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Unseen In The Worse Places [Blackjacks & Saps]

Colonel

One of the Regulars
John in Covina said:
When you use it to hit somebody is there supposed to be fire coming out of it?
I think the fire is part of the "Viking effect". When the bad guys see you coming at them with fire, they turn tail and run. Perfect ending - bad guys are gone and you walk away unharmed. The only downside is that slipping it back into your pocket without first letting it cool down can be a real bummer. I burned a nasty hole in my pocket the last time I did that.
 

Undertow

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,126
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Des Moines, IA, US
Colonel said:
I think the fire is part of the "Viking effect". When the bad guys see you coming at them with fire, they turn tail and run. Perfect ending - bad guys are gone and you walk away unharmed. The only downside is that slipping it back into your pocket without first letting it cool down can be a real bummer. I burned a nasty hole in my pocket the last time I did that.

lol
 

Mickey Caesar

Familiar Face
Messages
57
Location
Grand Rapids MI
Blackjacks and saps in the movies

When someone mentioned a movie with George Raft making a sap out of a napkin and a salt shaker, it made me think. What other times is a blackjack or sap shown in a film? I can think of 3 right away There was one being used in "The Untouchables" by Sean Connery and by Alan Arkin in "Freebie and the Bean", and Harpo Marx had one in one of their movies, I think it was "Animal Crackers". Anybody else know of any?
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Charles Bronson makes one out of a sock and something heavy in the movie "Death Wish" where Paul Kersey becomes a vigillantee pursuing criminals on the streets of NY after his wife and daughter are violently sexually assaulted.
 

Vintage lover

A-List Customer
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359
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In times past
Mickey Caesar said:
When someone mentioned a movie with George Raft making a sap out of a napkin and a salt shaker, it made me think. What other times is a blackjack or sap shown in a film? I can think of 3 right away There was one being used in "The Untouchables" by Sean Connery and by Alan Arkin in "Freebie and the Bean", and Harpo Marx had one in one of their movies, I think it was "Animal Crackers". Anybody else know of any?
Not quite a movie, but still on T.V. The usage starts at 4:25
[YOUTUBE]kQFKtI6gn9Y[/YOUTUBE]
 

Feraud

Bartender
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17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
If I remember correctly Sean Penn creates a sap type weapon out of soda cans and a sock. Stephen Segal used a billiard ball and a handtowel to great effect in one of his action films.
 

Undertow

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John in Covina said:
Charles Bronson makes one out of a sock and something heavy in the movie "Death Wish" where Paul Kersey becomes a vigillantee pursuing criminals on the streets of NY after his wife and daughter are violently sexually assaulted.

I believe Chuck had a sock and some quarters.
 

theinterchange

One Too Many
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Why do you ask?
My grandfather was [briefly] a private detective and then bounty hunter in the late 1950's to early 1960's. Shortly after my parents married, my dad had to go out of town for work, and grandpa gave mom his old blackjack. She still keeps it around the house to this day. I'll have to get it out and take a photo of it.

And my dad was given one of the more modern "stoppers", one of those extending metal rods... I can't remember what they're called. [huh]

Randy
 

Mickey Caesar

Familiar Face
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57
Location
Grand Rapids MI
theinterchange said:
My grandfather was [briefly] a private detective and then bounty hunter in the late 1950's to early 1960's. Shortly after my parents married, my dad had to go out of town for work, and grandpa gave mom his old blackjack. She still keeps it around the house to this day. I'll have to get it out and take a photo of it.

And my dad was given one of the more modern "stoppers", one of those extending metal rods... I can't remember what they're called. [huh]

Randy
My dad had an old Navy nightstick he brought back from Korea and left it for my mom to protect her while he was working nights.
 

matei

One Too Many
Messages
1,022
Location
England
Paul Gomez said:
The thread concerning shoulder holsters got me thinking about blackjack and saps. In times past, the blackjack or sap was as common a 'pocket implement' as a jackknife, among certain social circles. :cool2:

Does anyone know of current sources for traditional blackjacks, saps or brass knucks?

Hang around the courts long enough, the court officers confiscate a wide variety of these lo-tech weapons.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
matei said:
Hang around the courts long enough, the court officers confiscate a wide variety of these lo-tech weapons.

That's funny because you'd think that people would understand there are places you simply can't bring items to when visiting.

I went to the State building in LA- Ronald Regan Bldg where i had to empty my pockets and take off my belt to put thru the xray machine whille I went thru the metal detector gate. I missed my calculator and went thru 2X.
 

Mickey Caesar

Familiar Face
Messages
57
Location
Grand Rapids MI
aliados said:
I just joined this post, and, apparently, judging form the "where do I get . . ." questions, there's no one here from Chi or NY! Blackjacks and brass knuckles used ot be common in many Chinatown (NY) shops, and, while down in Orlando, FL a couple of months ago, I found them -- and switchblades -- in every flea market.

