slapjack

[Paul]

Back in my nightclub/bouncer days, a blackjack was a leather sack filled
with lead shot, weighed about 10 ounces with a 4 inch handle was a true
killing weapon; slapjacks were 10 inch stiff leather slappers perhaps an
inch wide by 1/4 inch thick, with a 6 ounce lead weight sewn in one end.
The blackjack was a true thug's weapon whereas the slap jack was more of
a quieter. A slap on the bicep would leave someone unable to raise their
arm long enough to solve whatever problem they were causing; if that
first hit didn't disable them than a slap across the forehead/temple was
usually enough to end the argument. Blackjacks were really illegal but
slapjacks could be bought in shops selling cop supplies.

Wilson Gray wrote:
> Related to"white-, uh, "blackjack," perhaps?
>
> -Wilson
>
> On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Joel S. Berson<Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender: ?  ?  ?  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster: ?  ?  ?  "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> Subject: ?  ?  ? Re: slapjack
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I've just quickly looked for "slapjack" + "haphazard". ? I find I was
>> probably thinking of "slapdash", but --
>>
>> http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Slapjack+(weapon)
>> The slapjack (sometimes spelled slap jack or slap-jack) is a batting
>> weapon which may be used in self-defense or other forms of
>> hand-to-hand combat. It typically consists of a round sack containing
>> a hard weight material that may be swung at the back of an opponent's
>> head to knock him or her unconscious. ? [etc.]
>>
>>
>>

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