, there still can be bad situations that no one would want to be in.

Extra comments and performance
I believe that the cuffs' biggest downfall is the gear inside one of the cuffs that kept getting off its track. That's what really killed them for me. Aside from that though, they're a pretty good pair of cuffs for their price. I am happy that I bought them, because they were cheap and have served me well over the years. After everything is said and done, they are a good pair of cuffs, and are long lasting, even through rough use.

$9.99Handcuffs Handcuffs by Pipedream Material: Metal Safety: Buy from EdenFantasys