How to Make Chinese Handcuffs
Chinese handcuffs, better known as the Chinese Fingertrap, are a novelty toy used on unsuspecting victims to trap their index fingers; the harder they pull to remove their fingers, the tighter the trap becomes. Chinese handcuffs are relatively easy and inexpensive to make; in addition, they can keep your children occupied for quite a while.
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Instructions
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Cut the ribbon. To make your handcuffs more decorative, you can use two different-colored ribbons. You will want to cut the ribbon at arm's length, and cut two strips for each color. This should give you four strips of ribbon.
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2
Use your tape. Take one strip of each color and tape the ends together. You will want them to be roughly at an 80-degree angle to get the best results when you begin braiding them together. You will tape the other two pieces of ribbon together, again at an 80-degree angle.
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3
Attach to a stick. Once you have taped the ends of the ribbon together and have two separate sets of ribbon, you will attach them to the wooden stick. Be sure to attach them to opposite sides of the stick for even braiding.
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4
Begin braiding. This is the key to successful handcuffs. You will begin by taking one color (red) and overlapping it with the other color (blue). Then take the other strand of red from the opposite side and cross it over. Repeat this process until you have either reached the bottom of the stick or run out of ribbon. If you have any excess ribbon, trim the ends and tape them together with the cello tape.
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Remove the wood. Once you have completed the braid and taped the ends of the ribbon together, you will remove the wood from the center. This served only as a support while you were making your handcuffs. If braided correctly, the handcuffs should hold together and the ribbons should have a criss-cross effect.
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