These handcuffs are practically police issue. The Double Locking Nickel Handcuffs by Spartacus are very well made and of a high quality. No matter how hard we pulled on these, we could not find any hint of the material giving way. They are heavier than I had expected and I take that to be a very good sign. Even the links that connect the two cuffs have been soldered shut so there is no chance of them unbending like I’ve seen with lower quality cuffs.

Just like the product name says, these are made of nickel, like police issue cuffs and each cuff has a lock of its own also like police issue models. These separate locks allow for a great deal of versatility. Each hand has to be unlocked individually, which is particularly useful if you wanted to handcuff someone to an object then move them without having to completely free them.

The cuffs are easy to unlock, with no sticking or catching of the mechanism. The cuffs come with two keys, so you’ll want to keep one handy and the other as an emergency backup. Keep in mind, the keys are very small, but do have a loop on the end to attach to a keychain. Like most metal handcuffs, these lock using a series of ridged teeth that click into place. This allows for a good amount of adjustability of the fit. They can be cuffed tightly or loosely and to nearly anything. Hands behind back, in front, to chairs, to poles, one hand from each person—I could go on. If you have smaller ankles like I do, these cuffs will even fit on those—opening up even more bondage options.

That said, these cuffs do not come with a quick release latch—a switch on many cheaper handcuffs that allows the cuffs to be swiftly opened without the use of a key. This can be very useful if you lose the keys or if the submissive is a little uncertain or nervous about being bound. These double locking cuffs do not have a quick release, so would be best for those comfortable knowing that these cuffs aren’t going anywhere until the person with the keys says so. This a great plus for couples who like power play situations but feel some buckled cuffs are a little too easy for the submissive to break out of.

The only downside to metal handcuffs is the very obvious fact that they are metal and therefore not flexible. Having no give and being so rigid, there is a level of discomfort that comes with wearing them for extended periods of time. Handcuffs are not for painless bondage, especially if there is going to be any sort of struggling involved. This is not necessarily a bad thing. In the context of many BDSM scenes, that dull pain can significantly add to the pleasure of the submissive, but you should be aware that metal cuffs will have this effect.

These handcuffs would be good for anyone looking to invest in a high-quality, sturdy metal pair. The gleam off the nickel on these will have you reconsidering those police officer fantasies you had originally passed off as cliche.