Basic set of tools for weapons?

[Larrison]

Looks like I'm going to be doing a bit of maintenance and repair on foil and saber blades. However, after being out of the sport for over a decade and have had access to a great armorer in the past, my fencing specific toolbox is empty. What do I need?

On the short list so far:
- Visegrips (2)
- Ohm Meter
- Small bladed screwdriver(s), with at least one magnetic blade, phillips and slot
- Soldering iron
- Dremel with grinding/ cutting wheels
- Testing weights
- Spare tips (including all the pieces)
- Spare blades (regular and electric)
- Wires (including bodycords)
- Epoxy or glue for laying in the electric wire

What size of wrench for a pistol grip? hacksaw? Thread cutter dies? (metric and english)? File? scraper?

What are the basic spare parts I'm going to need to fix something from my tool box, rather than having to order something when something breaks?

I'm looking for suggestions on things folks need on a regular basis. I'm not going to be maintaining strips or reels or scoring boxes, but my personal equipment including electric and practice blades.

If folks want to share their tool box inventories, or best ideas, I'll try to put together a consensus list and repost it here. That might be a useful thing to have around for small clubs, teams or individuals.

[daveappr]

how about a magnet to hold tip screws on the work surface, pliers, razor blade to help remove glue, nail polish remove or acetone, extra insulation for wires, sanding block to remove oxidation or sandpaper, cloth to wipe down sanded areas- just to name a few items in my kit. I also use a fishing tackle box plano magnum I think- for the compartments that come with removable dividers so I can chane the size of the storage compartments. Oh, and a test box

[shlepzig]

My tool kit which is somwhat more extensive than I need for just tournaments (foil/epee) is:

Testing Box
6mm Hex (for pommel nuts)
small pocket knife
Weights
Pair of dikes (wire snipper and get your mind out of the gutter)
Test shims
Needles and white thread
Small glasses repair kit (for the few tips I have that still have screws)
6mm box end and 8mm box end (for screwless tips)
Blade setter (made from light pull chain and plumbing ends)
Blade setter (made from masonry string and two soda tops, necessity is the mother of invention)
Extra springs (foil, epee and contact)
lots of cheap tubes of superglue (10 for a dollar at the dollar store)
small magnetic tool tray

That about covers it, except for all the little bits and pieces I hold on to from broken tips and bits of string, that I may find useful in my bag.

Shlep

[Eskrimador]

You might want to keep a hacksaw around in case you get a buy on some blades that are set up for French handles or sabre blades that are a bit long for your pommel. A portable or permanent vise also comes in handy.

[Artisan]

Originally Posted by Eskrimador

You might want to keep a hacksaw around in case you get a buy on some blades that are set up for French handles or sabre blades that are a bit long for your pommel. A portable or permanent vise also comes in handy.

oh, and in addition to a vise, I carry a small coal fired forge, anvil and 5 lb sledge in case theres a blade you have that needs just a bit of tweaking - as well as an electric heat treating oven thats 42" long. I keep these in my golf club style fencing case. Very handy at tournaments, but costly for air travel. Can't be too prepared though.

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

For foil
My competition repair kit :
-Two flat head screw drivers for the screws in the tip
-10x tip screws
-10x spare springs
-Resistance meter (multi-meter)
-Socket plug
-Spanner
-2x spare tips
-Sand paper
-Spare two-prong socket
-Blade knife
-Insulating tape (emergency tip tape)
-Needles and cotton
-Cut off piece of blade thread (fits right in the hole at the top of some pommels for tightening)

My at home tool kit :
-Everything above
-Knife (fits perfectly in a foil's groove for those extra pesky wires)
-Pocket knife
-Spare 100mm guard
-Spare guard padding (fuzzy)
-Spare pistol and french grips
-Spare weapon wire
-Shifting spanner
-Blue tack (I don't know why, but I'll find a use one day)

Well that's all I can think of for now - If I think of anything I'll edit my post.

[Mergs]

Here's my contribution:

Basic Tools

Magnetic strip
Jeweler’s screwdriver
Pommel nut tool

8mm outside hex,
6mm allenwrench,
¾” deepwell socket (you can also use a sparkplug wrench)
large bladed flat tip screwdriver

Test box
Test weight(s)
Epee shims
Springs
Screws
Q-tips
Tip tape (1” gaffer’s tape will work very well, as well as vinyl electrical tape)
Isopropyl Alcohol
Scotchbrite pads

Intermediate Tools

Wiring Chain
Clamp
Portable vise
Dental pick
Vise grips
6” Crescent wrench
7mm box end wrench (foil connector)
8mm box end wrench (foil connector)
Large bladed screwdriver (epee connectors)
Small tipped screwdriver
Mill file
Set of fine files
Dremel tool with cutoff wheels (both diamond and fiber)
Hemostats
Point setters
Nippers
12kg Mask punch
Ohmmeter (analog is preferable)
Razor blades
Superglue
Acetone
Nail polish remover
220 grit sandpaper

Advanced Tools

Small bolt cutters
Machinist vise
10” crescent wrench
Taps & Dies, with handles

6mm x 1
4mm x .7
3.5mm x .5
12 x 24 UNF

Small ball peen hammer
2’ length of ½” metal pipe
Portable workbench
3” bench grinder

And of course, a box to put it all in!

[mifencer]

Originally Posted by Larrison

Looks like I'm going to be doing a bit of maintenance and repair on foil and saber blades.

Saber: a wrench and the bottom of your foot. Not much needed there!

[Mergs]

Originally Posted by mifencer

Saber: a wrench and the bottom of your foot. Not much needed there!

Yeah, we know. grunt, grunt!

[DHCJr]

Many have given answers for an Armorer and not an individual. You don't need an allen wrench and a outside hex. As long as you are consistent, you only need one and you would have to decide based on the size of pommels. The same thing with taps and dies. I wouldn't worry about dies for the tips, since the amount of times you will have a use is minimal and unless you know what you are doing fruitles. A jewelers screwdrive (magnatized as suggested), but as to the size, that depends on the weapon and the brand of tips.

You don't mention what weapon, but if it is Foil, shims would not be something you would need. In fact for Epee Fencer, I suggest they NOT get fencing shims. They are go/no go gauges. You will get the same reading if your residual travel is set at 0.005 or 0.495. If you are Epee get automotive gauges.

The same with open/box wrenchs. Get the size you need for your weapons.

Scotchbrite is good, a maskpunch is not for a fencer. Vinal tape or athletic tape in a warm environment is bad. The glue tends to migrate.

I carry around almost 40 lbs, just the basic tools to carry between strips at a competiton. That doesn include the things, like vises, hammers, soldering guns and the rest of the big stuff. But I have to plan for every possible size.

For a fencer,
Spare parts for your weapons.
Tools that fit your weapons
cleaning supply.