Brass knuckles, also sometimes calle knuckles, knucks, brass knucks or knuckle dusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. "Brass" knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles. Designed to deliver the force of punches through a smaller and harder contact area, they result in greater tissue disruption and increased likelihood of fracturing the victim's bones on impact. Also, the wielder of such a weapon may punch harder than normal, exacerbating damage even further, due to reduced anxiety about harming their own hands when striking.