A Historical Journey into the Origins and Evolution of Brass Knuckles!
If you’ve ever seen a movie, then you’re familiar with the idea of brass knuckles. But did you know that these are real weapons? They’re nothing more than a metal club that fits around your fist and is used for punching someone in the face or head. These knuckles have been illegal in many places for decades, but they haven’t gone out of style completely if they have any street cred at all.
The Historical Roots of Brass Knuckles
The first known use of brass knuckles dates back to 600 BC. A Greek law code from the time of Solon decreed that “whoever carries with him an iron dagger, or any other kind of weapon, if he is without means to show for it, or if he does not possess a permit when asked, shall be fined and beaten”. It is speculated that this was to prevent individuals from carrying weapons in public without a clear intent.
Knuckles were considered weapons because they could be used against unprotected parts of the body or swung in an arc at the head. The use of knuckles persisted through Roman times and into medieval Europe. During this time, roguish duelists often wore brass knuckles to fight their opponents and the belief was that they were able to break an opponent’s bones with ease.
In England, the construction of knuckle dusters was a significant trade industry by the 13th century. The makers of brass fought each other for market share and the price of copper rose as a result. Because of their increasingly expensive nature and because new methods of shaping metal were being invented, men often wrapped these new weaponized knuckles in leather before fighting. The leather enabled them to be more concealable while also further increasing their combat efficiency.
The History of brass knuckles is an interesting story. These knuckles were invented in ancient Greece as a way to protect one’s hand when it was not possible to use a sword. It wasn’t until the early 18th century that they became popularly used as weapons; this is most likely due to the lack of quality firearms and also because they were banned in many European countries.
These knuckles are more than just an idle weapon, however. They changed how hand-to-hand combat is carried out, due to their ability to render the target unconscious with only one hit. They shifted styles that used wrestling and grappling to more direct ones, like the European style. They first appeared in early Greece as a way for soldiers to protect their hands while they were not using their swords.
