Blunt Trauma
Disclaimer
This material has been made available for research and reference purposes only. Readers are strongly advised against obtaining or manufacturing any of the weapons referred to herein, as the majority are unlawful to possess. It is not our intent that anyone break the law or wrongfully harm others. Be aware that the majority of the weapons referred to are currently available from numerous sources, and may very well be encountered in the hands of criminals. We feel that it is important to know what one might be facing when confronted by criminals on the street.
Blunt Trauma
Cudgels, truncheons, fistloads, and other impact weapons are commonly found within reach of dangerous persons.
While the majority of bludgeons and clubs tend to be either of an improvised nature, or far too large to conceal upon one’s person, there are a few which fall into the category of “hidden weapons.”
Be aware that, unlike blades, persons who choose to pack concealable impact weapons tend to be skilled in their use. This may be due to the fact that, because the wounds often do not result in massive blood loss, criminals will be less hesitant to use impact weapons and will be very experienced at doing so.
BILLY CLUBS
Billy clubs, sometimes referred to as “billies,” “nightsticks,” or “truncheons,” typically consist of a length of stout wood between 1 and 2 feet in length. Often, a knurled grip and lanyard are evident.
Billy clubs are prohibited weapons in many jurisdictions, but the definition of what a billy club is can vary greatly. Walking sticks and aluminum flashlights, however, are both far more effective than a billy club as well as perfectly legal.
Weapons similar to the billy club include: the escrima stick (usually used in pairs), the side- handled baton (the police version of the tonfa), aluminum “tire checkers” (roughly half the size of a tee-ball bat), the weighted warclub (of which dozens of versions exist), and the proverbial lead pipe (nowadays galvanized steel plumbing pipe or a cut-down length of rebar).
KNUCKLES
Brass knuckles are available via mail order as “paperweights,” but they are illegal to carry almost everywhere. Most sets of “knucks” have a projection that rests against the palm to absorb impact. Many have bumps or points on the knuckle surface to inflict additional damage.
The quality of brass knuckles available varies greatly. I have seen professionally designed knucks with a thin profile and smoothly polished surface, and I have seen crudely manufactured knucks made by pouring molten brass into a sand mould. Some poorly designed knucks have undersized or unevenly spaced finger holes. Homemade versions often have no finger holes at all, and resemble a flattened metal oval.
I have also seen knucks made from aluminum (for reduced weight) and plastic (which provides a legal loophole in areas where “metal knuckles” are prohibited). Once I even saw a set fashioned from polished hardwood! Conceivably, they can be fashioned from any material which will protect one’s knuckles without bending or breaking
Some knives, like reproductions of WWI trench knives, have a set of knuckles built into the grip. These are nasty to come up against, but the knuckles limit one’s dexterity and make the knife illegal to carry. Folding knives which incorporate knuckles into the handle are typically poorly made imported crap.
Knuckles are designed to multiply the impact of your punches, and are effective even in unskilled hands. They are best used against bone. Viable targets include the jaw and the ribs, but anywhere you hit is going to sustain a painful crushing blow.
Similar to knucks are the gold-plated “4-finger rings” once favored by rappers, pimps, and drug dealers. Because they were so frequently employed as weapons, many jurisdictions soon classified them as prohibited “metal knuckles,” and after a few attempts to bypass these laws by offering 3-finger (then 2-finger) versions, they quickly lost their popularity. They are seldom encountered anymore, as they were intended to be worn openly in an attempt to flaunt one’s wealth (as well as criminal proclivities), but soon proved to work as “cop magnets,” which quickly became tiresome.
Metal knuckles are unlawful to possess nearly everywhere, but are occasionally seen sold via mail order as “novelty paperweights.” Thin lightweight replicas are sometimes fashioned into belt buckles. They are decent weapons, but a yawara is just as good (and legal as well).
SAPS
Saps come in two basic versions: slappers and blackjacks.
Slappers are flat paddle-shaped impact weapons, usually made of powdered lead and a strip of spring steel sewn between two flat pieces of leather. Having a large surface area, the force of impact is dispersed, rather than concentrated, so bones are unlikely to be broken. Slappers were designed to be used by policemen, prison guards, and mental ward orderlies to subdue violent individuals without inflicting serious injuries. Repeated blows to the head, however, can result in death. Those fancy weighted placekeepers sold at some bookstores are a legal version of the slapper. . . provided you’re carrying a suitable book as well.
Blackjacks are round lead weights affixed to the end of a coil spring and wrapped in leather. The force of the blow is highly concentrated, and will easily shatter bone. A light tap behind the ear is sufficient to knock most people unconscious. . . a forceful blow to the head will kill. A blackjack can be improvised by dropping a D-cell battery in a thin sock or nylon stocking and tying two knots one behind the weight and one at the end of the handle. These two commonly available legal items can quickly be combined to form an illegal deadly weapon. If you are concerned about being frisked, you can carry the sock and battery in two separate pockets.
A self-defense device similar to the blackjack is being sold that consists of a small rod with a cup at one end in which sits a small metal weight attached to a short retractable cable. When the device is swung, the weight is extended about an inch, and has flexibility but lacks spring tension. Grooves in the weight are designed to “trap DNA material for identification of the assailant”. . . in other words, to make him bleed. A hurtful device that lacks the lethality of the blackjack.
YAWARAS
Yawaras are extended fistloads that the ends can be used to strike with. They are commonly made from wood, but can also be made from metal or plastic. They are sometimes offered with tapered ends, for grinding into nerve cavities during submission holds; or with pointed ends, for actual penetration of bone and tissue. They usually have either rounded or flat ends. Some people think that a weighted fistload adds more impact to one’s punch, but there is a substantial risk of fracturing one’s unprotected fingers.
Yawaras are sometimes attached to key rings, which can make them light flails (the most common version is marketed as the “Kubotan”). One steel yawara-like key chain (usually marketed as the “Ninja Key chain”) has a pair of narrow perpendicular rods attached, so as to extend from between the knuckles when grasped, which will concentrate the total energy of a punch into two tiny areas, resulting in deep penetration and massive injury potential in trained hands, this object is deadlier than brass knuckles. A weighted attachment for the AA Mini Mag-Lite (marketed as the “Mo-Gem”) replaces the end cap and improves its application as a yawara as well as turning it into a small cosh. A short length of steel pipe makes an excellent improvised yawara. Closed pocketknives and metal pens make passable improvised yawaras, as will most solid objects of similar proportions.
Yawaras can be ground into selected pressure points and nerve cavities, which takes time to master, but can conceivably stop an attacker without unnecessary violence or risk of doing serious harm. Yawaras can also be used to crack skulls and sternums. In the hands of a proficient martial artist, the yawara is a lethal weapon. Because of its small size and innocuous appearance, the yawara is legal to carry nearly everywhere. Yawaras with concealed blades and spikes are available, but their possession is prohibited in many jurisdictions.
STEEL BALLS
Solid meditation balls and large ball bearings can either be thrown or used as fist loads. A slap with a steel ball can crack bone or pulverize cinder block.
Steel balls can be thrown with great accuracy for up to thirty feet, but are effective to about fifty. They will leave welts and can cause serious injury. Thrown with great force from close range, a steel ball can easily kill if the head is struck.
Steel balls can be carried in either a pocket or a pouch. If dropped in a sock or wrapped in a bandanna, a steel ball becomes a lethal flail. Commonly used for “meditation and relaxation,” they would be overlooked in most searches (provided no more than 2 pair were found). “Magnetized massage balls” are similar to solid meditation balls, but are covered with knobby spikes. Rocks, batteries, and billiard balls all make passable substitutes.
