Towers Double Lock Leg Irons

 

Here are two pairs of Towers Double Lock Leg Irons on eBay. They're each around $150 buy it now, neither has a key. 

They're both decent looking cuffs; I would clean them up a bit and lubricate. I have a few new made keys from Ian in Australia which I got years ago for my first pair of Towers DL leg irons, but I guess he's not selling to Americans right now. Really unfortunate because he is one of a kind skilled locksmith. 

The thing about these shackles is that without a key, it's not known if the even work properly. Towers Double Lock cuffs are quite intricate, with lots of parts, and it's not uncommon to find examples with one or two broken locks or unreliable double locking. My first pair of Towers Double Lock Leg Irons has one finicky lock. It double locks fine, but it's tricky to unlock the double lock; sometimes it just turns and nothing happens. I try different Towers keys and hold the key high or low in the keyway and it eventually opens. It would be disappointing to buy one of these sets, which obviously haven't had the best care and/or have seen a lot of use, go through the lengths of getting a new key, and finding the locks were rusted or damaged. 

Here we see another example,  but look closely and these are not Towers, and they're not Balco. 

This is one of a small number of leg irons which have shackles exactly like Towers Double Lock Leg Irons or Balco but have a standard twist link chain. 

I don't know anything else about these. I have read one account that they were NOT from the Towers factory. They're clearly the same exact cuff 

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It's only speculation, but maybe after Tower stopped production, another company or group ended up with the molds/parts and made another run at some point, but used a standard chain. 

Another Towers pattern with modern chain. This sold for $157.50 after 3 bids December 2025. Seller says they are single lock only. I wonder if all modern chain version are single lock only? Because Tower bottom key leg irons were single lock but the standard double lock was the next model. There was no "Towers Single Lock" leg irons in this design by Tower anyway. 

Here's a decent nickel plated set of Towers Double Lock Leg Irons with one non original key..seller says it's finicky to unlock but does unlock. Sold for $81 after 2 bids. 

Here is a striking set of Towers Bottom Key leg irons. These sold for $427 with 2 keys. Amazing patina and colouration on the shackles. 

Although there is a makers mark which doesn't really look like it said "Towers" this is obviously a Towers pattern. Here's a close up of the maker mark