Some of the on-line knife stores have "paperwight" or "belt buckle" brass knuckles, as does eBay, but a good, OLD FASHIONED blackjack is hard to find! I shoulda bought the 1890s San Fransico Police blackjack I came across in an antique store in Connecticut!

Charlie
I just picked up a new blackjack at a flea market. It all shiny and new looking. Does anyone know how to give it an aged look.
 

matei

One Too Many
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1,022
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England
John in Covina said:
That's funny because you'd think that people would understand there are places you simply can't bring items to when visiting.

I went to the State building in LA- Ronald Regan Bldg where i had to empty my pockets and take off my belt to put thru the xray machine whille I went thru the metal detector gate. I missed my calculator and went thru 2X.

You would think that... :eusa_doh:

My father worked as a Court Officer for a time in NY. He would come home every day with a new story about how ignorant people can be of the rules. He was cleaning out some drawers, and came across a collection of brass knuckles, saps, knives etc - all things confiscated while on duty.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Mickey Caesar said:
I just picked up a new blackjack at a flea market. It all shiny and new looking. Does anyone know how to give it an aged look.

If it's one with the leather outside, then you need to simulate use. You can spend a little time smacking a cloth covered board and scuffing it lightly with very fine grit sandpaper.

If it's black you can touch it up with some brown shoe polish, if it's brown use black to give it a difference of color to simulate patina. Then give it a little leather dressing once over.
 

Mickey Caesar

Familiar Face
Messages
57
Location
Grand Rapids MI
John in Covina said:
If it's one with the leather outside, then you need to simulate use. You can spend a little time smacking a cloth covered board and scuffing it lightly with very fine grit sandpaper.

If it's black you can touch it up with some brown shoe polish, if it's brown use black to give it a difference of color to simulate patina. Then give it a little leather dressing once over.
Ok I'll try that thanks.
 

Mickey Caesar

Familiar Face
Messages
57
Location
Grand Rapids MI
Vintage lover said:
Not quite a movie, but still on T.V. The usage starts at 4:25
[YOUTUBE]kQFKtI6gn9Y[/YOUTUBE]
I just saw another sap being used in a movie. It was in the begining of Airplane II, a group of attendants were hitting a patient in a hospital.:(
 

Bob Smalser

One of the Regulars
Messages
139
Location
Hood Canal, Washington
Boston Leather (a police equipment manufacturer) still makes high-quality saps in three sizes and either 2-ply or 4-ply.

http://www.bostonleather.com/products/impact_weapon

And Copsplus Police Supply is a convenient vendor.

http://www.copsplus.com/

Around 25 bucks.

398161205.jpg
 

Str8Jacket

New in Town
Messages
26
Location
USA
this one may be uncouth for this particular thread, but since it is dedicated to the classic less-lethals, I thought I'd pop this little gem in. I've heard of the roll of quarters, saps, slaps, and knuckle-dusters, but has anyone heard of the ubiquitous bicycle chain? My Grandpappy used to carry one of these things daily when he was in his youth. Who else has heard of this?
 

amador

A-List Customer
Messages
372
Location
Locum Tenens
Interesting thread. I seem to recall that Joe Brodie admits to sapping Owen Taylor in the Bogart movie The Big Sleep.

While I was growing up in South TX I was witness to a fight in Elementry school where one of the combatants pulled off his belt and used the heavy belt buckle to beat his opponent like a weighted whip, nasty. There was an urban myth at the time that some gangs were beating each other with 2X4's outfitted with nails for effect, never confirmed this.

My Grandfather showed me how to make what he called a "Macana" out of a piece of rope by a series of tightened slip knots and finishing with a loop. He told me he used it to drive cattle and to fight with. After we made one he hit me lightly with it on my leg. I decided that I would not mess with Papagrande.

There was the "Urban Myth" during basic training in the Army where a blanket patry was held for someone who was causing problems. Involved throwing a blanket over a guy so he would not be able to ID anyone and beating him with bars of soap in socks as a message that he better shape up. Never did confirm this either.

Anyone else heard of the Blanket Party?
 
Last edited:

HodgePodge

One of the Regulars
Messages
264
Location
Canada
Interesting thread. I seem to recall that Joe Brodie admits to sapping Owen Taylor in the Bogart movie The Big Sleep.

While I was growing up in South TX I was witness to a fight in Elementry school where one of the combatants pulled off his belt and used the heavy belt buckle to beat his opponent like a weighted whip, nasty. There was an urban myth at the time that some gangs were beating each other with 2X4's outfitted with nails for effect, never confirmed this.
I've heard of big honkin' western buckles being used as impromptu brass knuckles (wind the belt around your hand til the buckle is at the front)

There was the "Urban Myth" during basic training in the Army where a blanket patry was held for someone who was causing problems. Involved throwing a blanket over a guy so he would not be able to ID anyone and beating him with bars of soap in socks as a message that he better shape up. Never did confirm this either.

Anyone else heard of the Blanket Party?

Only in Full Metal Jacket.
 

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