Brass knuckles

Short description: Weapon used in hand-to-hand combat

For other uses, see Chemistry:Brass knuckles (disambiguation).

"Knuckleduster" and "Knucks" redirect here. For the flying boat, see Short Knuckleduster. For the rapper, see Knucks (musician).

Brass knuckles

Brass knuckles (also referred to as brass knucks, knuckledusters, iron fist and paperweight, among other names) are a melee weapon used primarily in hand-to-hand combat. They are fitted and designed to be worn around the knuckles of the human hand. Despite their name, they are often made from other metals, plastics or carbon fibers and not necessarily brass.

Designed to preserve and concentrate a punch's force by directing it toward a harder and smaller contact area, they result in increased tissue disruption, including an increased likelihood of fracturing the intended target's bones on impact. The extended and rounded palm grip also spreads the counter-force across the attacker's palm, which would otherwise have been absorbed primarily by the attacker's fingers. This reduces the likelihood of damage to the attacker's fingers.

The weapon is controversial for its easy concealability and its association with organized crime, as a result it is illegal to own and use in a number of countries.

## Contents

* 1 History and variations
* 2 Legality and distribution
* 3 See also
* 4 References

## History and variations

Legality of brass knuckles: nations in green (possession only), teal (possession in many local subdivision) and blue (possession and bearing). Brass knuckles carried by Abraham Lincoln's bodyguards during his train ride through Baltimore. Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, 2007 An Apache revolver, a weapon that combines brass knuckles with a firearm and a dagger – Curtius Museum, Liège, 2011 Mark I brass knuckles trench knife Homemade brass knuckles used in a lumber camp in Pine County, Minnesota. c. 1890

By the late 18th century, knuckledusters were incorporated into various kinds of pistols such as the Apache revolver used by criminals in France in the late 19th to early 20th centuries.[1] During World War I the US Army issued two different knuckle knives, the US model 1917 and US model 1918 Mark I trench knives. Knuckles and knuckle knives were also being made in England at the time and purchased privately by British soldiers. It was advised not to polish brass knuckles as allowing the brass to darken would act as camouflage on the battlefield.[2]

## Legality and distribution

Brass knuckles are illegal in several regions, including: Italy, Hong Kong, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, Denmark, Croatia,[3] Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,[4] Greece, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Ireland,[5] Malaysia,[6][7] the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain,[8] Turkey,[9] Sweden, Singapore,[10] Taiwan,[11] Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates[12] and the United Kingdom.[13]

Import of brass knuckles into Australia is illegal unless a government permit is obtained; permits are available for only limited purposes, such as police and government use, or use in film productions.[14] They are prohibited weapons in the state of New South Wales.[15]

In Brazil, brass knuckles are legal and freely sold. They are called soco inglês, which means 'English punch', or soqueira, which means 'puncher'. In Canada, brass knuckles (Canadian French poing américain, which literally means 'American fist'), or any similar devices made of metal, are listed as prohibited weapons;[16] possession of such weapon is a criminal offence under the Criminal Code.[17] Plastic knuckles have been determined to be legal in Canada.[18]

In France, brass knuckles are illegal. They can be bought as a "collectable" (provided one is over 18), but it is forbidden to carry or use one, whatever the circumstance, including self-defense.[19] The French term is coup-de-poing américain, which literally means 'American punch'.

In Russia, brass knuckles were illegal to purchase or own during Imperial times and are still forbidden according to Article 6 of the 1996 Federal Law on Weapons.[20] They are called кастет (from French casse-tête, literally 'head breaker'). In Serbia,[21] brass knuckles are legal to purchase and own (for people over 16 years old) but are not legal to carry in public. They are called боксер, literally 'boxer'. In Taiwan, according to the law of the Republic of China, possession and sales of brass knuckles are illegal. Under the regulation, brass knuckles are considered weapons. Without the permission of the central regulatory agency, it is against the law to manufacture, sell, transport, transfer, rent, or have them in any collection or on display.[11]

