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Thumb Cuff Escape
Thumb Cuff Escape refers to the act of escaping from thumb cuffs as a display of skill or magic. Thumb cuffs are almost like handcuffs, but they are smaller and designed to lock the thumbs of the wearer. They were invented in 1888 as a police restraint, and although fairly effective in that purpose, they are not commonly in use by American police.
Models of varying quality have been made by many manufacturers, including the Lion Tamer Thumb Cuffs, Flash Action Manacle Thumb Cuffs, "Peerless" Thumb Cuffs, Thum-Cuffs, and Austrian Thumb Cuffs. Also, the "Sen Yen Thumb Cuffs," "Improved Thumb Cuffs," and "Ultimate Thumb Cuffs."
Sources
- Chapter 3: Thumb Cuffs: Dick Norman, Modern Handcuff Secrets for Magicians (1957, pp. 9-11; 2nd ed., pp. 13-17).
- Comedy Thumb Cuff Escape (Gerald Millman): M-U-M, Vol. 55 No. 2 (July 1965, pp. 23-24).
- A Timely Escape (Ron Bauer): The New Tops, Vol. 22 No. 7 (July 1982,
pp. 11-13).
- Off-the-Cuff: Bob Brown, Magical Miscellany II: Jotts of a Generalist (ca. 1985).
- Marketed item, 1994, Magic, Inc.
- Thumb Cuff Picking Illusion (Norman Bibelow): The Linking Ring, Vol. 68 No. 6 (June 1988, pp. 81-82).
- Thumb Cuff Escape (Alan Wakeling): Jim Steinmeyer, The Magic of Alan Wakeling (1993).
- Card Cuffs: Paul Harris, Art of Astonishment, Book 3 (1996, pp. 139-140).
- Thumb Cuffs: David De-Val, The Escapology Secrets of David De-Val (2000, pp. 18-19).
- The F.B.I. Trick: Diamond Jim Tyler, Pockets Full of Miracles (2000).
- The Ultimate Card Trick: The Third Method is Entertainment: Jim Pace and Bob Wallace, Jim Pace's "A" Material (2002, pp. 26-31).
- Thumb Cuff Card Trick: Tomas Medina, Guns, Firetrucks, Smoke Bombs and Ninja Stars (2006).
- Thumb Cuffs for Older Kids: David Ginn (2012, ebook).
- Comedy Thumb Cuff Escape: Steve Lancaster (DVD).