Pepper spray didn’t become popular as a self-defense product until the 1980s. However, history indicates that red chili pepper was used for personal protection in ancient India and China.
There are quite a few historical documents showing its use in China thousands of years ago. Chinese people and even warriors had an innovative technique for using this spice. They would wrap grounded cayenne in rice papers, making it easy to throw in people’s faces.
It was favored as a weapon of choice for self-defense because it would incapacitate a person momentarily. The secret martial art society in ancient Japan called the Ninjas has been using grounded pepper to disable their adversaries for hundreds of years.
Historical data reveals that in the Tokugawa Empire era in Japan, starting in the early 1600s, the police used a weapon called the Metsubishi. This Japanese weapon would temporarily blind an enemy. Ninjas and law officers use it when they want to take someone alive.
The Metsubishi was a little square or round box that was hollow and could be opened and loaded with different powders. These included pepper and ground glass, depending on what they were trying to accomplish. Attach a mouthpiece to the box, and you could easily blow the powders into the face of the target. It was a very small and easily concealed weapon.
One Response
Every time I come across an article about the history of pepper spray and its use in the United States starting in the ’80s, it reminds me that no one really knew where to get it or even what it was. In 1989, my friend and I were trick or treating, and it was rather late to be knocking on doors, probably around 10:30 or 11:00 at night. We went to a house where a man, who I believe said he was in World War I, invited us in. He didn’t have candy, but he gave my friend and me pepper spray and said, “If you’re ever in trouble, spray this in the person’s face.” Weeks went by, and my friend ended up using it in a self-defense situation. People started asking where they got it, and my name got mentioned. In the halls, people would come up to me and say, “Pssst! You got any pepper spray?” That’s kind of how my journey started. Knowing what I know now, if I had those same resources back then, it would have been a different journey. I should have jumped into selling pepper spray as fast as I could. Back then, nobody knew where to find it, but that one man did, and I should have rubbed shoulders with him and picked his brain about where he got it.
Looking back, I realize how different things could have been if I’d started sooner. But everything happens for a reason, and that experience taught me the importance of being prepared and proactive about safety. Today, I’m proud to offer self-defense products that help people protect themselves. It’s incredible how far we’ve come, but the mission remains the same, ensuring you have the tools you need. Our slogan is now Thank you for trusting us with your safety. I owe it all to that man that I will never be able to thank. This is a true story.