What Are Ruined Handcuffs?



Ruined Handcuffs are an Uncommon item in Arc Raiders. You won’t use them directly in combat or as part of your equipment—they’re more of a utility item. In the game, Ruined Handcuffs are primarily valuable for recycling into crafting materials.



When you recycle a Ruined Handcuff, you get:



8 Metal Parts through normal recycling



4 Metal Parts if you choose to salvage it



So the item is essentially a source of metal, which is useful if you’re crafting weapons, armor, or other gear. Keep in mind that the quantity you get is fixed, so you don’t need a huge stack of them unless you’re planning a big crafting session.



Where Can You Find Ruined Handcuffs?



Most players find Ruined Handcuffs in Security zones. These are areas where enemies or loot crates often drop mechanical or security-themed items. The spawn rate is not extremely high, but if you’re scavenging in these areas, you will encounter them regularly.



From a practical standpoint, you don’t need to go out of your way specifically to farm Ruined Handcuffs unless you are low on Metal Parts and want to avoid crafting directly from base components.



Should You Keep or Sell Ruined Handcuffs?



This is where the question of value comes in. On one hand, the in-game sell price is 640 Coins, which is not insignificant for an Uncommon item. On the other hand, the Metal Parts you get from recycling can be far more useful in the long term, especially if you are upgrading your gear.



Most experienced players tend to recycle them rather than sell. This is because Metal Parts are in constant demand, and having a stockpile allows you to craft more advanced items without waiting for a supply drop.



That said, there is a niche market for players who might want to sell Arc Raiders blueprints for real money, and in such contexts, rare crafting materials are valuable. If you are engaging with third-party trading or economy systems, keeping some Ruined Handcuffs might make sense—but for standard gameplay, recycling is generally the best use.



Recycling vs Salvaging: Which Is Better?



The game gives you two options for turning Ruined Handcuffs into resources:



Recycle: Converts one handcuff into 8 Metal Parts.



Salvage: Converts one handcuff into 4 Metal Parts.



In practice, recycling is almost always the better choice. Salvaging is rarely worth it unless you are doing a specific challenge or trying to conserve some other crafting resource.



Experienced players tend to stack Ruined Handcuffs in their inventory until they have a full batch, then recycle them all at once. This minimizes the trips back and forth to a crafting station and keeps your inventory manageable.



How Many Ruined Handcuffs Do You Actually Need?



Since Ruined Handcuffs are not used directly in any mission or equipment, you don’t need to collect them in large quantities for personal use. The main limiting factor is how much Metal Parts you need for crafting.



For example:



Crafting a basic weapon or armor piece might require 10–20 Metal Parts.



A Ruined Handcuff gives 8 Metal Parts when recycled.



So, a few handcuffs can cover multiple small upgrades. Only players who are planning extensive gear upgrades or crafting a lot of blueprints will need to hoard them.



Common Player Behavior



From experience, here’s how the community usually handles Ruined Handcuffs:



Pick them up automatically when scavenging: Most players don’t ignore them because the inventory weight is low (0.8 units per handcuff).



Recycle in batches: Players often wait until they have a full inventory of handcuffs to recycle all at once.



Avoid selling to NPCs for coins: The coin value is small compared to the crafting value. Only casual players or early-game characters do this.



Not used in missions: There’s no mission or quest that specifically requires handcuffs, so they’re purely a resource item.



Bottom Line: Do You Need Ruined Handcuffs?



For the average player, yes, but only as a source of Metal Parts. You do not need them for missions, combat, or progression. Keep a reasonable stock if you are crafting frequently, but don’t feel pressured to hoard them. Recycle them whenever you need Metal Parts for upgrades or advanced gear.



If you are new to the game, focus on scavenging Ruined Handcuffs naturally while exploring Security areas. Experienced players will tell you that their main value comes from efficient recycling rather than immediate use or sale.



Stack before recycling: Don’t recycle one at a time; wait until you have several for efficiency.



Combine with other scrap: Metal Parts from other items can be combined with handcuffs to craft bigger upgrades.



Keep track of inventory weight: At 0.8 per handcuff, carrying too many can start to limit scavenging efficiency.



Don’t expect rare drops: They’re Uncommon, so you’ll see them often enough but not in massive stacks.



In conclusion, Ruined Handcuffs are a minor but useful item in Arc Raiders. They won’t make or break your gameplay, but knowing how to use them efficiently—primarily for Metal Parts—will save time and resources. Treat them as a recycling resource, keep a moderate stock, and only consider selling them if you are exploring third-party trading systems where players buy and sell Arc Raiders blueprints for real money. That’s where their economic value can become significant.

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