Brass knuckles, also sometimes called
knuckles,
knucks,
brass knucks, or
knuckledusters, are
weapons used in
hand-to-hand combat.
Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually made of
steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the
knuckles. 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 victim's
bones on impact. The extended and rounded palm grip also spreads across the attacker's palm the
counter-force that would otherwise be absorbed primarily by the attacker's fingers, reducing the likelihood of damage to the attacker's fingers.