Tekkō

A tekko

The Tekkō (鉄　tetsu "iron", 甲　kō "back of hand") is a weapon that originated in Okinawa, Japan. It is primarily a form of knuckleduster (brass knuckles). Though it is possible that they may be made of brass, other materials can be used. Tekkō can be manufactured from aluminium, wood, steel, iron, and even plastic has been used in modern times.

Traditionally, however, they were crafted from either wood or metal and were often made from a piece of flat bar, bent into a horseshoe shape and held together by a bolt. Further bolts were then embedded in the flat bar to provide protrusions designed to cause injury. Other styles of tekko exhibit sharp protrusions at either end and three spikes representative of the position of the knuckles. Other designs feature a bar, pointed at either end, with a ring positioned in the middle of the bar, through which the middle finger is inserted in order to maintain a tight grip.

The tekkō is, by its nature, closely associated with the technique found in some empty hand systems but also introduces slashing and stabbing movements. Additionally, some forms of tekko can be used to grip, squeeze and impale various parts of the anatomy at close quarters.

The Tekko is used in the Taira Shinken lineage or Ryukyu Kobudo in the kata Maezato no Tekko, which was created by and named after Taira Shinken.

External links

• A maker of horseshoe tekkos
• A maker of wooden tekkos
• Tekko article (The Okinawan Karate Club of Dallas, Texas)
• Image of some tekkos (The Society Of Promotion & Preservation of Ryukyu Classical Martial Arts, Japan)
• Maezato no Tekko Kata videos