There are a few brands that become synonymous with the products they make. We often refer to the Italian red pepper sauce as Tabasco, not because the sauce is called so but because the company by that name is the most popular brand of the sauce. Likewise, we often use the word Kleenex to refer to facial tissue. Not every facial tissue would be Kleenex or made by the company. In the same vein, Mace has become synonymous with many products, including pepper spray. You may very well refer to any pepper spray as a Mace spray but it wouldn’t be the right description. However, Mace does make a pepper spray so you wouldn’t be entirely wrong either.
What is the Difference Between Mace and Pepper Spray?
Originally, mace was the primary ingredient in mace sprays. That marked the fundamental difference between mace and pepper spray. While there is no need to illustrate what pepper spray comprises of, mace needs a bit of explanation.
Mace is like tear gas. The first mace spray was developed by one Allan Litman. Since the invention back in 1965 through the eighties and nineties, a lot of experimentation had been undertaken to perfect the mace spray. In the eighties, mace spray had phenacyl chloride as its primary ingredient. It is also known as tear gas. Tear gas was considered to be ineffective on individuals who were under influence. Back then, you were most likely to use a self defense spray when you had to confront people who were under influence. Anyone under the influence of drugs or even alcohol would have limited effect of tear gas. Hence, tear gas became less popular as the primary ingredient in the mace spray.
Today, a mace spray would contain oleoresin capsicum. That is the same content in pepper spray. Some mace sprays may contain the oleoresin capsicum extract, ultraviolet marking dye and also a bit of tear gas. The combined impact is effective enough.
A pepper spray contains just the oleoresin capsicum and there can be some other materials depending on the manufacturer. There isn’t much difference between mace and pepper spray because they can both have the same effect. Mace, the company, makes pepper sprays so you can actually get a Mace pepper spray.
The present day mace and pepper spray can cause inflammation in the eyes, extreme pain and can incapacitate a person for anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour, if not more.
