• captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    All handcuffs having the same key was actually utilized at stonewall. The leather folks took cabs over when they learned of the riot and started using their handcuff keys to free arrested people who were left alone

  • Twitches@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    Picking handcuffs is super easy, but, snapping those zip ties are not as easy as it sounds, unless I’m doing it wrong it hurts too much.

    • Mario_Dies.wav@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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      10 months ago

      Yeah full disclaimer: This is a screenshot of something my friend posted and not my experience. I’d imagine it would hurt, but maybe I could practice it with … a very trusted friend lol

      • skulblaka@startrek.website
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        10 months ago

        Zip cuffs are basically impossible to remove without a sharp edge. Metal cuffs are a lot easier to get out of.

        Source: my dad’s ex cop friend tested this with us at his bar

        • Thurstylark@lemm.ee
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          10 months ago

          Important note: zip ties (what is being discussed in the OP), and zip cuffs (cuffs that are made from similar material and tech) are very much NOT the same, and cannot be treated the same way.

            • Mario_Dies.wav@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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              10 months ago

              I could ask the dude who posted this what video it was from, but he might not even remember. This was posted months ago in a discord server, and I just happened to have it as a screenshot on my phone. It’s very possible that the YouTuber was mixed up or wrong and didn’t know the difference. I know I didn’t know there was a difference until this thread.

              Anyway, I’ve only ever had cops use handcuffs on me, never zip cuffs/ties. I don’t think I’ve even seen them used in person.

              • SuperDuper@lemmy.world
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                10 months ago

                Anyway, I’ve only ever had cops use handcuffs on me, never zip cuffs/ties. I don’t think I’ve even seen them used in person.

                Generally I think they only use zip cuffs during larger crowd control operations, protests for example. Saw a ton of them during BLM protests in my city. You can see them on the left cop and some of the background cops if you zoom in on this pic I took

    • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      Police “Flexicuffs” are legit, and designed to prevent this technique from working. The ‘smash against hard surface to break’ works on regular zip-ties, the kind a kidnapper or rapist buys from the hardware store

      Picking handcuffs is indeed trivial, and basically all models are vulnerable to shimming under the ratchet pawl as well as using the (nearly) universal keys that are cheaply available online

    • _MusicJunkie@beehaw.org
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      10 months ago

      I tried it once with some household zipties, I could do it but it did hurt a lot. Dunno if the police use stronger ones, I would assume so.

  • xor@infosec.pub
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    10 months ago

    breaking zip ties isn’t easy… but if you have a paper clip or something, it’s a simple mechanism and you can lift the little plastic tab and loosen it…
    or melt it with a lighter…

    • BigDaddySlim@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Use the Heisenberg method, bite a lamp cord with your teeth, use the ends to cause a short burning the zip ties and burning the piss out of your wrists. You’re then free to go hide your methylamine at your car wash.

    • Mac@mander.xyz
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      10 months ago

      Hi, i regularly open and reuse zip ties.

      I use a knife and it’s hard enough with that fine point. Unless your zip ties have massive openings and lots of slop it would be impossible with a paper clip.

      • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        A small flat head screwdriver also works, although the legit handcuffs may be more tamper resistant.

      • xor@infosec.pub
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        10 months ago

        well ive definitely done it with a paper clip on a normal zip tie… the cop ones are a lot thicker so it seem like the tab would be bigger and easier to fuck with…

  • TheSlad@sh.itjust.works
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    10 months ago

    Protip: if you get out of the cuffs after a police officer cuffs you, that just gives them an excuse to beat the shit out of you. They are always looking for a reason to escalate the situation and show off their “authority”. Don’t give them a reason.

    • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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      10 months ago

      yeah but also dont get arrested.

      if you need to get out of cuffs for that…

  • Uriel238 [all pronouns]
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    10 months ago

    I bought a handcuff key (on a keychain wand) on Cops Plus. The company didn’t require confirmation I was law enforcement.

  • megopie
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    10 months ago

    YouTube algorithm “hey do you want to learn how to make gun barrels using pipe, electricity and water?”

    Me “won’t deny I’m curious but I’m still not clicking that because I’m 90% sure I’ll get put on a list”