Brass Knuckles - Legality and Distribution

Legality and Distribution

In Canada, brass knuckles, also referred to as "brass monkeys", or any similar devices are listed as prohibited weapons; possession of such weapon is a criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. Similar legislation has been instituted in Russia and Australia.

In France, brass knuckles are legal, and freely sold to people of legal age (over 18 years old), but carrying them is forbidden. The French term is "coup de poing américain", which literally means "American punch".

In Brazil, brass knuckles are legal and freely sold. They are called "Soco Inglês," which means "English Punch."

Brass knuckles are illegal in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, carrying significant jail sentences and fines for possession of a dangerous weapon.

In the United States, brass knuckles are not significantly regulated at the federal level, but various state, county and city laws prohibit their purchase and/or possession. Some state laws require purchasers to be 18 or older. Most states have statutes regulating the carrying of weapons, and many specifically prohibit brass knuckles or "metal knuckles." Where they are legal, brass knuckles can normally be purchased online or at flea markets, swap meets, and at some sword and weapon shops. Some companies manufacture belt buckles or novelty paper weights that function as brass knuckles and are sold "for entertainment purposes only," a dubious legal standing. Brass knuckles made of hardened plastic, rather than metal, have been marketed as "undetectable by airport metal detectors." A number of states that ban brass knuckles also ban plastic knuckles. New York's criminal law statutes list both "metal knuckles" and "plastic knuckles" as prohibited weapons, but provide no definition for either. See Penal Law at sections 265.00 and 265.01.