Blackjack, slapper, or SAP

[Faulkner]

"A blackjack weapon or sap refers to a group of weapons that are short, concealable, and weighted (usually filled with lead powder, molded lead clay, or lead shot) to constitute an effective bludgeoning device. The terminology used to refer to these weapons can be very imprecise depending on the period."

I started my LE career in 1995 and saps, as we call them locally, were already obsolete as a LE tool by then. I recall seeing a couple of detectives who each had one, as more of a show piece, that they kept in their desk drawer but I never saw one in the field. Billy clubs were also gone from patrol cars in our area by the time I went out on patrol. I was trained at the academy on OC spray and ASP collapsible batons and I still carry both on my duty belt. Although it's come in handy many times I've never used my ASP on a person.

Even so, I was always fascinated by saps. I came upon a fellow who had a few for sale at a gun show that were made by Foster Industries and was so impressed with the quality I purchased a couple of them, I think they'll make great paper weights.

The black one on the left is a Model 36 that is 9 3/4 inches, 20 oz weight and the handle is sprung. It's quite heavy.

The one on the right is the Door Man model in 4 ply oiled steer hide, 10 1/2 inches long, 15 oz with a springless handle.

 

[Onomea]

Cool.

What does "the handle is sprung" mean?

 

[Model 19 6"]

Thank you for posting this information.

 

[SMSgt]

The manufacture and sale of slungshot (etc.) is not legal in Florida. The possession and use of such with a CWFL is legal.

 

[LVSteve]

It was called a cosh where I come from.

 

[shell627]

I did not get into law enforcement until 2000 when I was 45yrs old.But I got my first blackjack in Detroit in 1975.I was working the door of a bar in Detroit,when I got into a tussle with two drunks leaving the bar with their beer.A big no no as I was about to strike the biggest one I was grabbed from behind.Two vice cops leaving the bar intervened.Officer that was holding me told me to open my hand and brass knuckles fell to floor.I thought I was in trouble.But officers laughed at me and said we don’t use knuckles anymore. You can break fingers using one. Get a blackjack and told me where a police supply store was.One officer even told me to use his name if they wouldn’t sell to me.
I now own quite a few jacks and saps.Though no Fosters.

 

[mckenney99]

When I entered LE near the end of 1980, my agency prohibited carrying saps/slappers/blackjacks. Actually we were prohibited from carrying ANY equipment that was not issued. We were issued and trained to use the 36 inch riot baton but that was not feasible to carry daily. Some of our patrol cars still had old short wooden batons in them but nobody ever used them. Even the 5 "D" cell Eveready flashlights we were issued would self-destruct if you banged them against your leg hard (worthless junk).
Some of the old time County Deputies did carry saps/slapjacks/blackjacks in the designated pocket that was part of their uniform trousers. I know a couple of the old time Deputies had used them but they were rapidly being discouraged and within a couple years their agency prohibited them as well.

 

[Faulkner]

Cool.

What does "the handle is sprung" mean?

A handle that is sprung has a thin, form fitting piece of flat spring metal sown into the middle of the leather handle. It allows the sap to be thinner without loosing it's rigidity.

Non-sprung handles can have different amounts of rigidity depending on how wide or thick the handle is. Of the two shown above, the Door Man model is not sprung but is thicker and has about the same amount of rigidity as the Model 36. They are both quite stiff.

I have another one that is not sprung that is lite weight, thinner, and very flexible. This is the "Working Class" model and is 9 1/2 inches long, 10 oz and springless.

 

[JeffD607]

Here is a bit of amusement for your day. When I started my LE career in 1982, I was working for a local city police department that was a bit behind the times. The Chief called me in his office and put a set of handcuffs and a "claw" on his desk. He then told me that I could choose one, but not both. Since I already had a set of handcuffs, I chose the claw, which I did not have for very long. This department also, at the time, issued a 1920's vintage Colt 38 caliber revolver with a lanyard in the handle as a duty weapon. Needles to say, I carried my personal model 19 instead. The radio system was an old WWII low band system with walkie talkies the size of a brick and an antenna that was taller than I was when extended. You couldn't hear the station calling you from six blocks away because the station was covered by LAPD clear across the country, who used the same frequency as we did. At least you could throw it at someone, if need be! The issued "Rules and Regulations" manual stated that, "when directing traffic on the hill sections of the city, you will give prefernce to horse drawn carriages over motor vehicles". I did not stay there for any longer than I had to before moving on to the State Police.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Have a few of Dad's dating back to the 30-50/60s

Remember the leg pocket in the uniform pants.


Dad was an Lt/ Capt by the time I "remember" details..... don't remember him carrying one.

