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Page 8 of 14
Cleaning New Blades
Even new blades may need cleaning. It’s not uncommon for blades to be shipped with a coating of oil or grease from the forge (copious amounts of grease in the case of one Eastern European forge). Grease left in the groove will guarantee that the glue will not hold. Inspect a new blade to verify that the surface and groove are clean. Even if the groove appears clear, run a screwdriver down it to make sure. If there is grease on the blade, first wipe the surface of the blade clean with a paper towel. If you have an acetone bath, you may try soaking the blade for a few hours, but I find that acetone is not especially effective in removing grease. A Dremel cut-off wheel will do the job quickly. To clear the grease from the groove by hand, tear a small piece off from a paper towel and fold it over a few times. Using a small screwdriver, press the folded bit of towel into the groove at the tip and then run it down the blade. Wipe away the grease that get pushed out of the groove. This step will typically need to be repeated a number of times, using a fresh piece of paper towel each time, to get the groove clean. The threading at the tang and tip should also be cleaned of any grease.
Mechanical Preparation (cutting, bending, filing, grinding)
Once the blade is clean, you want to take care of any mechanical preparation that may be needed. Cutting the tang to fit the grip, if required, is typically the first item to take care of, followed by bending the tang to the desired cant. The complete hilt (guard, socket, and grip) should be test assembled before wiring to ensure everything fits. It’s not uncommon for the tang to be to wide for the grip to fit over just below the shoulder of the blade. If this is the case, that part of the tang will need to be filed or ground so that the grip will fit.
The threading at the tip of the blade should be examined to ensure that it is in good shape and goes far enough down the blade (6-7 turns) for the barrel to screw on securely. The end of the blade groove should also be inspected—if it is too narrow or has any burrs, the wire can be damaged. A riffler file or grinding wheel can be used to widen the start of the groove if necessary. Lastly, it’s a good idea to pre-train a gentle downward curve into the blade. This will help ensure that the blade flexes evenly when a touch is delivered, reducing the chances of it taking kinks. The rules limits on curvature are 1 cm for epee and 2 cm for foil (with foil possibly going to 1 cm subject to the trial rules changes accepted by the FIE for the 2004-05 Junior World Cup season).
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