| Type | Self-defense chemical spray |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Alan Lee Litman |
| Inception | 1960s |
| Manufacturer | Mace Security International |
| Available | Discontinued |
| Website | mace |
Mace is thebrand name of an early type of aerosolself-defense spray invented by Alan Lee Litman in the 1960s. The first commercial product of its type, Litman's design packagedphenacyl chloride (CN)tear gas dissolved inhydrocarbon solvents into a smallaerosol spray can,[1] usable in many environments and strong enough to act as a deterrent and incapacitant when sprayed in the face.[citation needed]
Ageneric trademark, its popularity led to the name "mace" being commonly used for other defense sprays regardless of their composition,[2][3] and for the term "maced" to be used to reference beingpepper sprayed.[4] It is unrelated to the spicemace.
The original formulation consisted of 1%chloroacetophenone (CN) in a solvent of2-butanol,propylene glycol,cyclohexene, anddipropylene glycol methyl ether.[5] Chemical Mace was originally developed in the 1960s by Allan Lee Litman and his wife, Doris Litman, after one of Doris's female colleagues was robbed inPittsburgh.[6] In 1987, Chemical Mace was sold toSmith & Wesson and manufactured by their Lake Erie Chemical division. Smith & Wesson subsequently transferred ownership to Jon E. Goodrich along with the rest of the chemical division in what is nowMace Security International, which also owns federal trademark registrations for the term "mace".[7][8][9][10]
Historically, "chemical mace" was the development of irritant with the active ingredient called phenacyl chloride (CN) to incapacitate others whereas the term "Mace" is a trademarked term for use on personal defense sprays.[11] Though the design has been expanded on, the original chemical mace formula using only CN has since been discontinued. Due to the potentially toxic nature of CN and the generally superior incapacitating qualities ofoleoresin capsicum (OC) pepper spray in most situations, the early CN has been mostly supplanted by OC formulas in police use, although Mace Security International still retains a popular "Triple Action" formula combining CN, OC and anultraviolet marker dye.[1]
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