Harry Houdini was a master of escape artistry, and one of his most famous tricks was escaping from handcuffs. He would often allow police officers to lock him up in their own handcuffs, and then he would escape in a matter of minutes.
There were several methods that Houdini used to escape from handcuffs. One method was to use a "hidden key." He would conceal a small key in his clothing or in his mouth, and then he would use it to open the handcuffs. Another method was to use a "shim." He would insert a thin piece of metal into the lock of the handcuffs, and then he would use it to force the lock open.
Houdini also used a technique called "picking." He would use a small tool to manipulate the internal mechanism of the handcuffs, and then he would be able to open them.
Houdini was so skilled at escaping from handcuffs that he was once invited to perform at the Scotland Yard police headquarters in London. He was able to escape from all of the handcuffs that the police officers presented to him, and he even managed to escape from a pair of handcuffs that had been designed specifically to be escape-proof.
Houdini's handcuff escapes were a marvel to behold, and they helped to make him one of the most famous magicians in the world.