ReTensioning Leon Paul Reels

[Mr.Piccolo22]

I went to the website for Leon Paul and found the data sheet. I read it several times and it looks like I am just missing something. It said that I had to turn the spring casters 15 times. However, I read here that it was too many, so I rotated it 8 times. Now, my question is do I put the wire spool on before I release the spring casters or do I relase the casters and then put the wire spool on? then again, it just might be the fact that is 11:30.... hmm

Mr. Piccolo

[Swordmaster]

Mr. P,
I hope you have survived the release of the spring packs....You will need to place the wire spool on to the spring pack stack and give it 6 to 8 turns (depending on the life of your springs). They very carefully place the stop bushing in the cutout of the housing and reassemble the rest of the reel. being careful not to dislodge the bushing.

[Mr.Piccolo22]

Ahh the spring packs.... they were soooo much fun when they did explode. I had it happen to me twice with two diffrent packs. its all good. I have to back to the data sheet and see what your talking about with the stop bushing. Some reason I don't think I saw a stop bushing. hmm.. oh well, that will have to wait right now. Thanks again.

Mr. P

[Barry Paul]

Hi. Leon Paul are in the process of updating our amoury section and we will include some pictorial aids to spool repair.

However, if you place on a desk/work surface a roll of tape and now place the spool with the nut end of the main spindle face down. The spool is now lying on the desk/work surface and is easy to work on. Undo the knurled nut and while holding the fencer end socket. Lift off the half of the spool not touching the roll of tape. Holding on to the lower half of the spool take the fencer end socket and take out the spring tension by allowing the fencer end socket with the cable drum to unwind. Once the tension is out of the system the commutator brush assemble can be lifted off holding the contacts away from the commutator rings as you remove it. The cable drum can now be removed and below will be the three springs in their containers. To reassemble retrace your steps. Make sure the springs are properly located and the cable drum is located on the top spring case.

For the last forty years we have pre-tensioned new and serviced spools by 15 turns. If you pre-tension less it is likely that the cable will not easily retraced in use. Derrick and I would be interested to know why it is thought necessary to only tension 8 turns. Barry Paul

[Mr.Piccolo22]

Mr. Barry Paul-
Accoring to others, with older springs 15 times would break the spring (at least this is how I am taking it). So, they haven't had too much trouble when they tension with 6-8 turns. I tend to be careful with equipment that doesn't belong to me. I hope that helps you for the time being.

Mr. P

PS The reels that I am working on are (I am assuming) are the older version, since they are all black.

[DHCJr]

Barry, as I've said before, you have one problem with your equipment, it lasts! There are reels used by our division that are older than I have been involved with fencing. Their all Leon Paul and most with the original springs. They have been repunched, but they still work. All of the cords have been changed. The older springs as has been said, do not take the 15 turns.

But there is also another reason, even with the new ones I do not tension them as tight and that is because of the floors that we fence on. If we tension the springs higher, the reels tend to follow the fencer. I also don't believe in taping down reels.

I will note, that we don't use the Leon Paul reels for Sabre, but the lower tension, does not seem to effect the Foilist or the Epeeist.

[Inquartata]

I'll chime in that we DO use our elderly LP reels for sabre and have no problems with tardy rewinding of the wire. This is using the 8 turns of tensioning. And the reels don't follow us, either...unlike our Uhlmanns.