In this earlier article we reviewed the Lovehoney Tease Furry Handcuffs, and described a simple modification we made to an oversensitive safety catch. Looking back through our order history, we bought the Tease handcuffs at the beginning of April 2015 and five months later we also bought some professional cuffs.
That's not to say there's anything wrong with the Tease model and ours have certainly not been retired altogether. They're a great product, quick, convenient, and represent an excellent balance of quality and value. Definitely go for the fur lined version though, because the metal is quite thin and they really aren't that great without the soft lining. There are some closeups in the photos later in this article.
We bought two pairs of the Tease Handcuffs to be able to act out fantasies of the classic "hands to the bedposts" style of bedroom bondage. The first slight misgiving was that it's a little too easy to accidentally knock the safety catch, always at the most inconvenient time! They do come with a couple of nice looking keys, but in reality does anybody really use a key with them? It's far more convenient to quickly release your partner with the safety lever than to go through the motions of pretending to have to use a key.
These two factors are what initially swayed us towards a professional handcuff. And, perhaps the most obvious upgrade from the Tease range would be the Fetish Fantasy Double Lock Cuffs.
The specific handcuffs in the photo above are from Germany and are a brand called Nordhandel. However, for practical purposes they're pretty much identical to these Fetish Fantasy Double Lock Cuffs. Heavy and feeling very solid, they use a standard handcuff key with a 'pin' to activate a push button style double-lock. To unlock, you first turn the key anticlockwise to release the safety double-lock, then clockwise to release the lever.
If you have a thing for handcuffs, the Nordhandel.de Homepage is well worth a look, being a fast and convenient European source for classics like the stainless Smith and Wesson 103, and many others, as well as loads of related accessories. Handcuffs are sexy, but be warned that it can quickly become an expensive hobby!
The first difference you're likely to notice is the additional weight, around 280g vs 180g, and the general feeling that everything is very solid and heavy. Obviously there is no safety catch, either to use as a convenient "substitute key", or to accidentally press against pillowcases and bedposts, etc. So, ensure that your key is always kept close at hand; you'll be needing it anyway in order to engage the double-lock.
That solid feeling extends to the sound too. The handcuffs close with a sharp metallic clicking, much more so than the Tease model, and you'll know it's most definitely locked.
If you are fond of furry handcuffs (we are!) but still want to upgrade, the fur linings are easily swapped over. Just a little care is needed to avoid trapping the edge of the fur liner on the sharper teeth of the ratchet.
One final tip that we have found handy is to use a distinctive and easy to grip key-ring with at least one of the keys. We have a specific storage box for handcuffs, and these two pairs of handcuffs have their own small box within that. The three remaining spare keys live in that box on a plain metal keyring and the leather key-ring shown in the photos always accompanies the handcuffs when they come out to play.
So, in conclusion, if you're at all curious it's well worth considering an upgrade to a professional handcuff, like the the Fetish Fantasy Double Lock Cuffs. We were initially hesitant, given the additional cost and the fact that on first glance they seem like such a similar product. It's perhaps difficult to quantify, but we can honestly say there is a world of difference, and you will really feel like you've taken a step up in excitement.
Check out some of the other product reviews via the link above, and our advice is don't let the price put you off - it's well worth it.