In China, brass knuckles are legal as per the law of the People's Republic of China. According to Article 32 of the "Public Security Administration Punishment Law of the People's Republic of China",[22] citizens can legally own them for self-defense, but they are prohibited items in certain places. For example, brass knuckles are not allowed to be carried when travelling on metro systems, buses, trains or other public transport. In ancient China, brass knuckles were popular, and were used regularly as a concealed weapon or self-defense tool. In the United States, brass knuckles are not prohibited at the federal level, but various state, county and city laws, and the District of Columbia, regulate or prohibit their purchase and/or possession.[23] As of 2025[update], brass knuckles are prohibited in 20 states.[24] Some state laws require purchasers to be 18 or older. Most states have statutes regulating the carrying of weapons, and some specifically prohibit brass knuckles or "metal knuckles". Some companies manufacture belt buckles or novelty paper weights that function as brass knuckles.[25] Brass knuckles made of plastic, rather than metal, have been marketed as "undetectable by airport metal detectors".[26] Some states that ban metal knuckles also ban plastic knuckles. For example, New York's criminal statutes list both "metal knuckles" and "plastic knuckles" as prohibited weapons, but do not define either.[27]

File:Brass Knuckles Legality By U.S. State.pngRed Illegal, Blue legal, Green legal with permit.

## See also

* Bagh nakh
* Cestus (boxing)
* Gauntlet (glove)
* Mark I trench knife
* Tekkō
* Vajra-mushti
* Weighted-knuckle glove

## References

| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brass knuckles.

