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 DEFINITION- What are these.??
'SoftSaps'- fine lead shot (#6-9) in a leather pouch of varying pattern. This construction was more common in the nineteenth and early twentieth century than now. The SoftSap very forgiving percussion defense with little more than bruises as the affect. It requires a certain ‘boxing’ ability and a reasonable willingness to ‘mix it up’ with an opponent. A soft-shot sap doesn’t shatter bones or produce abrasions. It conforms to the bone and delivers a deep shocking hit without breaking the skin. Massage: The instrument can be used for massage, to weight the hand of the masseur, or to give an effective weight to one's own hand. The soft nature of the pouch allows it to adjust to the body's contours, and the burnished finish allows it to move smoothly and without abrasion to sensitive skin. Body Conditioning: It's well known that soft repetitive shock to bones will make them absorb more calcium, and thus become denser. Many martial arts include body conditioning exercises, and the Conditioner SoftSap is specifically designed for that application. Every Body Conditioner is premium cut Orthopedic quality leather and linen lacing cord, completely closed with aerospace quality adhesive that is waterproof, solvent proof, and flexible. Then the seams are closed with double-needle saddle-stitch with pure Linen #6 Lacing Cord. Linen cord won't rot or succumb to oils. It stretches without binding, and the fibres of the flax interlock with the leather to form a virtually unbreakable bond. No rivet is used in the Body Conditioner models soas to preclude any possible scratching or unwanted transfer of copper. The leather and the linen are 'body-neutral', and everything else is completely shielded from any transfer to the outside. I use a natural Saddle Finish on all the models. It has some weatherproofing aspects, and seals the surface nicely. Then, I burnish the surface with a bone 'slicker' and premium carnauba wax. The final finish is Renaissance Wax, a microfine fossilized wax. Again, all the products are body-neutral, and very well suited to therapeutic applications. As with all of my projects, I'm prepared to make a pattern to your personal specifications. If you do a particular sort of massage therapy, or follow an particular exercise program for body conditioning, feel free to tell me precisely what you want. For purposes of comparison and useful definition, these are what we do not make. 'Slapjack'- A slap-jack is generally a two piece leather cover with a full seam around the perimeter, covering two flat lead slugs separated by a leaf spring, covered with thick sole leather. This was an attempt to make the blackjack safer for police use. Unfortunately, the side edge of the instrument produced a bad wound as something designated to do so. And they have been discarded for departmental use in most jurisdictions. They were designed for detectives, plainclothes concealment and ‘comfort’. Used from the edge, they were bone shattering and inflexible, producing fatal and maiming wounds, often by accident. We do not make these. 'Blackjack'- two round or cylindrical solid lead weights separated by a coil spring- often covered with braided leather. This is the prohibited ‘criminal weapon’. The common use of the weapon produces maiming and death. They were often sailor’s weapons, made from two small cannon shot or 'grape' separated by a willow-wood withe chosen for its flexibility. Beautiful examples of scrimshaw macramé survive with complex knotwork and braiding. We do not make these. "Slung-shot"- : A Slung Shot is a solid small cannon shot covered with braided hemp twine- a pouch on the end of a long lanyard with a wrist loop on the end to use centrifugal force as with a mace and chain. The long lanyard and wrist loop allow the implement to be whirled around to gain momentum before the strike is made. The lanyard can be used as a garrote or ‘strangling’ cord, or shortened in the hand to accommodate striking range. This weapon requires a degree of sophistication and practice. It is swung in circular and figure ‘8’ patterns; the lanyard is used to intercept and trap- it was a popular weapon with muggers’ and killed very easily. The most common usage was among sailors and beautiful examples of scrimshaw work exist for this deadly weapon. One can see notable examples pictured in 'The Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work' by Rene` Graumont, and in 'Ashley's Book of Knots'. We do not make these. "Slingjack'- A slingjack is a hollow handle with two or three telescoping coil springs with a solid ball finial. The telescoping fit into the hollow handle allows a close carry. The action of the coil springs with a heavy, solid ball on the end produces a terrible wound. They were trench warfare weapons in the First World War, and sometimes combined with knife blades or spikes; it all folded up into a carriable package - And we do not make these. "Sand Bag'- A Sand Bag was the favorite weapon on the Barbary Coast of San Francisco. It was used to 'Shanghai' unsuspecting victims, and is the source for the common cliché` 'He got sandbagged'. The Sand Bag is a stout canvas bag filled with damp sand and compacted to ‘set’ the sand almost solid. Again, a sailor’s weapon, it was made of sail cloth, packed tight and often covered with a decorative and utilitarian braided or macraméd cover. It was more a solid truncheon than ‘springy’. We do not make these, and what point would there be to do?
