You Need to Know This Lifesaving Handcuff Hack

One of the first things a kidnapper does when they abduct someone is keep them restrained. Naturally, this is the way to prevent a victim from escaping. It’s a scary thing to imagine, being kidnapped, but it’s crucial to be prepared for this kind of unimaginable situation.

If a kidnapped person has been handcuffed, it can seem like an extremely helpless situation. But believe it or not, there is a way to break out of these industrial restraints.

All you need to break free? A simple bobby pin. Crazy Russian Hackers shows us on a double-lock handcuff just how to escape a terrifying situation using only this humble hair accessory.

To start, you need to prep your bobby pin. It’s crucial that at least one of the plastic knobs on the ends of the pin has been taken off, so that the pointed, metal part is exposed. Of course, you can’t do this while you’re being held hostage, so it’s important to have this sharpened bobby pin prepared ahead of time.

Use a knife or scissor to CAREFULLY remove the plastic top of the bobby pin and keep it on hand; if you have long hair, keep the pin there. Otherwise, keep it on your belt or in your pocket.

Once you’re in handcuffs, take out your trusty pin and bend it open so it’s straight. Then, you’ll stick the sharp pin straight into the locking mechanism on the cuff, which should be a small hole.

You’ll want to use the handcuff to bend the pin one way, so it folds a little to the right. Flip it and bend it the other way so it looks a bit like a zigzag.

This might seem time consuming, but you’ll need something to imitate the shape of the key in order to pop the mechanism open. Once it’s bent in the correct way, all you have to do is insert the pin in the hole (try putting it in on an angle) and pull the pin back.

Like nothing at all, the pin will lift the internal mechanism and pop the handcuffs open. This is an easy trick that, if practiced, you should be able to pull off in a few seconds, even with one hand.

The first time you take a stab at it, it might take a few times to feel your way into the cuff just right; eventually, you’ll feel the lock inside and get the hang of how to flip it upwards easily.

What do you think of this smart survival trick? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.