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1. ↑ Frost, H. Gordon (1972) (in en). Blades And Barrels, Six Centuries Of Combination Weapons. Foreword by Leon C. "Red" Jackson (1st ed.). El Paso, Texas, USA: Walloon Press. OCLC 1106930.
2. ↑ The Handbook Of The SAS And Elite Forces. How The Professionals Fight And Win. Edited by Jon E. Lewis. p.325-Tactics And Techniques, Personal Skills And Techniques. Robinson Publishing Ltd 1997. ISBN 1-85487-675-9
3. ↑ Mihelić, Marija (18 February 2012). "Zabranjeno oružje - idealan dar: kupite bokser za samo 350 kuna" (in hr). Novi list (Rijeka, Croatia). ISSN 1334-1545. http://www.novilist.hr/Vijesti/Hrvatska/Slavonija/Zabranjeno-oruzje-idealan-dar-kupite-bokser-za-samo-350-kuna.
4. ↑ "Anlage 2 (zu § 2 Abs. 2 bis 4) Waffenliste" (in de). Waffengesetz. Federal Ministry of Justice. http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/waffg_2002/anlage_2_84.html. "Abschnitt 1: ... Verbotene Waffen ... Der Umgang mit folgenden Waffen und Munition ist verboten: ... 1.3.2 ... Schlagringe"
5. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions" (in en). Department of Justice and Equality. http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/FAQ.
6. ↑ "Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 (Revised 1988)". http://www.commonlii.org/my/legis/consol_act/caesaowa19581988652/.
7. ↑ "Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Act 2014". http://mltic.my/criminal/legislation/corrosive-and-explosive-substances-and-offensive-weapons-amendment-act-2014-MY10065.html.
8. ↑ "Real Decreto 137/1993, de 29 de enero, por el que se aprueba el Reglamento de Armas" (in es). https://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/rd137-1993.html.
9. ↑ "Yasak Ateşsiz Silahlar" (in tr). http://kriminal.iem.gov.tr/balistik_yasak_atessiz.htm.
10. ↑ "Controlled and Prohibited Items Under Police Licensing and Regulatory Department" (PDF). p. 11. https://www.police.gov.sg/~/media/spf/files/e-services/faq- items.pdf?la=en.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Error: no `|title=` specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in zh). http://www.6law.idv.tw/6law/law/�j���u�ĤM��ި����.htm.Error:+no+`|title=`+specified when+using+{{[[Template:Cite+web|Cite+web]]}}&rft.atitle=&rft_id=http://www.6law.idv.tw/6law/law/%BAj%AF%A5%BCu%C3%C4%A4M%B1%F1%BA%DE%A8%EE%B1%F8%A8%D2.htm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikibooks.org:Chemistry:Brass_knuckles">
12. ↑ None. "Passenger carrying weapons arrested" (in en). https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/passenger-carrying-weapons-arrested.
13. ↑
* Prohibition of offensive weapons:  Criminal Justice Act 1988: Section 141, The National Archives, 1988 c. 33  (s. 141), http://legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/33/section/141/enacted
* Definition of knuckledusters as offensive weapons for the purposes of the above:  The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988: Schedule, The National Archives, SI 1988/2019 (sch.), http://legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/2019/schedule//made
14. ↑ "Can you bring it in?" (in en). Australia: Border Force. https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/can-you-bring-it-in/categories/weapons. "Import permits are generally only issued for police/government use or 'specified purposes' such as for filming a movie."
15. ↑ "NSW Police Force – Firearms Registry Schedule 1 – Prohibited Weapons Prescribed Safe Storage – Reference Clause 35A of the Weapons Prohibition Regulation 2009" (in en) (PDF). New South Wales Police Force. p. 2. http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/133191/Prohibited_Weapons_Schedule1_April_2012.pdf.
16. ↑ Department of Justice Canada (16 September 1998). "Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted (SOR/98-462)" (in en). Part 3: Prohibited Weapons, §15. Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 8. http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-98-462/FullText.html.
17. ↑ Department of Justice Canada (1985). "Part 3. Section 91". Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c. C-46. http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cs/C-46/bo-ga:l_II_1::bo-ga:l_III/20070529/en?page=3&isPrinting=false#codese:91. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
18. ↑ Canada Border Services Agency (19 January 2022). "D19-13-2 Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices" (in en). §43: Brass knuckles. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-13-2-eng.html.
19. ↑ "Décret n°95-589 du 6 mai 1995 relatif à l'application du décret du 18 avril 1939 fixant le régime des matériels de guerre, armes et munitions" (in fr). Légifrance. §B, 4th category, paragraph 1. http://legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexteArticle.do;?idArticle=LEGIARTI000024655301&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000005618597. "Tous objets susceptibles de constituer une arme dangereuse pour la sécurité publique, et notamment les ... coups de poing américains ..."
20. ↑ "Error: no `|title=` specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in ru). 13 December 1996. Article 6. Restrictions on the circulation of civilian and service weapons, §1, paragraph 4. https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_12679/d542c9b621f4c3b3add21c37bd569cd489aea5e8/.Error:+no+`|title=`+specified when+using+{{[[Template:Cite+web|Cite+web]]}}&rft.atitle=&rft.date=13+December+1996&rft.pages=Article+6.+Restrictions+on+the+circulation+of+civilian+and+service+weapons,+§1,+paragraph+4&rft_id=https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_12679/d542c9b621f4c3b3add21c37bd569cd489aea5e8/&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikibooks.org:Chemistry:Brass_knuckles">
21. ↑ "Zakon o oružju i municiji" (in hr). http://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_oruzju_i_municiji.html.
22. ↑ "Public Security Administration Punishment Law of the People's Republic of China". Congressional-Executive Commission on China. https://www.cecc.gov/resources/legal-provisions/public-security-administration-punishment-law-chinese-text.
23. ↑ "Brass Knuckles Legality by State 2023". https://wisevoter.com/state-rankings/brass-knuckles-legality-by-state/#:~:text=The states where brass knuckles,, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia.
24. ↑ "Brass Knuckles Legality By State 2025" (in en). https://www.datapandas.org/ranking/brass-knuckles-legality-by-state.
25. ↑ "14,000 Brass Knuckles Found Disguised As Belt Buckles" (in en). Local 6 News (WKMG-TV). 11 April 2006. http://www.local6.com/news/8608247/detail.html.
26. ↑ Wei, Ben (6 July 2007). "New Undetectable Weapon Could Slip By Security At Airports This Summer" (in en). New York, USA: ABC News. http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/new-undetectabl.html.
27. ↑ "Consolidated Laws of New York Ch. 40: Penal Law, Part 3, Title P, Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons, Article 265.01" (in en). New York State Legislature. Paragraph 1. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/265.01.

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