Uncategorized

Question

33 Comments

Does anyone make a good quality blackjack-style sap anymore?

By “blackjack-style”, I mean round head, coil-spring handle and woven leather, like the old Bucheimer 720.

My favourite sap makers Boston Leather and D3 Protection either don’t make a blackjack, or their model is folded leather instead of woven — and I’m a bit of a traditionalist.

Oh, I realize that there is no dearth of blackjacks out there — every gun show I’ve attended has a tub full of blackjacks somewhere. Trouble is, I’m fairly sure that they’re all from the same Chinese manufacturer: the leather is stamped basket-weave instead of woven, and they’re glued instead of stitched.

Just simply will not do.

So.

Anyone know of someone making a quality blackjack, about eight ounces or so, and eight to nine inches in length?

LawDog

Hoo-Ah!
LawDog Paw of Approval

33 thoughts on “Question”

  1. Disector (Scott Foster), on Southnarc's Total Protection Interactive forum, makes beautiful blackjacks in the $60 ballpark. His brother, Todd, does the saps, and has made me several of them. Good looking, tough, and functional.

    They have a blackjack and saps thread stickied in the Contact Weapons subforum on TPI with many, many examples of the Foster Brothers' work.

  3. One sort of wonders why you are looking for a new one…..Old one fall out of a gorilla suit or something?

  5. Well Mr. Dog I must say that this posting proved educational. Saps and Blackjacks were something I knew of and had a vague understanding of the theory but had never looked into them too deeply.
    Interesting.
    And nasty if needed.

    And from your description, and my reading so far, you're looking for one of the more aggressive designs.

    Pity the poor critter that incurs the use of such a device.

    Might have to check into their legality here in tall corn land and look up an old school beat cop for some makee learnee. Seems a nice option for when my EDC has to stay behind.

    BGM

  6. Good to hear someone still appreciates 'the proper tool for the job.'
    When I worked at the local PD retail outlet (26 years ago) we had a selection of both saps and blackjacks. And the 'Class A' all-wool uniforms had sap pockets!
    But, I've not visited there in a while, and have no idea of the current stock-if any.
    And the Class As are now polyester!

  10. Dan beat me to it – the classifieds on TPI are where I go to look for items like that. Todd's stuff is really nice, I have a couple.

  11. @BGMiller: Not to worry. Use of these things against humans is a scientific principle.

    I mean, haven't you heard of Homo Sap-iens?

    😉

  12. Why in hell would want to be that close to a critter?
    Zap 'em, shoot 'em, or if he makes it through that, shoot 'em some more.
    Son, your in Texas.

  14. First of all, Skip, the job sometimes calls for getting closer than zapping distance (Tasers don't work well without spreading the probes), while maintaining hands-on. And some folks need thumping, while NOT needing killing.

    But secondly, 'Dog's a traditionalist, and is embracing his professional cultural roots, here. He's got enough years in to be thinking about what his shadowbox will look like.

  16. @Peter
    Grooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaan…

    In any sane and civilized society puns like that would be punishable by trial by ordeal.

    BGM

  17. Dog

    If you find a copy of the Ashley Book of Knots, there are patterns in there for you to weave your own. You may use leather or paracord, and probably save a bunch of money.

  18. Has the Dog's Muse finally returned after a catastrophically long drought (aka home reno work)?

    3 Dog posts in 3 days? The spirit fairly quakes.

    Maybe the summer will be OK after all.

  19. Not gonna look, under WA state law, those are "slung shot" and thus ganz verbotten.

  20. I realize that this is a tool of the trade, but I find it frightening that some many people responded.

  21. Are these legal in TX for ordinary citizens to carry? I also find it ironic that I have a license to carry a handgun, but switchblades and swords? No way, Jose!

  22. Only at LAWDOG can one find a short discourse on the relative merits of black-jack construction methods.

    There is hope for America yet … "We don't shoot you unless you really need shooting".

  23. Lan sakes Dawg. What'r you doing that you're wearing out your blackjack?

  24. No suggestions.

    The local police officer in the small town I grew up in had a slap-jack that was a marvel of woven tooled leather. It had a dual purpose: to remind some people of their civil manners and to spank the butts of younger folks that had yet to learn to control their behavior…but soon did.

  25. Oh MY!!!!!!!!!

    Brings back memories.

    Back in the dawn of recorded history when I was a young pup, my training Sargent told me to tool on down to the local police supply and pick up a sap. When I ask him why, he looked at me and I will never forget what he told me, He said " Son, you hit a man with a 2X4 and he will bear you a grudge forever, but you hit him with a blackjack, well, hell he just figures you are doing your job…"

  26. "Skip said…

    Why in hell would want to be that close to a critter?
    Zap 'em, shoot 'em, or if he makes it through that, shoot 'em some more.
    Son, your in Texas."

    Why. Silence is a golden.

    Also if you don't look like you are armed, he can get a much better response and get friendly close and end the situation.

  27. Carried one in LE in the 60's. Useless. Lots of blood, lots of cuts, very little in the way of providing useful self defense.

    grampster

  28. I'll second the recommendation for the TPI Swap Shop. Good folks and an absurdly high signal-to-noise ratio.

  32. Back in the day Courtland Boot Jack in New York made several models. You might look them up online and give them a call.

  33. A late response, but you might think about buying one of the chinese models, and have it wrapped by a good whipmaker (they usually do the best leather braid work).
    Texoma whips, in Denison could probably do a beautiful job with any fancy leather of your choice.

Comments are closed.