Brass Knuckles

Brass Knuckles [In the generic grouping of "Knuckledusters."] have a long and bloody history in both Europe and The United States. Probably a lot of other places as well. Carrying them on your person in virtually any State in this Country would amount to an instant arrest if searched. You would be very lucky to get away with a confiscation and a verbal warning…very lucky.

In my youth, there were many people in the neighborhood and in Baltimore City that packed a pair of "Knucks." They are sold to this day in the same places they were in my youth. Flea Markets all around the area have "Brass Paperweights." Some of them are supplied with a tiny little piece of threaded metal that screws into a matching hole so they can be picked up easily off of a stack of papers on your desk. Makes them a real cool paperweight in fact! They are neat and a great conversation piece.

I think it is safe to assume that wherever there are Flea Markets or Swap Meets, etc., you are going to find dumptruck loads of brass knuckles, various flat and round blackjacks [saps] and cheap overseas rip-offs of ASP Telescoping Batons. I’ve watched a lot of punks and wannabe gangbangers buying them…so beware. They ain’t collectors, they’re users…

The bloody world of pummeling people with Knucks has a long history as I said before. These things are brutal weapons and have a sinister reputation.

The reason they were banned is because we have a problem, as a society, of blaming inanimate objects for the acts of predatory or stupid human beings. That is primary. More than that, they were banned because they are effective at what they do, which is damaging people.

The way I was taught by a Jujutsu Instructor was to punch in a tearing and glancing manner and not necessarily straight on. In other words, you would hit with something similar to a vertical, rolling punch instead of something like a reverse punch.

But that is with Brass Knuckles as we have come to know them. Most "Classic" Brass Knuckles have smallish holes for the fingers. To punch straight on could lead to broken fingers, which is why he suggested a slightly different method of punching with them. It really depends on how your hand is shaped, finger size and some other things…but in general, with the "Classic" pattern, it’s probably best to hit with a rolling, glancing blow.