TIPS! Body Conditioning: The concept is 'high reps, low impact' in all applications. The light impact of the SoftSap will increase bloodflow to the conditioning areas; cause the bone to become denser, and toughen the skin against impact/abrasion. You can condition any part of the body with the SoftSap tool; shin conditioning goes really well, same with forearms and elbows. Knuckle conditioning with the soft leather will produce a more flexible and 'natural' conditioning than more resistant surfaces like metal plates or rope wrapping on planks. They are good jogging weights and for punching practice handweights. I'm happy to make them in 'matched pairs', insofar as there is always going to be some variation, however small. Weapons Trainer: The SoftSap is a good training surrogate for an actual percussion weapon, both for use in class and as a solo practice implement. Although it is significantly lighter than a solid lead weapon, it allows you to practice movement and usage in an 'alive' setting without injuring your training partner. CARE!: Do not ‘test’ your SoftSap by beating it against hard surfaces- it's made of good leather, but it's only leather! I've never had one fail from construction defects, and I'll surely replace it if I did something wrong, but it's not made for full blows to unyielding surfaces. The leather is premium cut to avoid any flaws in the hide, so I wouldn't expect any failure in that regard either. Applications for personal protection: Generally the movements are the same as any other punching art. You don’t present the weapon, you use it as you would ordinarily punch. Targets are generally the hard bones such as knuckles, elbow, knee, point of shoulder, clavicle, hip-socket, foot and toes, the bowl of the head. Soft targets such as muscle bunches,
interior organs, disrupting the cavities and so on are usually pretty
incidental to the skeletal attacks. GRIP: In your order, be sure to specify your
preference. The 'Custom Pocket Pal' softsap is held in the left hand; put the right hand thumb
through the loop and wind the strap across the back of the hand, around and
into the palm, close the fist. Care for your SoftSap by a very light application of lanolin and a little good vegetable wax; Cavalier, Propert's, Pecard's, Care4, Lexol are all good names in feeding cremes. Do Not use Saddle Soap, Neat's-foot Oil, Mink Oil or Silicone. Stick to the shoe cremes and carnauba wax products. I also offer restoration and conservatory on our products or a number of other types of goods, modern, vintage and antique. MATERIALS: The Pocket Pal is a substantial leather pouch that is filled with smallshot or ‘sandshot’, with a loop that goes over the thumb and around the back of the hand. The leather is a Premium Select hand-tanned Italian Shoulder cowhide. The vegetable tanned leather will accept being wetted and dried many times; accepts close body wear very well. It is firm leather with very good density, and will ‘soften’ and become flexible with carry and proximity to the body. The solid copper rivet is a traditional ‘post and washer’ harness rivet. This riveting mechanism is chosen for its strength and compatibility with the leather. While it will patina, it will not rust as would a gilt or plated steel rivet. CONSTRUCTION:
The ‘double needle saddle stitching’ is actually done with very heavy 6-cord linen ‘lace’, not a ‘thread’. Linen doesn't rot from perspiration or 'saw' through the leather with a lot of wear. It intertwines with the leather fibers and will continue to hold even when the outside of the stitch has been worn away. In all humility, I've never had a single of my stitches break.
The diamond awl double-needle saddler’s stitch is used throughout at five to seven stitches to the inch, depending on the application. This is the strongest joining method known for sheet material, and cannot be replicated by a machine, as each stitch knots individually. Just as an aside; I started out making Rodeo/Circus gear, Expeditionary and Safari equipment and have always worked to the highest standards of engineering and construction. Even my most ornamental, and even 'frivolous', projects are made to that standard- I never sacrifice the smallest consideration for strength, durability and service. My main concession to modern technology, besides electric lights in my studio, is in the adhesive used to bond everything prior to stitching. I use flexible, waterproof, solvent proof contact cement used in aerospace quality assembly. You can sometimes see just a ridge of the material (because it won't take color) but I don’t feel it compromises authenticity for re-enactment costume pieces. I will assemble things in Period if it’s specified; no extra charge. Some thoughts on lead shot: First and foremost, don’t cut open the pouch and eat the shot- that's about the only way commercial small-shot is going to hurt you. It's graphited to keep it from clustering, and small chance of anything passing through the leather somehow. The premium specialty leather I use is very dense; it’s further compacted, burnished, sealed with saddle finish inside, separated by the adhesive, handstitched closed and I just don’t think any deleterious effects from the lead would be a major consideration. I’m neither a doctor, nor a scientist, nor a specialist in hazmat toxic nothing, and if you think there will be the slightest chance of toxicity, consult a qualified hazmat specialist and your doctor before ordering.
COLOR: One should really consider color. I'm prepared to work in black, black/brown, browns, reds, greens, yellows, natural and antiqued natural (kind of a sand beige to darker)- not too much in the way of blues, although nice purples are a possibility. Color is pretty much an option of reds, yellows, browns, and ‘black’ (I use a brown based black rather than a blue based black, so it isn’t ‘Motorcycle Black’, it’s more the rich USMC black. Mottoes, initials, tooled patterns are available on special order and quote. I'm doing less carved work as I get older, and I don't like to break the surface integrity with cuts, but stamping work is available on a pretty sophisticated level. Prices for such work vary with the specifics, but it pretty much starts at $20. Any tooling at all requires a particular stage in the manufacturing schedule that takes up both work-time and an an additional overnight drying time. I suggest a 'non-weapon' color for 'carry'; maybe an oxblood, deep burgundy or maroon- something that's non-threatening. The mid-browns are nice, because they 'color' well as you carry them, and the finish just gets richer as it polishes in your silk pocketed slacks <g> 'Natural' color turns out a medley of burnished browns, because the material goes through a couple of wet-moulding processes with deep pounding and stretching going on, so the hand of the workman shows very distinctly.
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