 

[Nightowl]

When I started in 1967, they were pretty much required personal equipment, but a personal purchase. I was advised to buy one almost the day I started. I still have it! That was when LE had "qualified immunity", which was pretty wide!! Most of the time it rode in the brief case, yet many officers carried them full time, to the extent some uniform pockets turned white on the outside form wear on the car seats. They were replaced by aluminum flashlights by Mag Lite or Streamlight, which were sometimes used as a defensive device, until some folks were injured and liabilty issues were attached. Then along came the PR-24 and actual training. Very unwieldy to carry everywhere. To my mind the "slapper" was probably the easiest to carry, and least injurious of the defensive weapons to follow. Some of us bought Mace, but the delivery system was not effective for very long and usually officers got sprayed as well as the resistor! If it worked at all.
So, times have changed!

 

[jimmyj]

When I began LE in 1962 the "Convoy" backjack was popular. The "Convoy" was 12" in length with a round lead head mounted on a coil spring and covered in black leather weighing 16ozs. This device would stop a fighting suspect instancesly. I still have mine. When each of my five sons started LE I gave each on a "Convoy". Convoys has been illegal for many, many years.
"

 

[Buford57]

When I started in 1979 I was given a convoy by an old night constable who had carried it as his sole armament during the Depression. I later added a flat "slapper" or sap as we called them. Never used either on a suspect and the department I moved to in '81 discouraged their use but sap gloves were common. We were issued 24" "batons" which we called sticks and were trained in their use. They had a lot of utility, used properly, and a 4 or 5 cell Kel-lite worked almost as well.

Impact weapons got bad press from their misuse, but in a time when chemical weapons were of questionable effectiveness and Tasers were science fiction they were a viable bridge between fists and firearms, especially when dealing with suspects with knives, broken bottles, etc. The same type of people the press call "unarmed" when they are shot by police today.

 

[petepeterson]

I have my Grandfather's from his 33 yrs of service.
He told me he used it a time or two. He also used a type of single cuff with a handle on it to great effect.
Neat piece of history.

"An elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

 

[BAM-BAM]

I have my Grandfather's from his 33 yrs of service.
He told me he used it a time or two. He also used a type of single cuff with a handle on it to great effect.
Neat piece of history.

"An elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

Think I've got one or those..... a "come along"

 

[sigp220.45]

I have my gandpa’s sap from when he was a small town cop. I can’t even hint at what he called it without getting booted from the forum.

I never used one on the job. My Motorola “brick” got the nod for attention getting duties.

 

[Skeet 028]

I have a slapper/flat sap. Black leather Issued to us as paramedics...70s. Never had to use it on anyone. I did use a Billie club on a big ol fellow who was trying to kill my medic partner after we Narcaned him. . Woke up broke the posey straps and grabbed my guy by the throat...He was awake about 15-20 seconds. Gonna have to dig that ol thing out...sell it or whatever

 

[old bear]

NEVER hit anyone above the shoulders with a sap, black jack A head shot may cause death, if that happens plan on spending LOTS of times with lawyers defending why you used a deadly weapon to defend yourself.

 

[Iggy]

I carried one back when I was in LE in the 60s and 70s.
It was a small flat one carried in a sap pocket in my uniform pants.
I used it on an a few occasions, usually intoxicated college football players.
It was small and not very visible when held in the palm of my hand.
A smack to the side of the head was very effective, and witnesses thought I just slapped the guy pretty hard, thus the name “slapper.”

Saps began to fade away with the advent of Mace, which I don’t think was as effective or as educational..

 

[LoboGunLeather]

When I started in the early 1970s the uniform trousers had "sap pockets" at about mid-thigh height and just behind the outside trouser seam (below and behind the holstered revolver on the hip). Saps were not issued, but fairly common. We were issued a baton, about 20" or so made of hard plastic, also a 3-foot riot baton. Fancy custom hardwood batons and billy clubs were carried by a few guys, probably more a fashion statement than anything else.

Head strikes were strongly discouraged due to dangers of concussion, skull fracture, cranial hematomas resulting in strokes, etc. Best targets were shins, knees, elbows, ribs, and the collar bones (nothing takes a guy out of the fighting mood like a busted clavicle). Also useful is the two-handed driving blow with the end of the stick into the solar plexus.

The PR-24 side-handle batons started appearing in the late 1970s. I remember seeing some of the demonstrations, but I never had the required training so no personal experience. By then the excellent machined aluminum flashlights were available, and many of us substituted those for batons.

Very little equipment was issued; we purchased our own (subject to rules and regulations). Small annual uniform & equipment allowance did not cover everything, but it helped. Like any specialized merchandise, police uniforms and equipment are rather expensive (especially when just starting on the job). Couple of regional suppliers of uniforms and equipment allowed us to charge our purchases and pay 10% per month on the account balance. Several trousers, winter shirts, summer shirts, jacket, winter coat, hats, boots/shoes, leather gear, handcuffs, etc, all add up to a chunk of loot.

My starting salary was $657 per month. After federal and state income taxes, pension fund deduction, family medical plan, etc, my take-home checks were $192 every two weeks.

Edit to add: Forgot to mention sap gloves, black leather gloves with pockets of powdered lead in the knuckle area or the palm. Company named "Damascus" offered them. Useful and completely unobtrusive, unless you picked them up you couldn't tell them from regular gloves.