To many of us, breaking out of handcuffs would seem like nothing more than an escapist parlor trick. However, the skill can be very useful in the event of kidnappings and other situations where you find yourself held against your will outside of police custody. Popular Mechanics offers advice in a recent article titled “How to Break Out of Handcuffs With Just a Paper Clip.”

The author of the article writes, “Just in case you find yourself in a hostage situation or a romantic rendezvous goes wrong, the key to escaping handcuffs is a standard paper clip. That's what Grant Thompson suggests in this useful YouTube video about breaking free from any professional-grade cuffs. According to Thompson, all it takes is biting the small end of the paper clip to make dent in it. After that, make a handle and stick it in the keyhole to twist it until you free the one hand. Then, repeat on the other hand. Boom, you're free.”

Life Hacker also found this video interesting and offered their own take in a recent article titled “This Video Shows You How to Escape Handcuffs Using Only a Paperclip.” Patrick Allan of Life Hacker writes, “This video, from YouTuber Grant Thompson—The King of Random—explains each step to unlocking the basic mechanism in a standard pair of handcuffs. When you have your paperclip bent the right way, all it takes is a couple quick turns. As the video points out, you should never try to escape from the police. It will only make things more difficult for you, so respect the law and only use this trick when you’ve been kidnapped, are being held against your will, or performing magic tricks. If your kidnappers are using zip ties instead, there’s a couple ways to break out of those too . Hopefully you’ll never have to worry about escaping from kidnappers, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

If you’re looking to practice escaping handcuffs or want to use them for other purposes, the Busted High Security Authentic Stainless Steel Handcuffs from Armory Replicas are perfect for you.

Our handcuffs offer a double chain link, welded to prevent the links from opening. They come equipped with two keys which house the double lock tip. The handcuffs also have a single strand teeth with a single strand groove which fits seamlessly through the double strand body offering more security. They come equipped with a beautifully stitched black faux leather sheath with a large belt loop to fit standard duty belt. In addition, the closing on the sheath offers a velcro mechanism making the handcuff readily available for action.

Whatever replica armory needs you might have, you can’t go wrong with Armory Replicas!