The Sound of Success
It’s comical how something as seemingly innocuous as a simple sound can illicit such polar responses from people. To me, knuckle cracking is one of the most off-putting sounds I can think of. I detest it. That simple “pop-pop-pop” sound of fingers or toes or backs just sends shivers down my spine. Oh, it is gross! For a split second I feel nauseous. I don’t know what it is about the sound that drives me nuts but it does. Well, it does unless I am the one making the noise. If I am the one applying the pressure and making that sharp snap sound I am in heaven. Its the sound of sweet relief for my joints. It just feels so good. That sound goes from being the bane of my existence to the single most satisfying split second of the day depending solely on where I stand. It’s all just about perspective.
Knuckles, as divisionary as they are, are mere child’s play when compared to other audible nuisances. In the world of sounds there is almost nothing that is as divisionary as that metallic sharp “click” that comes from the Peerless 700 Stainless Steel Handcuffs. When those cuffs ratchet shut it can bring out some strong feelings. For some, that noise is cold, calloused, unforgiving, and closely associated with sweating, fear, and involuntary defecation. It signifies the beginning of a long horrible process that can change a man’s life forever. Luckily, I have yet to hear that tone with my fingers interlocked behind my back. I have somehow managed to stay Peerless Handcuff adjacent, only grimacing vicariously from the sound as someone else begins the long, arduous process that starts with a quiet squad car ride downtown and ends with the heart stopping crack of a wooden gavel hammering against a marble slate. This isn’t to say that I have neutral feelings about that sound. I opened up a set of the 700’s and began pushing the arm of the cuff through the teeth and the noise was worse than nails on a chalkboard. It was the kind of dread you feel when you see a police car behind you on the freeway. You know you did nothing wrong, you know that there is no logical reason they would even give your car a second glance, but for a few seconds your stomach just churns. I wondered if anyone on earth would associate the Peerless Cuffs ominous sound with anything positive. But for every yin, there is a yang, and for every person on the one side of those cuffs, there is one standing behind them, with a badge and probably a nice sized sense of accomplishment.
The sound of the Peerless clicking into place must sound like applause to a police officer. Once those cuffs start chiming and lock snugly around a ne’er-do-well’s wrists that officer knows that they have done their job. The hard part is over. The city is a safer place. Out on the streets these officers rely on their gear to get the job done. If something goes wrong, something breaks, or is defective; it could mean the loss of a collar, or worse; their life. For this reason there is a level of trust that must be reached between the officer and their gear. Peerless knows this fact very well. Not only do they produce some of the best restraints in the business but they have been doing this for 95 years. Their cuffs have earned their place on the belts of officers the world over.
Music to Law Enforcers Ears.
To commemorate this landmark Peerless has rolled out a limited number of 95th anniversary 700L handcuffs. These special edition cuffs look fantastic. I was able to get my hands on one of them at this years SHOT Show and I was impressed. They are made up the same standards as their regular 700 series but instead of the classic nickel color they shine bright gold and are inscribed with special markings and individually numbered.. The cuffs come with two keys, a “Thank You” card, and are very limited in quantity. Only 400 were produced to mark this occasion. Of course, these cuffs probably won’t see too much action out in the field (in other places, who knows!) but they are the perfect cuffs to give for an officer’s retirement, to celebrate a promotion, or to congratulate them on any type of award or honor. They really are classy looking and perfectly showcase the time, care, and tradition that Peerless exemplify.
So if you are in law enforcement, or know someone that is, the Peerless 700L is the perfect item for a special occasion for them. Anyone would be honored to receive one as a gift…well, anyone with a badge, anyways. I am sure that if any of my friends or I were to come into contact with a working pair of 700’s it really wouldn’t matter what color they were. That noise and the feel of those cold cuffs against the skin would be the beginning of a very bad day.