Stocks have been used as a restraining device for many years. The picture above shows two small stocks from the middle ages, and was taken at a museum in Germany (see more at my museum pages). Many confgurations are possible. At left above, a stock for two people's ankles and wrists. At right, a single person stock for head and wrists. What distinguishes stocks is that they have two or more crossmembers that are held together to create channels for at least two appendages.
Stocks represent a simple concept... enclosing someone's wrists, ankles, and/or head between some wood is an easy way to limit or eliminate their freedom. The variations on this concept are plentiful. For example:
- Little stocks used like handcuffs, or even thumbcuffs
- Bigger stocks not secured to anything... basically a yoke
- Stocks in a box
- Stocks in a doorway
- Ankle and/or wrist stocks at the end(s) of a table or rack
- Head and wrist stocks at the end of a horse
- Stocks in a dedicated frame, for standing, bent over, sitting, and/or lying down positions
When designing stocks, you may want to think about ways to reuse pieces in althernate configurations or accompodate more positions in the design you're building. This isn't always possible (box stocks, for example), but thinking about it can add excellent versatility to a piece.
This is a very simple design of the most basic free stocks. Diagrammed for wrists and ankles, but applicable for either alone.
Also a simple design, this project has seperate stock pairs for wrists and ankles mounted in a small box. The result is secure restraint in a hunched-over position.
This very flexible design in a free-standing frame. As planned, the piece can accommodate many appendage combinations in a number of positions.
Follow these links for more information about the various versions:
Project page for Little Stocks