I think we got an engineer in the party, so here's my suggestion: Let's take the key with us, so then upon encountering a more formidable foe, we can combine the five shackles into a chain by interlocking them with each other. Attached to one of the wooden clubs this could serve as a makeshift flail.

Maybe we could also combine them into a bola to throw at and immobilize an animal. If then we encountered some wild horses...

*mumble muble mumble, just imagine some additional useless trash talk here*