In a hostage or kidnap situation duct tape, zip ties or handcuffs are the most likely thing used by the captives to subdue and constrain a victim, a few simple methods can be used to help escape a dangerous situation when needed.
Where tape can be easily loosened with sweat or saliva, or easily broken or bitten away, being tied up with zip ties or handcuffed is a little bit harder to get out of.
Zip ties have a simple locking mechanism where a small bit of plastic allows for only one way movement against plastic teeth, a simple method of opening these where no cutting tool is available is to try to fold the loose plastic end to where the zip tie lock to move the plastic out of the way.
If you are able to move but unable to reach to locking part, the next method is to slam your arms against your hip from above your head with force, in a way that pushes your shoulder blades together.
Handcuffs have a simple lock and teeth system that can easily be released.
The most important thing is to check to see if your captures are watching you closely, make sure you are safe and they do not notice you are trying to escape, slow your breathing to calm yourself in a situation.
First check to see if the handcuffs are metal toy handcuffs with a release mechanism, which is a simple switch like button that releases the lock of the handcuffs, even if glued to stop it use, it is possible to pick away the glue or force the switch.
If the handcuffs are real handcuffs the next method if to checking what the handcuffs are attached to, and see how simple it is to remove yourself from any objects you maybe tied to.
If your arms are tied behind your back, sit down to allow yourself to move your arm under your legs, bringing your arm to the front of the body, if you are tied to an object behind you, try to stand up, bend your knees and step over the handcuffs, only do this if your captures are not around and your need your arms in front of yourself.
Handcuffs have a very simple lock and use teeth that click one way, the most simple method to removing handcuffs is with a small piece of metal like hair clip or paper clip, if you use a hair clip remove the plastic first.
Push the hair or paper clip to where to teeth are going into the handcuff and give it a hard push while closing the handcuff a little tighter, this should get in the way of the teeth and allow the handcuff to slide back without the teeth locking it.
The second method is to bend a hair or paper clip into a hook and pushing the very simple lock open from within the keyhole, there is a simple spring that pushes teeth from inside the cuff against the part that closes around the wrist, which is also covered in teeth.
As the handcuff closes the teeth allows for one direction, the key simply pushes the teeth back in the handcuff against the spring, this is a one pin lock and can simply be pushed back against the spring using a single bit of metal in the keyhole.
With the hooked metal hair or paper clip, face the hook end towards to wrists in the keyhole going towards the centre, there will be a bit of metal to push away from your wrist in the keyhole lifting the teeth from inside the handcuff away from the teeth of the handcuffs that moves around the wrist.
The last method is the hardest method, this last method might break something in your hand and could hurt but in a desperate situation can save your life, forcing your hands through the handcuffs using a bit of fabric, like a neck tie or a ripped strip of clothing.
Push the fabric through the handcuff with your wrist and tie it or loop it through again to secure it, then step on one end of the fabric and pull your hand through slowly but firmly, do not rush but be quite firm.
Even if you escape with a handcuff around your wrist, as soon as you have got free enough to escape, leave the situation as fast as possible, do not worry about having one cuff around one wrist, look for safety and deal with that later!