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Saps and Blackjacks for the Non-LEO Civilian use of force continuum

This is the first in a series of articles on saps and blackjacks. The series will cover carrying methods, techniques and comparing/contrasting saps/jacks with knives as CQC weapons. 

Saps and blackjacks are slowly regaining popularity again after being pushed to the back of the closest or sock drawer for the last four decades. In Texas saps and blackjacks were removed from the prohibited weapons list by House Bill 446 as of September 1, 2019, and are now legal to carry in the state as a defensive weapon. Since then, people are becoming more interested in the carrying and use of saps and jacks. One of the questions I’ve heard asked is, “Where does the sap or blackjack fit into the non-LEO civilians’ self-preservation repertoire?”

But first, we may need to define what a sap and blackjack are. According to www.DavidsonLeather.com,“a sap is a flat or oval weight, traditionally lead but sometimes flat steel sandwiched between leather.  It has a flat profile. Sometimes sprung with a length of spring steel, sometimes not. And a blackjack is a strong coil spring, sometimes rigid, with a round bulbous end cast from lead, wrapped in leather, usually part or all braided. These vary in size and weight and have a round profile.”

Where does the sap or blackjack fit into the force continuum?  For me, I place the sap after OC spray but before going to a knife or pistol in a non-LEO civilian context. This is because I believe the sap/jack can be scaled down or up in the level of force needed, as dictated by the bad guy. If he attempts to grab or hit you, you can strike his hands and arms to stop the assault. If they escalate the assault on you by bringing a weapon into play, you can strike to the ribs, clavicle, the side of neck, jaw or if deadly force is warranted striking to the head to stop the assailant.  A sap or blackjack can be every bit as deadly as a knife in the hands of a trained practitioner.

Like OC spray, you need to be proactive when carrying/using a sap or blackjack.  Just like OC, you need to have your sap/blackjack in hand when you are approached by an unknown contact. This means you need to be carrying your sap/jack in a manner that allows easy access while still being secured from being easily lost while going about your day. It also means you need to have your head up and not be “task fixated” to quote Craig Douglas of Shivworks fame.

So, to recap, saps are right after OC in a use of force continuum. While OC can be thought of as an extended eye poke, a sap or jack is a more close range weapon.  You need to be proactive and have them in your hand if you plan to use them. Trying to access them can be difficult but not impossible during a fight or assault. Level of force is scalable depending on the bad guy’s actions. Method of carrying should allow easy access to the sap while keeping them secure. 

In the next article, I’ll look at different methods of carrying a sap or blackjack.

By Guy Schnitzler, DFW Defensive Training

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