A few weeks ago, Jeff Farrand owner of Alpha Innovations sent me a package with some goodies to review. I will be sharing my thoughts on all of those products with you in the very near future, but today I want to take a look at two of my favorites, the Jaw Jacker and the Tactical Dog Leash. Since both products are variations of the same concept, I’m going to cover both of them in one review.
Knuckles weapons have been around for thousands of years. Cast iron, wood, brass, and lead versions were made in America during the Civil War and often carried by soldiers on both sides. Ward Hill Lamon, Abraham Lincoln’s personal bodyguard and the man responsible for successfully sneaking President-elect Lincoln through Baltimore (where there was a plot to assassinate him on his way to his Inauguration in Washington D.C.), was known to have carried brass knuckles on a regular basis.
Fast-forward to the 21st Century and we have the Alpha Innovations Jaw Jacker. The Jaw Jacker is a light-weight, reinforced polymer knuckle. Like traditional knuckles (aka knucks, knuckle-duster, brass knuckles, etc.) the Jaw Jacker fits between all four fingers and has a palm grip that braces the device against the heel of the palm when the hand is closed. Because of the flexibility of the polymer material, the cutout between the knuckles and palm grip acts like a leaf spring, which absorbs some of the shock to the hand upon frontal impact.
Unlike the its predecessors, the Jaw Jacker has projected striking points extending outward from the index and pinky rings in addition to the projections at the center of each ring. This design adds to the device’s versatility, making it effective for punching as well as top and bottom (a la palm stick) strikes. The main thing to keep in mind when using this type of self-defense tool is that the palm grip should sit in a manner which structurally aligns the heel of the hand behind the device. For most people, that means it will be positioned between the first and middle knuckles.
The Tactical Dog Leash (TDL) is essentially a Jaw Jacker with a protrusion in the center and a hole to clip a dog leash. The leash can be quickly disconnected, allowing you to sick your Chihuahua (or Rottweiler) on a would-be attacker while you fight him off with your leash handle. The point in the center where the leash connects makes this variation even more devastating due to the fact that all of the energy from a frontal strike is transferred to that one small point. Plus, the dog leash makes it much more unobtrusive than its Jaw Jacker cousin and ensures that it is always in hand.
I found both the Jaw Jacker and the Tactical Dog Leash to be extremely durable. I spent some time striking a 2×4 with each device. As expected the TDL put some deep gashes in the board as a result of the energy transfer to its single, centered point. The Jaw Jacker was no slouch either. It left four distinct indentation marks on the board from its protruding knuckle notches, just not as deep as the single indentations from the TDL. The tools themselves showed no ware at all. Not even a scuff mark. This is very durable polymer. Be sure to check you state, county, and city laws before purchasing or carrying these devices. Many states have laws prohibiting either the possession or carrying of these types of devices. The Jaw Jacker and the Tactical Dog Leash are available at the Alpha Innovations website.
You can also see a full line of tactical dog leashes on Amazon that you can use with your Jaw Jacker!
Photo Credits: Chad McBroom