How to Escape from a Real Straitjacket

Before we start I have to say for legal reasons that this article is intended for entertainment purposes only and that neither the author nor publisher recommends that you try this at all and takes no responsibility if you do. With that in mind we begin.

Since the time I was around thirteen year old one of my big heroes was Harry Houdini. Like Houdini, I wanted to be a stuntman and an escape artist. I practiced everyday with locked chains, ropes and handcuffs ... anything that I could get to emulate my hero. I even took a locksmithing course as a teen to perfect my art.

Naturally one of the skills I wanted to perfect as an escape artist was to escape from a straitjacket. The problem was that the ones commercially available were the "trick" ones from magic stores. Besides the fact that I wanted to be able to escape from a real one these "trick" jackets were very expensive.

The trick jackets were made from a slick leather and did no include the center "groin" strap that made real jackets an added challenge. The "trick" jackets also do not have the side straps that prevent the "user" from pulling his arms directly over his head with no restriction. The arms of a real jacket tuck into two straps located on the sides.

One day my uncle surprised me with a unique gift. He brought me a real, genuine, canvas straitjacket complete with the center and side straps. The story was that he had a friend that worked at a mental hospital and he was able to get a used one for real cheap. I had no reason to doubt that as the jacket had authentic blood stains on the front. Naturally I was excited.

I ran to my room and started to get to work. I consulted my Houdini book and learned that to escape the jacket I would have to learn how to "dislocate" my shoulder. OK, so that was not going to happen. I dislocated a thumb once and the pain from that was enough to convince me that there had to be a better way.

The first thing I did was practice without the center strap fastened. Oddly enough with the right maneuvering the jacket is pretty easy to get off without the center strap. You just need to find the right position and force it off like a tight sweater.

Next, I practiced the escape with the strap fastened. I found that I could lower myself and grab the strap with the heals of my feet and loosen the strap either all the way or enough to be able to work it down my leg.

After a while people figured out that they should tuck-in the end of the center strap so I could not reach it. My experience with the slightly loosened strap still gave me the method for getting the jacket off even with the strap tucked in. It only made it slightly harder to get into position. Once I had the technique for positioning the strap the trick was complete.

OK, so with the proper warnings of not trying this at home, I would seriously not consider doing this yourself especially if you have a heart condition or trouble with your joints or back. The technique still takes quite a bit of strength and stamina and is still very hard to do. I would also not recommend this if you are claustrophobic or have breathing problems.

Steps to successfully escape from an authentic straitjacket:

1. Get a real straitjacket or have one given to you as a gift from your uncle.

2. Try the escape in little steps before putting them all together i.e. start first without the center strap, then with the loose strap etc.

3. While getting strapped in make yourself as big as possible. Take a deep breath to make your chest fill out. Keep your shoulders high. This makes it hard to fully buckle the center strap giving you the needed space to work the jacket around.

By all means, when the assistant is strapping the arms in the back fight to keep the jacket from being tightened fully. Also, bring your elbows forward to make them flex the least. All of this will give you the needed space to move the jacket to the needed position for escape. With practice you will be able to create a great deal of space.

4. After being strapped in the first thing you must deal with is the center strap. If it is allowed to hang it is just a matter of grabbing the strap with your heals and pulling on it until it comes loose. Later on it will be tucked in and out of reach. Before tugging away at the suit it is first necessary to pull the suit around your torso to the right (or left if you want. All of my descriptions will result in the jacket being pulled towards your left leg). The idea is to scoot the strap over your left buttock. This way when you bend forward to remove the jacket the strap will follow down your left leg.

5. The next part is the hardest especially if you have not provided yourself the proper amount of space. Position your right hand over your left elbow. This will provide the mechanical lever you will need to pry the jacket off. Now bend down to your left knee. The center strap should rest now just below your left buttock. Use your left knee as a fulcrum on your left elbow. Now the strength and stamina part. In this position, staying bent over,, pry your left elbow and pull your arms up towards your head.

At this point the side straps that are designed to keep your arms from being pulled over your head will now actually help to pull the entire jacket over your head. I have done this escape in front of an audience full of high school students as well as on a professional stage and I can tell you at this point the crowd will go wild and will be cheering you on. This helps believe me.

6. Once you get most of the jacket past your shoulder it is no harder to pull off then a tight sweater. The center strap will follow down your left leg and the whole jacket will come off and drop onto the floor.

7. Take your bow. You deserve it!