Wonderful Treasure Find: Single Ball Medieval Style Flail, or is it a Mace?

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Maces are rigid and used for direct, high-impact hits. Flails use a chain to bypass shields and generate high momentum, but are hard to control and prone to self-injury. So I guess this is a mace.

The kid is 9 years old at a yard sale to end all yard sales and he comes over to me carrying the iconic look of a knight’s fearsome close-combat weapon. With both hands clutching the handle, eyes wide, he says, “Dad, we need to get this. It’s only $10. Good deal.” Ten dollars? Yes, son. Yes we do need to get that, and it is a good deal. Mom’s gonna love it!

What strange history does this have? Actually, none. Despite the battlefield-ready look and genuine ability to draw blood, obvious replicas like this sell for as much as $20 online to larpers and fantasy enthusiasts alike. Regardless, this is a legitimate striking device that should be approached with extreme caution.