Slapjack (weapon)

The slapjack (sometimes spelled slap jack or slap-jack) is a batting weapon which may be used in self-defense

Self-defense

Self-defense is the act of defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely...

 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.

The outer sack of a slapjack may be made of various cloth materials such as a sock

Sock

Socks or sox are a knitted or woven type of hosiery for enclosing the human feet. Socks are designed to:* ease chafing between the foot and footwear* protect footwear by absorbing perspiration and dead skin lost from the foot* provide comfort...

; however, higher quality slapjacks are most often made of a stronger material such as leather

Leather

Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable and versatile material....

.

The slapjack (sometimes spelled slap jack or slap-jack) is a batting weapon which may be used in self-defense

Self-defense

Self-defense is the act of defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely...

 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.

The outer sack of a slapjack may be made of various cloth materials such as a sock

Sock

Socks or sox are a knitted or woven type of hosiery for enclosing the human feet. Socks are designed to:* ease chafing between the foot and footwear* protect footwear by absorbing perspiration and dead skin lost from the foot* provide comfort...

; however, higher quality slapjacks are most often made of a stronger material such as leather

Leather

Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable and versatile material....

. This usually features a pouch for the inner "club" and an extension for a handle. Various objects or materials may be used for the inner "club" as well, but the most favored material is lead

Lead

Lead is a main-group element with symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal, also considered to be one of the heavy metals. Lead has a bluish-white color when freshly cut, but tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed to air...

, for its heavy weight and dense consistency.

In popular culture

Especially in the 1940s, the slapjack has often been associated with street gangs and thugs as the weapon of choice. This was commonly portrayed in American comic books of the era. In more recent times, some professional wrestling

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is an athletic performing art where matches are prearranged by the promotion's booking staff. It is a non-competitive sport which contains strong elements of theatre, mock combat, and catch wrestling. Wrestling's origins date to 19th-century carnival...

 heels

Heel (professional wrestling)

In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling storylines. They are typically opposed by a babyface or more simply, face . Some tweeners exhibit heel mannerisms...

 have also become known for using the slapjack as their signature weapon, namely Konnan

Konnan

Charles Ashenoff , better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a semi-retired professional wrestler and rapper of Cuban Puerto Rican descent...

 and Stevie Ray

Lane Huffman

Lane Steven Huffman is a American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker Huffman . With his brother, he held the WCW World Tag Team Championship a record ten times...

. It was most recently used by TNA World Tag Team Champions The Latin American Xchange when a mysterious member of the group, unmasked as Shelly Martinez

Shelly Martinez

Shelly Leonor Martinez is an Mexican-American model, professional wrestler and valet. She is also known for her work with World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand under the ring name Ariel and for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Salinas as valet to The Latin American...

 and later named Salinas attacked Christy Hemme

Christy Hemme

Christina Lee Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, and professional wrestling valet and wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, wrestling in its Knockouts division...

several weeks in a row.