How to escape from handcuffs, zipties and duct tape

The video is noisy and a bit goofy and annoying to watch. They do not get right to it and demonstrate. Still, they have see-through handcuffs so you can see the mechanism inside them. They do show how to escape.

The obvious problem is you'll need to have a paperclip or a tiny shim on your person at the time of your arrest. And you'll be handcuffed with your arms behind your back, not in front as shown.

At the FRB, we sent out bags of bundles of checks each day to the banks they were drawn on. Hundreds of bags were tied with ziplock ties. Every single one of the clerks could open the ziplock using the tip of the ziplock as shim. There was always a reason to need a bag opened once it was closed with its address tag. They simply bent the end around and shoved it into the opening backwards, overlaying the flat tie going through the lock forward. This messed up the tiny plastic gears inside allowing the tie to be loosened. Even as cutters were right there at hand. They liked being clever. They never tried this with their own hands tied with them behind their back.

They don't mention, if you are arrested you might not want to do this without a clear escape plan. Because if you simply go, "Hey, here's your handcuffs. La la la." They'll shake you down for your paperclip and put them back on a lot tighter.