Providence Tool Company Handcuffs and Shackles

This is a rare Providence Tool Company leg iron in near relic condition. The surface is deeply rusted and pitted, and there is no key. 

These sold for only $36 after 2 bids. 

Note the signature rounded end cap and the angle of the hinge/lock tube connection. It's too bad these are so rusted and have no key. 
 

Above, from the authors own collection, a set of Providence Tool Company Handcuffs and Shackles linked with large, period, possibly original O ring connector. 

Note the signature rounded and low profile end cap on the lock tubes, and the angle of the hinges. This is the original key for the handcuffs; I have not tried yet to see if it may fit the shackles, which do not have a key but are fairly easy to open with a plastic tube, (see earlier post: Providence Tool Company Shackles) it turns out that the handcuff key works for the shackles except the key isn't long enough to reach the recessed locking bolt to get the initial thread started. By squeezing the shackle halfway closed (so that the angled locking end of the locking bolt begins to climb the slope of the square lock tab, but not so far as to snap the lock shut, thus raising the locking bolt against the spring). By doing this, the key is able to get started on the threaded bolt. This wouldn't work if they are locked, however. Maybe this is why a previous Providence Tool Company handcuffs had the key modified with the "shoulder" grinded off. This would allow the key to work for both Handcuffs and Shackles. 

Update, the key actually does work for the Shackles. When they are locked, the locking tab holds the spring loaded bolt up just enough that the key can grab the threads and it works smoothly. 

These are from the mid to late 1800s. Providence Tool Company began in 1847 as a hardware manufacturer and later merged with Providence Forge and Nut company, eventually becoming a massive industrial enterprise manufacturing muskets, rifles, sewing machines, mining tools, harpoons, sabers, reloading equipment, railway and marine equipment such as block and tackle, Marlin spikes, masonry tools, blacksmith tools, as well as a vast array of fasteners; nuts and bolts with which they are initially started the whole thing. 

I'm realizing now that Providence Tool Company, as well as likely many other manufacturers, merit their own page re: history and such, even if I only have a few examples from said maker. All in good time I suppose.