Description

UPDATE 2026: I’m not able to keep an online stock going, so if you’d like a sap, email GROWINGUPGUNS @Gmail.com and place an order with me there.

An asymmetrical sap optimized for pocket carry. 7.5″ and approximately 11-12oz.

Can be made sprung (addition of spring steel) or un-sprung (only lead slug).

Will be around $85 depending on options requested

—

A sap, not to be confused with a slungshot, cosh, or blackjack, is usually a flat sandwich of leather filled with a lead slug (or lead shot) sometimes accompanied by a piece of spring steel to give extra structure and whip. The idea is to create a small pocket portable tool that allows someone to punch above their weight class and skill level. Saps tend to be easier to carry due to their flat profile, whereas a round blackjack feels more like carrying an extra flashlight. Historically, saps average about 9oz, and were often carried as a backup baton by Police, or as an attitude adjuster by thugs. The idea of an impact weapon filled with dense material is nothing new, however. There are depictions of sand-filled canvas fighting implements dating back to at least the 14th century Europe. Likely originally threshing implements pressed into service during revolts. The idea of hitting someone with a loaded bag is a tried and true concept, to be sure.

My introduction to daily carry impact weapons was in 2007 reading Total Protection Interactive (Craig Douglas of SHIVWORKS’ discussion forum). At first I was attracted to the skillful leathercraft and odd shapes and the allure of force multiplier carried in the pocket. I didn’t really understand their context of use and had no understanding of a striking system. I kept reading and eventually bought a Boston Leather “4-ply Midget” from a police supply shop. It was my back pocket companion for many years and never garnered much attention from the public. Over the years I have collected a small pile of saps and jacks, and as much history and training material as I could find. It turns out there isn’t much on the topic, as apparently slugging someone in the face doesn’t require much training. For a deep dive on their history and lineage, the book Saps, Blackjacks, and Slungshots by Robert Escobar is my top recommendation.

Saps afford the user a wide range of force options. From painful muscle belly slaps with the flat of the sap, to potentially fatal head shots with the thin edge, and everything in between, there is a way to tailor the force for the situation at hand. Being able to end a fight up close without using a knife and risking exposure to bloodborne pathogens is a big upside. If you look at a Modanok police baton targeting poster, you’ll get a good idea of target zones and levels of force application for the concerned citizen.

Historically, my favorite sap size is the “midget” from companies like the Foster Brothers, or Boston Leather. They are easy to keep next to my wallet in my back pocket, light enough to not be in the way, and accessible by hooking the pinky finger into the exposed loop of the strap. There are a few things lacking in the design, which I attempted to address in my first personal design.

If you use a short sap like you would a small knife, the techniques for use become obvious. I tend to favor striking with the thin edge of the sap to focus the energy into a smaller surface area, thus delivering more pounds of force per square inch. Because of this, I also favor an asymmetrical head which cants towards the fingers and requires less wrist articulation when striking with something that barely protrudes from the fist. I also don’t generally enjoy sitting on a sprung sap with a spring steel shank integrated into the lead slug. They don’t conform at all to your body when sitting or moving. My last gripe of common “midget” saps is indexing in the pocket. Unless the sap is captured next to a wallet, it will tend to tip over and require hunting with your hand mid-fight.

The solution, as best as I can design it, is an asymmetrical sap, the same overall length as the Boston Leather 4-ply midget (including the finger loop), without a steel shank, with a pocket clip, in the 9-12oz weight range. This affords as many usage and carriage advantages in a similar size envelope to the ones I favor. I started making them relatively recently as Father’s Day gifts for the men in my life, and soon was requested to make more to sell. So I did. This is the passion project that is 17 years in the making. I have several other designs I’m sorting out that will all revolve around concealment, in-fight access, and generally being close at hand when needed most.